Mixing 2D and 3D Worlds in Dragon Quest

Square Enix shared a post on DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age and how they added the ability to play the entire game in both 3D and 2D. Director Takeshi Uchikawa and 3D Art Director Yoshiko Hiyama were kind enough to explain how they approach the production. 

"Creating a town begins with the staff involved grasping two things: what we want to do and the overall image we want to achieve," wrote Hiyama. "The 2D artists then expand on the general information obtained through these discussions and begin to develop concept art, showcasing things like a complete view of the town and its street corners. They also capture its facilities like shops and churches, as well as the townspeople’s’ livelihoods."

The production involved a number of challenges. For example, they had to make buildings look organic in both versions. "A certain level of confusion could not be avoided if we were to keep the triangular rooftops, so we attempted to make the rooftops look like terraces, tried placing ladders, and largely changed the building structure," said the developer. 

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