Deep Dive: Chronomancy

ABOUT

Chronomancy is a first person roguelike game with a focus on creating your magic through symbols, utilizing a unique drawing system to bring the player into the world of wizardry. You are a wizard given the task of delving into a deep, forgotten catacomb. Inside, a powerful chronomancer and their followers threaten to tear the world apart. Your secret weapon? A powerful spell capable of creating a loop in time until your mission is complete.



PROJECT OVERVEIW

  • Development Period: October 2024 - March 2025

  • Project Type: First-Person Roguelike Action Game

  • Roles: 3D Modeler, Concept Designer, Texture Artist

  • Tools/Programs: Procreate, Blender, Photoshop

  • Team Size: 9

MY CONTRIBUTIONS

  • Modeled a variety of 3D assets for the game, including different weapons and environmental props to support gameplay and world-building

  • Created textures for all produced models, ensuring there is a cohesive visual style and fully polished in-game assets

  • Designed and modeled the first-person hand and legs used for the player character, contributing to the core gameplay aesthetic/presentation

  • Assisted with the rigging setup for the player hand model to support animation implementation and in-game functionality

  • Planned the modeling approach for the first-person hand asset, working on the challenges in achieving realistic anatomical proportions and movement

  • Created the initial 2D sketches and concepts to establish the structure, form, and reference for the 3D modeling process

  • Started modeling the hand asset, adapting the initial concepts into a 3D model while revising the hand design after direction changes, incorporating a gauntlet/armor element

  • Expanded the asset work to include leg and foot models with matching armored/gauntlet designs, ensuring consistency across the player character set

  • Continued to refine the hand and leg models, making small adjustments to improve the visual quality, consistency, and alignment with the final art direction

  • Created additional environmental and prop assets to support the world-building and fill out empty in-game spaces

  • Assisted in developing and troubleshooting the rigging setup for the player hand to support the animation and in-game implementation

PROCESS/DEVELOPMENT

Early Stages

Production/Assets

Final Product

EARLY STAGES

  • Explored different modeling approaches as well as texture workflows for the player hand to evaluate efficiency and long term asset production quality

  • Revised the early hand designs and sketched the gauntlet variations to align with the updated armored direction of the character

  • Began developing the leg model based concept art provided by team member, establishing the base proportions and translating 2D design into 3D form

MID STAGE/ASSETS

  • Completed the player’s arm and leg models, refining the proportions and details to align with the game’s armored gauntlet design direction

  • Produced additional environmental and prop assets to support in-game world building and reinforce the game’s visual style

  • Began exploring and testing the rigging system, helping to establish how the character model would be prepared for animation and in-game use

FINAL PRODUCT

  • Supported the final production by assisting with the rigging mechanics as well as troubleshooting to ensure the player model would be properly animated

  • Refined and adjusted the character and environmental models created y other team members to maintain consistent visual style and aesthetic cohesion

  • Provided the general asset support across the project, contributing to the final polish and ensuring the assets were ready for integration into the game

REFLECTION

  • This project pushed me significantly out of my comfort zone, as I joined a team where I did not previously know anyone. Although it was intimidating, this experience helped me develop confidence in collaboration and encouraged me to communicate more openly within a new group environment

  • I found the core gameplay mechanic especially interesting and engaging, specifically the spellcasting system based on drawing symbols, which felt super unique compared to typical combat systems. This concept kept me motivated throughout the project and made the development process more creatively rewarding.

  • I was able to expand my technical skills by taking on tasks that I had not previously explored in depth, including rigging and modeling more complex body parts, which helped me grow as a 3D artist and better understand the full asset pipeline.