Ruya (2017)

Artist & Visual Direction - Miracle Tea

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Ruya was a game made for the very first Tranzfuser programme back in 2016. We were the first ever team to win Tranzfuser and receive funding for the game. We shipped on iOS late 2017 and the game was featured on the Apple App Store for many years after its launch. This was the studios first project which kickstarted the company.

I was responsible for all of the artwork, animations and VFX in Ruya. Back then, I didn’t have a graphics tablet so all the graphics were created with only mouse in photoshop. This informed a gradient heavy and flatter artstyle that relied more on layering lots of basic shapes.

A decorated tabletop features a framed illustrated poster of a reindeer with a red nose, a tablet displaying a similar scene, paper cutouts of reindeers, a potted plant with green leaves, and a brochure or booklet with the word 'RUYA' on the cover.

Physical Materials

I made lots non-digital marketing and event materials for Ruya were created during its development. I would often travel to different events across the UK at the time so this resulted in lots of handmade print designs, banners as well as stickers for showcasing. At this time, my understanding for designing physical marketing materials beyond the digital game graphics deepened greatly.

I made a physical zine based on the animated intro of the game that was sold at fairs and handed out to press to help facilitate the meaning of the game. Only a handful were ever made. The intro was partially influenced by the intro for the original Super Meat Boy.

A digital illustration featuring a mystical purple tiefling character with hut shaped antlers and closed eyes, in different environments: snowy mountains, a dark forest, and a forest floor with mushrooms. The word 'RUYA' appears at the top.
An animated character resembling a reindeer with big antlers and closed eyes, standing in a snowy landscape with small glowing mushrooms, a few mountains in the background, and a starry night sky. A thought bubble above the character shows a girl with glasses eating a snack.
A screenshot of a puzzle game where players match purple, pink, and blue characters in a grid to attack enemies at the bottom and progress through levels.
A sheet of paper filled with various hand-drawn doodles, sketches, and notes. The drawings include simple figures, faces, objects, and abstract designs, with some labeled with words and arrows pointing to specific parts. The sketches appear casual and experimental.