TheGatewayOfRealities

Piece from design document

Added 2016-10-02 09:32:54 +0000 UTC

Some lore information about the world that might be helpful to understand the atmosphere:

The physical universe, however vast, it has boundaries, however old, it has it's inevitable end. Everything that once was ignited and given life will eventually turn into ash and embers…

And so will the stars, the galaxies… Everyone we’ve ever and never met. No thought, memory, knowledge would stand eternity, our very existence was separated by time.

We’re all refuges from the physical Realities. Saved by the Gateway, transcended to the other planes of being. It brought us to the world that constructs itself for our very needs. A place where no physical realm can harm us anymore. Now we’re free from the concept of time and death, and yet, infinity is not something one should be afraid of.

We may never rest, but we will never cease the urge to explore, we will continue meeting new creatures we would’ve never imagine, we will continue traveling across the Planes and manifest our consciousnesses in other Realities, we will continue gathering new Knowledge and evolve our very thought...

...We shall be alive forever!!!

Welcome to Khzandithri, young one, welcome to the Endless City Between Realities!

Lore Trivia

Please notice, this is the lore part of the world the game takes place in. In the game itself however, we won't have any kind of procedural or infinite world generation. Every map is designed by hand.

Khzandithri, the Endless City Between Realities. There is no bounds or limits to it or amount of any of its residents.

Infinite amount of platforms filled with life and various technologies (organics is also a technology) throughout the space, that is long past the point where all the stars ceased to exist… Or, perhaps where any sort of big bang never happened.

These platforms are much like “flat earth”. Flat pieces of land with special gravity physics that, if something falls down the edge, will be brought back in.

These platforms have all the required conditions: atmosphere, water, or other conditions that are required for the life of various species.

Platforms seem to be created based on the memories of the Gateway Travelers, and there is infinite amount of such platforms, as well as creatures living in Khzandithri, all coming from across the multiverses.

The word “City” here is not because it sounds cool. There is indeed a vast city, full of hi-tech, magical, organical structures constructed by an uncountable amount of various races, all living together as they want, however game at this point just focuses on the “countryside” surrounding this “city”.

The whole miltiverse of Khzandithri is fuelled by a mysterious infinite source of energy, called Fundamental Energy, and only Crystallic technology can operate with it. Instead of stars the heat is provided from giant crystals channeling this energy into light.

The Gateway of Realities is an example of Crystallics, however it’s not a device, she is a conscious being that exists everywhere in the multiverses, and she provides a way to travel between realities and different platforms of Khzandithri.

Musical Instruments to think about:

Ethnic winds, flutes, recorders - gives nice sense of nature and freedom, exactly what we want.

Strings - because sometimes and some things just can’t be without them. It is so versatile with what you can do with them, I can’t even talk about that.

Erhu - may be used, but without too much of the cultural “vibes”, the game about creatures from many other worlds after all…. hmm, however I’m thinking to save it for the Sergal-themed music, for them it would suit the most.

Synths - are overall nice to have in small doses to make music more varied, especially with soft pads, they can give the sense of space, infinity, and high crystallic technologies.

Metal tuned drums - Instruments such as hang drum would reflect the crystalic mystery of this world.

Ethnic Percussions - drums are always good. Various ethnic drums, as long as they don’t really represent any culture or country, will fit in very well. They will further reinforce the nature theme, the habitats of various species.

Cinematic Percussions - Taiko and frame drums are always superb, they give such an amazing bass depth, but to be used sparingly, of course. Other cinematic stuff such as bamboo sticks may come in handy as well.

Distant horn calls - I don't know how it’s for everyone, but for me they can be associated with 2 things - warhorns, which is not something we want, but also, similar sounds were made by famous dinosaur species - Parasaurolophus. So with clever modification of those, I guess we could create distant call sounds of various alien species

Clay instruments - clay drum, various little clay and stone percussion things would suit very good with Hizathri species.

Didgeridoo is worth experimenting with filters and effects, making it into some kind of alien-sounding instrument.

The First World (Serenity)

Four stages of the area theme.

Simple, calm, melodic, ambient. Needs to signify a vast and inviting open landscape, welcoming to explore and just give a feel that you can lay down on that grassy field, stretch out and look at the bright blue sky as puffy clouds are passing by....

Same theme continues, but now with added drums, to signify travelling and motion, the pace is not very fast. Now you’re sprinting on a rocky path, across beautiful green landscapes, into the wind desert canyons. You’re fast and agile, you are exploring this new world.

Same theme as previously, but now with more drums, the pace is faster, more motion and action. Now your first challenge begins! However beautiful, and welcoming, some areas of this world can be hazardous and unstable. But you, being a strong and fearless creature, without a doubt start overcoming the obstacles, dodging the stones flying towards you, and use your tools and weapons to seal the elemental rift.

The theme continues, but instead of the fast pace drums, we have added the symphonic pieces, introducing a heroic feel, fast and energetic, but yet light and full of graceful motion. You spread your wings and make a playful jump from a large cliff, now you feel the ultimate freedom, your body cuts through the wind and glides with ease. You are flying surrounded by the walls sand canyons, between the tall redwood trees, across the vast mountainous plateaus. You are a Dragon now.

All 4 of those stages can be done by toggling on/off various instruments within the composition. So the idea is to create the 4th stage at the beginning, but then, start dialing it back, removing certain instruments and creating variations with minimum modification for 3rd, 2nd, and 1st stages. After all, this music is supposed to be blended mid-game depending on what action player takes.

30-second length stingers.

It is possible to make the short music cues that are played upon entering an area. The area theme is not going to be played constantly, rather the game, for the majority of time, will rely on the ambient sounds, and music will be played when the game decided to give player a sweet-sweet “treat”. However, when there is nothing playing, and when player enters a new area, it’s good to greet him/her.

We can decide on those stingers much later, when actual art of those areas is complete. There is going to be approximately 5 areas that will need their own signature cue:

The Hizathri Sands - Arizona-like desert with the hometown of the lizard race.

Arkarthri Forest - Redwood-like area with tall alien trees. Bird race lives there.

Caverns - natural caves, connecting all places below this land. This is where the dinosaur species start the game.

Lake of Flowers - The serene lake in the middle of the Plane.

Crystallic Spire - Mysterious tower surrounded by crystals and guarded by fundamental forces.

Example music for the right feeling

Unfortunately, I was unable to find any soundtrack that I could just simply say “I want like this”. But I only hope, that me using “words” and a few quick sketches helped to inspire and set up the mood ^^

Following examples are just to give an example of the “feel” of music, the general theme, but definitely not the style, nor the instruments. Here I just gathered many assorted pieces, all of various kinds.

David Lowe - Wild Caribbean - Treasure Islands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRB_owRy4ms

Relaxing, dreamy, fantasy - great example of atmosphere for stage 1 music

Bill Brown et al. - Lineage II - Unicorn’s Rest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Oi5pIZI_0

Relaxing, fantasy, peaceful peace - such atmosphere is very good for stage 1

Bill Brown et al. - Lineage II - Lovers Reunited

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyinKrk87XQ

Again, beautiful full of nature and love peace, yet a bit sad and lyrical. (stage 1)

Tim Larkin - Uru Music - Badlands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u092jgfqC-U

Very very good example of stage 2 area music. Honestly something like this could fit right in… if only without the human vocals ^^.

Bill Brown et al. - Lineage II - The Sun Rise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8bT9wLlVxQ

Stage 2 area music. Really has a sense of traveling, exploring new lands

Kirill Pokrovsky - Beyond Divinity - Moving Knowledge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_ef6LP68Tg

Perhaps too dark, but has a cool sense of movement, I can’t decide, it’s somewhat between stage 2 and 3.. Also look at that lizzy with fireballs on the video thumbnail xD

Dynamedion - Sacred 2: Fallen Angel - Main Menu Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JJGEB7uIbE

Great example of stage 3 area music, a somewhat dark drum solo, we'd need something lighter.

Peter Antovski - Crysis Warhead - Hovercraft Pursuit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL6DKnS6COY

Example how rhythmic music fuses with shot symphonic patches, idea for stage 4 area music.

James Newton Howard - Dinosaur - Across the Desert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7jOTIRrvE4

After 0:22. Drums in the first part are magnificent! If to exclude the vocals this ideally fits in, stage 4 area music, but if to significantly turn back symphonic pieces, and, say add some light ethnic wind instruments, would fit stage 2.

James Horner - Avatar - Climbing Up “Iknimiya - the Path to Heaven”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4lRgk9PnJQ

Example of flight and “nature” music feel. In the comments to that video someone even said “If any music gets you to feel closer to nature and animals, this will be it.?”