Ars Artis

Welcome to Acloria!

This continent, far from the reaches of other lands, teems with culture. From the sandy beaches to the ragged mountain peaks, the land here runs rich with both natural resources and incredible beauty.

Fair weather and gorgeous landscapes have drawn artists and craftspeople to Acloria from across the globe, and created a booming paradise where artistry thrives. The natural resources lend themselves well to the arts, and the abundance of pigment here has garnered the attention of six distant nations.

In Ars Artis, players take on the role of one of the rulers from Acloria's six nations-The Rosewood Royalty, The Wavecrest Kingdom, The Amethyst Empire, The Willowfield Dynasty, The Amber Domain, or the Emerald Realm. Over the course of the game they will expand their kingdom into new territories, laying claim to the abundant resources that Acloria has to offer. Using these resources, they will craft powerful armies and walls to attack their rival nations-or defend themselves from attacking enemies.

This project really tested my range as a designer. I had decided on a clean, stained-glass style and it ended up being a really fun challenge to bring everything I wanted to show into that clean, crisp visual aesthetic. From adapting famous artworks to creating beautiful environments, I learned a lot about how I can communicate meaning and space through simple forms and use them to drive interaction from the players. I also had to step out of my comfort zone of 2D design and into the realm of 3D modelling. Learning the new tools to design and fabricate the physical pieces for the game was a unique experience that I greatly appreciated and enjoyed.

With this project, I gave myself a simple overall goal: whatever I make, I want it to be fun. I wanted to drive that interaction between people, and give them a reason to come together and immerse themselves in a different world. I wanted to take my passion for board games and share it with the world, and let my creativity run free. It's not a perfect game - there are still some kinks to work out - but as a designer and board game enthusiast, I'm proud to place Ars Artis among my finest work.