Steamforged Games
Year
2021
Disciplines
- Concepting
- Art Direction
- Layout Design
- Brand Design
- Illustration
Adventures & Academia: First Class is a 5E-compatible set designed to introduce newcomers to tabletop roleplaying through the setting of a wizarding academy, presenting players with a series of different classes they can use in their campaigns.
The brief called for a distinctive brand identity that captured the atmosphere of a grand magical academy, a place for young adventurers to learn and grow. The identity needed to stand apart from comparable tabletop products while clearly communicating a beginner level of entry through the pre-generated character stats, and a more friendly tone provided in the set.
The final delivery was a cohesive suite of assets built around a grounded fantasy aesthetic. Illustration by Devin Yang played a central role in shaping the visual language, supported by a bespoke thematic approach that helped the brand establish a clear and confident presence in a competitive market. To assist with continuous marketing of the product and crowdfunding channels, a tailored brand guidelines provided further direction for future advertising and promotional campaigns.
Real world wizardry
The John Rylands Library is a neo-gothic educational institution in the heart of Manchester, and an inspiration for one of the most iconic wizarding schools seen on screen.
One of the library’s defining features is a gilded panel set into the wall, created by twentieth-century letter-carver David Kindersley. This became the inspiration for the lettering of the Adventures & Academia logo mark, grounding the identity in history, craft, and academic tradition.
Classroom doodles
Keeping the theme of young wizards in training, the icons ad frames for abilities were hand drawn to represent the doodles and sketches you might find on the scrolls and schoolwork of the students.
