Grey Goo

On the planet Ecosystem 09, four factions fight for control of a frontier world: the humans, the Beta, the Goo and the Shroud. In real-time strategy game Grey Goo, developed by Petroglyph Games, produced by Six Foot, and published by Grey Box in 2015, players gather resources, build their base and raise their army as they fight for their corner of the galaxy. 

Six Foot engaged Wētā Workshop’s design studio to help world-build the environment, ecology and primary inhabitants for Grey Goo. The brief? Create an alien world that felt believable, with a lush and colourful ecosystem. For the sentient alien Beta species, this planet was a haven, but for humans it was reminiscent of a lost Earth that they could make their own. Taking a ground-up approach to the design, we began by defining different types of ecology — lowlands, highlands, grasslands, and volcanic and geothermal topographies — and created cross-sections of how different organisms would interact with their environment. 

Creating a complex shape language 

Of the game’s inhabitants, the Great Uncle exemplified a large body of work undertaken to define the cultural characteristics of the Beta species. Specifically, he represented an exploration into how a Beta might age. Bone plates would become larger and more pronounced. The large fan on the skull mimicked a ceremonial head-dress. 

Of course, creature design goes beyond anatomy. Clever use of graphics and patterning can imbue a creature with layers of interest which carry meaning. In the instance of the Great Uncle, culturally significant tattoos weave across the character’s skin, which increase in complexity and density as a Beta matures. These tattoos developed by our team would be unique to each individual and symbolise key moments in a Beta’s life — a complex shape language that conferred the sentience and sophistication of this species.