Wizard101 didn't always have the complex area designs and intricate enemies that it does today. With the launch, Wizard City, Krokotopia, Marleybone, and MooShu were created. Dragonspyre came later. However, these worlds, particularly Wizard City, started out simple. And so did their concepts.
Contour Drawings
These images aren't really fully-developed art, but more sketches. They've been cleaned up, though, so let's call them contour sketches.
This first one is the Ice school, labelled as the Frost School, which it may have originally been intended to be. The board has some of the images we see today, and some variations of the lessons we see appear on the boards. This one reads "Mr. Freezy Whizzer // - Lessons for today // - blue snow flakes // Create stairs of Ice".
The concept above is one of the shops in Wizard City. You've got the hat stands, clothing racks, medal cases, checkout counter, even the register and picture in the correct places.
This final one above is a house. You've got your classic stairs, rug, and other decorations. Some of the corner items were changed, but for the most part, it has stayed the same.
The Importance
What really made these concepts stand out to me is how old and undeveloped they are. And yet, they're all just about exactly what we see in-game. That's rare. It isn't often that what you see in-game is exactly like the concept, down to the placement of the pictures and props.Other Concepts to See
I've posted a lot of Concept101 posts that contain a lot of unique concepts with hints at future promotions and more, but if you're short on time, I recommend these - "Pollo's Map, Future Promotions, and Ship Teleports - Oh My!" and "Pirate101's Darkmoor, Zafaria, and Valencia Extensions" - click the names to visit the posts.Concept Credits
All of these concepts are created by the KingsIsle art team. Dave Greco is the Lead Concept Artist there, and shares many of his works on his blog, My Electronic Days. You can view it HERE. See more from KingsIsle Entertainment at http://kingsisle.com/. These concepts are by Erik McKenney. Check out more of his work and a link to his site HERE.
Thanks for reading and see you in the Spiral!
In one of your other posts, Complexity By Design, I believe, you had Merle Ambrose as a teacher and Greyrose as the headmistress. I think Ambrose might have been the ice teacher and named Mr. Freezy Whizzer.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone bothers to read what I say, Todd Coleman, or others...you'd know that Merle was never supposed to be the original Headmaster, it was Greyrose...and Merle appears to be the Storm Teacher...and so I believe there was a completely different teacher whom may have had a name similar to Mr. Freezy Whizzer..as well I believe from the labels of the school art..that perhaps all the Wysteria schools were trashed names for Ravenwood's schools...
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