ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02: Errolson Hugh and Phil Saunders Dive Deep into the Design Story and Concept behind the Device

ASUS has just launched the latest version of its Flow product line, the ROG Flow Z13 ACRNM RMT02. As part of the launch, IGN India got the opportunity to interact with the brains behind the design for the RMT02, Errolson Hugh and Phil Saunders. Errolson Hugh, the designer behind ACRONYM has already collaborated with ASUS in the past for the special edition ROG X ACRONYM Zephyrus G14.

Phil Saunders on the other hand is known for his exploits with the Iron Man suits in the Marvel Movies. Saunders has worked as a concept artist on a lot of Marvel Cinematic Universe projects besides working on Star Wars and Tron: Legacy.

During the interaction, we discussed the inception of this project and the inspiration that shaped this collaboration. We also talked about the design, concept, philosophy behind the ROG Flow Z13 ACRNM RMT02. Hugh and Saunders provided considerable insight into their approach behind this project along with their goals with the launch of the convertible gaming tablet. Check out their responses to our questions below:

Q. How did the collaboration come about? What are the first steps you start with while starting a project like this?

Errolson: Well, the collaboration came about several years ago, at Hyde Fest in New York City. We were approached by the Republic of Gamers and asked if we had ever thought about doing such a collaboration.

Now, the first thing we do, in evaluating a collaboration opportunity is ask ourselves what can we learn and what things can we do that has not been done before, to stand apart from the herd. The next step is looking at our partner’s capabilities, to learn and absorb what are their strengths and understand what their infrastructure allows. We then try to develop an idea that reinforces and leverages that strength, to create something unique and exclusive that resonates not just with the partner brand but also weaves into our vision. Aim to co-create something that has never been seen before.

Q. What is the one thing that you consider the most important when you start on the design for a tech product?

Errolson: The key is to ensure it is a legitimate product with a real-world use case scenario that we can contribute to for real and the idea actually works.

Q. Could you share some of your inspirations that shaped and guided this collaboration?

Errolson: I think we were mostly inspired by the problem-solving aspect of the collaboration. Similar to most ACRONYM projects, once we set a goal for a project, the path or journey to that goal usually results in material choices, design choices, and the like. Beyond that, the team which goes to work on the project. The team is an extremely critical aspect and is probably more important than inspiration. Because it’s like a band where there are different musicians who are skilled in their own right, but you don’t really know what’s going to happen when they all get into the room and jam. You want to pick the members carefully because that’s when new magic can happen, it’s when that chemistry sets in.

Q. What was the inspiration behind putting straps directly on the device? How are the straps being directly on a device better than having a case made with these installments?

Errolson: I’ve wanted to put straps on devices for decades. It’s just something I’ve always wondered about and explored and an idea. I don’t want to have a bag or any other additional thing. To me, it’s like a device, whether it’s a bag or it’s a piece of electronics, or whatever it is, it’s meant to be used in a dynamic manner and things are just easier to use when you can hang on to them. It’s a very practical and basic desire.

Q. We know that this isn’t the first time that you are working with ASUS ROG, as we saw a collab with ACRONYM in the special edition ROG X ACRONYM Zephyrus G14. Could you share more on what went behind the birth of that collaboration? How is this different from the ACRONYM collab?

Errolson: Well, we’d like to say that we did the first machine in order to do the second machine, and because of timelines and product development cycles, and how things work, we immediately realized that for ROG as well as ACRONYM, the best thing would be to do a two-stage project involving two machines and use the first machine to learn how to work together. That’s exactly what happened, the things that we learned from the first machine, we were able to apply to the much more ambitious second machine.

Q. This collaboration will surely bring an inspiring and innovative design enhancement to the ROG laptop, but what about its performance, was that sacrificed at any level?

Errolson: Not at all. This is actually a higher-spec machine than the channel SKU. So it’s an improvement, if anything, the device itself is an incredibly powerful and potent system.

Q. Could you share some insight into your design philosophy, especially the balance between form and function?

Errolson: People like to talk about form and function as if there’s some sort of dichotomy. But in reality, we can’t separate them, they are one thing, no matter what the object is. Our design is always about, on some level, action and agency. So everything we do is about enabling or empowering the person who’s using the device or wearing the garment to be able to do something or go somewhere that they couldn’t without it.

Q. How do you think a tech product like the ROG Flow Z13 can influence high-street fashion?

Errolson: I mean, I hope it’s a waypoint in the sense of an example, or concerns a benchmark of what’s possible. I hope it shows that a collaboration can and should be more than just selecting a color scheme or a logo and applying it to an existing thing, essentially going for the cash grab, which is also valid in its own right. But I feel like the word collaboration is almost a negative word these days. I think the original spirit of the collaboration is a beautiful thing, but it has probably been exploited recently. Hopefully, this is an example of showing that you can actually do meaningful, radical, exciting collaborations.

Phil: I think there is also a piece of industrial sculpture to it. There is almost a jewellery-like quality to it, in the way that we’ve played with what is the most base and ignored material aesthetic, and the very way in which the thing is made, which is always hidden in the sky. For example, if any product is made out of aluminum, it is sandblasted to this perfect uniform, smooth finish. By celebrating the mechanical process that made this object come to life and using it as a tool for generating an aesthetic, it’s turned it into a piece of jewellery in my mind.

Q. Given the theme of futuristic and minimalistic design, how do you think AI-powered design tools will impact the industry?

Errolson: That’s the trillion-dollar question. That is itself a whole separate interview. A lot of people are trying to answer that right now. However, one thing is clear, you can’t put that genie back in a bottle. It’s out there, it’s happening and it’s going change things in ways that nobody can imagine at this point. It is not going to be boring. I hope it’s going to lead to exciting new innovations rather than expanding the dystopia which is still on the table.

Q. As we cover gaming news, we would love to know if you indulge in gaming and if so, what was your favourite game of 2022? What is your favourite design of all time? Which upcoming game are you looking forward to the most? 

Errolson: In 2022, I didn’t do any gaming because I was very occupied. However, the entire series Metal Gear Solid is probably my favorite game of all time. CVS was probably my favorite arcade game back in the day and Crisis is probably my favorite PlayStation game. But if I had to pick an “all-time favorite” game, it’s obviously Death Stranding right now, not just because I’m in the game but that is part of the reason for choosing it. Definitely, the game I’m looking forward to most right now is Death Stranding 2.

Q. Could you share details about the design concept for the RMT02? How did it come about and what did you start off with?

Phil: We started off with the existing ROG Flow Z13, which was still at a conceptual stage when we started but it was much further along. They did have a physical prototype and the specs were pretty set in terms of what we had to package, the tech and the internals. We were very excited about it because it was quite innovative. The idea of something that was that portable, that at its basic level, was a tablet architecture and would expand up to be a very powerful desktop system. It spoke to us, to me in particular, because it totally fits into my workflow, going back and forth between studios and my home office, and needing something powerful enough to drive the most sophisticated 3D CAD software. So it was great to begin with something that was breaking new ground already.

The process, like anything that either ACRONYM or I do, was thinking in terms of function, what it is, what it does, what it can do, and what are the possibilities that are suggested that we can infer from.

Being a tablet system, it gave us a lot of freedom, in terms of what we could do with it physically because we didn’t have to work past an existing hinge system for the keyboard and all the constraints of those mechanical elements. It suggested a lot of ways of using it portably that you wouldn’t normally be able to do with a laptop. For example, the corner elements, which was something that was one of the first things that we developed as a protection system for the device itself since it was so eminently portable. You know, the first thing on your mind is oh my gosh, I’ve got this powerful, expensive machine, what if I drop it? So, the first thing you want to do is create something, again living the user experience, as a starting point for design and thinking about how to improve that user experience and that level of security and reassurance built into it without being added on with a third market product, or third party product was key for us. We wanted to design something intriguing and beautiful, and not have it hidden five minutes after you buy the product.

So then from that, we extrapolated ways in which we could use this product as a truly portable device. When you think about a device that’s portable nowadays, you think of something that you use, and then you put it in a bag, and then you take it with that bag to another place, and then you may use it there again. What we wanted was to get rid of that intermediate interface, that’s a limiting idea, a legacy idea from the old way in which people used portable devices. I think people are far more flexible in the way that they use things now. We’re used to walking while we’re surfing the web or doing whatever on our phones, so why not be able to do that with a much more powerful device. So to eliminate this idea, that in transit it’s packaged away, and to make the device its own bag, is what drove the idea of using those corner elements as the anchor points for a strap system. Keeping with ACRONYM’s prime motivator which is giving the user agency. It’s taking the user from limiting the way that they think about their device by having it in a bag, to now it’s on them. If they want to use it while they’re walking, they just flip it over and put it in producer mode and there they have it. So whether you use that or not, it’s giving you that opportunity, and that is rewiring your brain into a new way of interacting with a device like this.

Q. As we know, you are renowned for your work with Iron Man suits in Marvel movies (among a whole lot of other MCU properties and beyond), were you able to implement anything you learnt over there for this project? If yes then could you highlight the elements?

Phil: I can’t say that there’s anything specific I’ve taken from Marvel to this. I jump between industries, quite readily between product/automotive/theme park and video game design as well as feature concept design. Regardless of what industry I’m working in, I’m always taking the same design approach, which is thinking of it from the standpoint of what the design needs to do, what it needs to achieve, and how to get there. If it’s a fantasy product, like something in Marvel, all you do is roleplay a universe in which those functions are real, and then approach it the way that you would approach in a real life practical industrial design, so you’re solving the virtual problems, rather than solving the physical problems. So with this, it’s the same kind of approach; allowing the aesthetic to be driven by the solving of those problems.

Q. From designing suits in movies to adding design elements to consumer tech that people will use every day, What are the stakes like and Did you always envision this? What is next?

Phil: Well, it definitely has a longer timeline for this kind of development. But in a lot of ways, it’s similar to really any other design process. For example, you can substitute engineering for coding when you’re designing a video game. That kind of interface that you’re having with that other discipline is very similar, the kind of language that you’re talking about is very similar. Just like dealing with a visual effects department in the film business or dealing with the engineers in the theme park ride, all of that translates in terms of stakes. The difference is that these are going to be physical products in people’s hands rather than something that they’re just viewing on the screen. But there’s always a production timeline in play and similar process-oriented issues that you have to deal with in any design process. So it translates directly and I’ve done several product collaborations in the past, before stepping into the film industry.

Q. What is the most important thing according to you while designing a consumer tech product like the RMT02?

Phil: For me, the most important thing is understanding the user experience. A lot of times the user experience is neglected in service of either some big idea or aesthetics. For me, it really needs to be driven primarily by how the product is going to be used and feel in your hands. Not just how it’s going to look on the shelf but also how are you as a consumer going to interact with this product over the long term?

Q. What was the thought process for building the chassis for this device as it seems sturdy as well as aesthetically pleasing in the concept photos?

Phil: The corner elements were one of the primary additions to the design. It was driven by a need to create something as versatile and as usable “on the go” in a truly mobile sense, where you’re using it while you’re walking, or doing something else. It needed to be something that inspired confidence that you didn’t have to put it down on a desk before you could interact with it.

Q. Do you think tech is influencing fashion and we are just steps away from a Cyberpunk era?

Phil: Personally, I think we’ve been living in a cyberpunk era for quite a while.

Errolson: I would agree with Phil.

Q. We would love to know if you indulge in gaming and if so, what was your favourite game of 2022? What is your favourite design of all time? Which upcoming game are you looking forward to the most? 

Phil: I have been a gamer for most of my life. Starting with board games, role playing games like D&D, and gaming on my hand-built Apple 2 Plus Clone (that I soldered together one summer when I was 13 so that I could play games, because my parents wouldn’t buy me a Commodore 64). Moreover, I’ve spent 10 years as the creative director of a video game company as well. So games and I are intimately associated, though nowadays, as a parent, my gaming is pretty much solely restricted to the gaming that I get to do with my kids. So my favourite game of 2022 assuming that’s when it came out, would be ‘It Takes Two’. I love to play two-player cooperative games with my daughter and that’s one that was just simply amazing. As for my favourite games of all time, my favourite arcade game of all time is Marble Madness. I just loved the interaction of the game itself with the interface, with the trackball. I thought it was just so genius to take an existing controller paradigm and turn that into the design of the game. So that one has really stuck with me for a long, long time. I think probably one of the games that I’ve enjoyed playing the most was Marathon Infinity. When I was at a video game company, we spent almost as much time playing local area multiplayer battles on Marathon Infinity, than we did making our own games. So yeah, I’d put that at the top of my list.