Phillipe sits in front of his screen, scanning a website of graphic artists and illustrators. Which of these artists will be able to bring to life the post-industrial, Victorian London theme of Divinare?

More than anything else, it comes down to defining the vision, establishing the overall visual feel of the game. How should Victorian London be portrayed in this game? Adopt a comic angle? Or give it a realistic feel?

Beyond that, how should it be represented? Should we use the 'big nose' style found in Franco-Belgian comics? Use a cartoon style? Black and white? Photography? What would  Stéphane Kot do?

After several hours of searching, ten cups of coffee and four meetings, Croc and Phillipe make a few decisions. The London of Divinare will be more 'Lord Wellington and purple satin' than 'dirty walls covered in coal dust.'

As for the look of the game, Phillipe has come up with a few ideas. He has been wanting to work with a specific designer for a while, but has not had the chance due to scheduling conflicts. Is this the right time?

The next day, Phillipe gets off the phone, looking happy after a brief interview with the artist. The scheduling works out, and  Benjamin Carré is the illustrator for Divinare. Phillipe orders five characters, four major divination themes, and tarot cards.

It doesn't take long before ideas are exchanged between everyone participating. Benjamin brings drawings, but he also brings some ideas. And they're very good ideas, too!

The first image arrives. It puts us all on the floor. For the most emotional among us, quite literally.

Benjamin delivers in record time with some sensational photo-realism! This is a good sign. The second drawing comes, and this time, it's one of the playable characters of Divinare, the fakir. Once again, Benjamin's work is breathtaking. We're not just saying that because we're publishing the game; see for yourself!

Some of us suggest a real tarot deck, complete with figures, but the risk of confusion is too great. Finally, the team decides to give the cards their own color and opt for a classic back. The format chosen will still be like a deck of tarot cards, because if it's not broken, don't fix it.

Now all we have to do is put it all together. Happily, we have interns for that, who are delighted to do the work (OK, they don't have much choice). We have a few of the images from just before the final cut (which has a black border). Those of you who are more observant might find the drawings in this article that inspired some of the cards.

Is that it? Well, not quite. There's one big piece left – the cover. No need to look into a crystal ball to see how that turns out, because it's the subject of the next chapter.

Making of a game part one

Making of a game part two