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An Audience with The Queen (of Anger)
🕑 Added 2019-08-30 03:34:43 +0000 UTCDear Insane Children,
How far would you go to assuage your anger? To punish those responsible for your pain and loss? To exact revenge upon a world of broken rules and shattered expectations?
This isn't about recovering what's lost - it's too late for that. This is about retribution. Retaliation. Payment.
But no point raging ineptly. First you must prepare.
Denial is a perfect playground in which Alice will learn to sneak, explore, interact, collect, fight, and overcome. Guided by her White Rabbit Plush and in a relatively "safe" setting - at least until she burns the place down and runs away - Alice is given a chance to prepare for the fight ahead.
Denial is our training ground. What comes after is the battleground.
Working Through Anger
So I'm working on the concept and content for The Realm of the Queen of Hearts (which represents Anger). And I've filled in little bits for Concept.
Anger is the Third Stage of Grief (Chaos > Denial > Anger) Alice confronts and is represented by the Queen of Hearts who resides at the heart of The Realm.
From here, the Queen of Hearts is attempting to regain control of Wonderland through use of anger, violence, and power.
She commands The Jabberwock and uses him to terrorize and incinerate her foes.
The Queen of Hearts believes the Red Queen is responsible for the destruction of Wonderland and that Alice is one of her allies.
She agrees to spare Alice’s life on the condition Alice will help her defeat the Red Queen.
This necessitates Alice acquiring an Inner Compass (to navigate Wonderland) and meet with The Mad Hatter (who can weaponize/repair The Jabberwock).
And also filled in some outline of our Story (or perhaps better defined as missions and "story beats").
Alice reaches the Realm of The Queen of Hearts through the Haunted House from The Circus Realm. She travels from Denial to Anger.
Alice is filled with Anger and must direct that emotion at someone or something. Anger at the destruction of Wonderland and the loss of her sanctuary. Anger at Change (at Chaos). This realm offers Alice (and player) the first chance to really unleash Anger and violence.
Upon arrival in the Realm, Alice discovers Chess Piece Soldiers engaged in a battle against the Card Guard Soldiers of the Queen of Hearts. Chess Soldier Commander explains that the Queen's Castle remains impenetrable and that her Card Guard Army appears to be infinite. It's a standoff which they cannot win but must continue lest they lose.
Alice is tasked with (self assigns herself a task of) breaching the castle and confronting (killing?) the Queen. That task breaks down into discrete chunks:
- Navigate the outer realm. Sneak under/over the castle wall (mote?).
- Navigate the inner realm. Through the hedge maze and surrounding buildings.
- Breach the castle wall. Sneak through dungeon levels into the castle interior.
- Navigate to the Throne Room. Sneak, fight, and infiltrate.
- Confront the Queen of Hearts.
- Queen of Hearts Boss Battle. Alice loses.
At the end of the stage, Alice will be captured. The Queen of Hearts will keep the White Rabbit hostage until Alice completes the task she gives her. Alice must first acquire The Inner Compass, which will guide her across the wastelands to her goal (Queen of Hearts domain). The Queen of Hearts knows this item is with the Mad Hatter and sends Alice there to retrieve it. She gives Alice a gift and commands Alice give this to Hatter. Asked if it will kill him - “No, it will ensure he lives forever, even if he’s blown to bits like our Wonderland…
Add Your Voice
This is a minimum framework. We need characters, color, twists, and turns. And I'll be working on ideas for those over the coming days and weeks.
If you have ideas to share - please drop them into the comments below or head over to the Asylum Wiki and try out the comment system there. You can also head over to our Discord Server and chat with other Insane Children about your insane ideas.
I always run into the Chicken and Egg Problem when sketching out design, missions, and narrative. I know the general arc of Alice's journey but find decisions made early in crafting the narrative need adjustment based on events taking place later in the story.
For those writers among you - is this a problem you also confront? How do you overcome it? Or is it just part of the process?
Shanghai Update
For those of you curious about the pending arrival of Lilium or Lucky McGee...
Yan's mother is here. We've finished (I hope) all the pre-arrival prep - baby room, hospital "grab bag," paperwork, name selection, and more. Yan has another appointment with the doctor Saturday morning but it's looking like she's still on track for a natural birth and a due date of the 2nd of September. So... there's a betting pool going on here. 24 hours? 48? 72?
What do you think? Any guesses on when the baby arrives?
From Shanghai with Money on 72,
-American
Comments
Koukin
I shared an idea in the comment section of "anger", in the wiki, since it would be too long for a patreon comment. Don't hesitate to discuss about it, and ameliorate it if you have ideas.
First of all congrats to the baby!! And second, the design looks amazing. I love it. I am also happy to hear that you are bringing the Card Guards back. I liked the diversity of them in Madness returns like having some of them in armour but I liked the design of American Mcgees better. I was not a big fan of the zombie like appearance. It was also a plus that some had different weapons in the original game so it made the approach to fight them a bit more divers too. It would be great if you could design them back from the American Mcgees and of course with some upgrades.
Please make the game like 72 hours of play time, online co-op play horde mode with the Alice with Blonde hair.
72 hours bid
Now for my flaming anger for the fudger who stole my chaos coin and ps4 I would love to burn off that fire ONE EYED SKULL SUGGESTIONS: The mad hatter confuses me, for isn't he evil in your verse but also a prisoner of the queen in the book, also I think we should also shed some light on the king of hearts as well as Jack
I really loved the chess world from the first game. I used to just run around in that world to look at the scenery. And I loved the card level right before the Queens level on Madness Returns. Maybe bring those back in a way.
My money (what's the price, a poster? ;-) ) is on the 5th of September! Anyways: wishing all goes well!
Definitely not Adam Driver
I feel like a bit of a boring supporter as I rarely have any ideas to suggest, I'm mainly just in the background agreeing with ideas and pointing out what I like :P But yea, the throneroom scene is gonna be awesome and I like the sound of a fight between the two Queens' footmen. And much luck to Yan! If it's her first child then probably something like 24 hours or so.
Sarah Heist
I say Sept 1st
That's a really good idea! I actually think the idea is somewhat there! If you look in the corridors blood and gore is creeping in from both sides and since this is a prequel I think it just starting go become gushy is a great idea!
I think the throne room should have some of the original design from Madness Returns. I like that she lived in a literal heart. Maybe in the new design add the red carpet as a squelchy, heart like, floor? Also congratulations on the baby!
I really love this new art! Plus the story you have so far is really well thought out! I cant wait to see the art for that as well ! I'm interested to see this inner compass! The Anger realm will probably be my favorite one! Also good luck with baby! ❤❤❤
My idea here is that the lion and the unicorn live in this graveyard of sorts forever battling for the crown. Alice follows this path on her way to the Hatter where the unicorn tries to keep her from getting through. But the lion wants Alice to succeed. The Queen has taken Alice's rabbit and so the lion joins her on the quest as a stand in. The lion tells Alice he will help in exchange for a favor. Kill the unicorn. The unicorn chases them through the realm until Alice battles him with her weapons. After Alice brings him to his knees he pleads with her. He tells the story of how the Lion came with an army and killed all of his people and burned his homeland. The Lion shows his true colors and Alice is forced to fight him instead. Once the lion is bested the unicorn is given the crown he shows the way to the Hatters domain and Alice and he part ways giving her title of "A fabulous beast" as he has never seen a human child before.
My money is on the 5th, but either way sending Blessings to all that everything goes well. Love the Audience with The Queen! from Australia with Love x
