spellfish

photomersive a1

Project Description
You are a witch that catches fish! Use your reflexes and wit to discover all the magical aquatic creatures that inhabit your sleepy cove.

Timeline
Fall 2023 - present

Responsibilities
UI Art, Illustration, Visual Development, UX

Tools
Figma, Photoshop, UE5

Background
Witchy Fishing

Every good game has a beloved fishing minigame. I've loved playing games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, but I'd always wished for the chance to show off flashy combos and strategy while reeling in my catches. As an avid fan of both cozy and fast-paced games, I wanted to combine the two and add some additional depth with skillshot and build-based mechanics!

Inspiration
Arcana + Nautical =?

I looked toward games like League of Legends and Hearthstone for their immersion and cohesive magical visual style, while splashing a bit of Animal Crossing's coziness in the form of softer, inviting shapes and friendly colors.

Visuals combine the nautical and arcana, with the rugged, freeform shapes of sailing motifs mixed with the graceful and geometric forms of the arcane. Accents are in gold with small pops of saturated highlights. Small accents of trim, dangling jewelry or ropes give a witchy feeling.

Screen
Build a Deck

To catch such a slippery creature, players must choose Spells and Enchantments wisely. Spells are active abilities, and Enchantments are passive buffs that change up gameplay in new and exciting ways.

Players are encouraged to use cards that fit their preferred playstyle - those who enjoy performing steady combos will prefer water type spells, while those who prefer to play with fire (high risk, high reward spells) will gravitate towards fire cards. Click and drag cards for sample interactions!

Screen
Crafting

Every time players catch a fish, they get a Token of the Fish's Blessing - these can be spent to craft powerful tarot cards, or disenchanted into bait to catch more fish. This screen shows the disenchantment layout and process. Click around!

Players are also able to craft Tokens into tarot cards. These spells belong to one of four elements, and display the set amount of mana needed to cast the spell.

Elements
Fish Cards

When players catch a fish for the first time, it is added into their Journal. There are three rarity tiers of fish - common, rare, and legendary. Card backgrounds evoke tarot aesthetics and reflect the rarity of the creature in their complexity.