A Look At Overgrowth's Weapons

This week I'd like to take a break from describing the Wolfire Phoenix Engine terrain system so that I can show off some Overgrowth weaponry.  Aubrey Serr, Wolfire's lead artist, has been working very hard on developing the look and feel of Overgrowth.  Though we officially started developing Overgrowth in September of last year, Aubrey has been brainstorming ideas with David since initial work began on the Lugaru 2 proto-type a few years ago.  The result is that every asset Aubrey makes, is uniquely tailored to mesh with his clear vision of the Overgrowth world.  Perhaps this manifests itself most in Aubrey's weapon assets.  Check out this sword Aubrey made:

One can tell from the smudge marks and crooked angles that this is not intended to be a pretty sword, but an effective, make-shift weapon of war (that has already seen some wear and tear).  The point is brutally sharp.  The extra extended handle on the back allows the wielder to place his hand there for extra leverage in case the blade sticks and need to be forced through something.  Also the sword fits Overgrowth's post-apocalyptic setting.  The jagged shape of the blade suggests it may have been formed from a sharpened piece of scrap metal.  The crooked wooden handle looks like it may have been fashioned out of a broken tree branch.  It is not certain which Overgrowth species created this weapon.  The rats are the race best at jury-rigging make-shift items, so perhaps they put this sword together.  However, the weapon looks a bit large for a rat to wield effectively so it may have also have been fashioned by (or for) a stronger species.
 

This rapier and main gauche are on the opposite end of the spectrum:

From the intricate gold-work near the hilt of the main gauche, we can see the that these weapons must belong to a cat.  The handles appear to be made of gold, ivory and jewels which makes them unnecessarily heavy and also slippery when moistened by the sweat from an intense battle.  These weapons reveal that cats generally prefer showing off their affluence and intimidating other creatures more than getting their hands dirty in actual fights.  Aubrey has commented that he may add scrimshaw at some point to give the weapons a decorative but more effective battle grip.  The menacing barb on the main gauche is intended to snag an adversary's blade, leaving him vulnerable while the rapier is free to thrust in for the kill.
 

Aubrey refuses to settle for generic katanas and broad swords.  He is going to the extra mile to deliver believable, beautiful assets that fit in perfectly with the Overgrowth universe.  From these two pictures alone, one can already sense that there are "haves" and "have nots"; there are "fighters" and also "posers".  The weapons themselves are already telling the story of Overgrowth.  I can't wait to show you more as Aubrey's vision continues to materialize.
 

For more Overgrowth development news, please visit the Wolfire Blog.