How did Team Cherry make the art for Hollow Knight?

Team Cherry created the striking visual style of Hollow Knight by producing hand-drawn art and traditional animation using Photoshop, saving the assets as simple PNGs. The art assets, including animations, were carefully crafted to bring the game’s world and characters to life, resulting in a unique and captivating gaming experience.

Introduction to Team Cherry’s Artistic Process

Team Cherry’s approach to creating the art for Hollow Knight was rooted in their desire to build a game with a classic adventure feel, inspired by games like Zelda II: The Adventure of Link and Faxanadu. The team, consisting of Ari Gibson, William Pellen, and Jack Vine, worked together to create a cohesive visual style that would transport players to the subterranean world of Hallownest.

FAQS

General Questions

1. What software did Team Cherry use to create the art for Hollow Knight? Team Cherry used Photoshop to create the art assets, including animations, for Hollow Knight.
2. Who is responsible for the game’s art and design? Ari Gibson is responsible for the game’s art, environments, and animations, while William Pellen designs the game alongside Ari and creates the enemy, boss, and game behavior.
3. How long did it take Team Cherry to develop Hollow Knight? Team Cherry spent 2 years of non-stop development on Hollow Knight, with William putting in last-minute fixes the day before the game’s release.

Character and Story Questions

4. What is the significance of the Hollow Knight character? The Hollow Knight is the Vessel chosen by the Pale King to seal away the Radiance and save Hallownest from the Infection.
5. Is the Hollow Knight a male or female character? The Hollow Knight is genderless, as stated by the developers.
6. Who is the red girl in Hollow Knight? The red girl is Hornet, the daughter of the Pale King and Herrah the Beast, the queen of Deepnest.
7. What is the relationship between the Hollow Knight and Hornet? The Hollow Knight and Hornet are siblings, as they share the same father, the Pale King.

Game Development and Design Questions

8. What was the Hollow Knight prototype developed with? The Hollow Knight prototype was developed using Stencyl, a game development engine.
9. **What is the significance of the *Nail* in Hollow Knight?** The Nail is a crucial item in the game, and its material is likely an iron alloy like steel, with pale ore incorporated as it is upgraded.
10. Why did the Hollow Knight fail to contain the Infection? The Hollow Knight failed because it was not completely hollow, having been imbued with an idea or thought, making it impure.

World and Lore Questions

11. What is the world of Hollow Knight like? The world of Hollow Knight is a subterranean kingdom called Hallownest, plagued by a supernatural disease known as the Infection.
12. Who is the oldest character in Hollow Knight? The oldest character in Hollow Knight is Elderbug, a friendly NPC who resides in Dirtmouth.
13. **What is the significance of the *Dream Nail* in Hollow Knight?** The Dream Nail is a powerful item that allows the player to read the memories of certain characters and objects in the game.

Player and Gameplay Questions

14. How tall is the Hollow Knight character? The Hollow Knight character is approximately 1’1.5″ (34.29 cm) tall, as calculated based on the game’s frame rate and movement speed.
15. Is Hollow Knight suitable for children? Hollow Knight is rated 9+, and while it is a great game, it deals with mature themes and has a dark atmosphere, making it more suitable for older children and adults.