Overview
Northern Guilds is a device-agnostic dungeon-crawler MMORPG inspired by classic pixel-art adventure games. The project aimed to capture the nostalgic charm of retro RPGs while modernizing the experience for online multiplayer and cross-platform play.
Players explore a stylized fantasy world inspired by Norse mythology, embarking on cooperative adventures, collecting loot, and progressing through a richly designed pixel-art universe.
Project Details
STUDIO: Pixie Interactive
ROLE: Art Director / Lead 2D Pixel Artist
TEAM SIZE: 3 Artist + Developers
PLATFORM: Web / Cross-platform
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Art Direction & Visual Development
• Pixel Art & Animation
• Character & Environment Art
• Team Leadership & Mentorship
• Art Pipelines & Visual Standards
My Role
On Northern Guilds, I served as Art Director and Lead 2D Pixel Artist, helping establish the game's pixel-art style and visual direction while remaining hands-on throughout production. I created pixel-art characters, environments, props, tilesets, UI, and animation primarily in Aseprite while also establishing the visual standards used by the wider art team.
Early in development, I designed and launched the project's NFT mint, which raised $2.8 million USD in 43 minutes and secured funding for full production. From there, I focused on developing the game's visual identity, building the art team, and creating the pixel-art assets and systems that would define the game's look.
I assembled and led a team of 3 artists, conducted interviews and art tests, and worked closely with the team to establish workflows and maintain visual consistency across environments, characters, UI, and animation.
Challenges
As production expanded, one of the main challenges was maintaining a consistent pixel-art style across characters, environments, UI, and animation while multiple artists contributed to the project.
I developed visual standards, art tests, and production workflows to help artists understand and reproduce the established style, while providing feedback and remaining hands-on with asset creation throughout production.
Impact
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Established the pixel-art identity and visual standards for Northern Guilds.
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Built and led a team of 3 artists while remaining hands-on in production.
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Created a scalable art pipeline across characters, environments, UI, and animation.
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Helped take the project from early visual development into full production following a $2.8M USD funding raise.