News & Booth Setting
Behold: a booth!
Many regulars at the Stag & Nanny have sat at this booth, but there's one new customer in particular we had in mind when making this background. Who, you ask? Perhaps... an old friend of Malcolm's?
Now we know what the third corner of the Stag & Nanny looks like! Will we ever reveal the fourth corner? Only time will tell.
Progress Report!
I'm deep into revisions, editing Rowan's Chapter 1 draft, and have found that it's all too easy to get sucked into the creative flow! Kind of like reading a good book-- which is hopefully a sign that what we've made so far reads well!
The edits this time around have been on the heavy side, mainly because we already have an existing Chapter 1 written. Where Little Librarian focused on the dialogue and narrative, here's what I've been focused on:
New scenes must integrate smoothly into original scenes, so that it feels like they were always there.
The writing needs to use the same voice we used so many years ago.
If Malcolm encounters Rowan, unrelated scenes must be reviewed for instances where the Rowan encounter might come up or trigger a memory.
Unlike Malcolm's relationship with the MacLeods, his friendship with Rowan needs to feel recent and entrenched, while still feeling like it can grow into something more.
These have been new challenges, but so far I'm happy with the result-- and I hope you will be too, when it's done!
On the art side, Watsup is still working on the loooong sequence he created for the Bonus Story currently in Beta. He's using a new-to-CT style inspired by watercolor, which gives the new content a unique look!
His stint with Jury Duty is all done, and he's now back to streaming on Picarto if anyone wants to follow his progress (but beware of spoilers!). As soon as the art is done, we'll be able to update the game to include the Bonus Story for all players!
I'll be focused on writing and revisions for a few more weeks before I can switch back over to art myself-- but when I do, I'll have more sneak peeks to share!
(although they may not be as exciting as this amazing booth!)
As always, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting our continued work on the game that we love so much!
Comments (14)
Looking forward to sitting in that booth and commiserating. :)
Much commiseration will be had!
Ah I love the lighting! The dusty sunlight flitering through is beautiful. The ash tray and Rowan's crutch add a lot to the mood too. Also are those paintings forshadowing events in other paths? Great work, as usual!
Thanks a bunch! The pictures are all quintessential Scottish references-- Highland cows, Robbie Burns, and the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie across to the Hebrides!
I can only assume at this point that when we see the foretold fourth corner straight up Cernunnos is just chilling having a drink and it's not until Malcolm gets exposed to enough Fae madness that he realizes something ain't right. And as for how to make Malcolm's friendship with Rowan feel fresher and like they last saw each other a few weeks ago at most, I would say look into military culture for the lobster backs during the time of the war to end all wars. It might be similar to American military culture in a way. Nicknames that come from embarrassing moments that now everyone calls you by. The motto of their regiments. Assuming that they were from separate units but they just became real buddy buddy because they were just sat next to each other on the trenches, have differing mottos and a friendly rivalry of units. If they're from the same one, they chant the same motto and then predator 1987 handshake. There's plenty of ways to make a friendship feel fresher, and it's I would argue a bit easier if they both are from the military, because trauma bonding is a real thing and it will make best friends out of people that would usually not mix well, but even after going through hell and coming out the other end worse for wear but alive, those friendships would thrive.
Absolutely! We're trying to straddle a line between making it clear they have a history, without bogging the reader down in flashbacks or inside references, while also respecting that neither character particularly *wants* to remember the last 4 years. It's been a balancing act! Cernunnos is nursing a drink in the 5th corner, just out of view ; )
When I heard News and Booth, I thought another convention was around the corner, and I was drastically trying to budget another travel event. Glad it's not that, cause I couldn't leave work if I wanted to right now lol.
Haha, sadly no conventions planned for me in the near future!
Just have malcolm notice the booth the first time he gets back home. "Oh ive never noticed this before..." or something like that. Then just have him poof into a dragon in the next scene and bingo bango romance done
"Of course! It's the dragon transformation booth, how could I forget?!"
The crutch and the ash tray promise good times ahead. Love the detailing on the leg of the table. It reminds me of the bramble.
Thanks! It serves a practical purpose, too-- to hide the legs of the sprite ^^;
Thanks for the update
You bet! Hope it was insightful!