Designing the Settlements in the World of 'Horizon Forbidden West' is a video published by GDC that delves into the creation of the game's settlements and the design processes involved. The speaker, Roland IJzermans, is an industrial designer who has worked at Gorilla Games since 2002 and has played a significant role in the development of Horizon Forbidden West.
The video begins by discussing the concept of a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, which serves as the setting for the game. The creators imagined what the city would look like if it had been flooded for over a thousand years, resulting in a landscape of islands with the tops of buildings still poking out of the sea. This setting provides the backdrop for the various cultures that inhabit the world of Horizon.
Two key settlements from Horizon Forbidden West are explored in detail: the Utaro and the Tanak. The Utaro's design is influenced by their relationship with the machines that roam the land, specifically the Plow Horn, a machine that helps grow food. The Utaro's architecture is inspired by bamboo weaving techniques, resulting in huts that appear to have been grown rather than constructed. The speaker also discusses the development of the Utaro's clothing, tools, and other aspects of their culture.
The Tanak, on the other hand, have a more combat-focused lifestyle and are divided into three clans based on their geographical location. Their design is inspired by a military memorial they discovered, which featured distorted and mangled holographic images of ancient warriors. The Tanak's architecture is more aggressive and angular, with their settlements built around a central solar tower. The speaker also touches on the development of their clothing, weapons, and other aspects of their culture.
In addition to discussing the design processes for these settlements, the video also delves into the research and collaboration that went into creating the game's world. The speaker emphasizes the importance of working closely with game designers to ensure that the settlements are not only visually interesting but also conducive to gameplay.
The video concludes with a Q&A session, during which the speaker answers questions about the level of detail in the game's design, the challenges of creating art for different platforms, and the collaboration between concept artists and game designers.
Overall, Designing the Settlements in the World of 'Horizon Forbidden West' provides an insightful look into the creative processes and research that went into developing the game's unique and immersive world.
