This week, we delved into the visual direction of our pirate game. In our quest for inspiration, we scoured through various games that resonate with the aesthetic we envision.

Among these, "King of the Seas" caught our eye with its depiction of tropical waters and charmingly simplistic shaders. The addition of pirates within the game world was a definite plus, and we particularly admired the water shader crafted by the developers.

Another title that left a lasting impression was "Rime," showcasing a stunning water shader. While our game's waters will plunge much deeper than the shallow lakes and rivers of "Rime," we're intrigued by the idea of incorporating similar transparency effects, especially for moments like when our Kraken emerges from the depths.

Drawing from "Overcooked," a delightful cooking party game, we admired its impeccable readability. Given our intention to maintain a somewhat distant camera perspective, ensuring players can easily identify themselves and their companions amidst the chaos is paramount. If our characters can stand out as vividly as those in "Overcooked," we'll be navigating the seas with contented hearts.

"TriFox" also provided valuable insights, particularly regarding the impact of distant cameras on texture details. Rather than intricate wooden planks with their cracks and bolts, we're inclined towards adopting a vibrant color palette akin to "TriFox" to infuse life into our game.

In our quest for assets, we stumbled upon a treasure trove: a pirate mesh asset pack by the immensely talented and generous Quaternius. This CC0 asset pack aligns seamlessly with our vision, providing a significant boost to our development efforts.

As we forge ahead, we're beginning to define the scale of our assets, drawing from our diverse pool of references. While this remains a work in progress, it's an auspicious beginning towards realizing our vision for the game.

Lastly, but certainly not least, our developers have been steadily bringing our first prototype to the surface, guided by the blueprint outlined in our Game Design manual, crafted in HackNPlan.