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Something(s) Wicked
🕑 Added 2020-09-14 07:11:04 +0000 UTCDear Insane Children,
LOTS of progress on lots of things... I don't even know where to start!
So... high on my list of tasks is to build the Pitch Deck for the Chinese Publisher we recently met with - which we'll use to convince them to give us the money required to start a new studio and start building games... which will eventually lead to the development of Alice: Asylum.
As I mentioned on our last live stream (you can watch it on YouTube), the idea is that we establish the studio and get our pipeline up and running with a smaller project - ostensibly based on "Oz" - and then build the next "Alice" once that team is fully prepared. Makes sense. This is exactly the model we used with Spicy Horse when we started on "Grimm" and built everything we need to develop Madness Returns.
We already have one narrative for Oz that we previously shared and Crowd Designed here on Patreon. But I want to take another stab... this time going in a different direction. The basic premise is "plane crashes, survivors find themselves in a strange land... eventually realize it's Oz..." and we've been messing around with story notes as such:
Love this image, @Omri and very happy to see stuff like this getting made. It really captures some of the feel and story that I think will be important to the final game. Going off the comments from @Alex Crowley, it's true that we could (and should) stumble upon a scene like this (and many more scenes like this) to tell the story of just how many planes, balloons, helicopters, and other conveyances have been sucked into Oz and wrecked. It's fantastic and really gives us a cool foundation for a world full of survivors.
But as Alex said, for our story, at the place where it starts, this would be too much, too soon. Purple forests and deadly sands would definitely give away the fact that we're "not in Kansas anymore." And I think we want to save that reveal for a bit later in the story.
Now... there are variations on the story where we could go straight into "the shit" and see our plane crash survivors stumbling into the sand, dying instantly, freaking out at the purple landscape, maybe getting eaten by some surreal Purple Monster ... and I am OK with keeping that as a note on our sketches. Where exactly do we want to start everything?
Do we all have solid thoughts on that?
Because the alternative to this image is one that just looks like "standard plane crash into generic forest" and I don't know how useful that is... visually and from a narrative perspective.
It really depends on the type of story we're crafting.
Variation #1 is "plane crashes into seemingly generic forest and survivors deal with generic plane crash stuff until later in the story they realize they aren't in Kansas anymore."
Variation #2 is "plane crashes and OH SHIT what the fuck that guy just turned into sand, why is the forest purple, what the fuck is that thing? aahhhh!"
People (the survivors) won't know it is OZ but they will know it's an alien landscape. I mean, people will know it's OZ because we've told them in the marketing, the title, etc... so it's like you're just waiting around for the crash survivors to figure out the thing the audience already knows?
How long is that fun for?
Food for thought.
Maybe #2 is better?
What do you think? Should our crash survivors immediately confront the brutal reality of their situation? Or should it be something that slowly dawns on them as more and more strange things keep happening?
Alex's done some logos - which I love. But... I shared my thoughts about the "lost" aspect it with the team...
Now... the big problem is the word "LOST" - it screams to me that this is a continuation of the "LOST" TV series. I think they broke that word. There's also a serious potential they would come after us for using the name in the title like that... especially given that there's some similarity between the stories, settings, etc.
What can we do? "The Lost" or a synonym? Adrift, vanished, gone?
This conversation always sucks.
Anyway, I can post to Patreon and we can get some feedback.
What do you think? Does the "Lost" part just immediately kill it for you? Or do you think we can make it work? We've got to get this right because, as I learned previously, it's all in the name!
Angry Rabbits
Martin will write a full post about this later - but quickly: This month (September) is the month where, if you pledge $75 before October, you can get the Plushie Dreadful "Angry Rabbit," an "Angry" tote bag, and this month's art print "The Watcher" - all very grrrr, all delivered straight to your door. And if this is your first month at $75 you'll also get a Chaos Necklace. Super Grrr!
Speaking of Plushie Dreadfuls...
Meet Scruffy Bumps. He's a cat. From nightmares. Or maybe not... depends on what you consider nightmarish I guess? I'm hoping he turns out like a cross between an octopus and a fluffy black cat... but we do have some Crowd Design questions:
First, just give us your general feedback. Do you even want Scruffy Bumps? Or would you toss him in a fire? And what do you think about his expression? Should it be cute or sinister? How about the tail... straight (like the legs) or fluffy (as pictured)? Any other ideas or feedback?
I'd ask you for Crowd Design feedback on this Wolf wearing a Pig... but, I mean, he's kinda perfect isn't he? I like how he looks uncertain about what he's done. What do you think?
Your Move
Wonderland is also receiving attention these days. Omri sent along this sketch of Alice meeting with the King and Queen of the Chess Realm. Of this he says:
SO! my first thought is this, queen and king sitting and Alice comes into the chambers or something and they talk.
i also thought Alice can actually speak to THEM as a crowd. like maybe the king and queen can be absent and she takes a place of importance. i'll keep digging, but i kinda like this drafty story frames. please feedback me and give me a direction.
And Alex jumped in with some feedback along these lines:
Would it be worth exploring renders that are angled or closer to Alice?
Or that show a hierarchy in story telling between the characters, just to mix it up a bit?
Meanwhile, I continue to work on the overall narrative with Alex. And had some interesting ideas over the weekend which we'll work in this week. Trying to tighten up our presentation of the general THEME of the game.
Expect lots more story updates and art soon.
Alright... that's it from rainy Shanghai this afternoon. Look forward to all of your feedback in the comments below!
From Shanghai with Love,
-American
Comments
Azeraus Madigan
Well if she was joined by other characters who crashed their & had no idea they were in Oz it would amount to something rather interesting thanks for the idea other false me :)
Azeraus Madigan
Also these new plushies I love them & yet have no idea how to acquire them is there a system in place for patron or will they have their own website?
The aesthetic certainty matches a darker Oz however I'm still concerned from what I've heard Dorthy will be traveling through the remnants of a world torn apart by war & witchcraft and yet the original novels are much more akin to children stories I hope that this new Oz changes them into tales of war and misery
sumblinker
OMG I love OZ so much! <3
SycrosD4
This looks exciting...
Nicole E.
Also, for the title it really depends on where the story is going, because the title should define the game for what it is. Right now with the "Lost" theme maybe Dorothy in the Emerald Haze? Dorothy Adrift? In the Remains of Oz?
Nicole E.
Yes, I want Scruffy Bumps and with fluffy tail. I like the Wolf wearing a Pig plush idea with him looking uncertain, like in the picture.
I just hope we can play chess in the Alice game as a mini game make Ai based on the characters and special pieces based on them to like Cheshire Cat turns one of his pieces invisible for 3-5 turns, would be fun
Sarah McKeegan
There’s so many ways this could go.. it’s hard for me to wrap my head around it yet lol.
Hi! I have an idea! Oz: Carried away Characters: Little Dorothy, her mother, her crazy Uncle took a trip on an airship Plot: Dorothy lives in a gloomy dark life, where nothing is really colorful (depression?) She gets obsessed about rainbows and she dreams about touching one. When her uncle offers her to take her to an airship, she's exited. Little does she know what the plans of her Unlce are. Her mother insist to come with her too, as she's always scared that something will happen to Dorothy. They board the airship, which isn't supposed to go anywhere (attached to earth, like kind of floating museum), but somehow, it releases itself and start to fly across the sky (her Unlce might have done that in purpose) People on board are both exited and scared, as they see the ship approaching a great storm, that seemingly came out of nowhere. A green lightnings can be seen inside of this weird storm. Dorothy is trying to find her mother on the overcrowded board, but cannot. Suddenly, she catches a glimpse of a bright rainbow outside the storm, as they are carried closer to the element. Then the airship is caught by a tornado from that storm and crashes onto a land. Some die in this accident. Dorothy and other people who survived come out on a land who looks nothing like they seen before. Purple forest seems like a fairyland, some kind of Eden. First, they think that they stranded on a tropic island with unknown species, but later, weird things start to happen around them. Weird creatures are not innocent as they seem to be and overall, the land is crazy and hostile. Are they still on earth? Is this some kind of magic land, or rather alien planet? Now, there are few ways in which this story can go: 1) Dorothy is living in a victorian era in England, so when they visit Oz, they are overwhelmed by the technology => 1.1 HIDDEN WORLD TREASURES They found out that they are still on earth and that they managed to get into hidden culture that uses "magic" which is, basically, future technology => 1.2 ABANDONED ALIEN PLANET They are on some kind of alien planet, where everything can be dangerous, yet enchanting at the same the old citizens are gone, only people from earth that got stranded here are trying to survive. PLOTTWISTS: Could be that her crazy Uncle knew about the weird storm and was trying to travel to Oz on purpose 2) Dorothy is living in current era, dreams about rainbows yet at the same time, her word is falling apart due to a family tragedy. => 2.1 ALIEN FUTURISTIC CYBERPUNK Oz is far more than a magical land, its some alienish place, where humanoid animals lives (lion from the old story), where cyborgs are made (the tin man) and where people undergone crazy body alternations that they do not look like people anymore (scarecrow). PLOTTWISTS: The people from the airship discovers that the civilization of Oz tried to conquer the earth but destroyed themselves in the process. Or Plottwist #2 The OZ people still lives, but they abducted the airship on purpose, watching the stranded people as they fight for their life =>2.2 RUBY AS THE GUILT AND SHAME Maybe if Dorothy did something wrong, which caused a death of her sibling, overflowing her feet with red blood, thus she starts to dream about Ruby shoes and connects herself to the idea of Dorothy. When the airship is taken to the Oz, she starts to believe she is the real Dorothy and that she must follow the yellow brick road, not trying to understand her situation, just trying to follow the path. OR her "Ruby shoes" could be blood on her shoes from the accident. PLOTTWISTS: She has a suppressed trauma about her guilt, that she is trying to overcome, connecting characters from Oz (scarecrow, lion, etc) to what really happened to her. Overall, I think that the airship crash would be much more great and creepy start. Also the world slowly becoming much more sinister and creepy (like in Coraline) sounds like cool concept to me. What do you guys think about this?
i like the hot air balloon. because plane crashes are so violent. it could be as easy as go up into the balloon, getting caught in a mild vortex of clouds and coming out in oz but with a hole in the balloon that causes her to descend rapidly--but not dangerously--to the ground. maybe just a cut and bruise don't get me wrong. i ain't against violence. there will be plenty of it in the game. it's just... harder to believe she'd survive a plane crash
Lucky Dragon ‘She.They’
I also think that the pitch is too similar to it’s current namesake. That literally is the premise of “Lost”. Maybe we don’t with a monster hunting them as well? A plane crash is fine. Personally I would think it would be more appropriate to the property if it was a hot air balloon that crashed. People do still go on those. It would be a more unique opening if a group of people decided to rent a hot air balloon in today’s context because it’s not something you see too much anymore. Plane crashes are a little cliche honestly. And I’d keep whatever group finds themselves on Oz very small. Maybe make them analogs to the four main characters from the first book.
Wendy Jaa
So far, I'm not a fan of the direction Oz is taking. I think you should hold off the name for very last, after you've gotten the gist of the story completed.
Lucky Dragon ‘She.They’
I have some title ideas, not knowing too much what your direction is, but maybe it could inspire something: Oz: Return of Magic, Oz: Magic’s Return, Oz: Return of the Wicked, Oz: Bloody Wicked, Oz: Witchland, Oz: Trapped in Witchland, Personally I think Oz: Witchland is the strongest of these.
I really love the concept of the survivors crashlanding in Oz. I like variation 2 the most. I would put forth checking out King of Thorns for some inspiration on the "survivors waking up in a new world" angle. The manga is great, but you can also check out the movie and get the idea of it.
Daniel Linsley
I love Scruffy Bumps! I definitely want fluffy tail, and I’d prefer a non-sinister expression. I like the wide round eyes in the second picture.
Ozland is also already a horror movie, and you're right about Lost -- but also "Lost in Oz" is the name of an animated Amazon show, and was a WB show that had a pilot made. Tim Burton also helmed a different TV show called Lost in Oz for a while about a group of modern day people who got lost in Oz. Never got off the ground, though. I submit for approval: "Surrender Oz". Could mean you're asking whoever's controlling Oz to surrender it and revert it back to its original state. Could mean you're fighting the land itself and telling it to surrender. Any male ruler of Oz is named Oz, perhaps it's a warning to a new antagonist. Echoes "Surrender Dorothy" without directly saying it. As for the plane crash thing, I also immediately thought of Bioshock, which I love, but yeah. What do you have against twisters, American? Arthur was summoned to Oz in dream bubbles, Dorothy 2 washed up on the rose kingdom in Ozombie, and there's a plane crash here. I think opening the game inside a twister funnel would be badass. Plane crash? Been done. A tutorial boss in a cyclone? Sign me up.
Christ Why
YES, I want scruffy bumps!!
Therese
Hmmm, perhaps something like “lost in Oz” I do like the idea, but any other wording would also work. Plus a plane crash would probably be too similar to have then also mix it with the title. I do feel like the plane crash reminds me a little too much of the beginning of Bioshock? I like cute scruffy bumps with fluffy tail!
Sinister Scruffy Bumps with a fluffy tail is the way to go.
Get rid of Lost from the title, definitely too many bad memories from the series and as it's a plane crash it would be too similar. Love variation#2 just straight into the weirdness so it's even more messed up for the survivors, they crashed and omg everything is wrong with the world. That wolf is so cute, love him and want him 🐺🐽❤️
Scruffy bumps with a sinister expression and a fluffy tail please.
I think "Vanished" or maybe "Uprooted" would work better than "Lost". As for which option? I'm in the middle. Perhaps combine the two? And don't change the wolf! The expression scream "I am not sure but I believe I regret this" and I love it!
Markus
I got Lost (TV show) vibes as soon as you said plane crash and since OZ is literally in the title and probably will be all over the marketing, for me it really loses that surprise factor that option 1 is trying to achieve.
"Lost" and "Westworld" can work as good internal shorthands to keep the two pitches separate in our minds, but the similarities with the former (plane crash, unexpected strange happenings, a monster in the woods eating people) would probably raise the suspicion of the people who own the rights to "LOST" who are...of course, Disney.
Wolf-Pig's expression is literally amazing. I love that he looks unsure. Please don't change a thing about his expression! Haha. I would snag that plush asap, for sure. Also, I don't mind Lost being in the title. Michael (above) had an interesting idea for that. Do I typically think of the show first if it says *just* "Lost"? I mean, kinda, yeah, but "The Lost" is good. Or "Vanished" would be good. I don't have any super strong feelings about it one way or another. I just know if it was a game I would play the heck out of it. And I apologize for being unhelpful here- but I think Option #1 and #2 are both good ideas. I think I personally like the idea of #1, where we kind of have to slowly figure things out. Like maybe we get small clues at first to make the character think that "something seems off about this place", and they're trying to piece things together as quickly as possible, so they can adapt to their surroundings. If you go straight into "Oh Shit" I feel like you go right into fight-or-flight mode and try to prepare for anything. Not saying you wouldn't do the same if you crashed and found yourself in an unfamiliar place but with somewhat familiar looking objects around you (say like a seemingly normal-looking forest), but idk. I like the idea of maybe the "oh shit" moment happening because say, people set up camp in the night and let their guard down, and suddenly the next day someone has disappeared and they find a mangled body/trail of blood, etc. (That probably sounds way too Lost-like. Idk, I only ever watched the first season and then gave up on it). Basically, I like the idea of Option #1 and figuring things out slowly (I like having to puzzle things out/piece things together), but Option #2 absolutely has its merits and I would play either of them in a heartbeat. OH! Also, Scruffy Bumps is perfect, but I vote for adding/keeping the fluffy tail (and definitely making it fluffier than the legs to distinguish it as a tail).
maybe intro to oz kinda like the Return to Oz movie does - some scary realistic stuff then ease into the weird but without taking too much time scruffy bumps - yes to fluffy tail (otherwise it looks too much like another leg), but I don't know that I would want this (though the sinister face would tempt me more than the other) wolf in pig suit! XD omg the "what have I done?" expression is hilarious
Karolina Belomestnova
Actually, that is a clever idea! I love puns, and the word looks too weird to immediately see the OZ in it. Unlike Ozland, which immediately gives it away. Kinda reminds me of INGSOC in 1984. It looks too weird to realize it stands for “English Socialism” or whatever. Too bad the effect was lost in the Russian translation... We’re used to seeing abbreviations, and the meaning of «АНГСОЦ» (AngSoc) is understood immediately. To achieve the same effect it’d have to be shortened to «АНСО» (AnSo) or something.
Scruffy Bumps is absolutely amazing and I need him in my life (fluffy tail version is my favorite)
i prefer #1. take a little time to raise goosebumps with a creepy reveal. surreal. spooky. psychological. however, everyone already knows it's oz from the title, so just a little time should be spent on it. better than blunt and in your face though. as for the title? what does Lost even mean. it sounds cool, but that's about it. i mean, is the theme her being lost? in general? people like fame and glamour. maybe make it about the wicked witch and that opens the door for a series if you feel like it (i mean, presumably she'd be lost in the sequel too). but i ain't good at catchy titles. Oz: Wicked. or something like that i... see fro wikipedia this name is already used. anyway, that's the idea this can be gotten around by something like Oz: Evillene. but give her a new name. in fact, it would be intriguing since oz fans could guess it's the name of the witch, but wouldn't be sure
Sarah Heist
So personally, I liked the first seasons of LOST. It got real shit at the end, but whatever. I think that the first idea does lean itself to have more LOST potential seeing as it is literally the setup for how that show started.. The second idea feels like the psychedelic trip that no one signed up or prepared for (though it would be funny to have a couple people who are experienced psychonauts/hippie looking be like "Oh hey..I've seen this before" or something of the like...) I'm cool with either one, but wanted to share my thoughts on which way the two directions lead/appear so to speak.
I like the Lost series and if you use that word, along with the planecrash, could make some people to think the two are one and the same. I like Vanished though...it sounds more whimsical for me, fitting the Oz thematic, but hey, I'm not an English native speaker. Also people can match Oz: Vanished and LOST in their minds, because of the similar theme, and it is a nice easter egg. Also, the slow approach is better in the long run. You can add more and more surprises and shock factors as the story goes forward.
Cherrie Wu
I think the Wolf wearing a Pig is perfect and I would love to own it as a plushie
What about "LOZT?" Hey? Anyone? Just me, huh? Ok, carry on.
Catheryn Alice North
Maybe not Lost... especially when you are paring it with a plane crash, because, well "Lost".... I was looking up synonyms and "Astray" was in there? IDK... Adrift is more like a shipwreck I think, rather than a plane crash, and "The Lost" kinda sounds like it needs to be a "the lost... something" I also don't think you need to go all out "everything is horrible" super early on, slower is better so you have somewhere to go with it ^_^
Juan Romero
I like the idea of discovering it slowly, it really isn't that important for me to know beforehand it's Oz, it teally isn't a plot twist, what I really love in games is discovering and exploring and that would open so many possibilities because, yeah, you know there are flying evil monkeys in Oz, but what incarnation will they have in the game's creators mind? surprise me! will they be robots? zombie monkeys? evil "OZ company" minions? If there are surprises and exploration and a unique vision like there is for your Alices, everything else isn't really that important.
I think the intro all depends on how you want the overall game set. You can do a lot of fun things with a slow reveal. A nice thing for the “OH SHIT” reveal is you can have almost all people survive the crash, more bodies for the fire. In both you can always introduce survivors at any point so death toll on the plane doesn’t matter to much. If I had to pick between the two of them, OH SHIT sounds like a faster attention-grabbing intro. As far as the word “lost” being there, if you don’t see a lawsuit, I don’t think of the show whenever I see it so seem good. Of the alternative words I would not use “Adrift”. It makes me think more of a boat floating around at sea or a ship in space. Doesn’t really feel like the right word after you hit land, “Vanished” seems good though. Was looking up other synonyms and saw “Evanesce”, admittedly I had to peek at the definition, but it seems to fit. Not sure if “OzLand Evanesce” sounds good or not. Scruffy looks good. I would say keep the fluffy tail like the picture. Helps ID it as a tail and not another limb. Can’t make up my mind on cute or sinister face though. Wolf-Pig looks good like you said. My question is the fur from the back the tail peaking out or just body hair? Not sure if tail or claws should be considered. If it is the tail you may just want to have part of it flop down. All in all, I don’t care to much, I think it looks great and would want it to go along with Pig-Wolf.
Stephanie Groth
Love Scruffy Bumps! I think variation 2 for Oz will be more fun. I also don't think the word lost is ruined.
Summer Hinch
I love the idea of it slowly being revealed to them as more strange things happen. I think that could be really cool. As for the word Lost.. to be honest, unfortunately the tv show was the first thing that popped in my head and I didn't even watch it. I love Scruffy Bumps 🥰 and I'd say I prefer the sinister look with a fluffy tail
I love Scruffy Bumps, he's the nightmare I didn't know I needed.
Lucky Dragon ‘She.They’
It’s late even for me to go into great detail, but definitely lose the “Lost”. It doesn’t need it.
