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Mini Bosses and Distorted Vagin... Um.
🕑 Added 2021-03-17 02:07:51 +0000 UTCDear Insane Children,
My headache has gone from deathly to manageable so I'm back with an update. But first, thank you, to everyone who sent well wishes. If you scroll back in the Patreon posts, you can find the image of a CT scan that reveals why I get these headaches. Unfortunately, knowing why I get them does not mean I can avoid them entirely. I just need to be careful with my neck... and sometimes things need moving or picking up... and careful goes out the window. Ouch.
First image today is a sketch from Norm of a mini-boss design from Alex. This is the Judgement Boss we'll encounter at the end of the Courthouse area.
Omri added an updated sketch along with a note...
To which he added:
"guys.
we need to change the design slightly.
the head looks like a distorted vagina.
Norman i'll write you. i love the frame but the head opening to the sides look bad now that i see it in black and white.
i'll sketch on this and send it over to you, i think if we'll pop out more the HEAD aspect it will work."
To which I replied (after I stopped laughing):
It's gross and I love it, norm.
I can't really see much difference in the edit. And I do not see anything wrong with it looking like a distorted vagina. Anything can look like that if you squint hard enough.
Anyway, let us know in the comments... what you think about all of this. When you stop laughing.
Speaking of... Adam also sent over the Final version of the Jabberwock emerging from his metal womb. This includes a claw wrapped around the door and some other final touches.
Adam also recently set up a new Instagram account. If you want to check out the work he's doing on Asylum and his other beautiful work, head over and give him a follow:
https://www.instagram.com/vitaj_art/
Decision Coin 2021
Remember when we were going to produce a Decision Coin to mark 2021 and all the years we've been trying to get Asylum off the ground? That got interrupted by Chinese New Year and other things... but it's back! Alex just sent over an updated version of the file we'll send to the factory... Adjustments were made to ensure manufacture quality. Check it out:
I can't remember exactly what we said about these... but I think they will be offered via Patreon and Mysterious? And will go out to everyone at the $35 Tier? Don't hold me to that! I need to confirm with Font Lord...
Main thing is, these coins are once again heading to production. So, yay!
Narrative and Art Tasks
The team continues to crank through producing content for the Design Bible.
Inspired by this image from Joey, I wrote:
"Why should I be bothered by chaos? My throne is built atop the framework of your struggle against it. The weight of oppression would crush your skull if you thought of anything but supporting me. And the chaos would consume you if you lowered your blade to see the truth. That's your cage of violence and fear. That's why we paint the white roses red."
The whole thing got me thinking about the nonsensical structures of power that define the world we all live in. Might channel some of that into the Asylum narrative (at least as it relates to characters like The Queen.
And There's More
If you want a full-length catch-up on everything going on, check out the Live Stream from last week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsS4Dmyhv_E
Now...
One of the other reasons I might have a headache these days is that I am trying to unravel (and re-weave?) a major aspect of the Asylum narrative. Thing is, the core story is done. It's an adventure where a little girl fights her way through Wonderland to get home. Easy enough. But there are many layers of meaning stacked atop that story... and I am trying to find the best way to communicate the THEME through all of those layers.
Lately, I've been struggling with questions like, "Can Wonderland characters be aware of the nature of their reality and use that awareness to shape or bend the reality in certain directions?" There's a mix of "Matrix" and "Inception" going into what I think I'm trying to say in this story.... and it's not been easy.
This is the main reason Crowd Design on the narrative stuff has been so silent. I would like to open this up to a broader discussion but I don't know how to do that when I am still grasping in the darkness for the major concepts.
Anyway, for those of you interested in the narrative journey, I appreciate your patience. Please know that I am working on the story every morning... chipping away at these questions and trying to shape something that we can all discuss in the coming weeks.
Back at it...
From Shanghai with Distortions,
-American
Comments
Sarah McKeegan
Glad you’re feeling better! Love the coin and the courtroom !! I like the jabberwork .
oh my, I definitely see it....it's not bad though. and arguably there's some puberty/growing up happening...but that really doesn't work in "judgement". Coloring could possibly make it look less like a vagina, but it might be better to make it less heart-shaped with whatever that is in the center, and more just big toothy mouth. Or maybe give it some large fangs/tusks amid the smaller teeth? I LOVE all the rest of the mini-boss design completely - the multiple arms, the spiderweb-like outfit/harness, claws, and horns. I love the Jabberwork piece and hope it's a future print all wonderful updates in this post!
I like the first concept for the mini boss.
Dewi Sri
All I can say is, dont stick your d*ck in that. The coin looks amazing though, looking forward to it!
Catheryn Alice North
Yayyyy for feeling a bit more manageable ^_^ is there any reason the coin now has a 3 on both sides?... no was a 20 before (I think)
I'm glad your feeling better! Is this enemy the statue that is depicted in Adams picture? Lol or am I dense? Also I would really like to have a design discussion or something based around this topic of the wonderland matrix theory lol I have personally always believed that wonderland characters being an extension of Alices own personality have understood that they live within Alice in a world of her own creation. I AMA specifically characters make reference to Alices ability to come and go while they remain trapped and painfully transfigured into nightmarish versions of themselves. Maybe its some but not all that understand this. The hierarchy of wonderland. Those who take higher residence have a deeper understanding of Alices psyche. Lol just a few ideas. Im excited!
Nicholas Brokaw
Wonderful to hear that you are starting to feel better! And have I eyed in one of your comments that there may be a Discord discussion of some sorts?!
You can do it! I'm already confident for your narrative. I'm sure it's going to be great. Take care !
A vagina didn't come to mind but more like a demogorgon... maybe change it a bit so it's not so 'stranger things'. Or better yet, make it look more like a vagina full of teeth and name it dimples. :)
I believe the previous games have already begun to answer whether the characters are aware of their reality - especially throughout Madness Returns. I've always seen the characters as either distortions of Alice's memories or manifestations of various parts of her subconscious and felt that their world's and environments warped to match her perception as an extension of that - especially in places like the hatter's domain, asylum, infernal train, etc... I think at times and in most cases, deep down that raw form of subconscious is more aware of our reality than we are, and so I don't see why the characters of Wonderland wouldn't or couldn't exploit that in some way within their own constructs.
So glad your headache has become manageable! I am super stoked to be getting a coin update! Knowing the coin could be coming but not when has kept me in suspense, so thank you thank you! Also love the monster design even if it looks like a gynaecologist's bad Monday. Keep up the amazing work!
Death of Ink
I rather liked the first concept of The Queen of Hearts, where she was this angry looking tyrant on her throne. Felt more in style of how she used to look in the book before Alice's mind began to change things.
Lucky Dragon ‘She.They’
If you ever got the chance to listen to the impromptu and unofficial crowd design meeting that AsteriaVisual put on, you may be aware of what I’m alluding to. Either way, I think it’s time I addressed some things about the story that have be wracking my brain. I write all about it in a community post in the next couple of days.
Lucky Dragon ‘She.They’
Could it be possible to simplify the story and eliminate some of those layers that seemed necessary at the time but may very well be just making certain things more complex than they need to be?
