Solar Supremacy — Building an Analog-Sci-Fi Universe
The Brief Following my work on Pan Am and Jurassic Park, I was commissioned by Helios Games to define the visual identity for Solar Supremacy. The goal was to move away from the cold, dark aesthetics of typical space strategy games and create something that felt like a "future classic"—warm, tactile, and deeply nostalgic.
The Vision: "Analog Sci-Fi" I leaned into a 1950s vision of the future. I utilized a palette of "dirty" pastels, high-contrast primary accents, and heavy ink textures. This "Analog Sci-Fi" approach ensures the game feels grounded and human, even as players build interplanetary empires.
The UI/UX Challenge: The "Total Solution" In a heavy strategy game, the art must never get in the way of the data. My process involved:
Functional UI: Designing player boards where the "hero" art and the resource tracks exist in harmony.
Integrated Hand-Lettering: Every title and UI element was hand-lettered to ensure the typography felt like a physical part of the game world, not a digital overlay.
Visual Hierarchy: Using color and line weight to guide the player's eye toward critical gameplay information without sacrificing the immersive "mid-century" atmosphere.
The Result A cohesive tabletop experience that bridges the gap between high-end illustration and functional game design. Solar Supremacy is a testament to how "Modern Nostalgia" can be used to make complex systems feel intuitive and inviting.