Spotlight on: Moltenink

Would you believe it – its Friday again! This means its time for another Fan Friday interview. This week we’re featuring Moltenink who has had a big part in the early access forums with his numerous designs for OMDU heroes and traps all of which have been drawn by Molten’s skilful hand! Now we step behind the scenes to find out a little more about the person behind this excellent art!

The Basics

• Name: Rob Lundy
• Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Questions

• What is an average working day like for Moltenink?

It  depends on whether or not I’m working from home or in a studio at the time.  But the usually I get up as early as I can justify to myself, consume dangerous amounts of coffee and draw something quickly to get the creative juices flowing.  (Lately it’s been OMDU heroes) Then it’s check for revisions and approval status on stuff I did earlier in the week.   When all that’s out of the way it’s making new art, doing animation fixes, compositing, special effects, character rigging, whatever the current contract entails.

• How long have you been involved with animation / graphic design?

I graduated from the animation program at my local college in 2007 and I’ve been working solidly ever since.  Sometimes a couple of jobs at a time.  I’ve been dabbling in graphic design for 3 or 4 years but been doing it professionally for only a couple.  I’ve been lucky enough to have worked on a HUGE number of TV shows but as is the fate of most animators, most people won’t have heard of many of them.

• What is your dream job?

Honestly, I love games.  I’ve been slowly breaking into illustrating board games, which I love doing.  But to be perfectly honest, doing concept art or production art for video games sits at the top of my list.

• Can we find any Moltenink art in games today?

You definitely can.  I’ve been doing work for the board game company TMG.  You can find my art on Dungeon Roll, Templar Intrigue, a couple of their micro games and one new project that’s about to hit kickstarter this month called “Harbour” designed by Scott Almes.

• How did you discover OMD?

I saw a demo for it on Xbox Live and the art style drew me in.  The gameplay sealed it for me.  Then when there was co-op in OMD2… well I played hundreds of hours of it.

• We love your OMD concepts for heroes and traps. Out of all of the ones you have designed, which one is your favourite so far?

Thanks, more than anything I enjoy creating things that make people happy.  Seeing people comment and enjoying my work motivates me to make more.

I think I enjoy the process of making them the most so the lazy answer is “whichever one I’m making right now.”  But if I had to choose I would say the Satyr.  Always been partial to monstrous characters.

• What do you think of the design of the two lane OMDU map?

I love the aesthetics.  I can’t express that enough.  The architecture and lighting, the indoor and outdoor colours.  It’s fantastic.  I kind of enjoy the frantic pace it has… but you get bored of anything after a while so I’m dying to see some new ones.

• What is your favourite OMD trap and why?

That is a difficult question cause they are all so good.  But I get a ridiculous joy from seeing spike walls fling mountain trolls head over heels down a hallway.  I laugh EVERY time.

• Is there anything missing in OMDU that you would particularly like to see?

Physics traps.  Like I said they are hilarious, and I’d get a real kick out of going toe to toe with another hero and see them flung off the map when they were least expecting it.

• Do you think any of the heroes are un-balanced right now?

I’d like to see Smolder get some love… I really want her to be good and she’s the runt of the litter at the moment.  Aside from that I don’t think anyone stands out as clearly overpowered.  Some heroes are devastating in the right players hands, but I don’t think any one of them is a guaranteed win.

 

Shout out

• Is there anything you would like to say to all the OMD fans out there right now?

Don’t be afraid of the “new” play style in OMDU!  It’s a blast and while it’s a little different, it’s every bit as fun!  Plus as a living, evolving game we’re gonna get to see new stuff all the time!  Trust in the Robot… the Robot loves you.

Be on the lookout! Over the next few days we’ll be featuring some of Moltenink’s fantastic OMDU designs for heroes and traps right here on REF. Check back often!