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Moves, Bosses, Faces, and Babies
🕑 Added 2020-07-12 22:46:29 +0000 UTCDear Insane Children,
Omri sent over a concept image capturing some initial thoughts on the Chess Realm. As discussed in a previous post, this realm is a mix of Chaos and Order. The inhabitants of this realm embrace the natural relationship between these two elements and their realm reflects that decision throughout.
Of this concept, Omri writes:
We said that Depression is gray but i don't see it.
This of this image in a "color scheme" and vibe right now, it's very drafty.
I think everything- black OR white with red edges, every material or black or white. the red comes from infection that inserted itself into everything but beautifully. everything can come in black or white btw, every model/material here should come black and white. balance!
Think of the light as sparse, the cubes are examples although i like them. like the whole sky was beautiful and light but now there's maybe 2 cubes here and there, very dark, very black. i think this is far more interesting and a look we never explored.
In response I wrote:
The most immediate detail that catches my eye and drives my imagination is the way you've represented the space with a "sky" and a "beneath" (The Deep) and filled that space with Chaos. I really like the idea of the white spaces on the board (sky) emitting light.
There's something about this which captures both a "heaven above" concept and an "ocean's deep" motif. Both are great and both reflect the notion of an existence in which Chaos and Order work side by side. Perfect.
One more thought evoked by this image... the notion of a Chess Board as a thing of orderly black and white spaces... but under the board lurks the Chaos of all the possible moves in a given game.
I had not imagined the Chaos (tentacles) being such a dominate aspect of the environment but now that I've seen them in this fashion, I think it works. One thought... try to avoid having it look like the Chaos has "overrun" or otherwise conquered this realm. That's not the idea - it's meant to be a symbiotic and healthy intermingling.
Maybe those overhead tiles can move slowly across the sky like clouds? And please keep in mind the idea of this realm also being broken (cleanly) into lots of separately floating islands. In this case, each island might be its own "game" - with its own duplicate set of characters (chess pieces). Some games more rational (orderly) than others (more chaotic).
Looking forward to more iterations on this theme!
Let us know in the COMMENTS below what you think. Like the look of the Chess Realm? What other details do you think might be added to improve the connection to the theme?
Omri also sends over an iteration on the Mock Turtle / Manipulator Boss from inside The Moon scene. Of this he says:
I wanted to solve in my mind the Boss look first, I kept thinking on what will work not only visually but mentally and i had a feeling i need to merge the hell out of the Manipulators into one large "animal bug" and i think that for the real life boss platform this look works! it needs proper rendering but i think it works! hope you both agree that for the "real boss", it works!
Mix this large beast with waves of enemies and it's fun and i think can be a really good boss.
Again, let us know in the comments below what you think!
Omri also sent over (busy Omri!) this image illustrating the adjustments needed to make Roman's 3D model look more like Joey's 2D concept illustration. These are in line with the comments provided by our Insane Children but it's good to have it visualized.
Roman is working on these adjustments and also on a first draft of the Ash Dress.
I'm hoping we'll have some progress to check out by the time of this week's Live Stream.
Live Streams and Recordings
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Another variation on the Boss we'll encounter in The Moon.
Let us know in the COMMENTS below - do you prefer this one or the one (above) with Mock Turtle riding on its back?
Shameless Marketing and Child Exploitation
I know I said I'd avoid posting about Mysterious stuff but this Tapestry is so cool ... I'll feel bad if any Insane Children learn about it too late...
This is Lucky sitting on a large and beautifully printed "Red Cheshire" Tapestry Print (art by Alex Crowley). This tapestry print is included in a Jewelry Set put together by Yan and offered during July over on Mysterious. If you're interested in owning one of these tapestries, CLICK HERE. (Lucky not included).
From Shanghai with Lucky,
-American (ba ba ba)
Comments
Karolina Belomestnova
When I saw the turtle-crab, my first thought was: Omega Flowey (aka Photoshop Flowey) from Undertale. It’s because of the green elements and the overall shape. I’m not sure that’s the vibe you want to go with. The jellyfish is cool, but kind of underwhelming for a final boss. At least, on its own. However, I think if you combine the two ideas - the mech and the jellyfish - it could be cool. Destroy the mech suit in Phase 1 of the boss fight, and then the jellyfish boss, who pilots it, comes out for Phase 2.
Omg could you imagine the chess world being completely white black and red and you don’t see a single other color until towards the end- like a small glowing green light you notice and follow and then BAM the green light is big and radiating off the boss now in front of you. Or you notice a trail of blue tile pieces that leads you to a scene reminiscing about something— disclaimer though I don’t have complete knowledge on the color language of this game so i can’t say what would represent what besides the obvious reds, blacks, and whites
For Chess World, maybe there could be duplications of a structure as chaos and order forms: ex. black ornate birdbaths scattered in one area but white birdbaths overflowing with red water/liquid scattered in another
Sarah McKeegan
Love the idea of the chess realm! I like the thought of it moving or changing .. but it seems a little too busy. And I love the tapestry!
I love looking at all the concept art reference models of Alice they're great and I really hope we get more of Lizzy and Alice's parents in the near future
These concepts look interesting, looking forward to initial 3d models. Keep up the great work.
Saleh Abu-Rashid
They all look great to me. To me. Depression if it were a color it would be white. White was always a nerve-wracking color to me. The color white is mostly avoided when making websites because it blinds for example. Not only that but in prison, there is a method to punish prisoners by keeping them in a white empty space room that is always lit. Keeping them there for hours apparently is so bad that it could be considered torture. That's just a small example of the color white. A flashing white color space would be like an empty void.
Nova Rose
The face looks so much better! She looks a little younger, more faithful to the 2D art, and also a little more alien (which, after watching the stream, it's clear that's something you're shooting for). Can't wait to see the turnaround for it!
I like very much the concept of the chess realm, maybe I’ ll do more small the squared pieces floating around. Looking it seems that the bottom part is very detailed and that bigness ruins a little the effect xD but make some try xp Thanks for the adjustment to the Alice face, it looks much better :) I can’ t wait to see the last version xD for the boss, I like more the squid because it’ s more misterious maybe, but the other is more a super boss because of the size, and some mechanical elements. So it depends by the mood that you want to give x) the squid seems more weak too. But great job really!
Catheryn Alice North
you were asking which one between the Turtle-Crab and the squid, I think the Turtle-crab looks more intimidating ^_^ Good job Omri on the face alterations ^_^
I like the sky tiles and the white giving off light the face changes are perfect
I love the design of the chess realm, the idea of the moving pieces above, and the changes made to Alice were perfect!
Yes! Omri did a perfect job showing the changes that need made. She looks much younger now.
Jaded Entity
Some very good designs and it does appear to be progressing very nicely. I have to say I think the Red Cheshire image would look great on a shirt.
Adjusted Alice model looks way better!
An amalgam of the two bosses might be fun. Have the former be the look if the boss beast/construct, but rather than Mock Turtle riding it, he could be floating above in something similar to the latter image.(tethered to the beast perhaps)
I absolutely love this concept!! It’s so visually and aesthetically pleasing, but also sound like it would be fun to play! Well done guys :) and the adjusted Alice model honestly looks x100 better, she’s so cute!
Lucky Dragon ‘She.They’
An example of the kind of puzzle you could do with the mirror concept is that you are in the Pale Realm, you have to enter a door to progress but the button to open the door is broken . Then you see a mirror showing the same door in the Red Realm. The door there is impassible but the button is functioning. You enter the mirror, fight off a wave of Chaos infected chess pieces before pressing the button which opens the door in the Pale Realm.
Lucky Dragon ‘She.They’
And Omri’s edits to the face are perfect. That’s more like it
Lucky Dragon ‘She.They’
I would still like to see if you could incorporate the mirrored versions of the chess realms. In AMA the chess themed area was broken up into two, a black and white area called the Pale Realm and a red and white area which didn’t have a name, but let’s call it the Red Realm. Since the Chess stuff is from Through the Looking Glass, I thought it would be cool to have Alice travel between the peaceful Chess Realm ruled by the white pieces, and then walk through a mirror into a red version where chaos has taken over and the Red Queen rules. Using mirrors could present cool puzzle opportunities.
I LOVE how the Chess Realm looks! I agree, it’d be really cool to see them drift through the sky, and give a lot of shadows and depth to the environment. Mock Turtle boss looks AMAZING, I can’t wait to see more! The adjustments you’ve made to Alice’s 3D model overall make her look so much better!! You guys are doing such a wonderful job! (Also Lucky looks absolutely adorable haha!)
