The Poskalians rise up against their oppressor in the hopes of their liberator to join
Blender
Photoshop
After Effects
Substance
Part of the antagonistic force in the short movie. Proxis Prime itself is an aggressive industrial machine gestalt consciousness that uses humanity's history of warfare to inspire fear and terror in its enemies. It operates on pure logistics and brutal efficiency, caring very little for material appeal, reflected in its multitude of identical drone units deployed in the field.
My approach was to emulate the characteristics of the machine consciousness into its designs. I incorporated elements of past World Wars and brutal industrialism to embody the presence of this hivemind. These were not meant to be individually identifiable, but to look like they came right off a factory floor, as often multiple of them would appear in a single scene.
I took inspiration from Jakub Rozalski and Wolfenstein as a direction for the industrial dieselpunk-type design approach. You can almost see the individual elements screwed, bolted or welded together and picture the factories assembling them en masse. Some identifiable elements include the German WW2 battery found at the Atlantikwal and the bunker structure placed on top.
Likewise to the Tankhead, I pictured this drone as a mass-fabricated and expendable enforcer commonplace in the army's ranks. It looks flimsy and lightweight, but that's the intent. With its single mounted weapon and cold-hard reasoning, it remains a considerable threat.
I found myself inspired by other sci-fi drone designs as well as WW2 aeroplanes. I wanted to communicate simplicity with a still-threatening design, hence the spinning blades for elevation and the spiky metallic look.
The Poskalians are native to their planet of Rasraw, a bipedal intelligent civilisation in the middle of their industrial revolution. They represent the Polish Home Army during WW2. I wanted to showcase the proud nature of the Polish people, incorporating an avian-like stature drawn from their national eagle, with wardrobe reminiscent of the era.
There are few societies as brutal as the Ruskular, a barbaric war-like species barely held together by their mutual thirst for conquest and spoils. They represent the Russian Red Army and their historical doctrines during conflict. I found visual inspiration in the bear as their national animal, while incorporating science-fiction apparel to signify their technological advancement over the Poskalians.
