Sunday 25 July 2010

Current Progress

So here I am, a few week later with some actual progress. So far, I've spent a long time mulling over style choice. I though I wouldn't, but I have. I was struggling with the long term look of the models, and as always trying to predict the outcomes. I've played around with various editors to try get the look I want (as well as learn some engine stuff).

So far I've learned it isn't easy. At all. Nothing wants to be easy, go figure. On the plus side, I'm happy with these models so far (some minor changes to geometry are needed). I figure I might just model out the rest of the characters before moving onto textures, but I wonder what that'll do to my motivation. It can be boring working on only one aspect. Honestly not looking forward to textures, as purely handpainted textures are a lot harder to do than ones assisted by Ambient Occlusion and Normal Maps. But that hasn't scared me away before. Maybe it's the whole keeping up with current game industry standards that's messing with my head. Oh well. Onto the shinies.



Played around with some stuff, mostly outlines for a rough preview. All the outlines I want should be done as post effects, no need for extra geometry for toonlines, that's a quick way to kill any engine I would think.

And some more renders, having figured out (with help, of course) what was wrong. Always something so simple, this time it was merely UVs. Christ I hate 3D sometimes.




She kinda looks like Sonic from the back... intentional?

Tuesday 6 July 2010

Characters (all of them!)

So I'm just gonna post all the character profiles I have here and update this post later on when I get a chance to with pictures. Very much tl;dr here, but what can you do?

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Name

Leo Hart

Age
20

Height and Weight
190 cm
95 kg

Concept
Leo is a hunter; he is fast, powerful and knowledgeable. He knows a variety of sword styles and can switch between them quickly, using the best one for the situation. He has a broad knowledge of monsters/savage creatures and can quickly analyze a monster's weaknesses and strengths. He excels in fighting wild animals and things that are for the most part unpredictable. Leo can fight at long range but prefers to get close, he uses his tech to close the gap as well as hunter traps to bind, delay and distract. Leo is a balanced character who can switch between offense and defence, and usually commands the attention of those on the battlefield.

General Appearance
Dark red eyes, slightly tanned/dark skin, bleached blonde hair. Scars along his arm, a couple across his face. Muscular and well built, on the large side, broad shoulders, strong arms and legs. Leo fights in the wild; his clothes need to be thick, protective and robust. They need to cover his whole body (scratches and tears from brushing past sharp plants etc). He needs a method to detect astra and equipment to deal with astra and wild animals. He fights with his traps, so a quick method to lay them down is needed. He can set traps as he walks and shoot them out of the gauntlets on his fist. He needs thick gloves with astra shielding, as he uses sharp rods made from condensed astra to form weapons. His gauntlets can shoot rods in all directions; they can even fire after hitting an opponent. He can load the gauntlets with various tech in order to create different effects (smokescreens, shields, explosives). He loads the tech with special bullets that are attached to his arm, waist and legs.

Abnormalities
Incredibly fast blood regeneration, increased stamina. Needs to keep active (or lose some blood) otherwise pressure builds up, which causes Leo to get irritated and feel uneasy/sick.

Type/Class
Hunter – Leo uses his knowledge and experience to navigate terrain and identify monsters, plants and hybrids.

Working Class – Hunters in this world don't have it easy. Their lives are quite primitive, with their best tech going into weapons, armour and monster/astra detection. They still camp out, use fires and move around constantly along the inner city parameter. Each group of hunters has a leader who negotiates with the inner city for services rendered (food, artifacts), tech specialist who make/maintain weapons and transport, cleansers who purify food and water for consumption, appraisers who determine the value of artifacts and harvesters who grow plants. Hunters are just below the leaders in terms of importance, as they are used for hunting and defence of the group.

Psychology/Sociology
Within the hunter's society though, Leo is considered one of the best hunters, but often is looked down upon by the older hunters because of his class. He takes a lot of responsibility and is known for training the younger hunters. He doesn't have a lot of friends his own age, as they would rather be doing something else other than hunting (and Leo doesn't spend much time doing anything else).

Leo is educated and smart, but often doesn't act like he is. He knows a lot more than he lets on and often acts the fool. He was taught how to write and read, as well as how to deal with social situations and politics. He was taught how to fight in a variety of styles, as well as how to hunt, which he shows much more passion about.

His goals in life are to explore and see the world (for what it's worth) and escape from his dull life and potentially duller future. He gets frustrated when he's caged and not allowed to be free, or when something is preventing him from progressing. He also gets frustrated when forced into high class/noble social situations. His only disappointment in life is his father, who he dislikes, but usually that's only when they come into contact with each other, generally his "daddy issues" don't come to light, even with other people are talking about their family.

Leo enjoys solitary moments in nice places. He'll often find someplace secluded to eat or sleep just to get away for a while before returning to his duties. Likes to maintain, modify and check over his equipment in his spare time, leaving him with no chance to do anything slightly normal.

Leo works hard to accomplish his goals, he doesn't like to give up and is determined to finish what he starts. He does know when enough is enough, and can assess whether it's better to give up or carrying on fighting. He's sensible and rarely makes bad choices. He tends to have a more positive outlook on life and tries to keep things upbeat (within reason). He can be whimsical and a goofball at times, but only because he's confident in his abilities. A curious person who always wants to ask "why?" but knows when it's best not to. He's organized and straightforward, keeping all his gear and affairs in order.

History
Leo was born into a life of luxury and comfort. He had everything he ever wanted and more, hardly ever needing to do anything for himself. His family were known for the power and influences into most political situations. A highly influential family who most people would give an arm to be apart of (or in good graces with). For most people this would be enough, but it wasn't enough for Leo. He was a strong individual who was not easily molded by the influences of others. Much to his family's dismay, Leo took an interest in hunting and fighting. Leo often clashed with his father, Brave over what he should be doing and how he should be acting. Brave would do everything in his power to contain Leo, while Leo would do everything to break out. His mother, Faith, played devil's advocate and liked to sneakily help Leo - as all she wanted was for him to be happy.

Leo would spend whatever time he could at the lower levels amongst the common people. He blended in easily enough, but his clothes were always a dead giveaway. Leo learned to dress two different ways, like a commoner and like a noble. When Leo was a child he encountered a group of hunters who taught him the ways of the hunter (in exchange for money at first, but soon they realized Leo's potential). Leo felt as if the leader of the hunters - Vargo - was like a second father. The kind Leo wanted. Leo was still immature in that he only hunted for the thrill and sport, he didn't understand how the hunters made a living of it, but soon it became Leo's favourite activity. He learned everything he needed and had the best of both worlds at his disposal.

A few years later and Leo would find himself hunting solo, exploring the exciting high astra areas that the others simply couldn't afford to do so. He would look for rare beasts to kill and artifacts to collect. On one of his trips, he encountered a strange human girl, he followed her as the two played cat and mouse, but eventually the chase was cut short when a powerful beast attacked. Leo and the girl managed to fight it off, but Leo was gravely injured in the process trying to protect the girl.

When he awoke in a strange village, Leo found he was surrounded by naturals who were healing him. At first he was surprised, as he never thought as naturals as anything other than slaves. But as time went on, he saw them for what they really were. He was in recovery for a month, getting to know the naturals and the girl he met (Moira) a lot better. Soon he was able to move around, but the naturals were reluctant to let him go. Leo didn't understand why, so he stayed for a bit longer as not to upset them. Soon after Moira told him that the villagers didn't want to let Leo go because soon he would transcend and become one of them. This had Leo in a bit of a panic, but it soon passed as they discovered that Leo hadn't developed an affinity for magic (meaning he was about to change any time soon).

Leo bargained with the naturals (upbringing was good for something) and vowed to keep their village a secret. It was an understanding between two factions that neither thought possible, so they gave Leo the benefit of the doubt. In exchange for letting him go, Leo would get them supplies they needed and as an added benefit, they taught Leo how to use astral weapons (his gauntlets). This agreement meant that the relationship between Leo and Moira could grow, and the two came to care for each other greatly. Leo travelled to the village often, sometimes to bring things for the villagers (like toys for the kids, clothes and tech) but mostly just to see Moira. This is how Leo learned a lot about natural culture and become more understanding and sympathetic to the naturals he encountered in his normal life.

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Name
Moira Lumina

Age
17

Height and Weight
167cm
61kg

Concept
Moira is a combat mage, able to fight and cast magic at the same time. She doesn't shy away from close combat (despite not being good at it) and her boundless energy means she can evade better, escape and cast magic while moving. Her magic is explosive and powerful, but not efficient (as she's new at it). She uses her magic as a blunt force tool, rather than a sophisticated problem solving tool. Inexperienced with fighting, she looks to other characters for advice and support. Being a natural she has a connection to the planet and the Astra, able to communicate and operate some of the more supernatural elements in the world.

General Appearance
Deep black eyes, green/brown skin, brown/earthy spikes. Average body type, slender and quite athletic. Moira has two sets of clothing, her natural armour/clothing is organic, made out of living wood that wraps around the target and forms whatever type of cloth/armour they can manipulate with magic (naturals only). She commonly wears human style clothes (modified to fit her body shape) to blend in with human communities during her travels. She wears a thick hood and muffler to hide her face, and has a single pack full of things she needs (messy and unorganised unlike Leo) like medical supplies, magical items (for communication with astral beings) and her staff. She wears robes made for movement and mobility, but it offers very little protection from actual hits and has no astra shielding on it.

Abnormalities
Nothing unusual apart from the natural condition.

Type/Class
Combat Caster – Moira uses her magic to defend herself, solve problems in the field and identify sources of Astra. Her style of magic is very active and explosive, perfect for combat whereas normal magic is mostly for field situations, like healing or communication. She can move and cast spells which is normally impossible to do, she can also dual cast spells at the same time.

Wild Naturals – Naturals that live in the wild often live in secrecy and seclusion. Their villages are tight-knit, with maybe 100 members at most (commonly only half that), so everyone knows each other. Because of how the world treats naturals, they are suspicious of new comers and treat the security of the village very seriously. They work as a community, with no one allowed to slack off. Naturals are poor, and rely on salvage or magical items in order to do daily choirs. Their magic is used mostly to ward or confuse trespassers, but they also use magic to keep dangerous beasts at bay. Natural villages always have one leader, with another in training under the current leaders. These two are in charge of important decisions. They also value teachers quite highly, as teaching others how to use magic and communicate with astral beings is a difficult job. Though rare, combat casters are highly valued as they can directly protect the village with their magic and have a greater capacity for learning magic spells than other casters. Apart from that, there isn't much in the way of social hierarchy in natural villages. Because naturals can directly feed on astra, they have no need for hunters or agricultural jobs, so most opt to instead maintain wards and nature happy.

Psychology/Sociology
Moira is a little clumsy and unreliable. Because she didn't mutate for a long time she was an outsider in her own home. She wasn't able to help with most of the tasks in village and was annoyed with her inability to contribute (or transcend). She doesn't have any friends in her village and is often bullied for being different (which is ironic considers how humans treat naturals). Despite that, the village does try its hardest to accommodate her and make her feel at home and welcome, but most of those efforts just highlight the differences and push her away. Moira's parents were ashamed of her, but always kept it hidden, as they were subsequently viewed as weird for giving birth to a human child despite being naturals.

Moira was taught how to use magic like everyone else in the village, much to their surprise she could use it very well. She learned how to speak both human languages and natural gestures. She's smart and knowledgeable about astra and astral beings, but knows nothing about the human world, including how to read or write.

Moira's only goal in life was to be accepted by her village and somehow contribute. She gets annoyed when she's excluded, put down for being different or underestimated. Moira is fascinated by human fashion and culture, obsessed with nice looking human clothes, but disappointed that she can't wear them.

Moira likes to practice magic and apply it to subjects like art and music. She finds joy in using her magic in creative ways, sometimes even for causing trouble.

Moira is generally distrustful of all people because of how she was treated and how naturals are treated, but she warms up to people eventually, some sooner than others. She's naturally friendly and charismatic, always knowing what to say to another in order to cheer them up. She can be naive and is always willing to believe the best in people. A cheerful and energetic person, she always wants to be on the move and hates to sit still. This means she can be very chaotic and unorganized, her thoughts bounce from one thought to another without any logical flow, which means she can be confusing to talk to sometimes.

History
Moira was abnormal in that she was born as a normal child. Her parents were both naturals but she was a normal human child for a long time. Moira's village was based on the outskirts of the island, not near the edge but far enough to not get noticed by humans because of the high concentrations of astra. Her village is extremely careful and distrustful of humans, opting to kidnap and expose humans that they encounter rather than kill them. Because Moira was normal she was often teased and excluded by other kids, even the adults were weary of her because for the longest time she wouldn't transform (or as naturals know it, Transcend). Moira's exclusion caused her to run away from home, at which time she met Leo.

The two didn't get a chance to meet properly, as Moira was attacked by a beast and saved by Leo. She sympathetically tried to heal him, but her magic wasn't nearly good enough, especially as a human, so she did the next best thing and returned home. The villagers were shocked to see her come back with a human, but they all did their best to help him. Leo was nursed back to health and Moira took a great interest in him, being the only other human she had seen. Leo would tell her stories about his world, and Moira would tell him about the naturals. It was then that the villagers realized how Moira saw them, and over the course of Leo's recovery her relationship with them improved drastically. It was during this time Moira realised how much she meant to the villagers, and used that position to bargain for Leo's freedom (threatening to leave). They folded quickly, despite their efforts to change Leo, nothing really happened.

Leo soon recovered and Moira was tasked with finding out if he could use magic, but instead Moira told him about what the naturals wanted to do. Moira helped Leo reason with the villagers (mostly a show, but Leo's persuasions helped ease a lot of tension) and soon the two parties came to an understanding.

After that incident, Leo and Moira's relationship developed quickly, as neither of them had anyone else they could really relate to. Moira would often hear how lucky she was to have found someone, as humans and naturals couldn't be together. Moira never considered the ramifications of this, so she ignored it. But eventually, Moira transformed and stopped meeting Leo because she was sad and ashamed. She thought that if she said nothing she would just blend in and soon Leo would forget about her, but Leo seemed to be able to tell the different between naturals despite them looking so similar and didn't give up on her. Moira is reluctant to show her feelings to Leo, but is bad at hiding them completely.

Moira's late transformation and extremely high tolerance for astra is the point of interest for many people. As experiementation on naturals is easy and the benefits could be huge. Mostly to allow humans to use magic without transforming, or to harness greater power from astra for weapons.

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Name
"Yumi"
(Bow in Japanese)

Age
24

Height and Weight
185 cm
79 kg

Concept
Yumi is a ranged attacker who keeps her distance and kills her opponents before they get close. She uses her tech to create platforms and shields (for defence and accessibility). She can jump on the platforms and shoot down from them, or use the shields to reflect/diffuse her shots for various effects. Her platforms can launch enemies and she can attack multiple enemies easily, but she attracts a lot of attention and often gets overwhelmed without proper support. She's an experienced fighter, smart and a great tactician, she can see through enemy formations and gives advice on the best course of action to take. She is extremely effective against humanoid/intelligent creatures, predicting actions ahead of time and reacting accordingly.

General Appearance
Emerald green eyes, dark brown hair, fair skinned. Strong body type, quite slender but defined. Since Yumi is military (and an archer), she wears armour (mostly on her shoulders, elbows and knees) along with some lighter, more mobile padding. She has a device on her head that is a communicator and has aiming assistance built in (tells things like monster distance, wind, astra levels, time, etc – think of the batman thing). She doesn't carry a lot other than her weapons and ammo, but she does have military passports and ID on her.

Abnormalities
Somewhat short term/selective memory.
None.

Type/Class
Archer – Attacks foes at a distance, never letting them within range.

Soldiers – Soldier's are feared and respected. Unlike the usual police force, all of them are highly trained and dangerous, though rarely seen by commoners. They are mostly used for security of important people, but some are also used to keep slaves in line, hunt dangerous fugitives (outsiders or foreigners to the islands/spies) or kill extremely powerful beasts.

Psychology/Sociology
Yumi, like all other soldiers is feared and respected, but unlike most soldiers, even her own team mates are afraid of her. She is reliable and highly praised by her superiors who always give her first choice and priority on important missions. She has risen in the ranks quickly, which often gets her a lot of disdain by career soldiers who have been on the job longer but haven't advanced as far. But no one dares openly oppose her. Yumi has no friends, but she respects her superiors and treats them accordingly. However, she's rough with her subordinates, which some appreciate but others do not. Spends most of her time alone.

Yumi is highly educated, able to speak and write in many different languages. This has use in that she can identify foreigners and understand them, so it makes it easier to complete her missions. She can plan ahead well and is able to easily read and respond to all situations, social or otherwise. She speaks well, using a lot of complicated words (which make her hard to understand sometimes).

Yumi has no long term goals or ambitions of her own; it is enough for her to do what she's told (though later she strives to be able to think for herself). Every mission she does becomes her whole purpose in life, which makes her a little narrow-minded. She gets rattled when missions don't go as planned, or is someone disobeys her orders or argues with her. She is disgusted at how naturals are treated, but no one knows this. She has a bit of an inferiority complex, which makes her aggressive towards those who fight better than she does. Unlike most people with her condition (amnesiacs), she doesn't care about her past.

Yumi enjoys reading and writing in her spare time. Sometimes she'll play a game of chess with her superiors (she always loses on purpose) which she enjoys, despite sometimes not liking their company.

Yumi is a professional who does her duty like any other soldier. She knows how to keep her emotions and more importantly her opinions in check and doesn't let them get in the way of her mission. She focuses mostly on the mission, and doesn't think about herself as a person for the most part (mostly a tool).
She can be bossy and demands perfection, usually pushing people as far as they can go before reaching their limit, unaware that most people aren't as tough as she is. However, she does feel remorse after having pushed someone too far, and will try to comfort them or be kind. Yumi is bad at consoling people, so despite her best intentions, it often comes off more like scolding or mockery/condenscension. She thinks of most people as objectives, whether it be to capture them or protect them. She doesn't do it because she feels the need to, but because its her job. Yumi has a spark of curiosity in her, sometimes she wants to ask about the questionable assignments she's tasked with, but is unable to go against orders for fear of consequence (even if it is the right thing to do), and feels unable to adapt to situations should they go against her original orders. Eventually she becomes more inquisitive, and learns to think more about herself and her desires and not just do whatever she's told. Yumi has a soft spot that most people don't see, she has a weakness for children which can override her military training. For the most part, she's incredibly kind and sweet to kids, letting them get away with just about anything.

History
Yumi's past is a little-known mystery. Her name is only a code, and Yumi has long since forgotten her real name or family. For all she knows, she was born into military life and raised as a soldier. Obedient to a fault, Yumi will always follow the orders of her superiors even if she disagrees with it. Despite her cold and uncaring demeanour, she often struggles with her conscience and bullies herself for her lack of strength. Her task is to hunt down and capture anyone who gets too close to the truth about the island, or those who have infiltrated the island. Since foreigners act differently than natives, her superiors tell her that these people are going in for "reconditioning" that is necessary because the people have been overcome by stress or some strange disease. The truth is that these people are interrogated for information then killed. Yumi meets Leo and Moira after she captures them, together they learn about what really happens to the prisoners and the horrors that befall them. Yumi's faith is shaken and she defects to Leo's team.

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Name
Regis Guillory
(Regis – Royal, Guillory – Powerful Will)

Age
37

Height and Weight
199 cm
95 kg

Concept
Regis is a fencer, he fights with a modified rapier which he uses to primarily to parry and block attacks then counter with outstanding force. His fighting style requires him to stay close at all times and deal damage (or take hits), when he charges he can predict attacks that come at him and avoid them ahead of time, making him the best charge character in the game (he can teach Leo how to do it, but not as well). He can defend against multiple attackers, but only strike against one.

General Appearance
Variable eyes (usually black), slightly pale skin, grey hair. Slender frame, average build. Regis is a well dressed, well groomed and eccentric. He wears a top hat and monocle (which may or may not do anything special); a suit/tux with a napkin and pocket watch, sharp shoes and well cut pants. His body frame is lean but somewhat slender, with hair that has been slicked back.

Abnormalities
Mood eyes, sometimes Regis' eyes change colour depending on what mood he's in or the person he's talking to. Regis also gets migraines from time to time.

Type/Class
Fencer – Regis uses his knowledge of momentum, his sharp wit and even sharper sword to fell enemies with advanced parries and counters.

Upper Class – The upper class are blessed with the best position in the world. For the most part, a lot of them are in politics involving the inner cities well being, but a few who are in the know are concerned about the activities that other islands are involved in. For the most part, the upper class are concerned with their house/family standing and work hard to improve their reputation. Others simply enjoy life.

Psychology/Sociology
Regis is often looked on with two faces, one side of society reveres him, the other side loathes him. But he plays the game so well that most situations are favourable for him, even when dealing with people who hate him dearly. No one wants to face him directly, so most fighting happens in the shadows, which is where Regis can fight best.

Regis is very well educated as one might guess, he's smart and manipulative, somehow gaining knowledge into a person's inner thoughts and motivations. He has a strange faith system that revolves around death and loss, no one really asks about it after the initial conversation though (not that Regis would explain it properly). This is based on the truth of the world, and how everything returns to the planet and is reborn through astra.

Regis' goal is to keep equilibrium in the world, and prevent the efforts of those who would unite the planet once more. He's also looking for his daughter, who went missing a long time ago. Regis suspects the location of his daughter to be hidden in rare artifacts (science journals/logs). Regis is rarely, if ever frustrated or disappointed, nothing really annoys him (that anyone can tell).

Regis enjoys classic literature and the theatre. He loves the finer things in life and never seems uncomfortable. He likes to teach people less fortunate for him (for various reasons) and takes pride in his fool-proof teaching methods.

Regis is always calm and collected, he never lets his emotions show on his face (though his eyes may change colour) and keeps a suave smile on at all times. No one can really tell what Regis is thinking, as everything he does has a deeper meaning. He can be unpredictable at best and completely chaotic at worst, but usually this has little consequence for allies. Regis is very persuasive, and can talk people into doing what he wants; sometimes even going as far as making them think it was their own idea. Of course, his air of mystery doesn't come without its fair share of lies and after so long, he can't help but tell a lie or two, usually just to keep the person on their toes. He talks like a gentleman and never raises his voice or shouts. He rarely speaks down to people, but he does adjust his use of language to suit the person he talks to.

History
Regis is a mysterious man who spends most of his time around nobility. No one knows what family he comes from or what he actually does, but everyone knows him and he knows everyone. He uses nobility to gather and sell information, but no one knows why he's gathering all this information. He meets Leo and the party while they're exploring the upper echelons of the inner city, and acts as their guide throughout it. He helps them find information about the island, and in return he uses them as a shield of sorts to get to where he wants to go.

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Name
Clara Maurus / Maurus Clara
(Clear/Bright/Famous, Dark skinned) – Personalities switch names (Female name is Clara, male name is Maurus).

Age
10

Height and Weight
134 cm
55 kg

Concept
Clara/Maurus is a shifter, meaning he/she can change his/her role in combat as he/she pleases. The male half is better at fighting, preferring close range debuffs, the female is better on the field, using alchemy/tech to create different items. In a fight, the female half uses long range attacks and items to enhance the party's performance, as well as making little machines/robots can that do the fighting for her (or turrets). The male uses poisons to strip away defences and hamper offense. The male is better when fighting a lone, powerful enemy, while the female is better when fighting multiple enemies.

General Appearance
Dark skinned, dual coloured eyes (one blue, the other purple – generally they both look blue though), dark purple hair. Childlike build with no discernable features that indicate sex. Clara/Maurus wears ambiguous clothing, something that can be quickly changed depending on the mode. Needs bags for holding lots of items (backpack?) Uses a lot of tech, but tends to make new things rather than use tech that is equipped. Not the fastest character, clothes can be quite puffy to hide gender attributes. Can hold hair in a hat (which he/she can take off). Uses ranged weapons to attack from a distance (female) or attack at closer ranges (daggers).

Abnormalities
What seems like schizophrenia, probably other mental inflictions as well.

Type/Class
Shifter – Switches between personalities in order to fulfil different roles in combat and on the field.

Alchemists – Alchemists are a secretive and dangerous group of people who toy with the natural laws to create powerful items. They have a secret guild (super secret even) that only the best, brightest and often the most morally devoid people can join. Breaking the rules is absolutely forbidden, and punishable by death no matter how small the offense. Alchemists have the ability to travel between islands to collect materials and date, and they can even travel close to the planet's core (though none of them have been able to pierce the thick shield surrounding it or find a way through). They rarely consort or work together, but they all have a symbol on their clothes that identifies them. Some merchants will recognize this symbol and open up the "special stocks" for alchemists.

Psychology/Sociology
Clara and Maurus are exiles (in a sense) from the Alchemists Initiative; they are on the run for stealing a very precious stone, which was actually just done for a joke which escalated way too far. Clara and Maurus were junior alchemists who showed a lot of promise, but would often make silly mistakes (on purpose) that enraged their teachers. The truth is they got bored by all the rules and decided to cut loose. Before they left, a lot of the alchemists looked forward to seeing them grow, as they said that Clara and Maurus had a lot of potential. They have no friends, but need none, as they have each other.

Clara is very good at maths while Maurus is better at science. They are both very smart and learn quickly, often not making the same mistake twice (in alchemy, the first mistake can be fatal...).

Clara and Maurus strive for a family, though their personal goal involves reviving someone very dear to them (each other). If it's something they both want, it's a parental figures (which they place on Leo and Yumi). Clara and Maurus get annoyed when confronted with rules and regulations, or told they cannot do something (the consequence of being annoyed depends on how much they like the offender). They get defensive when asked about their past or condition and tend to shut down at that point.

Clara and Maurus enjoy causing trouble and generally blowing stuff up in weird ways. They love to experiment and gain knowledge, as everything leads them one step closer to their goal. In their spare time, they're either tinkering with tech, or creating some crazy potion.

Maurus is aggressive and very protective of his sister. He can be hard to calm down when he gets into a rage and even harder to control. He can be socially ignorant, talking to princes and poor people exactly the same (which gets him in trouble – a lot). This is mostly because he likes to insult people and make fun of them, sometimes for a reason, most of the time just to be an asshole. But despite his harsh words and mannerisms, he has a heart of gold and never looks to hurt anyone (even if he destroys a few buildings in the process). He has a crass and standoffish manner of speaking, often not finishing his words properly.

Clara is a bit of a recluse and very bad around people. Clara would prefer to be alone, in the dark, in some corner in the middle of nowhere. She gets uncomfortable around large groups and in cities, so usually she lets Maurus handle social interactions. This is for the best, as Clara can be very perverse and knows things that someone her age shouldn't know. She has some weird quirks, some of which involve alchemy or tech and sometimes she'll say things that are completely unexpected. Her perversion mostly comes from being a sadist, and revelling in the pain of others. This part of her is often restrained by Maurus, as her role in the group conflicts with this part of her personality. The party is often reluctant to accept aid from Clara because of her unknown side effects. She speaks in a lone tone and usually alludes to something sinister.

History
Clara and Maurus live their life by travelling the new world, looking for rare materials to create exotic new items. Clara and Maurus have experience at deep world diving, having developed tech that allows for even more astra protection (unlike usual protection which is mechanical/armour, Clara and Maurus can do it with tattoos.) Clara and Maurus meet the party as they are about to leave the island, as they have the tech needed to explore and survive the world. They join the party as their quest/exploration might lead them to the answer they seek.

Monday 5 July 2010

Kitbashing 101

So, my plan is to be as efficient as possible in my task of creating these characters, which reminds me I need to either post or update their profiles, at least so people know what the hell I'm doing. I mean, at least so I know what the hell I'm doing (who are these people reading this anyway? You don't really exist, do you?)

Anyway, kitbashing is basically taking your time to make one thing as well as you can, then using that one thing to create 100 more things. In this case, I spent about 2 days getting the head and body right, then I spent 1 day creating a few variations from that one head. Basically, this cuts the time required to make something in half. More than a half, a half-half, so... 3/4. No? Whatever, maths sucks. Anyway, some are slight tweaks to stuff and others are a bit more drastic.

Oh yeah, ignore the lack of eyes, I plan to do something with them, but basically it doesn't involve eyeballs. I have a long term plan for them, I just have no vision about what they'll look like in the future. It'll come together, it always does.

The first variations I made were for the main characters:
This one is male (young).


This is female (young)

This is male (older)

This is male or female (childlike)... it'll make sense later.

This is natural female (young), this may also make sense later.

Next up, is body types. Even for both heads and bodies, I wanted to create a lot of variations for things like NPCs, but I won't do that unless I have a lot of excess time. A LOT of excess time.

EDIT: Decided just to post the bodies here. There isn't a LOT of difference in build, as the characters will be wearing clothes so there wasn't a lot of point doing that. Most noticeable are male, female and then height. More things will change after I do clothes and retopo, mostly proportions.

Natural Type - was going to deform it more, might do that later

Female Body

Male Body

Male Body Tall

Child Body