Leak: The Halcyon Sea From Blockout to Final State

August 7, 2022

3 minute read

The Illuvium team offered a detailed look at multiple regions during the Creating the Overworld video. It was great insight into exactly where the project is and what the graphics team is excited about moving forward. One of the regions the team focused on was the Halcyon Sea. This region was particularly interesting and afterwards Grant shared both block out and final state artwork of the region in discord. It was a good reminder of how much work goes into each region and how talented the team is.

The Blockout of Halcyon Sea

There is a method to the build. Each region begins as a blockout and it is then transformed into the beautiful AAA version that we see in gameplay footage. Along the way, the team tests the environment for many different factors. Does the region flow? Does it make sense? Is it too big? Many questions are asked and many factors considered. Once the team is satisfied they fine tune the region, set dress and polish. It’s a quite a process, but here is what the initial blockout looked like:

The Halcyon Sea blockout done by the Illuvium team.

Some Overworld footage of the Halcyon Sea region in blockout phase.

Three waterfalls as part of the Halcyon Sea blockout done by the Illuvium team.

The Final State

Some games never make it past the blockout stage. The artwork is good enough and the game is playable. This is what separates a A or AA studio from AAA. In Illuvium’s case, the blockout is just the beginning. The final state is perfection. The team goes all out to ensure that they are putting out the best graphics possible. This attention to detail is what separates Illuvium from everyone else. It’s crucial in this Web 3 space to not cut corners. So many are tempted to rush out a product to make a quick buck. Not Illuvium. Just look at the difference between blockout and the final product:

Arlen and Axodon standing in the Halcyon Sea region of Illuvium.

Arlen and Axodon posing in the Halcyon Sea region of Illuvium.

The final setting of the Halcyon Sea region of Illuvium. Arlen is seen at a distance for scale.

Perfection

The team strives for perfection every step of the way. I think everyone who has watched the recent Creating the Overworld video left with a new confidence in the project. This game is going to be epic. The leaks will only get better as progress is made and regions are finalized. We will soon have more gameplay footage from the finished regions like Crimson Waste and Brightland Steppes. Soon enough we will have content creators exploring the Overworld on Twitch and actually catching Illuvials in the wild. We are getting closer every day to completion.

For the folks that have been here throughout the build it will feel different playing this game. We have seen how much has gone into making it. We know progress can seem slow at times and patience can wear thin. In the end however, the process along the way will make us all appreciate the finished product that much more. Illuvium is innovating and pushing the boundaries of decentralized gaming in unprecedented ways. We are seeing the future of gaming being built every day. From blockout to final state, the community is there every step of the way and this level of transparency we’ve come to expect draws us in more and more to a game that is rewriting the rules entirely. This is the ethos of Illuvium and I haven’t seen anything else quite like it.