Forged for Battle: Bigger, Heavier, and More Powerful Mechs

THE PROJECT

In 2019, Bond Street Film in Stockholm approached NUEN STUDIO for a collaborative project with Paradox Interactive, the publisher of the renowned BattleTech video game series by Harebrained Schemes. The objective was to create a launch trailer for the latest expansion, Heavy Metal, to be showcased at PDXCon 2019.

Mission and Challenges:

Marketing Materials: Develop compelling visuals targeting hardcore fans at PDXCon and the broader audience on Paradox’s YouTube channel, focusing on introducing new mechs in the expansion.
Tight Timeline: Produce seven highly detailed 4K key artworks within a two-week timeframe.
Animation-Ready Assets: Design each artwork with fully detailed, separate layers to facilitate depth creation through parallax animation.

Outcomes and Impact:

Fan Engagement: The trailer, prominently featuring NUEN STUDIO's art, garnered significant attention during PDXCon 2019 in Berlin and has accumulated nearly 800,000 views on YouTube.
Commercial Success: According to Paradox Interactive's year-end report, revenues in the fourth quarter of 2019 were largely driven by BattleTech: Heavy Metal sales.

CLIENT'S TESTIMONIAL

“ Nuen did an outstanding job with our production, his attention to detail is great. Fast work, great communication at all times and just excellent artworks. I really hope we get to work together again, so it’s safe to say I strongly recommend him for any production that requires artwork. “

— Maja Karlsson, Production Manager at Bond Street Film

THE PROCESS

NUEN STUDIO employed a streamlined three-step workflow:

Composition Sketches: Developed initial sketches to explore composition options.
3D Blockouts: Created detailed 3D models to establish accurate lighting and perspective.
Final Illustrations: Enhanced the 3D renders with detailed painting and adjustments in Photoshop, ensuring each layer was optimized for animation.

More projects utilized this workflow can be found easily on our INSTAGRAM

Efficient 3D Workflow & Rapid Iteration

At NUEN STUDIO, we leverage 3D technology as much as possible to rapidly assemble scenes with accurate lighting and perspective. From the initial brief, we start with quick sketches, then move into 3D blockouts, allowing us to explore multiple compositions efficiently. This process helps clients visualize different options before finalizing the direction.

Given the tight two-week timeline for this project—producing seven high-quality images—we needed a structured and efficient workflow. Since both Paradox Interactive and Harebrained Schemes required final approval, we worked closely with Bond Street Film to streamline the process:

Composition Phase: We first developed multiple composition options for all seven images, ensuring clients had a range of choices.
Client Approval: Once the final selections were made, we moved directly into the detailed 3D scene creation.
Refinement & Detailing: Every aspect was meticulously planned to prevent unnecessary revisions, allowing us to deliver on time and at the highest quality.

By prioritizing precision and efficiency, we successfully met the project’s demands while maintaining our signature high-end quality.

Blockout Phase: Nailing the Layout & Composition

During the blockout phase, one of our top priorities is getting the layout just right. This is especially critical for projects like BattleTech: Heavy Metal, where each artwork is later animated with layered parallax effects to create a dynamic sense of depth.

A well-planned layout not only ensures that every layer aligns properly for animation, but it also reinforces the composition of each shot. Since these images are displayed for just a few seconds in motion, we needed to ensure that the viewer’s eye is immediately drawn to the right focal point.

This is where lighting plays a crucial role. Thoughtful lighting choices help guide attention, enhance depth, and create a strong visual hierarchy, ensuring that each scene remains cinematic, impactful, and easy to read in motion.

By meticulously refining layout and lighting together, we were able to deliver stunning, animation-ready compositions that captured the essence of BattleTech’s intense, futuristic warfare.

Polishing & Detailing: Bringing the Scene to Life

The final polishing and detailing phase was completed using good old Photoshop, where we refined every aspect of the artwork—from small intricate details to overall lighting and atmosphere. Each layer was meticulously crafted to ensure clean separation, allowing for smooth parallax movements during animation.

A special focus was placed on the BattleMechs, making sure each one was carefully rendered with realistic textures, lighting effects, and mechanical details that honored the BattleTech universe. Given the scale of this project, it was also the first time we had ever worked with such a high number of Mechs in a single production—a thrilling challenge that pushed our skills even further.

Through this careful detailing process, we ensured that the final artworks not only looked cinematic and immersive but also functioned seamlessly in the animated trailer.

Client Feedback & Final Delivery

According to Maja Karlsson, the team at Harebrained Schemes was absolutely thrilled when they received the final deliveries—so much so that they celebrated with a happy dance!

Hearing such enthusiastic feedback from the developers behind BattleTech was incredibly rewarding for our team at NUEN STUDIO. It reinforced our commitment to delivering high-quality, visually stunning artwork that not only meets but exceeds client expectations.