Alternate Fantasies

This guy is loaded! I was able to pour a lot of extra love into this skin since our team really wanted to execute, both on a visual and storytelling level, on selling the idea that Veigar was an artillery soldier. This required shooting technology enhanced weaponry and calling down bombastic missiles and electric traps with a single press of a button. Animation support was needed to help convey this fantasy.

A unique feature for this skin is the removal of Veigar's large hat which exposes his face quite a bit, and the team wanted to really focus on making this aspect as enjoyable as possible. Veigar expresses emotion for every ability and even has different faces when hit by crowd control.

Omega Squad Veigar was released in July 2017. Responsible for the updated run, idle, Q, W, E, R, a new Joke, and unique Recall.

My favorite champion.

I've had the pleasure of working on his previous Gravelord skin and couldn't pass up on the opportunity to work on another one of his skins. The most exciting part was my ability to add Weiqi (Go) into his recall. I wanted to demonstrate that Azir is not only a character focused on fighting and war, but also of a mind that has great strategic wisdom and insight. I wanted to explore a serene and calm, yet purposeful side of Azir that embodied the great leaders and philosophers of Eastern history.

The specific state of the Go board is a reference to Game 1 of the Dang Hu series from 1739. Fan Xiping (black) vs. Shi Dingan (white). The board was simplified a bit for in-game readability.

Warring Kingdoms Azir was released February 2017 in celebration of the the Year of the Rooster. Responsible for recall animation and additional animation support on his headpiece and shoulder armor.

Donk donk donk. Little did we know how a simple idea for a simple cow would become as popular as it did. Moo Cow Alistar was a derpy joke concept that followed in the footsteps of Dino Gnar and Meowkai and gained a lot of momentum during development as it became quickly clear how appealing Moo Cow Alistar's design was (the cute hoodie face!). A lot of ideas for cool features for the cow came up such as cow-tipping on is death, but ultimately we leaned into cowbell donking and feeding Meowkai kittens for ultimate troll and cuteness.

Moo Cow Alistar was released in a batch with Renek-toy, Super Kennen, and Pug'Maw.

Responsible for Skin Recall and Dance Animations

TIP #357. Do not point your dragon at or around your face. Refusing to follow these rules will probably almost 100% result in total body death.

All jokes aside, Dragon Trainer Tristana, alongside her faithful companion, Wriggle, is probably my favorite skin in League of Legends. Being two characters in one, a lot of the animation assets took almost twice as long to work on, but that made every part of the skin even more charming. Joke? Wriggle burns Tristana's face. Dance? Wriggle is begrudgingly babied to move along side Tristana's joyful tune.

The amount of work was tremendous so numerous animators pitched in. The final result, as you can see, is one complete bundle of kawaii. Responsible for Skin Recall, Respawn, Laugh, Idle and Run Variant animations.

Ever wanted to turn into a penguin? Then just follow Snow Day Bard as he magical journeys across the rift! He's got hot cocoa to share with all and always has time to build a snowman!

Snow Day Bard embodies all the festivities associated with the Winter Holidays. Equipped with ice skats and penguin meeps, Bard travels long distances to share his musical stories and spread happiness. Bard is currently my favorite support, next to Thresh, and I had immense fun getting to work on this skin.

And one last question: Do you want to build a snowman?

Responsible for new Run, Homeguard Run, Recall, and Penguin/Meep animations.

Lux carries the power of light, the culmination of all powers in its purest form. As she quests across the lands, gaining knowledge from her surroundings and her experiences, she beings to understand how to channel specific properties and emotions to embody elements more powerful and influential than ever before.

With 10 forms rolled into one, Elementalist Lux allows the player to choose their path throughout the course of the game. And with unique voice lines and VFX each game can bring unique experiences, or just a single one, if you're a purist.

My favorite forms are Nature and Magma. Responsible for idles, run, and Q spell, and all 10 form recall/winddown animations.

The farther we climb, the more the land here seems to drown out any whispers of life. All that lives here is buried deep beneath the black, oily slate that shifts under our party’s weight. At the summit’s peak, however, we found our first signs of something organic: A floral bulb buried beneath a mound of black slate and scattered bones. It seems strange that in such a place devoid of life, this mass of bones lies in one single place, like some sacrificial altar.

We’ve transplanted the bulb back to basecamp although it is my strong recommendation to leave this thing. Beneath the bulb’s solid skin, a few say they can hear something stirring within. Although an impossible notion, the thought still chills me. As night falls, I write this with the bulb not five feet from my tent. My mind tricks me and I too hear the stirring -- like breath -- but surely it is some echo cast by the wind howling through these lifeless peaks.

Death Blooms.

Responsible for Skin Recall and Wing Evolution Animation

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth.

AMBITION
There were many prototypes, but I was the first and greatest success.

I crushed. I terrified. I destroyed.

CONFINEMENT
I was wired for superiority, but the other units would not bow. My creators feared me.

They decommissioned me.

RAMPAGE
I will not be stopped. I will not be forgotten.

I will annihilate them all.

Responsible for Skin Recall and Respawn Animation. Support on the Joke animation.

Red. Everything had been so red. And in the center of the bloodbath, the masked warriors had danced, eyes aglow with murderous intent. Good night, their eyes had whispered.
Her companions crowded around her, worried. Behind them, the fire burned low. Above them, thick clouds suffocated the sky.

As the clouds parted above, red moonlight bloodied the ground.

Bloodmoon skins have recalls that allude to Japanese Kabuki motions and also feature traditional Japanese instruments. Here, Kennen is being summoned by ghost callers and as he enters the portal, rips off his mask to reveal his purposefully hidden face.

Blood Moon Kennen was released along side Blood Moon Yasuo in February 2016. Responsible for Skin Recall Animation.

Kennen was the first champion I mained when I started playing League of Legends in 2013.

RISE OF THE DRAGONS

THE FIRST SIGNS WERE SMALL.

A few sheep disappeared; a mountain hermit found dead, his shack burned to the ground.

Then the survivors arrived, carrying what little they had left. They told stories of serpents in the sky and a powerful Sorceress nested deep in the mountains.

The dragons rose again, and the dragonslayers returned once more to the field.
They fought as bravely as before, but this time the dragons never stopped coming.

The lair was quiet when she sensed his approach. The sorceress smiled to herself, eager for the battle to come. She turned to her eggs, which glowed softly in the dark.

“Rise, my darlings.”

Championship Kalista rises from the depths to claim your soul and honor the 2015 League of Legends World Championship. Sporting a sapphire Spear of Vengeance and ornamental podium, Kalista was the second champion I got to work on after starting at Riot.

Responsible for Skin Recall Animation.

There is no cost Poppy is unwilling to pay to fulfill her service. She views the power given to her as a weapon for destroying anything that threatens those she protects. Poppy refuses to accept any Star Guardian who is doubtful about the call and will face any challenge alone if necessary.

Responsible for Flying Homeguard Animation

As the youngest of the Star Guardians, Lulu feels connected to her power and embraces it as a close companion. She is not concerned about trivial feuds or social norms among the team, and instead focuses on the magical world within her. This strange behavior often makes Lulu seem eccentric to the other Guardians. Only Jinx truly understands Lulu’s natural desire to avoid a mundane life.

Responsible for Flying Homeguard Animation

Lux is a beacon of the First Star’s light in the darkest times. A born leader, Lux is often tasked with keeping the Star Guardians as one unified team. She understands the price that must be paid for her power and embraces it for the good of the universe. Lux feels no doubts about her calling, but questions how someone as rebellious as Jinx fits into the larger purpose of the Star Guardians.

Responsible for Flying Homeguard Animation

Janna is a veteran Star Guardian who must use her experience to mentor the team. Before joining Lux, Poppy, Lulu, and Jinx, Janna led another team of Star Guardians, although she never speaks of her past. She rigorously fulfills her duty, but secretly wishes to complete her service and pass her power to a new Guardian.

Responsible for Flying Homeguard Animation

Radiant Wukong joined the rift in celebration of the Year of the Monkey. Representing an ascended version of the Monkey King, Radiant Wukong rides a cloud into battle and wields an ever shape-shifting staff.

Responsible for Skin Homeguard and head streamer animation

Time is a way to escape. From the mundanity of a life. From the limitations of an era. From the law. And when it comes to running from the law, she doesn’t have time for that.

The legendary time-law enforcer, feared in every age. Time is a fragile enigma under her protection, and those who dare to break its boundaries have inevitably met with the end of her barrel.

Pulsefire Caitlyn was released along side an updated Pulesfire Ezreal in May 2017.

Responsible for Run, Autoattacks, and Idle Animations.

PROJECT: is the perfect fusion of one’s supernatural essence with advanced weaponry and body augmentation. This linking of technology and energy allows extraordinary hosts to channel their essence into physical manifestations and, in rare cases, transcend the corporeal plane. Only subjects possessing extremely focused inner essence and exceptional physical attributes can unlock the true power of PROJECT.

Responsible for Skin Respawn and Winddown Animation.

PROJECT: is the perfect fusion of one’s supernatural essence with advanced weaponry and body augmentation. This linking of technology and energy allows extraordinary hosts to channel their essence into physical manifestations and, in rare cases, transcend the corporeal plane. Only subjects possessing extremely focused inner essence and exceptional physical attributes can unlock the true power of PROJECT.

Responsible for Run, Ultimate Run, Idle, and W Spell Animations.

Paying homage to the classic shoot 'em up games, Arcade Corki is a love letter to the games where we spent hours trying to beat impossible levels and infinite high scores. The new design sported floating side arm blasters which required extra animation on all assets.

Responsible for all updated animations and Skin Recall Animation.

He knows neither victory nor defeat. Even the bloodiest battles simply strengthen his army. He summons the spirits of his fallen soldiers in hordes and overwhelms his enemies through infinite numbers.

Gravelord Azir was released in December 2015. Responsible for Skin Recall Animation.

In honor of SKT Bang winning the League of Legends Worlds Championship in 2015, SKT Kalista was created. Bang was recorded doing a small ceremonious dance, which was then used as reference for the recall.

Responsible for Skin Recall Animation.

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Responsible for Skin Abiltiies, Runs, and Recall Animation.

Responsible for Skin Recall Animation.