Hello, Survivors!

In the previous Dev Note, we introduced two reworked Characters and, over the previous couple of weeks, four other new Characters.

As mentioned in these introductions, the planning, addition and rework of our diverse cast of characters was necessary to accommodate the addition of various new systems in Remore's Development Journey. This need stemmed from the requirement for characters with unique personalities.

For example, with the Ember Memory Bonding, it became possible to customize the abilities of characters, which necessitated them having unique skills and traits as their foundation. Additionally, with the introduction of new combat system mechanisms, there was a need to adjust and add characters who could utilize these mechanisms more effectively. Examples include the Shadow Sister with stealth abilities to smoothly execute ambushes and the Mercenary with battlefield control abilities to easily create “Surrounded” situations.

Infusing Characters with Vibrancy Through In-Game Representation

Until now, the features of the characters we introduced have focused on their functional aspects, highlighting their system-based uniqueness; however, we believe if we view our characters not like chess pieces used in combat but instead as our "Companions" who live and breathe within the world of Remore, the immersion becomes significantly stronger. This is how the consideration of revealing characters' uniqueness in an "Emotional" way began.

One way to imbue such vibrancy into characters is by giving each character a narrative. Providing a backstory for how each character joined the world of Remore showcases their individuality and explains how their skills or traits connect to their character. This approach was slightly demonstrated in the previous individual character introductions.

The second, more direct method we will introduce today is to express how these characters "Act" in the game. This involves discussing how characters appear, speak, and move within the game, thereby bringing them to life through their in-game images and dialogue.

Previously, we introduced key art for some of the characters. This serves as a clue to how the character will be represented and perform in the game, acting as a blueprint to define and solidify the character's concept during the planning process. Based on this concept, the specific in-game representation of the character, such as sprite art and scripts, is developed.

This week, we will introduce the newly created in-game sprite art and scripts for the characters and discuss the development process of bringing these characters to life.

Inquisitor: From Shovel-Wielding Heavy Infantry to Pious Judge

The Inquisitor is a strict judge who rejects anything that goes against his deep faith. To give the impression of piety and sincerity, we designed his key art with a neat, predominantly white outfit. Additionally, to convey the image of a holy protector, we included gold accessories, to give an air of dignity.

I’ll share an interesting development story about the Inquisitor's key art. During the planning process, we decided that the Inquisitor's primary weapon would be a Two-handed Mace, and the Tier 1 Mace in our game at the time was a Shovel, which meant that the Inquisitor was supposed to look reverent and solemn, and we were working on key art of him holding a Shovel. While we thought the image of the Inquisitor with a shovel was quite appealing, we decided to change the shovel to a rusted Two-handed Mace to increase his sense of majesty.

The original in-game sprite for the Inquisitor had a bulky physique and proportions, a concept that fit well with the key art. Therefore, in creating the new sprite, we aimed to retain the existing body shape and proportions as much as possible to emphasize the Inquisitor's larger and sturdier appearance compared to other characters.

While the original sprite had a predominantly gray and monotonous feel, the new sprite, based on the key art, incorporates a variety of colors such as white and gold. This resulted in a more vibrant and ornate appearance for the Inquisitor.

During this process, numerous religious symbols were used in the Inquisitor's attire. It was essential to simplify these symbols in the pixel art to retain the key art's impression while avoiding an overly complex look.

While we gave the Inquisitor a divine image, we also gave him the trait "Guilty" to represent the fact that his faith is so deep that he feels guilty even as he slays those who have become monsters. The Inquisitor's trigger is announced with a script that shows him lamenting, "What suffering I’ve caused..." as he defeats his enemies, unable to abandon his faith in the face of the tragedy that befalls Remore.

The Jester: A Bitter Laugh in Dark Times

The original image of the Jester was composed of red and blue contrasting clothing and facial makeup to create a comical feel. The basic direction of this concept was in line with our development direction, so we kept the basic framework, but for the new key art, we wanted to create a more playful, exaggerated, and ironic mood that befits the tragedy of Remore. For example, we added bells to the headdress to create a playful expression with each movement.

For the in-game sprites and scripts, our main goal was to bring out the "Playfulness" of the character, more specifically the cynical clown feel of the heavy Remore vibe.

The in game sprite is designed to have a playful feel to their clothing and facial makeup, and we had a production hiccup with the facial makeup: when updating from an old sprite to a new one, the sprite artist understood the facial makeup as a mask on the key art, which prevented the animation from showing facial changes.

The Jester’s lack of facial expressions, even when under attack or in a crisis, created an eerie, imposing appearance, which was not what we were going for, as we wanted to convey a sense of playfulness rather than creepiness. We have since modified the sprite to have facial expressions like the other characters, which helps convey a more frivolous and lighter feel.

The Jester's cynical sneer is often demoralizing, adding a snide comment to an ally's mistake. His "Sarcasm" trait is an extension of this idea, altering an ally's stats when they miss an attack. The Jester's condescension, muttering "Hehe. You even know how to use that thing?" every time Sarcasm triggers, will have you wanting to wipe that smirk off his face!

Shadow Sister: Sinking into Darkness Deeper than Shadows

The Shadow Sister’s character has been redefined to be even colder and more resolute than before, aiming to present the impression of an assassin who moves within the shadows and venerates the light of faith.

This direction was reflected in the key art as well. Firstly, the overall tone of her outfit was darkened compared to the original to contrast with her pale skin, giving her a more intense and somewhat eerie appearance. Additionally, a red mark on her forehead was added to enhance the sense of ruthlessness, complementing the stark contrast between black and white.

For the in-game sprite work, we put a lot of effort into the coloring, as her darker tones would essentially be hidden within the dark background of Remore. We wanted to keep the colors desaturated enough to make her visible, but still give her the feel of a calm assassin. To capture this calmness, we kept the details to a minimum and focused on the expression of her silhouette, such as the movement of her veil as she moves, so that she is both visible as a character and calm in her demeanor.

A stealthy, shadowy warrior nun, she is at her best when attacking from out of sight. When attacking enemies out of sight or from stealth, she'll cut their throat before they even realize it, but due to her "Stage Fright" trait, she's not as effective in open combat.

Another development story behind this trait: during internal testing, we were initially concerned that "Stage Fright" might detract from the Nun's assassin-like qualities. However, as testing progressed, we found that it actually emphasized her qualities as the perfect (?) assassin, and so the Nun actually became the first nerf as she was just that good! (though even pre nerf she was a lot of fun to use). It was at that time our beloved Battle Sister earned her nickname "The Ninja Nun".

When designing these characters, our primary concern was how they would feel to you, the players. While we're excited for you to see our intentions during actual play, we're battling on along our Development Journey to ensure that these characters fit into the overall vibe of Remore that we're trying to create, and that the world really comes to life.

Next week, we'll be covering another big change to the Character System, so stay tuned!

Thank you, Survivors!
REMORE