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CONCEPT DESIGN / GREEN LIGHTTeesside University · Year 2 team project

The Gearspire.

Character, merchandise and world design for a steampunk fantasy RPG concept.

PROJECT PERIOD2025.9–2026.1

MY ROLETeam Leader

The Gearspire

The Gearspire is a team concept for a 2D side-scrolling RPG set on a continent rebuilding after a magical catastrophe. The Gear Council controls the machinery that converts magic into steam power, while people who can wield Natural Magic are feared and hunted. My visual development work includes a chimera-inspired playable character, its merchandise and poster, an enemy encounter and the world map.

01 / CONCEPT DESIGN

Character design

I began with the chimera as a way to combine features from different animals. I compared horn silhouettes, lion and antelope heads, moth-like patterns and clawed feet before developing a long-tailed, four-legged silhouette. The final blue and gold design carries the long horns and mechanical fittings into the pose studies.

The weapon sketches explore two swords that can join to form a spear. The pose sheet tests how the character reads when rearing, turning and carrying the weapon.

Character research · horns, hybrid anatomy, moth patterns and costume references. FULL SIZE ↗
Silhouette explorations · different heads, limbs and proportions. FULL SIZE ↗
Design development · mechanical details and colour studies. FULL SIZE ↗
Final character concept. FULL SIZE ↗
Weapon study · two swords combine into a spear. FULL SIZE ↗
Pose sheet · testing the silhouette in motion. FULL SIZE ↗
02 / CONCEPT DESIGN

Merchandise design

I looked at mugs whose lids, bases and handles double as recognizable parts of a character. The final concept uses the creature as a removable lid and repeats the project’s gear motif in the handle and cup body. The board compares normal, hot and cold colours and shows how the lid and spoon could be used.

Merchandise moodboard · character features as functional parts of a mug. FULL SIZE ↗
Shape studies for cups, handles and lids. FULL SIZE ↗
Development board · form and colour alternatives. FULL SIZE ↗
Final mug concept with temperature and use studies. FULL SIZE ↗
03 / CONCEPT DESIGN

Character poster

I compared action-led compositions and close-up portraits. The final poster centres the character’s face and horns in an ornamental frame, with red and gold setting off the blue figure.

Poster thumbnails · framing and value alternatives. FULL SIZE ↗
Poster development · portrait, palette and border. FULL SIZE ↗
Final character poster. FULL SIZE ↗
04 / CONCEPT DESIGN

Combat, key scene and world map

The Modified Dragonborn connects the combat concept to the Gear Council’s use of mechanical augmentation. The encounter studies include a half-field strike, a diagonal dash and attacks that bring the surrounding terrain into play. I also sketched the playable character’s sword, spear and magic actions, then brought the two figures together in a grayscale key scene.

The map places the camp, wilderness, settlements and Steam Factory within the same region. The team presentation pairs the map with the group’s descriptions of those places.

Modified Dragonborn · shape and colour development. FULL SIZE ↗
Enemy concept and attack patterns. FULL SIZE ↗
Playable character action studies. FULL SIZE ↗
Key scene · composition and value passes. FULL SIZE ↗
Final encounter key scene. FULL SIZE ↗
World map · reference layouts and the developed region. FULL SIZE ↗
05 / CONCEPT DESIGN

Research for the team

The team moodboards connect the fictional setting with choices about architecture, function and composition. Gears, pipes and a clock tower help distinguish the Gear Council’s seat of power. The Steam Factory and the modified Dragonborn carry that same machinery into the story and combat concepts.

Worldbuilding moodboard · geography and the two systems of magic. FULL SIZE ↗
Worldbuilding moodboard · the Gear Council and its architecture. FULL SIZE ↗
Functionality moodboard prepared for the team. FULL SIZE ↗
Composition moodboard prepared for the team. FULL SIZE ↗
06 / CONCEPT DESIGN

Week 6 team presentation

The team presentation brings together the world, character lineup, interface, environments, posters and merchandise. The slides below are excerpts from the shared presentation, with the original project credits. The complete PowerPoint also contains the recorded narration.

Download the complete team PowerPoint ↗

Team presentation · project logo. FULL SIZE ↗
Team presentation · genre and gameplay references. FULL SIZE ↗
Team presentation · shared worldbuilding. FULL SIZE ↗
Team presentation · the map and location legend. FULL SIZE ↗
Team presentation · Xi You’s character design. FULL SIZE ↗
Team presentation · interface design. FULL SIZE ↗
Team presentation · character posters. FULL SIZE ↗
Team presentation · outdoor scene. FULL SIZE ↗
Team presentation · interior scene. FULL SIZE ↗
Team presentation · merchandise lineup. FULL SIZE ↗
Team presentation · original closing credits. FULL SIZE ↗