lostzac

[lostzac]

I would like to take the time to give a thank you to Sixus 1 Media, and Les Lindon Garner for all their hard work in bringing the Avatars you will get to play in the game. This game would not be made if not for the Hard work He and his son has put in.

[lostzac]

Game Development of the Gryillidae

[lostzac]

2nd in our series on Rolvek

[lostzac]

Game Development - Rolvek

[lostzac]

Anathon Blog- Spotlight: Ciarán Jai Cosway

 The epic role playing game Anathon features an original soundtrack composed by members of the Sound & Music team. Ciarán Jai Cosway is one of the composers on the team and lives in the small town of Totnes, located in southwest England near the famous Dartmoor National Park.

Ciarán began playing music when he was 14 years old. “I had tried drama and art in school, but didn't particularly like either,” he said. “So I decided to move to the music class, considering I'd just started playing the guitar, and I loved it. I started composing and writing chord progressions on the guitar as soon as I'd learned the basics.”

Ciarán’s previous work in music includes a multitude of compositions, performing occasionally on the classical guitar, and he also composed some electronic tracks for another game that’s still in development before joining the Anathon team.

   “I didn't think about music as a career option until I had to decide what I wanted to pursue at university. I was accepted into two different subjects, including music, and decided to follow my passion. This made me more certain that writing music for media would be the perfect career for me.”

  Looking forward, Ciarán said, “I'd just like to grow as a musician and a composer. I'd like to do more of what I am doing now, and spread myself into composing for animations/films.”

   Ciarán described his process of composing music and said, “My compositional process generally starts with a thought process of how to convey the particular emotions that should reflect, enhance and relate to what's happening in the game.” He went on to say,“Instrumentation means a lot here, the timbres of different instruments can instantly make the player feel that they're in a certain environment. Once I have a decent idea of what the instrumentation will be, I will sit at one of my own instruments, usually the piano or the guitar, and start composing some main themes that will be featured in the music, being sure that it reflects what's happening in the game.”

Specifically for Aiden Lost's theme, Ciarán said, “I sat at the piano and created something which sounded melancholic, and heartbreaking whilst making sure that it had a sense of elegance and strength about it.” He also said,“Next comes the process of linking these themes together and expanding them to fully fledged sections. This is when everything is put into a Digital Audio Workstation on the computer, where the music is sequenced and edited.”

He went on to say, “Once the piece is near to completely written, I revise it and ensure that there's nothing out of place. Finally, once all of the writing is complete, I check through and see which virtual instruments would benefit from some live recording, and play them in, or find some instrumentalists to help out. Working with the team leaders is vital to the process and understanding the vision and emotions that they want to convey is an extremely important part of the process.”

Ciarán’s work for Anathon can be heard on the player avatar themes for Aiden Lost andSir Ket Breaker, both of which are powerful pieces that make use of orchestral instruments; the Temple of Nasute themes, which are dark, brooding themes that make use of Japanese pentatonic scales; and on the Gryllidae tavern themes which also make use of the far Eastern scales, but they are lighter and folky.

[lostzac]

Spotlight: Alex Coetzee   by Jeffry Moss

When an epic game like Anathon is brought to life, it takes the dedication and hard work from an entire team of people. The cohesive effort from coders, programmers, sound technicians, musicians, writers, artists and many others must all synchronize for a game to be successful. The Anathon team is full of talented people from across the globe. Alex Coetzee is one of the 2-Deminsional artists on the Anathon team and hails from the small town of Secunda, located 150 km east of Johannesburg in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa.  

    Alex said she was interested in art from a young age. “My mother is an artist and I was lucky enough to have gotten the talent, so I was always drawing,” she said. Alex went on to say, “In high school I started finding my style, my art ‘voice’ so to say. I liked drawing things that made people think, or meant something to me. I'm still changing though my style on canvas is becoming more expressive.”  

    “I studied art and design at school, but art and design schools are crazy expensive, so everything I know is pretty much self-taught,” she said. “Digital art caught me off guard it was honestly not even on my mind until a year ago, when I started doodling on my tablet. I'd like to actually get paid for what I'm good at, that is one of the biggest goals. I want to be known for my work before I die,” she joked, “see if I can break the artist's curse. The curse being that your work only becomes valuable once you die. Most of the world renowned artists rarely saw their art in a gallery.”  

    She also said, “It’s not all about the money though, actually none of it is, I would just like my art to mean something for someone else. It isn't something that helps you survive but it gives survival value. It has the power to influence someone else's life, their outlook, their mood even. I like seeing that.” 

    Professionally, Alex has worked as a graphic designer in the past and currently works in a design position at an insurance company. “Anathon is my first step in to the gaming industry, the only other experience I have is my Xbox,” she said with a laugh. 

    Describing how she brings life to the Anathon characters, Alex said, “If I use my first character artwork as an example, the Kasta, their influence was actually quite close to home. My boyfriend's mother saves kittens, she rehabilitates them and finds them homes and occasionally keeps one that couldn't find a home so she has many, and I mean many, cats.”  

    She went on to say, “So I honestly spent a lot of time observing them, and living in South Africa I've seen many wild big cats, leopards, lions etc. and the Kasta's ‘habitat’ is quite familiar to me. I understood the Kasta's tribal living through African history, so everything from their clothes to their braided lion-like hair was drawn from my personal understanding of the lifestyle. Even their weapons that I designed.” Alex also said, “Once I have an understanding of who the race is the drawing comes easily. It becomes like drawing a memory in some sense.” 

    Discovering who the characters are takes longer than the drawing itself, she said. “If I have a whole day to myself, I'll finish the drawing in a few hours. The actual drawing starts with a pencil sketch, then rough painting, that’s the fun part, then I slowly blend in the colors, and then put in the detail.” She continued, “The detail takes the longest, I can be quite a perfectionist, so with the portraits I could honestly spend months on one drawing. There could always be more detail.” 

    Alex’s work for Anathon can be seen in the Kaynite, Dwarf, Ilven and Gryillidae racial portraits as well as the concept art for the female Kasta, the female Gryillidae, the male and female Jint, the male and female Drake, and Amikiri, Akateko, Aoyin, Avagrah and Bakechochin monster portraits. 

[lostzac]

From outward appearances Jackle ShadowDancer was born into a typical Ilven family. Jackle and his brothers doted on their sister as she was always treated as a princess by her brothers and her parents. All three sons spent a portion of their youth serving in the Nasute temple at their mother’s direction. Behind closed doors, their mother was never satisfied with the progress of their ceaseless religious studies and their father’s physical abuse to all three sons was relentless.

Jackle’s older brother died at his father’s hand and the family portrayed it as an accident and kept the truth a secret. Jackle never grew to hate his parents for their strict methods. Quite the opposite. Abuse and disappointment were normal to him. He knew what to expect and was comfortable with it. He was happy to have his parents’ attention, even while being beaten. He longed to make them proud in any way he could.

As a teenager, Jackle helped his parents frame his aunt, the Ilven family’s Nos’ura, to appear she had gambled away the family fortune so that his mother would become the Nos’ura and control the family’s money. As Jackle grew older his skills of deceit eventually led him to the life of a hustler. He would spend his days in taverns near the ports and play a billiardesque game called Ku-klink. Hustling led him to getting into more than his share of fights in the taverns. No stranger to taking a punch, Jackle honed his fighting skills and would sometimes intentionally reveal he’d scammed his victim, just for the sake of the fight that was sure to follow.

Jackle’s road to becoming an assassin began by accident after one of his fights left a man dead. The man he killed happened to be the enemy of a wealthy family and they put him to work as their enforcer. Jackle embraced the position and felt it was his calling and it was only when he was working that he embraced worshiping Nasute as his mother had intended.

Jackle honed his craft over the next few years, perfecting different methods of assassination. He was adept at shooting, stabbing, poisoning, and a variety of other methods. He could kill by crossing paths with his victim or from great distances. When he left home as soon as he became an adult he set out for the city of Nave on the Gryillidae Island. He had killed important people in his work, but none as important as who he decided his next targets would be. He planned to assassinate the two highest of all the Ilven political leaders, the feat would cement him as the greatest assassin in all of Anathon, and more importantly, it would please his mother.

Anthony Siganakis, one of the 2d artists for Anathon that created Jackle’s portrait said, “At first I read everything lore related about him, then I took into consideration what John's idea was for the character personalitywise. After that, I start imagining what will be some interesting situation to depict him in.” Anthony also said, “I wanted some action from him not to be just static, even if it is a portrait and Itried to show that somehow he is one inthe shadows.That’s why Itried to lose some of the edges of the painting of him into the surrounding area.”

Moreshwar Briscoe, a composer on Anathon’s Music and Sound team, spoke of writing Jackle’s theme. “What I usually like to do when making a theme for a character is walking through his/her story with the music. The introduction to the piece shows his early relationship with his parents.” Moreshwar went on to say,“At 00:35, is when his parents put him to work on the streets of the seedy side of town to him help them frame his aunt. At 2:00, is when he is grabbed by a stranger and held at knifepoint until he escapes his grip. At 3:55, he makes the leap from hustler to hitman until, he stops taking contracts and decides to travel to Nave to assassinate the top Ilven political leaders.”

Jeffrey Moss, a member of Anathon’s writing team created the lore. “I did some research on hitmen and serial killers and found a troubled and abusive childhood was a common thread among them.” Jeffrey also said, “It seems if someone is going to have no qualms about killing people as an adult, then someone had to have given their mind a twist when they were a child and completely skewed their moral compass.”

[lostzac]

The Fey are one of the thirteen races that populate the world in the upcoming role playing game Anathon. The Fey are a winged, fairy-like race created by the late goddess Sibbyl. They are the shortest race in Anathon and each Fey is imbued with a set of wings that becomes more colorful and alluring with age. Among the many inhabitants of Anathon, it became known to be telling of one’s good fortune to see the colorful Fey bouncing about and it was believed the land where they Fey were seen was fertile and ripe for crops. It was also believed that the Fey’s wings contained magical attributes and their power could be transferred if the wings were ingested, consumed, used as a salve, or any other inhumane method of absorbing their magic.

The Fey are small creatures, but find strength in numbers. All of the Fey are connected to each other, and their elected Queen via their antenna, a physical trait that manifests itself in their way of life as well. As they are of a hive mind, the Fey are able to feel each other’s pain and can feed off each other’s emotional state. This bond makes the Fey a force to be reckoned with when they are in a combative state.

In combat, the Fey primarily use spellcasting butalso have a wide variety of weapons, all of which are aimed to serve a specific purpose in battle and aid in the spellcasting process. The Fey’s bladed weapons are typically long and narrow to make up for their tiny stature, woven with just enough magic to keep them from breaking apart upon contact with the opposition’s heavier weaponry.

Over time, the core religion of the Fey became based around the premise of finding and reviving their fallen goddess. Members of the new core place their hope in Calye, whose sole mission to bring Sibbyl back,and gives them a unified physical being to rally behind. In turn, many of the hive are atheistic and believe that Calye is a false messiah with nothing more than bold claims and dreamy aspirations.

The members of the Cocoon, a sect created by former Queens, believe in Sibbyl, but are of a different understanding than the hive of her nature and Calye’s relation to her. Many members of the cocoon hold belief that Calye must be ritually sacrificed to release Sibbyl from her earthly cage and allow her to return to the realm of gods once more.

Only time will tell which belief will hold true as the fate of Calye and all of the Fey unfolds in the world of Anathon.

Jacob Haas, a member of Anathon’s writing team, created the Fey lore. “I think that a lot of their ideas stemmed from insect colonies. I liked the feel of either bees, as they have a queen and workers, or ants. Both are hive minded.” Jacob also said,“A lot of their lore was organic as I wrote it. I kept thinking of things to give them a natural duality, which is how the hive and the colony came to be.”

Alex Coetzee, one of the 2d artists, created the Fey portrait. "I wanted them to stay linked to the traditional idea of a fairy, but give them more intensity," she said. "Their connection to magic was my main focus. Didn't want it to feel too much like a fairytale, but all in all magic does appeal to the child in us."

[lostzac]

Jint

 Anathon, the upcoming role playing game, features thirteen races clamoring for control of the throne and the power to rule their world. The Jint are one of these races. The Jint are highly in tune with the natural elements. They are a tall, four-armed, blue-skinned race created by Clima, the Goddess of Weather.Their hairless bodies allow them to connect to the spirit of Clima’s wind.

 On Anathon, the races are all fighting to control the world’s throne. The Jint are natural allies with the Kasta as the Jint guide the winds and weather and provide the Kasta with a bountiful harvest. In return, the Kasta help the Jint tribes by providing them with food that they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise. As a mostly peaceful people, along with the Kasta, the Jint only seek to keep too much power from resting in any one group’s hands.

The Jint society is built upon a tribal structure where no two tribes are quite alike in how they govern themselves, except that each tribe shares in the worship of Clima. In times of crisis it is expected that the tribes band together to confront whatever threat they face.

 To make the best use of their four arms, the Jint frequently employ using two blunt weapons and two bladed weapons. Having four arms also makes the Jint extraordinarily good with bows. Their raw strength allows them to construct bows of extremely high tension that are wielded with two hands. They can draw and fire arrows at twice the speed of the fastest archer of another race, drawing with one hand and firing with the other.

The Jint are extremely aggressive towards any adversary that stands in their way. When confronted with war the Jint flip a philosophical switch and become barbaric, unwilling to back down from an enemy.

 Two-dimensional artist, Alex Coetzee, created the concept art for the Jint. “I drew a lot of my inspiration from the lore, the Jint to me, were extremely strong, but mostly because of their faith, they aren't typical giants. Not barbaric but giving,” she said.“That's why I imagined lean giants, the female was more of a nurturing warrior, fighting for her people rather than a barbaric woman fighting for the thrill.”

 Alex also said, “I always feel something for the characters before I even start. I decided what type of people they were going to be from the get go.”

[lostzac]

Tiena

  Tiena , a member of the Khild race, is one of the player controlled avatars for the upcoming role playing game Anathon.

 The Khild were the first race to be created on Anathon. The childlike creatures stand only 3 to 3.5 feet high and have one large eye in the center of their foreheads. The Khild were blessed by their creator Moirai with a vision. They are always able to foresee inevitable events and plan accordingly. They see their path ahead and find the safest, best way forward as circumstances unfold.

 However, Tiena “the tiny terror” is cut from a different mold. She is quite focused on tempting fate, as she is uncertain that she believes in such a thing. This separates her from most of her contemporaries. She acts largely on reflex to a situation, not waiting to overanalyze a specific outcome. She believes being safe is boring and doesn’t use her power of sight. She believes that whatever happens will be the best course of action and just lets events unfold. Her tendency to test fate leads to Tiena finding herself involved in many major conflicts, although more often than not she finds herself to be more of a sidekick to the main event rather than the driving force.

 When Tiena arrives at Fort Pox on Tagi Island she finds herself thrust into conflict after she runs into the partner she once crossed. She then meets an older Khild who convincesTiena she is destined for something special. When she is tempted to see what is in store for her, she discovers she has lost her ability to foresee the future.

Jeffry Moss

[lostzac]

Female concept of Drakes the Dragon Blood

[lostzac]

Rolveks Theme Song

[lostzac]

As an infant, Rolvek was nearly discarded and left to die with all of the other male young that weren’t deemed strong enough to live. Only a last minute intervention believed to be by the hand of Lyeon saved his life. As a youth, Rolvek faced discrimination from his peers and those mentoring him, a perception that pushed him to prove himself twice as much as those around him did. As such, Rolvek doesn’t believe in personal failure, only that each loss is the stepping stone towards a future victory.

As Apoc society is prominently about displaying power, Rolvek was raised to fight first, fight second, and consider the implications third. His father is the Patriarch of his clan, who Rolvek sees as stuck in the ways of old, considering him to be too submissive and doing little to improve the mid-tier ranking of their clan. Rolvek wants to overthrow his father and take over the clan, but hasn’t yet found the right opportunity to strike. He is only one of many brothers in his clan who are looking to usurp their Patriarch, a fact not missed by him.

As an Apoc filled with purpose, Rolvek has made it his mission to become as strong and capable as possible before confronting his father and attempting to take over the throne. Once he does exactly that, it is his plan to make his clan’s dominance known and improve their station in Apoc society.

[lostzac]

The Drake are a race of draconic humanoids which tower over most races of Anathon. They stand at a height averaging 8 feet tall and have a wide frame of 3 and a half feet. Their bodies are void of any form of hair. The Drake do not have ears like most races which protrude outward. Instead they concave inward. Drakes have a protruding snout a few inches past their forhead line. On this snout are 2 pairs of whiskers, one slightly below their nostrils, and the other on their lower jaw. The females only have the lower pair of whiskers. Drakes have thick tails that extend two and a half feet past their hind end. They are quite strong, and can be used to deal a significant amount of damage if attacked with. 

[lostzac]

Theme for Sir Ket Breaker

[lostzac]

Lore

Before the sired War, Vernal had created 13 Dragons to watch over the lands and act as Guardians.  Called from the mist of a waterfall the Azure Dragon was to watch over the Gryillidae.   During the time of the Sired War, Vernal had placed them into a deep slumber so the brothers would not fight against each other.

After the Gods where taking away from the Anathon, it is not known if the slumber that Vernal had placed on the Dragons still exist.

 Information

               The Azure Dragon's most fearsome attack is a blast of steam that comes from its mouth.  The Steam is so hot it can render the flesh from bones, and the air it travels on so strong it will instantly throw  any attacking creature backwards and to the ground (Save vrs Fire will result in the creature laying on the ground at -1 hp). The roar from the Azure Dragon is so loud it will cause deafness for 1-6 weeks (Spell Caster cast at 1/2 the chance due to not being able to hear themselves).  The Azure Dragon also can turn itself to mist to escape any damage that a enemy is trying to do to him.

Stats

Number Appearing - 1

Special - Steam Breath (x3), Roar,  Transformation to Mist

Attacks - Spell Casting, Bite,  Tail Whip

[lostzac]

Having some fun with level desing, I give you all Orc Pondering the Meaning of Life. The Dungeon is a in game level as well as the orc, whats a better way to show you some new looks and have fun as well