Don Schmocker
@donschmocker.bsky.social
Co-Founder and Creative Director at @okomotive.ch
They/Them
They/Them
We were really surprised that people asked about cosplay references even before the game was released. And it was so great to see how they created their own hoodies :)
This is a reference sheet I made for that purpose:
8/9
This is a reference sheet I made for that purpose:
8/9
August 22, 2025 at 2:18 PM
We were really surprised that people asked about cosplay references even before the game was released. And it was so great to see how they created their own hoodies :)
This is a reference sheet I made for that purpose:
8/9
This is a reference sheet I made for that purpose:
8/9
Our animator (and cosplayer) Martina made a real version from scratch!
(It’s really soft!)
7/9
(It’s really soft!)
7/9
August 22, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Our animator (and cosplayer) Martina made a real version from scratch!
(It’s really soft!)
7/9
(It’s really soft!)
7/9
And she should wear the most comfortable oversized hoodie!
We remade the first in game model with an improved design and a more defined hoodie shape:
6/9
We remade the first in game model with an improved design and a more defined hoodie shape:
6/9
August 22, 2025 at 2:13 PM
And she should wear the most comfortable oversized hoodie!
We remade the first in game model with an improved design and a more defined hoodie shape:
6/9
We remade the first in game model with an improved design and a more defined hoodie shape:
6/9
This background story and the game world influenced her design a lot. She should be the human reference point to the fantastical Calicorns and the world they explore together.
5/9
5/9
August 22, 2025 at 2:11 PM
This background story and the game world influenced her design a lot. She should be the human reference point to the fantastical Calicorns and the world they explore together.
5/9
5/9
We wrote a background story about Via’s past, how she ended up in the city, why she wants to leave and why she’s not too afraid to approach a Calicorn in the dark, three times her height.
Here’s a rare portrait of her: (I’m bad at portraits..)
4/9
Here’s a rare portrait of her: (I’m bad at portraits..)
4/9
August 22, 2025 at 2:09 PM
We wrote a background story about Via’s past, how she ended up in the city, why she wants to leave and why she’s not too afraid to approach a Calicorn in the dark, three times her height.
Here’s a rare portrait of her: (I’m bad at portraits..)
4/9
Here’s a rare portrait of her: (I’m bad at portraits..)
4/9
I really liked how it contrasted everything else in size, color and shape. We still tried other approaches, but eventually returned back to the original idea. (Conceptart by @timserafin.bsky.social )
3/9
3/9
August 22, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I really liked how it contrasted everything else in size, color and shape. We still tried other approaches, but eventually returned back to the original idea. (Conceptart by @timserafin.bsky.social )
3/9
3/9
Via, the player character in Herdling started out like most of our game’s characters: As a red basic shape. Here’s one of the first concept art pieces of Herdling:
2/9
2/9
August 22, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Via, the player character in Herdling started out like most of our game’s characters: As a red basic shape. Here’s one of the first concept art pieces of Herdling:
2/9
2/9
How we designed HERDLING’s Via
(a thread)
1/9
(a thread)
1/9
August 22, 2025 at 2:03 PM
How we designed HERDLING’s Via
(a thread)
1/9
(a thread)
1/9
This seems surreal. It feels like a great honor :)
August 21, 2025 at 6:59 PM
This seems surreal. It feels like a great honor :)
HERDLING is out now! 🐏🦬
We had a lot of fun during the past years creating this game. I hope you'll have fun playing it, too :)
It's out on Steam, Epic Game Store, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S or Game Pass, links below!
We had a lot of fun during the past years creating this game. I hope you'll have fun playing it, too :)
It's out on Steam, Epic Game Store, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S or Game Pass, links below!
August 21, 2025 at 3:34 PM
HERDLING is out now! 🐏🦬
We had a lot of fun during the past years creating this game. I hope you'll have fun playing it, too :)
It's out on Steam, Epic Game Store, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S or Game Pass, links below!
We had a lot of fun during the past years creating this game. I hope you'll have fun playing it, too :)
It's out on Steam, Epic Game Store, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S or Game Pass, links below!
And as a highlight: this cool door (created by our 3d artist Sam and tech artist @halisavakis.com
11/12
11/12
August 18, 2025 at 2:37 PM
And as a highlight: this cool door (created by our 3d artist Sam and tech artist @halisavakis.com
11/12
11/12
In the end we had many types of structures with different purposes: Cairns to mark the path and as small memorials. Colorful windboards that react when you pass by, big arches that mark important milestones on the path and a variety of temples and buildings. (location spoilers)
10/12
10/12
August 18, 2025 at 2:34 PM
In the end we had many types of structures with different purposes: Cairns to mark the path and as small memorials. Colorful windboards that react when you pass by, big arches that mark important milestones on the path and a variety of temples and buildings. (location spoilers)
10/12
10/12
The idea was that the structures were built around trees and roots to protect or decorate them, so we made them look a little bit like (broken) flowerpots.
The stones of the pillars have holes in them and are stacked on growing roots/trees, which gives them organic shapes and more stability.
9/12
The stones of the pillars have holes in them and are stacked on growing roots/trees, which gives them organic shapes and more stability.
9/12
August 18, 2025 at 2:31 PM
The idea was that the structures were built around trees and roots to protect or decorate them, so we made them look a little bit like (broken) flowerpots.
The stones of the pillars have holes in them and are stacked on growing roots/trees, which gives them organic shapes and more stability.
9/12
The stones of the pillars have holes in them and are stacked on growing roots/trees, which gives them organic shapes and more stability.
9/12
… while the structures are mostly built out of stacks and pillars of white and colorful stones. And we added more wooden elements. These allowed for more details and variety.
8/12
8/12
August 18, 2025 at 2:28 PM
… while the structures are mostly built out of stacks and pillars of white and colorful stones. And we added more wooden elements. These allowed for more details and variety.
8/12
8/12
The previous concepts kinda worked in isolation, but there wasn’t much room to show specific functions/purposes of the structures.
To solve this, we designed the environment rocks to be more round and bulky…
7/12
To solve this, we designed the environment rocks to be more round and bulky…
7/12
August 18, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The previous concepts kinda worked in isolation, but there wasn’t much room to show specific functions/purposes of the structures.
To solve this, we designed the environment rocks to be more round and bulky…
7/12
To solve this, we designed the environment rocks to be more round and bulky…
7/12
The reason was that we wanted to keep the mountainscape as uninhabited as possible, but also needed to have some contrast for certain points of interest.
Here see some earlier concepts:
6/12
Here see some earlier concepts:
6/12
August 18, 2025 at 2:25 PM
The reason was that we wanted to keep the mountainscape as uninhabited as possible, but also needed to have some contrast for certain points of interest.
Here see some earlier concepts:
6/12
Here see some earlier concepts:
6/12
These were some of our references and inspirations:
4/12
4/12
August 18, 2025 at 2:22 PM
These were some of our references and inspirations:
4/12
4/12
The main idea was that they used the existing shapes of the surrounding rocks to build structures to decorate and protect the path. But over the centuries, they deteriorated and deformed.
3/12
3/12
August 18, 2025 at 2:20 PM
The main idea was that they used the existing shapes of the surrounding rocks to build structures to decorate and protect the path. But over the centuries, they deteriorated and deformed.
3/12
3/12
For the Calicorn structures (which are the weird buildings in the mountain area) we wanted them to look as natural/organic as possible and also a bit spooky.
2/12
2/12
August 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
For the Calicorn structures (which are the weird buildings in the mountain area) we wanted them to look as natural/organic as possible and also a bit spooky.
2/12
2/12
Another Herdling thread, this time about a completely different topic:
Calicorn architecture and rocks!
(I really enjoy coming up with new architecture designs that tell stories and fit into the world)
1/12
Calicorn architecture and rocks!
(I really enjoy coming up with new architecture designs that tell stories and fit into the world)
1/12
August 18, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Another Herdling thread, this time about a completely different topic:
Calicorn architecture and rocks!
(I really enjoy coming up with new architecture designs that tell stories and fit into the world)
1/12
Calicorn architecture and rocks!
(I really enjoy coming up with new architecture designs that tell stories and fit into the world)
1/12
And this is the final image again :) The amazing logo was designed by @mrgan.com
Please wishlist Herdling on Steam, pre order or get it on August 21 :)
herdling.game
Please wishlist Herdling on Steam, pre order or get it on August 21 :)
herdling.game
August 15, 2025 at 1:05 PM
And this is the final image again :) The amazing logo was designed by @mrgan.com
Please wishlist Herdling on Steam, pre order or get it on August 21 :)
herdling.game
Please wishlist Herdling on Steam, pre order or get it on August 21 :)
herdling.game
Because of this process, the image lost a bit of the painterly look I liked about the earlier painting. So I tried to bring it back in some areas
(9/10)
(9/10)
August 15, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Because of this process, the image lost a bit of the painterly look I liked about the earlier painting. So I tried to bring it back in some areas
(9/10)
(9/10)
Then I painted over each screenshotted Calicorn/object using the previous painting as a base. Each on a different layer so I can move them to fit specific formats.
(8/10)
(8/10)
August 15, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Then I painted over each screenshotted Calicorn/object using the previous painting as a base. Each on a different layer so I can move them to fit specific formats.
(8/10)
(8/10)
For the next step, I placed some Calicorns and decoration assets in a fitting environment in Unity and took several high res screenshots that I used to make a collage.
(7/10)
(7/10)
August 15, 2025 at 12:53 PM
For the next step, I placed some Calicorns and decoration assets in a fitting environment in Unity and took several high res screenshots that I used to make a collage.
(7/10)
(7/10)
I worked on it until I felt confident enough to start with the “construction” (after this point, it doesn’t feel like painting anymore, for me)
(6/10)
(6/10)
August 15, 2025 at 12:49 PM
I worked on it until I felt confident enough to start with the “construction” (after this point, it doesn’t feel like painting anymore, for me)
(6/10)
(6/10)