So I'm trying to find a thematic and visual tone somewhere between fantasy and gritty sci-fi. I like the ideas of spells and swords, and don't want everything cloaked in the stereotyped language of sci-fi.
Here are some background images I experimented with. There are some cool filters to bring out expressionist / Van Gogh effects:
As far as sprites, I really like some of the classic JRGPs, with detailed and horrific looking beasts. I'd like to avoid the overly cutesy chibi or anime style that’s pretty common in JRPGs though. The Angband sprites are pretty great, but I'd like the final art to be a little more detailed and less generic-fantasy.
I really like BioWare style portraits for the dialog portions. There are a few sets free online, and may use those, or work on photoshopping existing photographs into an appropriate style.
I really like Blizzard user interfaces. The buttons are very clicky, and the workflow design is always simple, straightforward and intuitive. The "flat" trend may have caught on in mobile apps, but I think in games, you still need some depth and texture to user interfaces, especially in something like an RPG, where the goal is to tell a narrative and enable tactical control, rather than pure immersion.
For sound and music, I actually really dig some of these ambient tracks. A big boss fight can have an orchestral score, but if you are trekking through creepy caves and forests, ambient noises of dripping water or echoing wind is pretty great.
For now, building actual game assets is pretty far off. I work from the code up, and get the game working mostly with programmer art. Of course, plugging in a cool asset can dramatically change the feel of the game, and buffs morale when you've been banging you head against the wall for a while.
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