For the highly
anticipated
multi-platform
title
"Dishonored,"
Psyop and ROKKAN
created an
engrossing
prequel series
for Bethesda
Softworks and
Arkane Studios.
The online
series gives
gamers a
first-hand
glimpse into the
steampunk-inspired,
shadowy whaling
city of Dunwall,
where plague is
rampant and the
city is in
disarray and on
the verge of
dystopia.
ROKKAN and Psyop worked very closely with Bethesda Softworks to
create a look
and feel that
was truly
unique.
Inspiration was
taken from the
artistic feel of
the game as
established by
Arkane Studios,
but with a
twist.
The three webisodes were predominantly produced by hand. Each frame
was essentially
a fully rendered
style frame,
which was then
enhanced with 3D
elements to add
to the painterly
atmosphere,
dimension and
depth of each
shot.
Usually when we animate, it is largely a CG production” said Psyop
creative
director Jon
Saunders. “After
we saw the story
line, we decided
to draw each
style frame
thirty or forty
times and create
a cell animated
look and give it
a sort of a
painting-come-to-life
effect."
The prequels, although stylistically different from Dishonored the
game, accurately
portray the
story of Dunwall
and showcase the
fantasy worlds
that Psyop is
known for
creating.
“After vetting several animation studios, Psyop stood out because
they understood
the story we
were trying to
tell. They were
the only studio
who could really
bring the
stories to life
with their world
renown animation
precision and
craft," said
Charles Bae,
Chief Creative
Officer, ROKKAN.
"Bethesda and
ROKKAN's
approach to the
prequels was to
give context to
the oppressive
world of
Dishonored,
establishing the
story up to the
point of the
player's
immersion at the
start of the
game. Our
primary
objective was to
tell a great
story in the
simplest and
most compelling
format we could,
period," added
Bae.
The official release, scheduled for October 9th, is already getting
strong advance
reviews and is
set to be a
smash hit for
the fall.
