World of Warcraft: The War Within - The Ringing Deeps
The War Within marks my first WoW expansion cycle as a Lead for the World Art team. I started off as the Zone Point for The Ringing Deeps where I developed the 2D Map and 3D layout for the zone as well as the art demos for the cenote and mining biomes that served as the visual guide for my world artists to use when implementing in the zone after I handed the reigns off to Jestry Ahlswede. My goal with the Ringing Deeps was to show the contrast between lush cenotes thriving from the light of the world above that filters down through the large ceiling openings versus the bustling industry of the Earthen who have carved out massive caverns to strip for resources to build their incredible city above. I hope you enjoy exploring The Ringing Deeps!
Additional World Building:
https://www.artstation.com/jahlswede
https://www.artstation.com/azaraen
https://www.artstation.com/alexmiller
https://www.artstation.com/jacquiwashington
Environment Artists:
https://www.artstation.com/normalweird
https://www.artstation.com/arylia
https://www.artstation.com/alexrcreamer
https://www.artstation.com/mowen
https://www.artstation.com/brandon-ray
https://www.artstation.com/fraiselin
Prop Artists:
https://www.artstation.com/luisgarzacg
https://www.artstation.com/kinvaras
https://www.artstation.com/brunoparrela
Dungeon Artists:
Jeffrey Duval
https://www.artstation.com/dy_roman
www.artstation.com/henrylam
This space served as the "art demo" for the cenote biome of The Ringing Deeps. Everywhere that the ceiling opens up I wanted there to be lush growth with tall ferns reaching toward the light, cascading waterfalls, and curtains of vines.
View from your main player hub, Gundargaz, back toward the Coreway which connects all of the underground zones in the War Within to the world above.
The Earthenworks is a massive cavern carved out by the Earthen for their industrial operations. Laying out this space with its huge pillars was a fun challenge and Jacquelyn Washington did a great job taking it to final polish.
The culmination point of the Earthenworks is this gorgeous dungeon entrance created by Henry Lam and Dyanna Roman. I wanted the space to feel like all of the industry fed into this hero piece.
The Waterworks was one of my favorite spaces to design. I envisioned this colossal dam being fed from waterfalls that cascade down all the way from the surface. Alexandra Miller took the space to final polish, Dyanna Roman built the Waterworks itself.
I didn't get a chance to do much detail decoration in the zone aside from the initial art demos, but I did have a little time to dress up this lake in The Living Grotto across from the chasm that leads the player into the depths of Ajz Kahet.