Underland Themes / References / Inspiration

So the idea here is one of nightmare.  The protagonist is cursed to roam the Under for all eternity.  Hunting for buried treasure.  Never dying, just switching bodies when one form (or 'shape' as they are called) perishes.  Or swapping bodies purposefully to bypass or champion certain areas or denizens.

Graphically we aim to deliver a style inspired in part by HP Lovecraft and also surreal artists such as Mark Ryden.

The game in daylight hours will be suggestive of a dark fairy tale.  And in the hours of darkness, a nightmare.

We want to capture an eerie atmosphere and one of a threat.  The major issue with the vast majority of video game RPGs is that the save feature / death mechanic tends to promote a carefree style of play.  The player rushes in, attacks everything, dies, respawns and tries again.  This is pretty much in direct conflict to RPGs pen & paper roots, where players are typically much more cautious.  Being concerned with the protagonist's safety helps generate and maintain atmosphere.

The feeling we want to encourage is one of careful exploration, creeping along shadowy passageways, lantern in hand (we're aiming for dynamic lighting, casting deep shadows, and sometimes the shadows come to life!) and thoughtful consideration of how to bypass or defeat particular scenes.

We've carefully considered the mechanics that supports this behaviour and two key aspects have emerged.

How we handle death.

And how we encourage people to stay alive (and thus tread carefully).

Which will be our next post.