008 - Impervious

Flight

Concept:

This Conjure concept aims to play off of the previous concept, which was based around trauma and nightmares. While this one is not going to be as depressing, this concept will revolve around self-isolation and escapist behaviour. I think this concept is also a necessary one to address in the game, as the whole point in the UniverSim (from a public perspective) is to escape death into a digital afterlife, and that dreams can often liberate us from the rules established in our reality.

Research (bullet points taken from my playful thinking essay):

• Escapism is a defense mechanism we employ as a coping mechanism in response to stress in our real lives. We can escape via a plethora of activities, from sport, to hiking, to playing games, to listening to music. If you seek to alleviate stress via an activity, that is escapism. The world can simultaneously be beautiful and enriching, but also monotonous and brutal. Escapism helps us cope with the latter, and is mandatory within our lives in order to achieve happiness.
• Escapism can be both negative and positive: self-suppressive, and self-enriching. Self-suppressive escapism means that an individual escapes to distract themselves from a problem in their lives that they would benefit from fixing. This often comes from a fear of confronting said problem, and becomes a cycle of continually putting off dealing with it. This fear can then spiral into self-destructive behaviours which mostly result in addiction to the medium by which the individual escapes into. Self-enriching escapism is where the individual is not seeking to escape confronting a problem, and are simply engaging in activities that provide them with happiness. These activities are beneficial to the individual mentally and/or physically, and the individual.

Translatable Qualities:

To me, this concept can be taken one of two archetypal ways: offensive, and defensive. Those who escape can be either empowered or destroyed by it, both of which have their own unique translations into the aforementioned archetypes. On one hand, reclusive escapism could be negative - the individual becomes obsessed with living in their own world, outside of reality. But within the context of the game, it could also be a positive. If the individual escapes reclusively, they do not have to fear the horrific reality of the UniverSim. Within their escaped reality or the UniverSim, they could be boundless and free to do as they please. I think I want to keep whether or not the Conjure is self-suppressive or self-enriching ambiguous, and to leave both on the table.

Defensive qualities:

• The Conjure could isolate themselves in some sort of shell
  • Shield based abilities that make it difficult for anyone to interrupt the Conjure as they escape in solitude?
  • Passive abilities to symbolise their inaction in ‘reality’?
  • Maybe a high damage move to punish those who interrupt the Conjure’s escape?
    • A reflective attack that builds charge the more damage it takes, only to be released back in one burst?
      • Attacks into the Conjure harm the attacker for partial damage?
    • Two forms, the second activating when the Conjure has taken x amount of damage?

Offensive qualities:

• The Conjure could be escaping from reality INTO the UniverSim, and has become free and powerful. Their shell has been dissolved within the UniverSim, rather than built.
  • Light based abilities, an explosion of colours and shapes, as to represent liberation from reality?
  • Extremely high damage attacks, glass cannon archetype?
  • High AoE attacks, to symbolise their newfound power?

Conjure Ideas:

Currently, I am more inclined to lean into the defensive side to the Conjure, or to even split the escapism concept into two separate Conjures. For now though, I think I prefer the defensive side. The defensive side leaves the idea of self-suppression and self-enrichment on the table simultaneously, and I like the idea of the Conjure sealing themselves away in an impenetrable shell that reflects damage, or makes it harder for opponents to play when the Conjure is attacked. I’m also yet to have any Conjure concept be defensive with no attacking moves, so I’d like to experiment with that.

I’m currently thinking of an egg-like shell that encompasses a catatonic humanoid that seems to be in a sort of stasis, only stirring in their ‘sleep’ as they escape. It’s a super simple idea visually, but since I’m contemplating doing two different escapism Conjures, I’m more comfortable going for a simple design, just to convey one side of it.

Moodboards:

I don’t have a full moodboard of this, as the idea is extremely simple and easy to do - the only reference images I really need are these: