MoonstoneIsland Artbook 8

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© Copyright 2023 Studio Supersoft Inc.

Developed by Studio Supersoft Inc.

Published by Raw Fury AB

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without


prior written permission of the copyright owners.

rawfury.com
Table of Contents
4 Introduction

5 Characters

28 Spirits

39 Environments

61 Concept Art

71 Key Art

79 Acknowledgements
When I speak about Moonstone Island, I typically mention the genres it could be slow, calm, and gentle. As a player, it humbled me, as
gets assigned or the mechanics it contains, but what really built the core time moved forward regardless of my will, day turning to night, and
of the game are the feelings and experiences I had growing up on the Summer turning to Fall. It introduced me to the idea that you could
west coast of Canada. have real feelings for characters in a game. I gave them gifts, we
celebrated special occasions, and I even got to have my first ever
I was lucky enough to spend most of my childhood on Vancouver Island girlfriend. (It counts!)
in a little oceanside town. My summers were spent skimboarding, biking,
swimming, sailing, skateboarding, wakeboarding, kayaking, camping, and
going on little adventures with my friends anywhere we could. But humid So, Moonstone Island is a love letter to all of this – my adventures
winds caused by the warm oceanic currents cool down in the mountains under a big blue sky on a hot sandy beach, and my adventures un-
on the island, leading to it being one of the wettest non-tropical areas in der a rain-soaked roof on a tiny fuzzy screen. I hope that you will
the world. So, when Fall would bring the endless rain, I turned to video feel this when you play the game, and that you will come away with
games for my adventures. tales of your own adventures on Moonstone Island.

Pokémon was the first game I escaped to. The story, the music, the
sound, the characters, the creatures, and the massive world crammed Sandy Spink
into those 11MB had a profound impact on me. Having not yet played a Creator of Moonstone Island
Zelda game, it was the first open-world game I had experienced, and it
really did feel as though I could go anywhere and do anything. I even
remember feeling a sense of self-expression through the creatures I
chose to collect and raise, which was something that was important to
me as a child.

My next love was Harvest Moon 64. I’m not sure what I expected when
I booted this game up at seven years old, but I doubt I thought it would
affect me as much as it has. Harvest Moon showed me that games
Chapter Title
Characters
Hello, dear reader. Cleo here – the historian of Moonstone Island. I’ve long been
involved with chronicling the history of our island, but I have neglected to include
its current state, and its present inhabitants. So, I sat down with my friends,
colleagues, and willing subjects to ask them a little more about themselves. May
the following interviews serve as the history of Moonstone Island in years to come!

Cleo
Characters 7

What is your job?

Admittedly, I'm interviewing myself, here, but: I'm Moonstone


Cleo (she/her)
Island's historian. I study the world that came before the
cataclysm, the onset of the Creeping Dark, and Spirits -
although I don't do much field work, admittedly.

What are your hobbies?

Reading, learning, and being sesquipedalian (that means using lots


of long words).

Where are you most likely to be found?

At home! Home is where the books are. Or by the lake. It’s


excellent for contemplative silence, unless Zed is also there,
in which case he often tries to talk my ear off about some
experiment he’s running. I’m not one for experiments, as I keep
trying to tell him...
Characters 8
Characters 9

What do you do?

Not much.

Ferra (she/her) No, I mean, what's your job?

Ohhhh, right. I'm the Blacksmith! That mostly means hitting


things with hammers until they're good.

What are your hobbies outside of blacksmithery?

Being buff, being goofy, and flirting with anything that moves.

Why are you winking at me?

I was hoping you’d put that in the interview.

Right. And where can you usually be found?

If I’m not in my forge, then, um... the tavern, I guess. I’m usually
there, bothering Ossono. LOL. [editor’s note: Ferra actually said
“lol” here.]
Characters 10
Characters 11

What's your job?

Plants.

...Any more information than that? This is for the Gaiana (she/they)
historical records, you know.

I'm the Herbalist. That means plants. It's pretty simple.

And what do you love most about your life here on


Moonstone Island?

Work. Plants. Solitude.

Is that supposed to be a hint?

...

Right. See you later, then.


Characters 12
Characters 13

Hello, Cleo! Kumusta ka?

No, wait, I'm supposed to be running this interview...

And you’re doing a wonderful job! How are your studies?


Ofelia (she/her)

Ofelia, I'm asking the questions!

Of course! What’s your question?

Well, uh... What do you do?

I’m the island’s Botanist. I work with Gaiana, propagating and


selling plants, and ensuring that the biodiversity on Moonstone
Island remains varied and interesting!

I had no idea you also had an interest in


biodiversity.

Oh, yes! Most people don’t realise how much Gaiana and I do for
the flora here on Moonstone Island. Perhaps you’d be interested in
discussing it some time?
Characters 14

Oh, I wou- No! Hold on! We need to do this


interview first! What are your hobbies?

I love cooking. My signature dish is adobo, which is part of my


family’s long traditions. My mother taught it to me, and now the
recipe is up here.

You don't have it written down at all?

I know! Sacrilege for an historian, I am sure!

And where can you be found on the island?

Usually at the Conservatory. Sometimes in the Hot Spring. Often at


the tavern, because I can’t get enough of Ossono’s cooking!
Characters 15

Hello, Ossono!

Oh, Cleo, is the interview now? I’m sort of in the middle of


something... But I suppose I can take a short break from work...

So, what do you do? Ossono (she/her)


Oh, um... This!

This is a print interview, I'm afraid. No pictures.

Oh, well... I run the Tavern. Brew beer and wine. Serve coffee and
food. Try to keep things relatively chill on Friday nights when the
whole town descends here...

And what are your hobbies?

When I have time for them, which is rarely, I like to go foraging. I


also like cooking, but I’m in a bit of an experimental phase. It doesn’t
all turn out well...

Where can people find you?

Here, usually. Eat, sleep, work, repeat!


Characters 16
Characters 17

Hello, Paolo!

Hola, Cleo! Come, sit down! I just made this chair.

Paolo (they/them)
Which brings me nicely to my first question:
What do you do?

I am the Carpenter, obviamente! I make all these furnitures.

And what are your hobbies?

Ah, I am lucky, señorita Cleo; my hobby is my work and my work is


my hobby. I love to create the wooden chairs and beds and tables
that my fellow islanders use every day.

And where can you usually be found?

If I am not here, in my shop, then I am often in the Hot Spring... or


on Moonstone Mountain. The view is something else!
Characters 18
Characters 19

Hello! What do you do?

Wha? We’ve met before, haven’t we? I’m Quill... did you forget? Quill (he/him)

No, Quill, it's an interview...

Oh! Are you a news reporter? I thought you were a historyologist?


I guess they’re both writing stuff. Maybe it’s the same?

It's for a book about the history of Moonstone


Island, Quill! Tell me your job.

I’m an artist. What do you mean history, though? I thought that


was, like, what happened before. And my job is what happens right
now. That’s not history, is it?

It'll be history by tomorrow.

Woahhhh. That’s deep.


Characters 20

Anyway, what are your hobbies?

I like painting! And just, like, hanging out. I dunno! Moonstone Island
has a lot of stuff to do and I like most of it.

And where can people find you?

I’m... right here?

Okay, Quill. Thanks.

You’re welcome!
Characters 21

Hey, Rowan!

Hi! Come on in.

Thank you. And what do you do?


Rowan (they/them)
I run this shop! It’s the island’s General Store, so you can get
most things here. It’s a bit of a logistical nightmare to get supplies,
sometimes, but someone has to run the store, and, well...

And what are your hobbies?

Oh, um... I feel like I should have prepared some answers... What
did everyone else say?

This is about you, Rowan! What do YOU like doing?

Um...

...Rowan?

Sorry... I’m just thinking...


Characters 22

We can move on to the next qu-

I like witchcraft! Oh no, wait, am I allowed to say that?

Why wouldn't you be allowed to say that?

I mean, I’m practicing without a license, aren’t I? Won’t I get


in trouble?

No. I doubt they care.

Okay. Phew. But, I mean, don’t TELL them.

And where can you normally be found?

What? By, like, the Alchemists’ Guild?

No, by... You know what? Never mind.


Thanks, Rowan!

I think I’m going to just write a letter to the Guild just to


reassure them that I’m just practicing magic as, like, a casual
thing... just to be sure...
Characters 23

Hello, Tobin!

Alright, b’y?

Tobin (he/him)

I have been asking everyone what they do first,


but I have a different question for you. Where's
that accent from?

Oh! This old thing. Aye, I got it from me parents, an’ their parents,
and so on, goin’ all the way back ta the old world below. It’s been
long forgotten where the place was, exactly, but the name passed
down is New-Found Land. I always thought that sounded right cool!

Very cool. And what do you do, Tobin?

I’s the b’y who catches the fish. A Fisherman by trade an’ by choice.
Characters 24

And what are your hobbies?

Oh, judge me if ye will, but I fishes in me spare time, too!

Where can people find you?

It takes everythin’ in me not ta jump right into that ocean, I says.


Ye’ll most like find me as close ta Big Blue as one can get without
gettin’ salty feet.
Characters 25

Greetings, Zed.

Hi, Cleo! Have you come to talk shop with me? I thought maybe you
didn’t get my invite, since I sent it last week, but maybe Ossono
Zed (he/him) just took a while to get it to you...

No, this is for the interview.

Oh, right, the interview. So you didn’t get my invite?

Uh... No, I did, I'm just, um...

Let me guess: You don’t want to discuss the migration habits of Ice
Spirits with your favourite Scientist?

Zed, I have to be honest, that sounds frightfully


dull.

To you, maybe! I just wish I had someone to talk about this stuff
with. Ah well. Maybe I should ask the Alchemist. I bet they’d be more
willing to chat about the, ahem, boring stuff.
Characters 26

Sorry...

Well, we can always get hot chocolate at the tavern instead.


My treat!

Actually, that sounds much nicer. Oh, the interview,


um... What do you do and what are your hobbies
and where can you usually be found?

I’m the Scientist, I study Spirits, I enjoy fixing up arcade machines


and old consoles, flying my drone, and enjoying Moonstone Island’s
beautiful natural landscape. And I’m usually either here in the
Science Center, or... just out and about!
Characters 27

Waldo (he/him)

[Editor's note: I have included Waldo, the Magic Man, here as a beloved and former member
of Moonstone Island's inhabitants, but he has long been missing from the island. The common
belief is that he fled after trying (and failing) to seal one of the dangerous rifts in the sky,
which seemed to cause him great mental distress. He has not been seen since, but rumour has
it that he lives on the outer islands, somewhere... I just hope he's okay.]
Chapter Title
Spirits
Hi! Zed here! Since Cleo got to do a bunch of interviews for her History of
Moonstone Island, I offered to add some information about Spirits. That's
my specialty, after all!

Zed
Spirits 30

Here we see an ancient document with some of the first Spirit sketches. This document is
incredibly valuable, because it shows how little some Spirits have evolved since the sketch was
made - like Octopup in the top left corner, for example - but it also shows us some long-extinct
Spirits that have not been spotted in living memory. The artist's sketch of a "stinky sock puppet"
for example - scholars have no idea if this was ever a Spirit that existed, or some kind of joke
that the artist was making! I quite like the stinky sock puppet, though.
Spirits 31

Here we have even more examples of old biological illustrations of ancient island fauna. This
document displays many types of Spirit: Fire, Electric, Poison, Water, Ice, Earth, Shadow, and
Psychic, only one of which - Shadow - is a type not recognised today. Does this mean that once,
Shadow creatures roamed the islands? Since the Rift was opened, we have seen Dark Spirits
emerge into the world... were these once known as Shadow Spirits?

It is fascinating to see, once more, that many of these Spirits still exist today, but I personally
mourn the loss of some of these creatures, lost to extinction over time. Who is this shoe-like
creature of the Earth type? Was it some kind of symbiotic friend of the stinky sock puppet? We
shall never know. This document does prove one thing, though: Fishbo has existed for a long, long
time. Perhaps since the beginning
Spirits 32
Spirits 33
Spirits 34

This pair of documents is one of my favourites! Unlike the ancient ones we already
discussed, these sketches are more recent, and show a greater level of artistic
detail - that is, they show the Spirits they depict in different forms. Perhaps, once,
these creatures looked different in subtle ways - some having rounded bodies,
others having long tongues - until centuries of breeding and change made them all
look the same. However, this is just a theory. It is just as likely that the artist in
question was having some fun designing alternate looks for the Spirits they saw...
Spirits 35
Spirits 36

Here, we see some very familiar Spirits, but there is an important thing
to note: None of them yet have names. Ribbite is simply "frog"; Capacibee
is "bee"; and the fearsome Ankylo is simply "lizard". Could these be their
original names? Better yet, are they the names of the ancestral beasts
from which they are descended? This gives us great insight into the
creatures of the old world...
Spirits 37
Spirits 38
Chapter Title
Environments
We started by thinking we could procedurally generate all islands but that produced
islands that were sort of bland and aimless so instead I decided I would make each
island by hand so I could ensure that they all had their own unique look and feel as
well as a sort of "path" that the player would have to follow to reach possible points
of interest.

Sandy
Environments 41

The world generation runs when a new game is created. It loads islands in from the island
library in concentric rings then, based on which ring the island is in, the system assigns each
island a biome which gives it a different tilemap, places different environmental features and
allows it to spawn Spirits that would only appear in that biome. Once the biomes have been
assigned we place a specific number of what we call “points of interest” around the world.
These are things like dungeons, shrines, warpstones, and healing pools all of which help you
explore and make your party of Spirits stronger.

Sandy
Environments 42
Environments 55
Environments 56
Environments 57
Environments 58
Environments 59
Environments 60

Interest Points
Chapter
ConceptTitle
Art
Concept Art 62

Main Character
Concept Art 63

Plants
The glider has gone through many iterations since the
beginning of the game. Nausicaä's glider from the Ghibli film
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) served as our
main point of inspiration.

Sandy

In the world of Moonstone Island, much of


the biodiversity has been wiped out by the
Glider cataclysm so the plants that do exist are
treated with care and respect.
Concept Art 64

Card UI

We were constantly fiddling with the UI. There are so many actions the player can
perform inside and outside of combat that it was a constant balancing act of showing
enough information for the player to do what they wanted to, but not showing too
much information and overwhelming them.

Sandy
Concept Art 65
Concept Art 66
Concept Art 67
Concept Art 68
Concept Art 69

End of Day Menu


Concept Art 70

Spirits in House
Chapter Title
Key Art
Key Art 72

Key art is always difficult but JMW has such a strong style that
we went to them first to help us establish a tone. The piece they
did really encapsulated the "floating on a summer breeze" feeling
we're always going for and helped draw people into the game.

After that, we started working with Mosqi who paints his pieces by
hand using watercolor. We loved the retro-rpg feel it had, evoking
the era of many of the games that influenced Moonstone Island.

Sandy
Key Art 73
Key Art 74
Key Art 75
Acknowledgements
Illustrations, designs, and sketches done by Sandy Spink unless otherwise stated

3D Render by Grayson Evans

First official key art done by JMW

Watercolor key artwork done by Marcel Mosqi

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