Designing Themedior: Immersive Narratives and Characters
Advisor: Swetha Bhattacharya, Christian Brady
Internship Location: Visalia Health Center
Onsite Mentor: Side Xi
Since the modern era, video games have been prominent literary mediums for examining the human psyche. Through engrossing narratives, graphics, and interactive decision-making options that may impact the outcome of the storyline, these games such as Omori and Fran Bow allow audiences to immerse themselves in unique worlds and step inside the intricacies of a character’s mind. Furthermore, as our society has become increasingly “digitized,” video games have become sought after for educational purposes and their great potential to be affordable, readily accessible, and effective resources for coping. With my mentor Dr. Side Xi, I plan to write the story and create visuals for a role-playing game (RPG) titled Themedior, which explores the effects of the digital realm in a futuristic and fantasy setting. I will use Procreate and Live2D, to experiment and draw my illustrations in an aesthetic that best engages with a younger audience.
Project Blog
Week 1: "Every murderer is probably somebody's old friend"
Hello everyone! Welcome to my project: "Designing Themedior: Immersive Narrative and Characters." In today's post, I'll briefly summarize what I'll be doing for the next three months, from an introduction to my project to my final goals.
But first...I'd like to tell you how this project came to be.
I. Prologue: The Birth of Themedior
The year is 2020. Stuck in my room all day with nothing but my stuffed animals and computer, I soon discovered a treasure trove of boredom-relieving content through binge-watching streamers: video games. I was not only thoroughly entertained by their contents and mechanics, but also greatly inspired by the impact this medium could emotionally have on viewers. Who knew watching a playthrough of Rakuen for 10 hours (with breaks in between of course!) could teach me so much about loss and community? Who knew Disco Elysium could immerse me so deeply into the mind, morality, and trauma behind an amnesiac detective and his fellow acquaintances?
With my background in traditional art and interest in medicine, I wanted to design a game that could similarly engross players in its fictional world through a diverse cast of characters, while investigating the human psyche and how it's affected by an individual's upbringing and surroundings. And, in my opinion, there's no better storytelling genre for this task than, you guessed it, a murder mystery.
II. Dedication Page
I will be working on the dialogue, story, and illustrations for the video game Themedior. My fellow conspirator Catherine Zhong, who has a blog of her own that you should 100% check out, will aid in animating and coding the project. If you have any free time, feel free to view all our progress pictures and videos at https://themedior.artstation.com/.
My wonderful external mentor is Dr. Side Xi, a pediatrician who has been working at Visalia Health Care Center since 2004. To avoid any confusion, I'd like to note that despite our identical last names we are not related. Finally, I can't finish this section of my post without mentioning my two incredibly knowledgeable internal advisors, Mr. Brady and Ms. Bhattacharya.
III. Raising Themedior
Due to time constraints, my goal is to ultimately finish Chapter 1 of Themedior, which will serve as an introduction to our protagonist Cynefin Alcestis and the disappearance of his wife Everly Crow. Nevertheless, I still plan to brainstorm the narrative and plot points of each remaining chapter.
Here is my current timeline:
Week I: Watch gameplay of story-centered games such as We Happy Few and Omori; brainstorm the main storyline
Week II: Read/watch murder mystery books and movies, finish the first draft dialogue
Week III: Finish the second draft dialogue, start character designs and sketches
Week IV: Finalize the dialogue and narrative, work on expression image pack lineart for each character (similar to visual novel games)
Week V: Finalize expression image packs and all character illustrations
Week VI: Draw enemies and start skill/battle VFX, begin background illustrations (for Mentalcanvas-like puzzle)
Week VII: Finalize art for enemies, continue detailed background illustrations
Week VIII: Work on game menu design (chapter selection, title screen, etc.)
Week IX: Draw scene illustrations (full-size images for specific scenes in each chapter)
Week X: Add final touches to characters and all scenes before beta round, begin design work for a trailer
Week XI: Host beta test round with friends and peers, edit visual and narrative elements based on testers’ suggestions
Week XII: Edit final touches (backgrounds, etc.), finalize and publish the trailer
That's all I have for today! I hope you enjoyed reading about my project and want to learn more about the intrigue and mysteries surrounding the world of Themedior. I'll be back next week to introduce the world setting and characters, and perhaps sprinkle in a couple of clues. Stay tuned!
Week 2: "All these daydreams reminded him of the scenes which play through your mind in a fever"
Hello everyone, and welcome to week 2 of Themedior! In today's blog post, I'll go over all the sources of inspiration I've come across recently (books, TV shows, and movies galore) and show you some sneak peeks of our upcoming game plans!
I. Literature Review
With my newly acquired T3 freedom, I decided to go on a huge reading and watching spree these past few weeks. All of the books I read and shows I watched were centered around a mystery, from time loops and bus explosions in Reset to small-town serial killings in Dissolved. I've compiled all my takeaways, hopefully without any spoilers, in the table below. Enjoy!
Title | My Short, Summarized Thoughts
Dissolved by Mads Peder Nordbo and Sara Blaedel | • Switches in POV between the mysterious killer and the diverse cast of characters (<3 Nassrin) made me feel like I was within their little twisted cat-and-mouse game• Loved the story's pacing & how unique and fleshed out each character was• At some point, the killer becomes very obvious• Ending felt rushed and left me with many unanswered questions (please release an epilogue)
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie | • My first Agatha Christie novel (yes, I'm terribly late) and I could tell why she's the queen of crime• Every character's interactions, motives, and dialogue were cleverly thought out- "Everyone concerned in them has something to hide."- So many red herrings and tiny clues (the room arrangement, boots, etc.) that all fit together like a puzzle• THE REVEAL. No words. The best twist I've encountered in a mystery novel.
Raven Black by Ann Cleeves | • Devoured this on a bus ride to Disneyland and couldn't stop reading• Similar to Dissolved, every character was connected in some way due to the very atmospheric Shetland setting• The author's writing of Magnus Tait, a mentally disabled old man shunned by the rest of the island, is immaculate.• THE REVEAL (pt. 2). 99.999% unexpected (I guessed the correct killer at some point then let go of my suspicions).
Reset (2022) | • Chinese whodunit TV series divided into 15 episodes• Loved how the writers humanized each character, even the antagonists- No black-and-white divide between good and evil• Acting (thank you Liu Dan a.k.a. Tao Ying Hong) and special effects stood out to me• Handled commentary on police bias, sexual assault, and Chinese familial values very respectfully
And that's all I have for reviews...for now. I've learned so many tips and tricks for story planning and character roles (victim, assailant, informer, red herrings, etc.) which I plan to implement into my story in the future. I still have a ton of movies and exciting books on my reading list, including more classics by Agatha Christie, that I can't wait to share with you but I'll save those for next time!
II. Themedior Sneak Peeks
As promised, I'm going to delve a bit deeper into Themedior lore today. Currently, there are two major regions featured in Chapter 1: the Crow estate and Prospera (tentative name). Prospera is a city-state governed by the Council that is surrounded by two force fields, one separating it from the outside world and another between the central and outer districts. My planned design for Prospera will likely contain SolarPunk or Cyberpunk aesthetics, combining Ebenezer Howard-style garden cities with futuristic technologies. My work-in-progress city plan is pictured below.
On the other hand, the Crow estate, ruled by a noble family and its head Albion Crow, will be characterized by Victorian Gothic architecture, inspired by Lady Dimitrescu's castle in Resident Evil Village and the Winchester Mystery House. The estate is located north of Prospera and is surrounded by lakes and dense forests mired in mysterious illusions that have plagued the surrounding settlements for centuries (though they have become increasingly prevalent nearly ten years ago...).
In the next issue, I hope to introduce you to all the characters (including character sketches!) and more of the setting and conflicting ideologies within Themedior that are reflected in the architectural styles I mentioned above. If you have any questions and/or know which books I'm referencing in my weekly blog post titles, feel free to comment below! And in case I don't see you, good afternoon, good evening and good night.
Week 3: "I had chosen to play the detective—and if there is one thing that unites all the detectives I've ever read about, it's their inherent loneliness"
Welcome to Week 3 fellow partners-in-crime! Today I plan to do something slightly different from all the previous blog posts I've written so far. Instead of just brief glimpses and minuscule hints, I invite you on an epic journey, Fellowship of the Ring style, that traverses beyond the land of reality and into the fictional world of Themedior. Sit tight, wear your seatbelt, and enjoy the show!
I. Setting
It is said and believed among most that magic first appeared in the land of Esojnas centuries ago, a gift bestowed by the Goddess. All of a sudden, the vegetation of the villages encircling the Ossein mountain range thickened in verdant foliage. All of a sudden, if one wanted to guess what the little object in the sky was (Is it a bird? Is it a plane?), one could not rule out the possibility of an occasional, wild human. Any living spectators near this "mysterious fortune," whatever it had been, had gained mystical powers.
Among those spectators, three families became infamous for their supernatural prowess: the desert-born Mystrals, renowned for their idyllic charm and ability to manipulate the senses; Rivettons, formerly known as the Gottglieds, who focused on the industrial application of magic; and Crows who emerged as symbols of misfortune and death. With great power, came wonderful resources but not responsibility. Each lineage inherited innate magical talent and, as centuries passed, acres of territory that constituted their wealthy estates. This revered yet feared trio evolved into what is now known as the Triad, an alliance between the three most influential noble families in modern-day Esojnas.
As their dominions expanded, folks devoid of magical essence, and commoners born with magic but not noble blood sought a land free from the Triad's influence. Strategically positioned at the center of the three noble estates (Crows to the north, Mystrals to the west, Rivettons to the east), a land previously unoccupied by the three families due to fears of territorial disputes, Prospera was envisaged as an independent sanctuary, a place of unity and safety amidst the sprawling lands of power and familial strife. The city was architecturally designed to be a haven (check out my Week 2 blog post) and, for safety measures, a ban on magic was placed within the central district where the Council is positioned.
Just like Prometheus with fire, the Goddess had brought a blessing to the human realm. But these origin stories were simply the narrative the Triad had spun. One must wonder, did magic really blossom from the Goddess's benevolence? Or was it a Pandora's box, its contents ravaged not by divine intervention but by the dark design of vulturous humans? In the eyes of commoners, magic was a status symbol, a mark of distinction for those desperate to climb the social ladder. However, for the nobility, magic transformed into a darker, more sinister commodity, a trendy currency worth more than its weight in gold.
II. Characters (pt. 1)
Cynefin Alcestis: M, 27 (in the prologue)
- Our stern and determined protagonist!
- Magical ability: glimpse into the instance a photograph is taken
- Husband of Everly Crow --> They married the year the prologue starts!
- Born upper middle-class in a neighborhood under the Rivetton territory
- Orphaned after a shipwreck that killed both of his parents when he was 9
- Worked as a city guard in Prospera since he was little, promoted to Themedior at 27
Everly Crow: F, 28 (in the prologue)
- The reserved, kindhearted victim harboring undisclosed secrets
- Magical ability: Unknown to Cynefin (but she deals with the future)
- Famous painter under the pseudonym E.M. Clockhart
- Ran away from the Crow estate and her father Albion Crow & met Cynefin when she was 20
- Disappeared in 2XX13 with little to no traces
Once again, thanks for scrolling this far! As you can probably tell, parts of the setting are still not finalized and several names mentioned above are just placeholders (Esojnas is backward for San Jose if you haven't noticed). If you have any name suggestions, let me know in the comments. I also don't want to reveal too much about the characters this early, so be on the lookout for more information about their backgrounds in the future.
Next week, I plan to introduce a couple of other characters who may or may not be the perpetrator of Everly's disappearance. I'll tell you all about it when I see you again!
Week 4: "I woke in the hour before dawn, stuck in that strange state where the memory of your dreams is still powerful enough to motivate your actions"
Welcome to Week 4, partners-in-crime! Today's update is on the shorter side since I'll be mostly continuing off from last week's post, where I introduced our main protagonist Cynefin Alcestis and his wife Everly Crow. I recently also finished writing the first draft of the prologue manuscript and illustrating Cynefin's weapon, though I plan to discuss these updates next week along with exciting, new details about the storyline. With that out of the way, it's about time (shout out to all the Science Olympiad kids!) to meet the "bad guys," a.k.a. the primary suspects for Everly's disappearance.
I. Characters (pt. 2)
Solari (I'm currently experimenting with hairstyles): F, 44
- The cunning and manipulative head of the Prosperan City Council, former Deputy Chief of the Prosperan city guards (the Themedior's second-in-command)
- Has never adopted a last name & her exact origins remain unknown but can be traced to the Ossein mountain region
- Invited Cynefin to join the city guards after the shipwreck --> became his mentor and most significant political ally
- The primary reason why Cynefin was able to become Themedior.
Aegis Mystral: M, 28
- Second eldest son of the Mystral family head
- Magical ability: Hypnosis (related to sensory manipulation like all Mystrals)
- Informant and infamous playboy with knowledge of all the hottest gossip surrounding the Esojnas elite --> regularly hosts exclusive parties and salon-like gatherings
- Sent to study Arcane magic in Prospera over a decade ago, though he hasn't exactly been occupied with his schoolwork
- Childhood friend of Everly Crow, more out of necessity than anything else --> refused Everly and Cynefin's wedding invitation
Envonne Crow: F, 22
- Cousin of Everly Crow and Everly's only remaining relative besides Albion
- Magical ability: Fungal manipulation
- Comes from a side branch of the Crow family, meaning she's not eligible for inheritance
- Born without her biological parents and raised by servants
- Slightly obsessive adoration for Everly, who she sees as both an older sister and savior (after the rose garden party incident where Everly defended her against the heckling of other noble children)
Albion Crow: M, 49
- The crazed, tyrannic father of Everly Crow, head of the Crow Estate
- Magical ability: Bio-absorption (draining life energy out of surroundings) --> surplus life force accumulated within him had dire consequences, ultimately driving him to madness
- Was married to Everly's mother, an illusionist, before a psychotic episode caused him to lose control of his powers, resulting in her death
- Bed-ridden for six months, during which time Everly vanished
- Discovered by Cynefin to have sent dozens of carefully disguised letters (hidden in envelopes used by government agencies) to Everly up until her disappearance
II. Q&A!
Last week, I received a few questions about Themedior's lore and character backgrounds, so I'm going to go ahead and address them in this new blog section: Q&A!
Q: Why does Everly paint under a pseudonym? Also, how did she meet Cynefin?
A: Everly uses a pseudonym because she desires to alienate herself from the Crow "brand" and stay anonymous, fearing that her father Albion will locate her and drag her back to the origin of her childhood trauma, the Crow Estate. Ever since she ran away from home when she was twenty, she ceased contact with Albion, who not only mentally abused her but also indirectly caused the death of Everly's mother. Of course, since her pseudonym (E.M. Charlotte) has the same initials as her birth name, several nobles formerly in her circle have mentally connected the two. Nevertheless, Everly remains adamant about clinging onto this piece of her past identity, the only relic of her late mother she has complete ownership over.
Q: How did Everly meet Cynefin?
A: Dating websites. Just kidding, they met at the Finnickan Orrery, located in the Rivetton territories right next to Cynefin's old home where he grew up. The couple moved to Prospera only after Cynefin's promotion to Deputy Chief, which required him to live in the central district. At the time, both Cynefin and Everly, who had just fled from her father, were single, lost at least one of their parents in a freak accident, were around the same age, and were interested in this mechanical model of the Solar System. Needless to say, they hit it off pretty quickly.
Q: Can you expand on the last line, "However, for the nobility, magic transformed into...a trendy currency worth more than its weight in gold"? Is there going to be human trafficking?
A: No comment :)
Once again, thank you for reading my blog posts, which are totally not cleverly disguised excuses for me to ramble on and on about Themedior. I've been experimenting with different art styles, so forgive the changing formats for each character profile. I hope to see you next time!
Week 5: "But the complexity and the gray lie not in the truth but what you do with the truth once you have it."
Welcome back partners-in-crime! It's finally Week 5, meaning we're almost halfway there! Now that I got the character introductions out of the way last time, I hope to update you on the story elements and game assets I have worked on so far.
I. Current Story Plans
This is my outline for how the prologue will proceed:
1. Title screen
2. The interrogation (flashback):
- Animated in a style that mimics words being written in a diary, with pictures occasionally popping up like a PMV
- *This scene might be removed depending on how quickly we finish other game elements*
- Takes place in Cynefin's past weeks after the shipwreck --> Cynefin is being questioned by Solari, who was the Deputy Chief at the time, about the accident
- Goals: Set the mood, include background information about Prospera, introduce Solari, note why Cynefin joined the city guards
3. Loading screen with logo
4. Chase scene (after a decade-long time skip; actual start of the game):
- Filled with dialogue options & side scroller minigame
- Cynefin pursues a suspect in Rivetton territory known for kidnapping and murdering workers in the red-light districts
- Goals: slip in details about Everly's disappearance & the Triad, hint at the magic trafficking scheme, introduce how to play the side scroller + other game elements like menu options, meet Snowball the dog (Cynefin's furry companion, who I totally didn't include after binge-watching John Wick)
5. Finding the first hint: A picture related to Everly in the murderer's lair (Cynefin will have to use his abilities --> leads him to Envonne, the first suspect players will meet in the present timeline)
The actual writing and dialogue for the prologue have been finished too but I'm still waiting on edits from my advisors. I'd love to show you a snippet or two after the final draft is done!
II. Game Assets
Health bar:
- A picture of Cynefin will go inside the circle!
- The frame is meant to resemble photographic films
Cynefin's pistol
Side scroller enemy
Death screen
Once again, thank you guys so much for reading this far! Catch you next time - I can't wait to show you what I am preparing!
Week 6: "Do not open your heart to evil…Because—if you do—evil will come...Yes, very surely evil will come."
Welcome back, partners-in-crime! Time flew by quickly and it's finally April - the month of spring showers, my sister's birthday, and lots and lots of rendering! Remember two weeks ago when I claimed my blog post would be short? Well, since I allocated all my time on a single (very big) illustration for the last seven days, brace yourselves for a truly brief update.
I. Background illustrations
Yes, unfortunately, this is the only section of the blog this week, but, on the bright side, I have made a lot of progress on the background art for Themedior's side-scroller level. The game's resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels and since the character moves across a shifting screen/map, I chose to split the level's background into two 7469 x 1080 pixel illustrations. For reference, the width of my iPad's screen is approximately 2360 pixels.
The level is located in the Rivetton territories, so I attempted to replicate the steampunk aesthetic that defines this local area, as you probably noticed from the image below. By the way, I'm so sorry about the blurry resolution... I tried my hardest to fix it but it seems like my drawing is far too chunky.
On a side note, I am still working on coloring the right side of the image and adding final touches to a couple of the buildings. Plus, I plan to finish the second 7469 x 1080 illustration, the contents of which I've already brainstormed and sketched out, by the end of this week.
See you guys next time (where I hope to host the second part of my Q&A and show you guys my finalized illustrations or illongations as I like to call them)!
Week 7: "And just as the children go rushing out to greet the rider, she has the dark feeling she should call them back."
Greetings, partners-in-crime! During the last four days, I was in Pittsburgh to visit my sister and I didn't bring my laptop, so I'm terribly sorry for the late update. As promised last week, I plan to answer a couple of questions and show you the finished assets and backgrounds for Themedior's side scroller today.
I. Side Scroller Components
First things first, here are the finished backgrounds:
Area 1: Strolling down Frier St. (in Rivetton territories)
Full view:
Detailed screenshots:
Area 2: Inside the Abbatoir
Full view (only background):
Full view (background + assets):
Assets include:
- flashing lights
- meat hook
- carcass #1 and carcass #2
- bucket
- sink
- table
Once again, I apologize for the blurriness of the images. Nevertheless, I hope you still gained a general understanding of the contrasting retrofuturistic and grungy moods I attempted to convey between the two side scroller parts. Additionally, as a side note or spoiler, the assets for Area 2 are going to be used as either obstacles or animated features!
II. Q&A + A Very, Very Short Conclusion
Finally, it's time for some questions which I combined into one response.
Q: What does it mean to be Themedior? Where does the title come from?
A: That's a great question (especially since it's the game's namesake)! When Catherine and I originally planned to create Themedior last fall, we actually had a completely different vision for what our project would be about. First, we initially intended for Themedior to be a game that took place in a futuristic dystopia with zero mention of a murder mystery and a huge emphasis on mental disorders and the development of psychological therapies throughout history. The Themedior was supposed to be the official in charge of determining whether or not an individual is "fit" and "perfect" enough to remain in Prospera. In fact, the word "Themedior" was a portmanteau of Themis, the personification of justice in Greek mythology, and medicina, the Latin word for medicine. However, since we (and our advisors) feared we were reaching beyond our current expertise as high school students, we decided to shift our focus aside and changed most of our original plans. In the present stage of Themedior's development, we instead interpret Themedior as more of a bureaucratic role - the official head of the Prosperan city guards. In a sense, Cynefin can now be described as both a combination between justice and medicine (a sort of cure to the centuries of crime and corruption caused by the Triad) similar to before and literally "the medior" or mediator/middle ground between the opposing forces of the Prosperan Council (Solari) and the three noble families.
Thanks for reading guys and be on the look out for new, dialogue illustrations next week!
Week 8: "No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream."
Welcome back partners-in-crime to Week 8 of designing Themedior! Today, my agenda is going to be a little different from usual. Instead of merely updating you on background illustrations for the side scroller, I plan to review my storyboard or outline for the dialogue section of the game.
I. Quick updates
First, let me give you a sneak peek of the dialogue illustrations and assets! For the background pieces, I am utilizing a combination of photo-bashing techniques (with a library of free stock photos from the internet and my phone camera) and traditionally hand-drawn digital art.
Here is an example of what I described above:
This image in particular is set in a Rivetton alleyway and will appear on screen right before Cynefin's chase sequence, a.k.a. the side scroller minigame. Additionally, I finished drawing the dialogue box (see below), inspired by the design and simplicity of the player's health bar. Although it is not quite visible in the picture below, the lower half of the box is partially transparent so players could view background and character assets more clearly.
II. Plans for the Prologue
For the prologue, I am planning to illustrate:
Background scenes
Exiting the alleyway
Pavement floor (Cynefin catches up to the red light district killer)
Landscape view of killer's lair (a cabin near the borders between Crow and Rivetton territories)
Inside the cabin
Underneath the cabin floors (the Tell-Tale Heart basement)
Photograph of Envonne - the first clue (players will "go inside" the photo similar to Mental Canvas concepts)
Additional drawings:
Phone pop-up (for conversations between Cynefin and the operator)
Snowball the dog
Full map of Esojnas
I am currently brainstorming the composition of each background scene and how to implement and design the phone pop-up asset. Below is an example of what my rough sketches typically look like. As you might notice, this is (potentially) going to be the overall layout of the "Exiting the alleyway" scene!
Thank you for reading and see you next week for more finished backgrounds!
Week 9: "No one can tell what goes on in between the person you were and the person you become. No one can chart that blue and lonely section of hell. There are no maps of the change. You just come out the other side."
"Or you don't."
We're almost in the last stretch, partners-in-crime! Just like always, I'm glad to welcome you back. This week, I am proud to show you some finished illustrations I mentioned in my previous blog post. To keep things tidy, I am separating today's update into two sections: drawings for the side scroller and those for the dialogue scenes.
I. Side Scroller
Not much has changed in terms of background aesthetics from the last time I spoke with you, but there is one new and exciting addition to the side scroller. Our resident stalker and red light killer, Oswald Atwater, who Cynefin is chasing in the prologue, now has a face to match his stellar reputation! You might've already seen this weaselly crook printed on one of the wanted posters by the Crooked Cog Canteen's entrance. However, prepare yourself because he will be popping up a lot more in this week's post.
To ensure that Cynefin looks like he's pursuing something during the actual gameplay, I designed a new model for Atwater, shown below. Each of his body parts is separated into individual layers, which will be rigged and animated by Catherine (here's a link to her awesome blog post).
As you might have noticed from his lack of presence in my earlier character introductions, Atwater will NOT be the main antagonist in Themedior. Just for clarification, he mostly serves as the inciting incident and does not have the greatest hand in Everly's disappearance.
II. Dialogue
On another note, here are my dialogue illustrations (if you want to view my summarized brainstorming, check out Week 8):
Operator phone pop-up and Snowball the mutant dog assets - (Snowball is cartoonish on purpose and very cute, please don't bully him)
Alleyway close up
Atwater spotted
I hope to present my final dialogue illustrations to you next week. Thank you so much for reading!
Week 10: "Without music or an intriguing idea, color becomes pallour, man becomes carcass, home becomes catacomb, and the dead are but for a moment motionless."
Welcome partners-in-crime to the first May entry of my senior project! I've been working on several things these past few days. I'm currently preparing my final presentation slides, finalizing my dialogue illustrations, and brainstorming the opening scene. Today, I'll show you some of the renders I worked on since last week, and, perhaps, a couple of spoilers for the yet-to-be-completed introduction.
I. Dialogue Illustrations
So...after a month, I finally finished the overall map of Esojnas (and, yes, the name still hasn't changed). Since Themedior is more of a visual novel type of game compared to an open-world, I decided that the map could be more "artistic" and representational of each Triad member than realistic. As I mentioned in one of my earlier entries, the Crows to the North are based on Victorian architecture and are surrounded by forests and mountains; the Mystrals are located within the desert to the West with a more of an Egyptian-revival spin; and the Rivettons, renowned for their industrial prowess, are marked by their rivers and proximity to the Western shore.
Additionally, I worked on a couple more background shots, which I'll attach below:
Inside the Atwood's Cabin
Atwood's Cowbird Lair
As usual, I'm sorry for the bad quality. To any electronics user who doesn't operate on full-screen brightness, I promise you're not just staring at black shadows and nothingness. But, if you want to see these illustrations in all their glory feel free to come to my actual senior project presentation (if everything works out, I plan to order some prints!).
II. Conclusion (+ my thought process for the opening)
On another note, Catherine and I have been discussing our plans for the introduction scene in our last few meetings. We initially planned to animate either a full interrogation sequence between a younger Cynefin and Solari or an argument between Everly and Cynefin, but realized our schedules could not accommodate such a time-consuming venture. Now that the project deadline is so close, we're still debating whether to add an additional dialogue scene or cut it out completely. You'll be one of the first ones to know once we finalize that decision.
Thank you for reading all this way! See you next week (the last week before my final presentation). Adios!
Week 11: "But when the crowd caught sight of the murderers, with their escort of blue-coated highway patrolmen, it fell silent, as though amazed to find them humanly shaped."
Welcome to the second-to-last Themedior post of all time! Today will be a short update since there hasn't really been much going on!
I. Final Updates
This week, I mainly focused on crafting my presentation slides and updating dialogue images.
For example, based on suggestions from our internal advisor Mrs. Bhattacharya, Snowball is now slightly less hard of hearing, given his increased ear size, and he even waxes his eyebrows! On a more serious note, we implemented these changes because Snowball looked too human-like for comfort.
Here is a before (left) and after (right) shot of our favorite mutated police dog:
In addition to design updates, I have been rewriting most of the dialogue for the prologue. I wanted to give our lovely Cynefin a hint of a personality, which I failed to do in the previous version, and include more context about his relationship with Everly. I also added more lines after the side-scroller chase scene to leave the prologue on a more conclusive note (compared to its former, premature ending). Moreover, last week I mentioned my dilemma surrounding Themedior's introduction or, more specifically, whether or not I should actually include it. After our most recent meeting, Catherine and I decided to concentrate on improving already existing aspects of our game such as game-level structure and storytelling instead. As an alternative, we plan to familiarize our audience with Esojnas and important prior information in our slides before our in-person demo.
Once again, thank you for reading this far, and sorry for the lackluster update! I'll see you guys next time (hopefully at my presentation!).
Week 12: "In life you have to learn to count the good days...So I’m putting today in my pocket and I’m off to bed."
For the very last time, welcome back to my senior project blog partners-in-crime!
Thank you so much for reading through my blog posts these past three months (WOW, time really passed by fast). It has been my greatest pleasure to share my project with you. If you weren't able to catch my senior project presentation, I've attached a link to my final PowerPoint slides: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGCy7__ILY/2dk1jyDNJH01yDkwXDmeAg/edit?utm_content=DAGCy7__ILY&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton.
I've been pondering how I should conclude my senior project, my final high school hurrah, for the last week which is why this post is being published so late. Still, I suppose, similar to Cynefin, I'm not the greatest at expressing my sentimentality, so I'm going to keep things short and simple. Once again, I really want to thank you for sticking around. Reading the comments and suggestions of readers - I'm looking at you, Mrs. Bhattacharya's computer science students - pushed me through what has been one of the most mentally (+ physically, my poor wrist) challenging and rewarding projects I've ever taken on. As a perfectionist, I never felt satisfied or proud of any illustration I designed. To be honest and sincere, I'm still not 100% happy with a single art piece I've drawn so far. However, knowing that real people on the other side of the screen found my art and writing intriguing enough through questions both on my blog (and during my final presentation), inspired me enough to eventually complete the prologue with details and a work ethic that exceeded my own expectations.
Since there is going to be no future post, here is my final goodbye and gift, Catherine's and my full recorded gameplay: https://youtu.be/6dpZKFhol28
Although our journey ends here, Cynefin's still hasn't. Enjoy :).