So when designing exotics what do you first consider?
How can we make it look more awesome than the current item
Ever thought of redesigning any behemoth or weapons?
Yes, even some of the characters in the city but we also need to create new content for you to enjoy :)
A slightly tougher nut to crack here --- we are seeing efforts to get the lore of Dauntless present in the game, and more important to the players. What about the reflection of the lore in art?
We have seen multiple Hunt Passes that had tangential or no relation to the lore, or that outright made no sense in the core aesthetic of the game (Aetherpunk, Zephyr Strike, Hidden Blades to name a few). On the other hand, Rogue Elements and the free-track mog from Searing Talons have been really good and lent themselves to the theme very well.
Is this a sign of things to come? Will the Ramsgate Renovation and future Hunt Passes aim to re-capture the "fallen world", anachronistic mixture of technology and scavenging-based savagery Dauntless initially sold itself with?
Maybe... ;) I can't fully answer, but the roadmap might help a little (for now)
https://playdauntless.com/roadmap/improved-interface/lore-journal-and-chronicles/
-How much is the art team inspired by other universes? For example, whenever I have a hunt on an island that is grassland, I don't know if it's because of the light, the floating earth or the music, Nagrand (WoW, Draenor/Outlaws) comes to my mind.
-Will we ever see in game discarded designs, which after being revealed, were more attractive than the ones we received?
-How far ahead is the art team, in terms of passes/sessions, of what we see?
To answer that last part, we're about 3-4 hunt pass ahead of what's coming out.