Earthrise lead technical artist Ed Mattinian discusses visual influences

The Bulgaria-based developer Masthead Studios is hard at work on their first massively multiplayer online game Earthrise, a title that's equal parts sci-fi and post-apocalyptic. Nolvadex from the Italian MMO news site Gamesource spoke with the game's lead technical artist Ed Mattinian about the look of Earthrise.

Mattinian discusses balancing form with function when it comes to how technology is depicted in the game, trying to create a futuristic world that's not simply cold and sterile. He says, "I'd say that technological products have their own beauty to them. It's all about function and how that 'product' -- be it a weapon, a craft, or a teleporter - is designed for its function. That's the beauty that we're looking for."

Mattinion also receives 50 cool points for citing Equilibrium as one of the visual influences on Earthrise. We were also surprised to read that anime rated so high among Mattinian's influences in helping shape the look of the game. He says, "For me personally the Ghost in the Shell series [was] of great inspiration not only on a visual level but on a purely conceptual one."

For more on the art directions Earthrise is taking, be sure to see Gamesource's interview with Masthead Studios lead technical artist Ed Mattinian.