We’ve been pretty busy here at DC Universe Online, kicking off fall with our new Homecoming seasonal and shifting into spooky season with our Witching Hour seasonal. Most importantly, we’ve been gearing up for our next episode: The Sins of Black Adam.
Read on to learn more about this episode’s story and how our artists create the assets in DC Universe Online, bringing them to life from concept art.
New Episode: The Sins of Black Adam
A love that’s lasted an eternity. A deal gone wrong. A daring escape from the Underworld. All that and more await you in The Sins of Black Adam.
Black Adam’s quest to rescue his lost love from the Underworld results in deadly consequences. You’ll join an unlikely alliance between the Shazam family and Black Adam to reclaim Kahndaq and the soul of his beloved.
Along the way, you’ll run into fearsome foes like Black Alice, Felix Faust, and the ruler of the Underworld himself: Neron.
A Throne of Lies
Every ruler, good or bad, needs a throne that reflects their power. Neron’s throne is no exception! We chatted with Blake Henrikson, DCUO’s Senior Concept Artist, to learn more about his inspiration for the sinister seat.
Like many forms of art, concept art for DCUO begins with rough sketches. “Rough” refers to the level of detail and polish of the sketches.
Blake “drew a lot of inspiration from the typical visual elements that you’d expect to see from the underworld like skulls, horns, and chains” but was also inspired by the contrast between Neron’s elegance and the fearsome aspects of the Underworld.
“I wanted Neron’s throne to be a bit of a jolting contrast to his design,” said Blake, “and hint at all those sinister elements that are below the surface.”
Devil’s in the 3Details
Once the team gives their feedback on the roughs, Blake incorporates that feedback into the final design for the piece.
“At this point in the design process, I have the choice to work purely in 2D or to explore in 3D and use that as a base before painting over it to create the final 2D image,” notes Blake.
Though he got his start in 2D illustration, Blake is a big fan of using 3D in his design process. “I feel that it can really help to understand how a design translates into a 3D space. This is especially helpful when you’re working on complex structures like Neron’s throne.”
From Concept to Environment
The final step in the concept artist journey? Handing off the concept to an environment artist so they can build it as a 3D prop in the game!
“Our Environment Artist Walter Diaz did an amazing job bringing the concept to life,” notes Blake. “I’m excited for everyone to see it and get a look at all the beautiful work he put into it!”
We might be biased, but we agree with Blake. Here’s what the throne looks like in-game:
Want to take a closer look and see all the incredible details our artists packed into Neron’s throne? Don’t miss The Sins of Black Adam, the latest episode now available in DC Universe Online for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
Download and play DC Universe Online today. It’s a great time to get into or back into the game because all episodes are free-to-access. Create your hero or villain and become a new legend in the DC universe! For additional content details and guides, please visit us at DCUniverseOnline.com.
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