#Forspoken cloak design

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 10, day 27

So I may have, ahem, designed a few cloaks instead of just the one >.> The last two are influenced by Susurrus and Knell, respectively, the other... four? Yeah, four. Uh, the other four were me just playing around with shapes lol

The first one is Echt, and I'm still working on the full design of it (you can see I added feathered pauldrons :D), but the ones inspired by Sus and Knell kind of kidnapped my brain and played hacky-sack with it XD

[mistress-light]

Why is every game a fashion crisis decision for me? Also, curse games who unlock the coolest armors at the end and don't have new game +. Which forces me to walk around like an arse pauper every time. But bless mods.

[bikiniarmorbattledamage]

So recently Square Enix launched a new game where the premise is that the protagonist is the reluctant hero of a fantasy world they find themselves in, having been born and raised in New York. It recently got some loud pushback from people who were upset that protagonist... lemme check notes... sounds like a sassy New Yorker.

Fortunately, the actress has had the perfect attitude toward it:

Now, the game has not been getting spectacular reviews, and the reasons for that vary but I'm not here to talk about trend of critics (well meaning or not) raising standards for products say... starring a black woman and having a mostly female cast, or even about problem of Sacrificial Trash.

I want to talk about this as a good example when we talk about "protected by magic" outfits.

Frey is a New Yorker now blessed with magical power, she has never been trained in armor use, doesn't own armor and so... wears comfortable and practical clothes like you would expect. The whole look conveys an interesting look of a modern person with practical sensibilities in a fantasy world.

She has two main kinds of magic items - cloaks and necklaces. Both items that can be worn over clothes without sacrificing practicality.

She also has a unique, widely considered feminine option for store her magical powers - her nails.

As well as being one of the most innovative expansions into fantasy magic I've seen in mainstream for a while it really also goes a long way to showcase what, so often, is the actual crippling flaw with the "doesn't need it because magic/badass/etc" rhetoric.

Not because you can't have an interesting design that avoids armor etc, but because it's pretty much always the same nonsense with going overboard with designing pseudo-porn and then trying to justify it after the fact rather than exploring possibilities and playing with ideas about what x would mean for y.

Also can we please have more games with character designs like this in them, I'm still thinking about how cool this boss intro was:

-wincenworks

[ilikedetectives]

The more I play Forspoken the more I relate to Frey and love her more:

"A place to lie the FUCK down", she says as she bursts open a shelter's door with magic parkour backflip

"So about that fooddddd", girl just gets out of prison but still has her priorities

*pets all the kitties*

"Fuck this, fuck that, fuck everything about this place" as she enters a labyrinth boss fight

"There's no way I'm letting myself losing to this bitch" in the middle of a boss fight after second phase

Her frozen wtf face when Tanta Prav keeps rhyming everything

"G'bye, bed. Love you!"

"Are we there yet?"

"Fuck yeah I feel invincible!"

"Wonder if this stuff can cure your attitude, Cuff?" *cleanses herself from debuffs*

Nails design isn't her thing but she collects them all for combat

Looks majestic in all the cloaks

Literally all of her swearing

[paupersserenade]

New hyper fixation that's actually got me story drafting for the first time in ages. I wanna talk a bit about I game I believe got shit on harder than it should have. Forspoken.

Some context, but I went nearly a decade between finishing a video game. I get overwhelmed trying to 100% and just never do that final mission (because I also know once the story is done I'm really not motivated anymore). Until I picked up FFXV on sale. I played that near the top of this year and fell in love with the movement and combat system to a fault. That combined with it's approach to 'Post Game' (and banging OST/weirdly engaging story) helped me finally get over that hurdle.

At this time Forspoken has already launched and bombed, to the extent that Luminous was reabsorbed into Square Enix. I admit I was part of that initial reaction. I'm fairly well integrated into the gaming news cycle as my main hobby has been playing Destiny, and THATS been it's own ride. I watch SkillUp in particular as we have similar tastes, and I honestly let that sway me. I finally pulled the trigger during the Golden Week sale and I'm honestly bummed I hadn't picked this up at launch. What an absolute blast!

I vastly prefer this open world to FFXV, and that game got me to actual use photo mode for once. It gave me Elden Ring vides in general art design, water color/renaissance adjacent, and biomes. The feeling that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong. I won't begin to pretend that encounter design is on the same level, but it's going for a different type of gameplay. And I adore how fast you'll become, how graceful the character model switches from move set to move set.

My personal conviction is this game bombed so hard due to the feminine aspects of the gameplay loop/story. Have a relatable, if vulnerable, younger female protag with some chips on her shoulder can't have helped. But down to your gear and 'weapon' it's all wonderfully feminine in a non intrusive way. Cloaks are the fashion. Necklaces are common gear fodder for RPGs (especially Old World type settings). The nails were the perfect touch IMHO, can't think of any game that gave something so cosmetic something so vital, but it still makes sense as the medium she uses to interface with the magic. And on that, it's very clearly a Matriarchal society, but that's never made to be a big deal. The Tantas have fallen, and absolutely no one makes a 'hysterical' reference (that I remember).

My thoughts on characterization (especially of cuff) are still buzzing about, so I imagine it's not the last. Just some thoughts on the actual product before I start posting character pieces. Flew through 1k words last night of dialogue like my old fic writing days. And if only for that, I really appreciate what Forspoken was able to provide.

Cheers!

[cruelfeline]

It rained quite a bit yesterday, and it's rained even more today. According to the forecast, it's supposed to keep raining on and off for the next four days.

And it's making me think of like... there being that unfortunate line Cuff has to cross between "okay, I hate getting wet, let's wait out the rain for a day" and "we can't sit here for a whole week, we've got Tantas to murder." Meaning that he will just have to accept running around in the rain all day. Probably in Avolaet, y'know?

This is made worse by Frey personally knowing that he both hates getting wet, yet also hates just letting her sit around a refuge and pet cats all day when they could be out Tantaciding. She ensures that her smug delight comes across very clearly.

Now, Frey is eventually less upset over the prospect of rain because, as her cloak-making skills grow, she's easily able to make and upgrade cloaks that keep her comfortably dry. But this obviously doesn't include her arms, and gods know she's not going to go out of her way to figure out a whole new cloak design to keep Cuff from whining. Not when his misery counts as like... an essential vitamin to her, or something.

Anyway, I maintain that Forspoken not having a weather system robbed us of Great Hilarity. That is all.

[slegel405gmaes]

FORSPOKEN | The Movie | All Cutscenes

Pre-release gameplay of Forspoken. The game focuses on terrain traversal speed and fluidity. According to director Takeshi Aramaki, the gameplay was designed to be focused on terrain traversal speed and fluidity. Square Enix also described the game as a "narrative-driven adventure". The character exists in an open world game format where players are able to travel anywhere at any time. The player character, Frey, has access to a variety of magical spells. Following each combat encounter, the player earns experience points. Frey's cloak can be upgraded in order to improve her combat efficiency and stats, while applying nail polish unlocks special abilities. The player can also craft new items, or rest at a safe location in order to restore health. While the player is exploring the game world, they may encounter a "breakstorm", a scenario similar to a horde mode in which waves of demonic creatures spawn and attack Frey. The storm ends with the appearance of a named boss character.

[demifiendrsa]

Forspoken | The Game Awards 2021 Trailer

Forspoken will launch for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store on May 24, 2022.

Key visual

Box art

Tanta Prav CG Art

Screenshots

Overview

Release Date and More

Today at The Game Awards, Square Enix and Luminous Productions unveiled a new trailer for the studio’s debut title, Forspoken, announcing a worldwide release date of May 24, 2022. The trailer was introduced by Forspoken star Ella Balinska, who plays protagonist Frey Holland, and actor Pollyanna McIntosh (The Walking Dead series), who has joined the cast as the ruthless Tanta Prav.

In the new trailer, fans are given a closer look at the mysterious land of Athia and meet some of its last remaining citizens. Players also learn about the impending corruption called the “Break”: a devastating miasma that relentlessly corrupts everything it touches. Frey has somehow mysteriously survived this strange phenomenon, offering Athia a beacon of hope.

New action-packed gameplay featured in the trailer showcases how Frey’s quest in Athia will take her through a variety of diverse environments where she will learn how to use magic parkour to traverse across the unknown land in a fast and fluid manner, as well as her magic abilities to battle Athia’s dangerous beasts that she will encounter on her journey, including the newly revealed Breakzombies and Jabberwock.

Players were also introduced to a new character in Forspoken—the maddened evil sorceress, Tanta Prav—who is voiced and performed by The Walking Dead‘s (TV Series) Pollyanna McIntosh.

“It’s been wild playing Tanta Prav and I’m excited for players to meet her and experience her as Frey does: a remorseless, unrelenting powerhouse, full of secrets,” said McIntosh. “I think she will prove to be a ruthless adversary for players as they follow Frey on her journey in the land of Athia.”

Digital Deluxe Edition

Square Enix and Luminous Productions also revealed details of the Digital Deluxe Edition, available to pre-order from today. The Digital Deluxe Edition contains several exciting bonuses, including:

Rare Resource Kit (only included for the PlayStation 5 console Digital Deluxe Edition)

Mini Artbook (digital download)

Mini Soundtrack (digital download)

Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust prequel story downloadable content

Those who pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition will also receive the below unique gear and items to aid them in their journey through Athia:

No Limits Cloak, Symbol Combo Necklace, Trigger Happy Nails, and Crafting Starter Kit (PlayStation 5)

Elite Cloak, Spectra Combo Necklace, and Overclock Nails (PC)

Digital Standard Edition

The Digital Standard Edition is also available to pre-order from today. Players who pre-order the digital standard edition for PlayStation 5 or PC (via Steam, Epic Games Store, or Microsoft Store) will also receive the above pre-order bonus items for the respective platform at launch.

Physical Edition

The physical (disc) version of the game will also be available from participating retailers. Pre-orders of the physical (disc) version are subject to local retailer availability and schedule.

About the Game

Designed for PlayStation 5, Forspoken will harness the full power of the console and demonstrate Luminous Productions’ philosophy to provide a gaming experience like never before, fusing together the latest technology with creativity. Forspoken will launch simultaneously on PlayStation 5 and PC (via Steam, Epic Games Store, or Microsoft Store) on May 24, 2022. This title is not yet rated by the ESRB.

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 10, day 28

Progress made on Echt and the cloak inspired by Knell (name pending) :D

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 10, day 30

I think I'm satisfied with this cloak :3

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 10, day 26

Don't mind me, just designing a cloak :3

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 11, day 5

Did the back view of Floof 2! Also some tweaks to the front view. Really satisfied with it :3

Definitely have to find these cloaks better names, though.

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 12, day 14

Echt 3! :D

I really like how the transparent bit turned out :) Also really loved getting to use my Susurrus birb chain brush so much 🥰

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 12, day 13

Echt 2: Electric Boogaloo has color now! *celebratory kazoo noises*

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 12, day 9

Back to cloaks! Thank goodness I have a bajillion WIPs, my brain did not want to work on shading tonight, it wanted to draw something XD

In canon the different "evolutions" of the cloaks are basically the same thing just with more embellishments/accessories, so I'm redesigning the second "stage" of Echt to actually line up with that concept. That means pauldrons! Why? Because I like pauldrons ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 11, day 15

My ears are still ringing from the concert a little lol. I was gonna just do some quick sketches and go to bed, I wasn't intending to throw on base color or anything, but this one just kind of ran away with me :D