Devoted SpeakEasy #4: Building Compelling Worlds

Building Compelling Game Worlds: Destiny and Halo with Christopher Barrett. Devoted SpeakEasy E04

Even if you haven’t met Christopher Barrett before this episode, you definitely know the projects he created! He was the Art Director on Halo 2 and Halo 3, the Artist on Halo, the Art and Game Director of Destiny 2, and the Art Director of Destiny. 

Sounds impressive? Then hurry up to watch his interview and find out how to build the world your players will be excited to explore. The other important issues we discussed in this episode are “How to find inspiration”, “How to manage a big team of artists”, and “How to be the Art Director and the Game Director simultaneously”.

Timecodes:

( 00:00 ) — Intro
( 2:18 )  — Building worlds you want to explore
( 5:15 )  — Using the concept of “postcards” to tease an idea of a place you want to visit
( 9:15 )  — Drawing inspiration from beloved fiction from childhood
( 12:20 )  — How to communicate personal achievement through the visual language of gear rarity
( 17:50 )  — The importance of building upon existing, recognizable tropes
( 24:15 )  — The challenge of helping artists in a big team find the common language
( 30:40 )  — The nuances between an Art Director and Game Director in leading a team
( 37:50 )  — Being a social media ambassador for Destiny through its ups and downs

Watch the full episode at the link