If the video rehashes of Funcom’s Dune Awakening the past few months weren’t doing it for you, then you’re going to want to take a peek at today’s release, which is a full-on classic dev blog discussing the survival MMO’s art and environments and inspirations, courtesy of Funcom Tech Art Director Richard Cawte.
“Dune is a universe so rich that we’re spoilt for sources of inspiration. Our main source is the books, principally the ones written by Frank Herbert,” Cawte says. “Having said that, we draw from everything, including the most recent movie by [Denis] Villeneuve, and even various real-life locations like the Oregon Dunes, the southern deserts of the USA, Wadi Rum, the Acacus Mountains, Tassili n’Ajjer, Ennedi, and even planet Mars.”
“The movie is of course a strong visual reference for many iconic aspects of the universe, like the Ornithopter or the sandworm. The game requires us to go further yet and adopt a more global view of the planet. For example, the Dune in the movie shows no natural vegetation whatsoever, which is not the case for our Dune. This is where the books become a stronger and essential influence, giving us so much variety and detail through its descriptions and map.”
Cawte also discusses adapting the movie’s brutalist architecture and world scale without stark and artificial boundaries, with a sun that “bleaches and burns” landscapes and structures and vehicles – much of which necessitated a combination of handcrafted terrain and procedural gen to recreate the feel of the Herbert’s setting.
Sleepers,
Our first development update has emerged. Read Richard Cawte (Tech Art Director) on how we've been building the environment of Arrakis.
Join us on this journey as we craft the most immersive Dune experience ever. pic.twitter.com/2PAiuRatTc
— Dune: Awakening (@DuneAwakening) June 8, 2023
