Floatlands

November 28, 2016 · by admin

Devblog 24 – Visiting Coal Mine

We decided to take one Friday off and make a team trip — or you could say teambuilding. We wanted to go somewhere not far from our office. Someone came up with a wild idea to visit a coal mine.

A dimly lit miners' locker room with rows of metal lockers and hanging work clothes, warm amber tones against deep shadows, analog film grain visible.
The mining museum locker room in Velenje.

For those of you who don't know our team's history — we started in the mobile game business and made a few successful games like Ore Miner Classic and Ore Miner – clicking game. So visiting a coal mine felt like a fitting tribute to our roots.

A screenshot of the Ore Miner mobile game showing pixelated mine carts and rocky underground terrain in muted browns and grays.
Ore Miner, one of the team's earlier mobile titles.

New 2D Artist

We're also excited to introduce Mito, who has joined Studio Techtrics as our new 2D artist. Mito brings fresh energy to the visual side of Floatlands, and we're already seeing great results from his work on UI elements and concept art.

A low-poly character portrait of Mito against a floating island backdrop, soft teal sky and earthy browns, grainy analog film look.
Mito, the newest member of Studio Techtrics.

Points of Interest

The coal mine museum in Velenje offered plenty of inspiration. Walking through the tunnels and seeing the massive drilling equipment up close gave us new appreciation for the industrial aesthetic we're channeling in Floatlands. The trip reinforced the team's bond and sparked fresh ideas for in-game environments.

A coal miner statue in Velenje, dark silhouette against a pale overcast sky, muted grays and charcoal tones, grainy film photograph.
A monument at the Velenje coal mining museum.

We returned to the office recharged and ready to push forward on development. Stay tuned for more updates soon.