Observations: War Traveler’s Creative Thread.

[WarTraveller]

SO, I have been asked to post a few things of mine on this site from my DeviantART Account. Which is fine, but I don't really like what I draw. It's not...good, y'know? But they say they prefer effort over quality here, so that's a nice thing, I guess. I struggled with what exactly I could bring over, but then it hit me; my not-even-vaguely-daily webcomic!

It's called OBSERVATIONS and as a general rule it's a look inside exactly how I see things. Having mild Asperger's can make all the difference sometimes, and it's basically a way to draw a really poor comic that tries to satirise something (but often fails) as well as giving my own personal inlook into things.  For the purpose of total coverage, I will post a basic overview of what I said in the original deviation, then link to the actual deviation so people see it as well. Only one of them will not be uploaded, and that's because it's A: personal and B: incredibly mean-spirited. And that's not what this website's about, is it? Here we go, and enjoy Observations - a look inside the mind of a 18 year old slacker with Asperger's and a pathetic amount of drawing talent!

Cross-Franchise Pairings

...Yeah, I didn't really go for a proper title for this one. Basically this all arose when a friend of mine on DA was getting into a bit of a scuffle over another about a pairing. Specifically SonicXLilac. I tend not to quote-unquote "ship" it (the only real pairings I genuinely ship are Sonaze (actual evidence behind it) and Sonouge ('cause it's funny)), but I can see why people would want to. It's just a shame that the main shipper of this ship on DA tends to be a bit...uh, arrogant I think is the word. I talked about wherever or not cross-franchise pairings can work? And after a bit of discussion, my answer? They're possible. But it needs to be done right, and they need to be truly compatible in the first place.

Oh yes, and that evil purple one to the side? That's War Lilac. From Freedom Dies With Me. My design, more or less. I like it.

So, what do you think of this little webcomic of mine? 

DA Link: http://fav.me/da8cjvb

[Ishapar]

I like how you used color to connect each character with their dialogue.  It's more creative than using thought bubbles.

[WarTraveller]

16 minutes ago, Ishapar said:

I like how you used color to connect each character with their dialogue.  It's more creative than using thought bubbles.

Yeah, makes it easier, you see. Means I don't have to draw more lines connecting to each character and draw over the actual artwork. Plus it's pretty distinctive.

[TheRedStranger]

Hope to see more and more as you improve. Keep practicing when it comes to anatomy. The best way to do that is actually toddaw from life for your practice work. The more you know how to draw real world objects, the more power you have at manipulating the forms to fit various styles.

[Ishapar]

1 hour ago, TheRedStranger said:

Hope to see more and more as you improve. Keep practicing when it comes to anatomy. The best way to do that is actually toddaw from life for your practice work. The more you know how to draw real world objects, the more power you have at manipulating the forms to fit various styles.

I guess that gives the artist more liberty in creating his own style.

[WarTraveller]

Okay, time for another one! Next up, is the first real sort of "satire"...if you can call it that. It was also the last comic I drew with the design for Traveller I've used since 2015. Now he's got a different one, and more-or-less on the way out altogether. Here we go;

Checking Out, Checking In

For the record, this was ALSO my attempt to have characters speak in images as opposed to text. It...didn't go well. For some context, I notice in a lot of shops that there are a few things for sale AFTER the tills. Of course now I know it's so you just sort of throw it onto the belt while you're paying but...why? I mean, even with that in mind, I think most people know exactly what they want when they approach the tills in the first place. I guess it helps if you can't find what you're looking for in the shop...but then why wouldn't you put that stuff in the shop to begin with?!

Yeah, it's sort of a weak start, but remember; Asperger's. It's not an excuse, but I still don't see things the exact same as most others. I'm (or at least I feel like) the only one who thinks Spec Ops: The Line is complete trash, after all.

DeviantART Link: http://fav.me/da9c38n

[Ishapar]

Poor guy!

It could be my computer screen, but I think maybe you could just be a little more creative with the image dialogue.  I know I had a hard time understanding the first panel as I didn't recognize the rings or cola.  I think this approach is creative, but I believe for it to work you need to work more at object details (I thought the cola can was a Megaman powerup).

[WarTraveller]

1 hour ago, Ishapar said:

Poor guy!

It could be my computer screen, but I think maybe you could just be a little more creative with the image dialogue.  I know I had a hard time understanding the first panel as I didn't recognize the rings or cola.  I think this approach is creative, but I believe for it to work you need to work more at object details (I thought the cola can was a Megaman powerup).

Like I said,  first time trying it. Didn't work. 

[WarTraveller]

Well...this one is going to be a bit awkward. Normally I would upload the third, but there's an issue. The comic, in very relative hindsight, is very...mean-sprited. I'd rather not go TOO much into it, but let's just say there was this artist on DeviantART that really, REALLY p*ssed me off. The end result is something I try not to talk about, so I'd figure I'd do something a little different this time.

Basically, what I'm going to do is post the...prototype for Observations, the one that gave me the inspiration to make the other pages. It was when I first heard of what would eventually be revealed...well, teased as Project Sonic 2017 (might have to expand it, though).

Yes, Boom!Sonic has peach arms in this one. I forgot and I can't be bothered to go back and fix it. I remembered next time, though. But yeah, this is the sort of thing that annoys me about SEGA; they obviously mean well, but they're so bureaucratic and incompetent that they can't get even the basics right. Hence why the games designed to celebrate the hedgehog's 25 years of survival (which have not been easy thanks to SEGA) are going to be released the year AFTER. And all we get for this year? Two spin-off games; Mario and Sonic at the Rio Olympic Games (a game that gives me scurvy everytime I think of it) and Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice (...pretty sure that sums it all up). It feels like such an insult...but I can only assume it would have been worse news for Sonic himself.

For the record, I'm not too proud of that final panel. Think I might go back and redraw it one day...

DA Link: http://fav.me/da889dp

[TheRedStranger]

You're improving on your facial expressions. I can see you understand that ears on an antho-based character act like eye brows do. Try to define his brows a bit more and that will strengthen the expressions even more. I would probably also add a small labial crease for Boom-Sonic's smile and curve the eyes lids slightly upwards to give the impression of spherical depth to the eyes. Don't be afraid to also tackle full-body poses as well and other forms of close ups. Also, practice drawing characters from a profile and 3/4 angle. Keep up the improvement.

[WarTraveller]

2 hours ago, TheRedStranger said:

You're improving on your facial expressions. I can see you understand that ears on an antho-based character act like eye brows do. Try to define his brows a bit more and that will strengthen the expressions even more. I would probably also add a small labial crease for Boom-Sonic's smile and curve the eyes lids slightly upwards to give the impression of spherical depth to the eyes. Don't be afraid to also tackle full-body poses as well and other forms of close ups. Also, practice drawing characters from a profile and 3/4 angle. Keep up the improvement.

Funny you mention that; that last comic was before the other ones. I'm still trying full-body poses. I just need to work on proportions so that one arm isn't longer or shorter than the other. Hence why I bought one of those posing wooden mannequins...which I still haven't even touched yet. Hmm.

[Ishapar]

On 11/25/2016 at 3:45 AM, WarTraveller said:

Funny you mention that; that last comic was before the other ones. I'm still trying full-body poses. I just need to work on proportions so that one arm isn't longer or shorter than the other. Hence why I bought one of those posing wooden mannequins...which I still haven't even touched yet. Hmm.

Maybe it's time to touch it and give it a shot.

[WarTraveller]

Time for another one! This one is a bit more interesting, though not strictly an observation. Still, I like it.

The Corruption Shuffle

Lookit all those Lilacs! As you know, I am a fan of the Multiverse Theory. I know some people can get a bit...existential about it ("Ooh, in another universe I died so nothing I do here ever matters waaaaaaaahh"), but I think it's more of a positive thing. It's so interesting to see the same characters with some many different interpretations from so many choices and so many possible actions - even IF those result in poor characters (*cough*Boom Sonic*cough*). As is the same with Lilac. Here's a quick rundown of each of the characters;

• War Lilac: The main one, as stated before. This Lilac listened to her ego instead of her senses when Traveller came a-knocking and as such endured an impressive bout of mental and physical torture that snapped her like a twig. Filled with resentment, powered by the energy of the destroyed Kingdom Stone and under War Master's wing as a student, War Lilac takes her frustrations out on the world at large, decimating anyone who gets on her nerves - with a massive grin on her face that does little to hide just how broken she is inside.
• Drowned Lilac: Originally a mere petty and mean-spirited reaction to a certain mixed-up fan's comic, Drowned Lilac became one of my personal favourites outside of War Lilac. Brought up in a family of many, this Lilac entered a training exercise with her godmother that involved throwing her into a pool bound within a steel pod. Predictably it went wrong and Lilac drowned in a drawn-out and painful manner. The moment Traveller heard of the Godmother's actions, he went into a rage, tracking the Godmother down and attacking her like a true savage. The energy of his Hysteria form combined with the blood of the Godmother flowing into the pool revived Lilac as a wraith, a spirit of vengeance. Once she had murdered her Godmother and assumed her current form, she travelled with Traveller for a while, unable to move on and unsure of what else she could do with her life. Outside of extreme depression, the circumstances of her death and revival gave her hydrophobia, which is an issue as her ghostly body leaks poisoned water from every orifice.
• Blood Lilac: A Vampire Lilac. This Lilac was born from Traveller attempting to change the future of one FP universe for the better by going through the whole "story" with knowledge of all future events. While ultimately unable to stop Lilac's torture at the hands of Brevon, he was able to get Lilac to safety, towards the healing baths. However, because his old friends were after him, they managed to catch him within the bowels of Shang Tu's castle and the group - led by Hellblood vampire Lowell Highcastle - opened fire. While they did manage to wound Traveller, they accidentally shot THROUGH Lilac to do so, killing her and giving Traveller the time to escape. Lowell, guilty over his actions, decided to revive Lilac as a Hellblood too, transforming her into a vampire. Converting her own Carol and draining Brevon dry (and snapping his neck to ensure he didn't come back), this Lilac also followed the group for a while before she fell in with War Lilac and what she called her "League of Extraordinary Lilacs" (or LEL for short). Assuming an amusingly poor British accent, Blood Lilac acts like a standard vampire would, attracting prey close before draining them dry - but anyone with tainted blood (or even worse, what passes for blood in Drowned Lilac's body) tends to give her food poisoning.
• Evil Lilac (belongs to Doodles626): She picked the name, by the way. This one came from Traveller just not getting the hint from Blood Lilac's creation and tried again, this time going directly through the Coalition of Planets to stop Brevon from ever setting foot on the planet. This didn't work, however, and Traveller was forced to fight him head on. He lost, and Brevon managed to properly torture information about Lilac out of him, destroying his eyes in the process. Lilac was tracked down, kidnapped and put through even more painful torture designed to break her. That does indeed happen, and she becomes a cold killer in Brevon's ranks...at first. When Amelia hears of this, she decides to kick Brevon where it hurts and corrupts Evil Lilac to be a total fangirl towards Brevon instead. Annoyed, Brevon sends Evil Lilac across the multiverse to track Traveller down and finish him off.
• Sans Lilac (also belongs to Doodles626): An offshoot of War Lilac's timeline, oddly enough. This universe, Traveller - different from the 'main' one - sacrifices himself by setting Blade to self-destruct, killing everyone except Lilac. Waking up on the shoreline outside of the Thermal Base, Lilac discovers that the outburst of energy from the Blade exploding gave her incredible powers, often control over water and the ability to summon two massive power cannons (called Gaster Blasters, of course, but she calls them Carol Cannons). Managing to help defeat the rest of Brevon's forces and locking them away for good, Sans Lilac returned to Carol's side and lived with them as normal. Physically weak from the explosion and hesitant to fight again owing to what happened the last time, Sans Lilac is quite lazy and does little but crack jokes that annoy Carol repeatedly - but threaten her or Milla and you WILL have a bad time.

And there's also Amelia (the blond hedgehog) and of course Traveller (who predictably is involved in all of these origin stories), sporting his short-lived "edgy" redesign. Still working on what exactly I'm going to do with the both of them. Think I might talk with the others about that. Alrighty then, hope you enjoyed!

DA Link: http://fav.me/daa47ge

[TheRedStranger]

On 12/8/2016 at 3:39 PM, WarTraveller said:

know some people can get a bit...existential about it ("Ooh, in another universe I died so nothing I do here ever matters waaaaaaaahh"),

Some people prefer to think; one should not deride a person for thinking critically about concepts. In fact that is a defense for deliberate ignorance which leads to cliches in art. It is aesthetic stagnation. Implications must always be thought of as the crux of consequence and conflict, the main issue that defines a narrative.

I am just going to call you out for this one, Perry. It's an unbecoming straw-man which shows a disregard for others positions mentioned to you; it is hardly open minded or constructive. I won't tolerate passive aggressiveness or intellectual cowardice. If you want to defend your position, you will do it in the open and in the right section of this site. You will do so by addressing arguments and not back-biting the people who make them. 

We are disappointed...especially after trying to encourage you.  We have come to a consensus that you should open a dialogue section to discuss this more properly and openly.

[WarTraveller]

15 hours ago, TheRedStranger said:

Some people prefer to think; one should not deride a person for thinking critically about concepts. In fact that is a defense for deliberate ignorance which leads to cliches in art. It is aesthetic stagnation. Implications must always be thought of as the crux of consequence and conflict, the main issue that defines a narrative.

I am just going to call you out for this one, Perry. It's an unbecoming straw-man which shows a disregard for others positions mentioned to you; it is hardly open minded or constructive. I won't tolerate passive aggressiveness or intellectual cowardice. If you want to defend your position, you will do it in the open and in the right section of this site. You will do so by addressing arguments and not back-biting the people who make them. 

We are disappointed...especially after trying to encourage you.  We have come to a consensus that you should open a dialogue section to discuss this more properly and openly.

Right, I apologise, then.

[TheRedStranger]

On 12/18/2016 at 3:53 PM, WarTraveller said:

Right, I apologise, then.

It's all right. Nothing personal given or taken. We just want you to not merely flourish as an artist but as a thinker; such things are mutually inclusive. If you do not think critically and dialogue openly with integrity,  conserving to good academic principles,  then you will not broaden your perception and thus limit your capacity to create beyond mere uncritical cliches. To become a good artist you must push yourself ethically and intellectually. I hope to see more soon. Keep working on your technique, but also keep reasoning about your subject matter more deeply. And know this - you currently have my support at any time. Now let's continue onwards.

[WarTraveller]

After a bit of a hiatus (yeah, I sort of forgot), it's time for another page of OBSERVATIONS!

Mandydates

Pretty sure there's an Undertale meme in there SOMEWHERE...can't remember where, though. And hey, at least I remembered Boom!Sonic's blue arms this time!

So yeah, this one was sort of a quick and cheap shot at SEGA's ever infamous, ever strangulating, and ever annoying mandates. Sometimes they work in their favour, most of the time it just severely restricts what you can do with Sonic, all to keep him "marketable". Never mind the fact that SEGA completely tarnished Sonic's reputation several times over and made him something that is shunned by the younger gens and mocked by the older gens (or the other way 'round. Can't remember), and more-or-less the only reason half the merchandise they make sell is out of our sheer loyalty. Because I can't exactly picture a kid watching Sonic Boom and wanting to pick up a soft toy of someone like Sticks afterwards. Not when there's other stuff like Steven Universe or Adventure Time or Gravity Falls, shows that actually treat them like people worth time and respect. And not, you know, brainless cattle who will watch any old meme-stuffed garbage with access to their parents' money.

Sorry, got off track. Anyway, the mandates can be restrictive, and sometimes they can be logical. And sometimes they can be...just plain silly. The reason I even made this one is because I caught some news that those who created those "crossover" (that's about the largest size quotes I can get away with on this forum) game, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. Basically, the developers wanted Sonic to take his shoes and gloves off for when he is swimming (and put on a lifejacket, which of course makes sense. Even though hedgehogs can naturally swim and apparently no-one at SEGA knew that at the time. Turns out they were dumb even then), and SEGA said no. Apparently it's one of their mandates that Sonic can never be seen without them. Hence why his feet have that white stripe on them when he turned into Darkspine Sonic. It was such a strange thing to me, especially since Classic was still The Hot Thing and Boom was still in SEGA's good books at the time. So basically, when it came to their mascot;

• Making him look like he's six is recommended.
• Covering him in bog roll and completely ruining his design is acceptable.
• But taking off what little clothes he has? OOH, now it's gonna get litigious!

Of course before anyone says so, yes I know that Sonic's gloves and shoes are iconic (and that's proper iconic, not Ubisoft Iconic) and thus they can't take them off. Which is odd, as you can still see him as Sonic without them. I mean, not a lot of (official) characters in the gaming world really look like him. Heck, with mascot platformers sort of making a comeback, Sonic's simple design can sort of still stand up against the modern, more detailed designs. So the mandate in this case DOES make sense. But you know what mandates DON'T make sense? The ones where he's not allowed to have a family, or a girlfriend, or any personality whatsoever, because some suit in the middle The Land of The Rising Sun thought it would end up selling less lunchboxes. For Chaos' Sake.

DA Link: http://fav.me/dabfgan

[WarTraveller]

Is it time for another? I believe it is!

CTRL-C, CTRL-O, CTRL-D

So...yes, this went a bit off-target, so I'll keep it simple here. I found a video called Copy/Paste of Duty by chap known as Suddenly Oranges, looking over the various times COD copied itself. Not through the gameplay, for once, but through the weapons. Now, I understand WHY he and they did so, but it's...still a rather petty thing to get pedantic about, I must admit. Partly because people seemed to be treating this as if ONLY Call of Duty recycled assets all the time, which simply isn't true. Battlefield 4 basically recycled the entire last game, after all. Still, I got some good use out of this...confusion, as it gave me a chance to talk about reusing assets for other games. Obviously it is appreciated if that isn't the case at all, as in every new game has new assets in some manner, no matter how small. But when you have a perfectly done M4A1 model with animations and all, why WOULD you throw it out and make another set, unless you want to improve? 

And when it comes to such boorish, annualised, "make-this-every-year" franchises like...well, this, it's kind of becomes necessary. The revolving trio of developers for these games results in three-year development cycles for COD games, even though they come out every year. And while this is actually a good thing for MOST games, it still doesn't seem enough for others. Most likely because about half of that time (and about half of the budget) most likely goes into publisher-mandated stuff, like Zombies, celebrity voice actors and the marketing aspects. Reusing assets sort of becomes essential in that regard, as it saves money and time that can be better spent on other things.

HOWEVER, that doesn't mean it should be accepted as much, especially when there's no excuse. If you can do it, and it won't hurt the budget doing so, you probably SHOULD make new assets so each game doesn't feel like a complete copy-paste of the game before it. Something that Sonic has, to its credit, staved away from quite well (it at the cost of running into the opposite problem). Like Ghosts reusing the ending of Modern Warfare 2 for it's beginning, that's the sort of thing people should angry about, not iron sights and reload animations. In other words, reusing assets is fine...when done professionally. It's finding the right mix of things to keep and throw away, and not looking lazy or cheap in the process. It is, like most other things in life, fine in moderation but damaging in any other fashion.

Oh yes, and keep in mind that this was all BEFORE Infinite Warfare and Modern Warfare Remastered, when I felt like there was something in COD that was defendable. Not anymore.

DA Link: http://fav.me/dai1tim

[F07E]

I find It's ok to reuse assets so long as it doesn't negatively impact the overall final product, for example sonic 2 used some of the same sprites and animations from sonic 1 with minor tweaks, however in some instances such as CoD's guns you literally can't not do that every time, an M4A1 is always gonna look like an M4A1, not much you can really change before it starts over-complicating the aesthetics to an unreasonable degree at which point it stops being an M4A1 and just looks silly. 

[WarTraveller]

12 minutes ago, F07E said:

I find It's ok to reuse assets so long as it doesn't negatively impact the overall final product, for example sonic 2 used some of the same sprites and animations from sonic 1 with minor tweaks, however in some instances such as CoD's guns you literally can't not do that every time, an M4A1 is always gonna look like an M4A1, not much you can really change before it starts over-complicating the aesthetics to an unreasonable degree at which point it stops being an M4A1 and just looks silly. 

What, like the ICR-1 from Black Ops III?

[F07E]

8 hours ago, WarTraveller said:

What, like the ICR-1 from Black Ops III?

Never got that far with CoD, sorta stopped buying after MW3, but if it's anything like the BR and the plasma repeater/storm rifle amongst other things from halo 4 and onwards, then yeah.

[WarTraveller]

10 minutes ago, F07E said:

Never got that far with CoD, sorta stopped buying after MW3, but if it's anything like the BR and the plasma repeater/storm rifle amongst other things from halo 4 and onwards, then yeah.

I'll show you what the ICR looks like. It's a simple thing, really. An update of the HK416/M27 from Black Ops II. What they do, is...uh, this;

See, this is why I hate games with futuristic weapons. Mainly because that boils down to "take a normal weapon and cover it in things".

[F07E]

2 hours ago, WarTraveller said:

I'll show you what the ICR looks like. It's a simple thing, really. An update of the HK416/M27 from Black Ops II. What they do, is...uh, this;

See, this is why I hate games with futuristic weapons. Mainly because that boils down to "take a normal weapon and cover it in things".

Ech, that's bad. It actually sorta reminds me of the sad tale of the halo shotgun:

And that's just the guns, don't even get me started on the character aesthetics...

[WarTraveller]

12 hours ago, F07E said:

And that's just the guns, don't even get me started on the character aesthetics...

Exactly. It's why I hate futuristic art styles,  as they just get visually clunkier and complicated every time it's done. It's starting to become a massive eyesore,  as the details get lost in the details. 

[F07E]

1 hour ago, WarTraveller said:

Exactly. It's why I hate futuristic art styles,  as they just get visually clunkier and complicated every time it's done. It's starting to become a massive eyesore,  as the details get lost in the details. 

Agreed, at some point you have gotta realize you've gone to far:

[WarTraveller]

6 hours ago, F07E said:

Agreed, at some point you have gotta realize you've gone to far;

Uh...about that.

[TheRedStranger]

On 1/23/2017 at 0:00 PM, WarTraveller said:

It's why I hate futuristic art styles

There are many forms of Futurism that are not that way. For example look at Retro-60's Futurism. It is very minimalistic. That "Jetsonian" look was very minimalist.  Apple also has the "Ultra-modern" look which uses "flat-design" with its iconagorphy. Classical Futurism as a whole was largely influence by geometric simplifications of cubism. I would invite to investigate art styles and think more complexly about art movements. I think there are some forms of Futurism you might enjoy and by studying you could also be able ton properly codify and communicate the movements you dislike and why you so much better. Not to mention give you more creative clay to shape your own style.

If you guys like, I will start posting articles in forms of art and design as reference for your learning.

 

[WarTraveller]

1 hour ago, TheRedStranger said:

There are many forms of Futurism that are not that way. For example look at Retro-60's Futurism. It is very minimalistic. That "Jetsonian" look was very minimalist.  Apple also has the "Ultra-modern" look which uses "flat-design" with its iconagorphy. Classical Futurism as a whole was largely influence by geometric simplifications of cubism.

Then why is Modern Futurism so hopelessly bland? You just lose sight of the details 'cause they're buried in all the details! All ridges and bumps and vents and ribs, stuff that for all intents and purposes would never be on a weapon from our future. Aren't modern weapons supposed to snag on stuff LESS? Though sadly the trade off for such is that every rifle looking to replace the M16 in service these days just looks like an AR-platform rifle with things bolted onto it...a bit like that ICR-1 up there.

[F07E]

I can see both points as valid, as there is more than one form of futurism. I find It's a balance really, as too many smooth and textureless styles can end up lacking any creativity (fallout 4 exemplifies this trend in games), alternatively the excess in moving parts and hard edges can lead to a form of sensory overload (eg. Every Micheal bay film since transformers) that ultimately adds up to that same lack of creativity as the initial vision becomes lost in the deluge of similar geometric designs. For call of duty, it's the same problem as when every game wanted to be call of duty (and shadow the hedgehog wanted to be halo 2, those who forget as they say) where it was all brown and grey shooters in ruined city number X, as the solution to making things aesthetically modern is to slap crap on it till it can't possibly be functional (that picture after mine was both perfect and hilarious).

[TheRedStranger]

19 hours ago, WarTraveller said:

Aren't modern weapons supposed to snag on stuff LESS? Though sadly the trade off for such is that every rifle looking to replace the M16 in service these days just looks like an AR-platform rifle with things bolted onto it...a bit like that ICR-1 up there.

I am talking about artistic styles as a macrocosm and series of interrelated artistic movements through our history. Imagine art styles more complexly, guys. I am not talking about guns or transformers which are based off 80's cartoons and maximalist interpretations of dystopian style. Futurism has been around since the early 1900's... It mostly came out of cubism and an increased abstraction and focus on bold, angular forms with robust industrial themes.  Like a little film and style that influenced films like this. 

Also do not forget Art-Deco, a style seen in Bioshock.

[WarTraveller]

So, I asked if people wanted this on this site...and they do. It's time for Ask the Cast 2017!

Now, I'll keep it short and sweet; want to ask any of these people a question? Now you can! But you MUST state the name of the character you wish to ask, otherwise I might get confused. There is also a massive list of Lilacs you could ask here (http://fav.me/daag26e), but remember that you MUST state the universe number of the Lilac. Makes things easier...

Anyway, here's the list of characters you can ask;

The Travellerverse
Markus Pederson/The Traveller
The hero of the story, one of the few remaining from an unknown and botched project and alone in a world ravaged by the Black Arms and Shadow the Hedgehog. Holding his trusted Blade of Ares, he sets out to save who remains from the peril of the Black Arms, discover his true origins and destroy the Black Arms once and for all. Will answer any questions he gets as well as he possibly can, but he doesn't know everything.

War Lilac
The broken incarnation of everyone's favourite Wonder Dragon, War Lilac is beyond mere insanity and if your name isn't Traveller she'd much rather tear your lungs out than listen to you. Believing he had a hand in her traumatic backstory, she sets out to find him and make him pay for his actions...whatever they are. Will only answer questions if she finds them worth her time.

The Blade of Ares
The blade that replaces The Blade of Hysteria from the old world, The Blade of Ares is very different from her counterpart; female instead of male, abrasive instead of helpful and only wants The Traveller to kill everything he - or she - finds annoying. Will generally answer questions with a wit as dry as sandpaper, but if she doesn't understand the question then she'll give it to Traveller.

The Surgeon
A wanderer from places unknown, he shows up every now and again to help The Traveller in his fight against the Black Arms, often telling him what to do if he's stuck or what sort of weak points the Black Arms may have, but tends to help no more than that. The Traveller still cannot understand why he is like he is, and lacks the ability to fight..or what the hell a Time Lord is. Has a lot of knowledge and answers everything he can, but tends to use a lot of otherworldly jargon, so don't be surprised if you can't understand his answers.

Azima
...Yeah, that design is more or less a placeholder. A distant friend of The Traveller, Azima mostly watches from the shadows and rarely gets involved, often having her own adventures against the Black Arms halfway across the globe. She often shows up to protect Traveller whenever she can, and it seems she has made it her mission to do so. Rarely answers questions.

The Mistress
A close friend of The Traveller, "Missy" is the one who taught The Traveller everything he knows, and even fought the Black Arms herself at one point. However, years of fighting them has taken its toll and an errant stab from a Black Arms Death Leech has left her sick and weak. While the rest of The Traveller's teammates find a cure for her, she can only lay back and give The Traveller advice when he needs it. Unwilling to answer questions in person, and as such will often give the answer to someone else so they can give it out instead.

SH-123
Sonic the Hedgehog
The hero of the hour, Sonic was originally a younger brother known as Oliver Needlemouse, with his brother Nicky taking up the mantle of the hero known as "Sonic". When Nicky was sadly killed by Doctor Eggman during the events of what is known as "ARKFALL", Oliver took up the mantle and fights Eggman and the elusive Trickster in his place. Much like The Traveller, he doesn't know everything but will nevertheless answer questions to the best of his abilities.

Miles "Tails" Prower
A fox genius from Central City, Tails was bullied from primary school for three things; her gender, her intelligence and her twin tails, all of which she tried to hide to fit in better. When meeting up with the Needlemouse family, however, the younger brother Oliver helped her come to terms with what she really was, and she's been happily following the new Sonic on adventures ever since. Much like The Surgeon, she will answer every question she is given, use of confusing jargon and all.

Knuckles the Echidna
The very last of his kind, Knuckles grew up strong and mean to protect the Master Emerald on Angel Island, his one role in life. But when Doctor Eggman came to steal it, he managed to trick Knuckles into thinking it was Sonic and Tails who are planning to, leading to him trying to kill them across the island. When he learned his mistake, however, he helped the duo kick Eggman off of his island and then join them on their adventures to ensure he never returned. Stoic and grouchy, Knuckles has little knowledge of life outside of his own, and as such cannot answer a lot of questions - any he can't will be transferred to Sonic or Tails.

Lowell Highcastle
The main leader of Team Vigilant, Lowell is a Genesis vampire* and a keen vigilante, often travelling the multiverse with his wife and best friend to ensure that everyone gets their fair shot at life, even if someone has to die for it. A bit of a blood knight at heart, Lowell has a habit of rushing into things head first without thinking of the consequences, as long as someone gets helped; this tends to bite him in the ass quite a bit. Answers questions only if you have been kind to the other members of his team; be rude to either his wife or his friend and he'll refuse to speak to you.

Katherine Highcastle
Originally hailing from the flying city New Spagonia, Katherine lived a sheltered and very...odd life until Lowell and Nikolai came a-knocking. Lowell's kind was not allowed in the city and hell erupted around them soon after. With parents dead and home destroyed, Katherine decided to go live with Lowell, eventually falling in love with and marrying him. She acts as Lowell's restraining bolt, stopping him from running into truly suicidal situations, while using her .50 Cal sniper rifle to keep those situations at a distance. Likes to answer questions as well as she can, but often doesn't know what to say, resulting in lot of Buffy Speak.

Nikolai Pentreko
A porcupine from the early 40's, Nikolai was originally little more than a Private during the Second Surface War between humans and mobians, rescued by Lowell mostly out of pity. For this, Nikolai became loyal to his friend and has been by his side ever since. The years have strengthened him quite a bit, to the point that even death no longer scares him. Hell, he's died before. Rarely answers questions, if at all, and doesn't like talking about his history in 1940's Volvograd.

The Multiverse of Lilacs
War Lilac
See Above

Drowned Lilac
A Lilac who ended up drowning at the bottom of a pool thanks to the honest mistake of her godmother, something an unknown vigilante REALLY did not take well. Tracking down the godmother, they chopped her into pieces and threw them into the pool to make sure she didn't come back. Somehow, this revived Lilac as what they called a Wraith, a vengeful spirit, but with no-one to be vengeful towards she is stuck in this plane of reality until she can track down the soul of her godmother and eradicate it for good. Does not answer questions, and any directed towards her will be Redirected towards Blood Lilac.

Blood Lilac
An accidental creation of Lowell Highcastle, Blood Lilac was created when, about to enter the healing baths, she was shot dead by Lowell, trying to aim at their actual target, who used this distraction to escape. To apologise for this, Lowell revived this Lilac as a Genesis Vampire herself. Constantly in trouble with the No-Zone, Blood Lilac just sort of does whatever she feels like, including answering questions. Will answer the questions for herself and Drowned Lilac, but will often give out half-truths in the process.

Grounded Lilac
The Lilac of FP-084, this Lilac was shot in the back of the spine by Brevon and ended up paralysed from the waist down as a result. Confined to a wheelchair in a world where they just don't exist, it goes without saying that she doesn't enjoy this twist of fate at all, and is constantly searching for reasons to keep going. This Lilac is extremely miserable and tends to not answer questions if she isn't feeling up to it.

Carol Lilac (FP-002)
From the FreedomSwap universe, this Lilac took Carol's place in the timeline where she took Lilac's. Because of this, she is the snarky ninja that has a number of justified issues with trusting random strangers, as well as a knack for sushi and NOT running into one-sided fights without proper backup. Will only answer questions about her world and her people, so don't expect an answer concerning the torture session - she'll have no idea what you're talking about.

Samantha Lilac (FP-AOS)
The Lilac from the Age of Steam Avalice, a world where steampunk reigns supreme and steam powers everything. The main component of the Dragon Valley Chop Shop, her knack with machinery is well-known and has made her a famous icon of her world, including the creation of the incredibly powerful DragonBoost engine. As with Carol Lilac, will only answer questions about her own world, or about steampunk ideas in general.
 

Got something to ask? Go right ahead!

[Akessel92]

Interesting. Keep up the good work. I'm curious if your gonna post other character profiles.

[WarTraveller]

9 minutes ago, Akessel92 said:

Interesting. Keep up the good work. I'm curious if your gonna post other character profiles.

Eh. Depends if I think anyone would want to ask other characters.

[Ishapar]

So why is Tails a girl?

[WarTraveller]

48 minutes ago, Ishapar said:

So why is Tails a girl?

TAILS: Uh...I was kinda...born this way. Different universes and all...*shrugs*

[Ishapar]

Ah...

[Mike Arcade]

So we get to ask your current characters the up and up sans spoilers and through their own eyes, this should pretty fun. hehehe...

Traveler: So if you don't know your own past similar to Shadow, no offense, where did you get your full name from? Also good luck man, you couldn't possibly botch it like that edgy nutcase before you.
What do I mean by that? Doesn't matter anymore Marky-Mark XP

War Lilac: So two questions, does the name Durga ring any bells and do you ever think the guy you're after might already be dead? You could be on a wild goose chase there Dragoness, might want to sort yourself out before going on some wacky adventures first.

Blade of Ares: Please tell me you aren't keen for Memes and Terrible Puns, I don't know if I can take another Blade that does so again. @_@
Also Miss Ares where did you get your name anyway? I'm sure you have a very sharp history behind you.

The Surgeon: Why is it that Timelines are often confused with Multiverse Travel? I mean as a Time Lord you certainly are aware of the Chronal Shifts that occur sideways from Time upon altercations it's just that do you end up correcting a lot of people because of this confusion with that false theory? Also how'd you end up regenerating into a Mobian, does it have to do with the wavelengths of Space-Time as it is in this Timeline. Any experiences with Pocket Dimensions?

Azima: Since I have a feeling you won't talk about anything regarding Markus to any major details, you ever run into any "Freedom Fighters" of some sort, like a ragtag band of Mobians fighting against The Arms?

The Mistress: Anyone ever tell you that your moniker is rather...odd so to speak considering it's previous meanings? Also any advice against someone fighting these creatures?

Sonic: So Ollie if it's okay to ask you due to the sensitivity of this topic, was it Nicky that met Tails and Knuckles while fighting Eggman before you and what was your first adventure as Sonic, how did you get his speed in the first place anyway? One more thing have you or your brother dealt with a Pink Hedgehog before?

Tails: Have you ever tried to look up who your parents are if you don't mind me asking. Also if there is one famous person in history you'd like to talk to who would it be?

Knuckles: Did you find anything regarding your lost race? Word of advice if you find anything please tread lightly, you might not like what you find buddy.

Lowell: Regarding your insane adventures across time and space have you learned anything from it all, any advice for future wanderers such as yourself?

Katherine: When not dealing with psychopaths what do you guys do in you're off time, any particular place you live in during these breaks?

Nikolai: I'll keep this as brief so to not waste you're time, how did you die before? Also what do you like in your off time?

Blood: Regarding your Wraith friend has there been any other attempts at giving her peace through other means as Soul Eradication is...well impossible? Also how did you end up in trouble with the No-Zone in the first place?

Grounded: Have you ever been to physical therapy or have thought on what to do next for the future, don't give up hope.
[WarTraveller seriously the heck man why? o_o]

Carol Lilac: Considering you're Tangent Timeline's oddities do you have a Sister by any chance? Also are Dragons more abundant where you're from?

Samantha: So whose employed at your Chop Shop anyway, also are you always thinking of some neat new devices?

[Yes I know I'm a little cheeky, pardon me and good luck buddy.  ]

[WarTraveller]

18 hours ago, Mike Arcade said:

So we get to ask your current characters the up and up sans spoilers and through their own eyes, this should pretty fun. hehehe...

Traveler: So if you don't know your own past similar to Shadow, no offense, where did you get your full name from? Also good luck man, you couldn't possibly botch it like that edgy nutcase before you.
What do I mean by that? Doesn't matter anymore Marky-Mark XP

War Lilac: So two questions, does the name Durga ring any bells and do you ever think the guy you're after might already be dead? You could be on a wild goose chase there Dragoness, might want to sort yourself out before going on some wacky adventures first.

Blade of Ares: Please tell me you aren't keen for Memes and Terrible Puns, I don't know if I can take another Blade that does so again. @_@
Also Miss Ares where did you get your name anyway? I'm sure you have a very sharp history behind you.

The Surgeon: Why is it that Timelines are often confused with Multiverse Travel? I mean as a Time Lord you certainly are aware of the Chronal Shifts that occur sideways from Time upon altercations it's just that do you end up correcting a lot of people because of this confusion with that false theory? Also how'd you end up regenerating into a Mobian, does it have to do with the wavelengths of Space-Time as it is in this Timeline. Any experiences with Pocket Dimensions?

Azima: Since I have a feeling you won't talk about anything regarding Markus to any major details, you ever run into any "Freedom Fighters" of some sort, like a ragtag band of Mobians fighting against The Arms?

The Mistress: Anyone ever tell you that your moniker is rather...odd so to speak considering it's previous meanings? Also any advice against someone fighting these creatures?

Sonic: So Ollie if it's okay to ask you due to the sensitivity of this topic, was it Nicky that met Tails and Knuckles while fighting Eggman before you and what was your first adventure as Sonic, how did you get his speed in the first place anyway? One more thing have you or your brother dealt with a Pink Hedgehog before?

Tails: Have you ever tried to look up who your parents are if you don't mind me asking. Also if there is one famous person in history you'd like to talk to who would it be?

Knuckles: Did you find anything regarding your lost race? Word of advice if you find anything please tread lightly, you might not like what you find buddy.

Lowell: Regarding your insane adventures across time and space have you learned anything from it all, any advice for future wanderers such as yourself?

Katherine: When not dealing with psychopaths what do you guys do in you're off time, any particular place you live in during these breaks?

Nikolai: I'll keep this as brief so to not waste you're time, how did you die before? Also what do you like in your off time?

Blood: Regarding your Wraith friend has there been any other attempts at giving her peace through other means as Soul Eradication is...well impossible? Also how did you end up in trouble with the No-Zone in the first place?

Grounded: Have you ever been to physical therapy or have thought on what to do next for the future, don't give up hope.
[WarTraveller seriously the heck man why? o_o]

Carol Lilac: Considering you're Tangent Timeline's oddities do you have a Sister by any chance? Also are Dragons more abundant where you're from?

Samantha: So whose employed at your Chop Shop anyway, also are you always thinking of some neat new devices?

[Yes I know I'm a little cheeky, pardon me and good luck buddy.  ]

Alrighty then. This is gonna take a while...

Traveller: "My full name? Uh...I don't know where I got it, actually. I don't even remember where I came from. I just find myself in some sort of giant test tube with the words "Markus Pederson" written across it and I just sort of guessed that was my name. Until I find out where I came from, that's what I'm going by. Besides, I think it fits. I just use The Traveller 'cause it helps keep the more brutal Black Arms generals off my back."

War Lilac: "Durga? N-No, I'm not aware of this, uh...thing. Think I've read a few things about it, though. Some sort of...God, was it? Like a goddess of something? Why ask, exactly? And what're you implying, huh?! You think I've been misleading myself all this time, HUH?! IS THAT IT?! YOU LITTLE...actually, now that you mention it, something feels...off. None of this feels right. But, T-Traveller killed my friends, I swear I saw him do it! And I won't rest 'till he fesses up, you hear?!"

Ares: "Wait, what other blade? OH, you mean that loathsome Terror Mask wannabe the Blade of Hysteria, don't you? Oh don't worry your little head off 'bout that, boyo. That bozo is LONG gone. This is the NEW Traveller and Blade combo. The better one. The cleverer one! As for the name...well, yknow, ARES? Like, that what God of War from those what viddy gims? You know, THOSE? Turns out that I'm one of those multiversial split changes; most versions of me seem to be male, but THIS version of me's a chick! Well...I guess gender don't have much purpose when you're an eye in a sword, but still. God of War. Somethings just don't change."

Surgeon: "Oof, have a lot of questions, don't you? Let's just say it's a lot of...timey-wimey stuff. Stuff I'm not exactly proud of. Perhaps when I crash landed in my fifth incarnation the Regeneration energies picked up little fragments of Mobian DNA to transmogrify my visible race into something that would probably blend in better. 'Part from that? In the Old World we had a multiverse, something I hear you New World types aren't exactly the biggest fans of. We had an unlimited number of universes stacked on top of each other with what we call The Void inbetween, where there is NOTHING. Some people refuse to believe in that thing, though, which is where the whole Timelines thing comes in. In the New World it's kind of both; still got multiple worlds but each now splits further into alternate timelines. I don't mind. Gives me a lot to fly around to look at."

Azima: "You speak of Freedom Fighters, but they are mere legend at this point. Such a term is used to refer to the cobalt hedgehog and friends. Those who died trying to take down the Black Arms when one of their own turned against them. We still do not know who. And all we have left of their sacrifice is some of their stories...and their graves."

Missy: "Funny you mention that...*ahem* Uh, I think I got the name from when one of the Black Arms seemed to gain enough intelligence to understand and attempt human speech. I found him early in the battles and cut him down. He tried pleading for mercy, but all that came out was 'Missy'. After I cut him down, some of the more...devoted survivors of the Comet's Fall took it as an excuse to call me Mistress and the name kinda stuck. I just go by Missy myself. As for the Black Arms, that's simple; speed is key. They're strong and they're durable, but they're dumb as rocks and slow. Just run around them and attack them, in their back, where they lack organic armour and thus are at their weakest. If that's not possible, shooting them with high-calibre rifles that can shatter their armour tends to work best. Oh, and avoid those "death leech" blighters. Those little ****s can knock you on your backside big time, if they don't outright put you in the ground."

Sonic: "Nicky...my bro...it's hard to tell. My "timeline" doesn't really go against the standard one, some events are out of order. What you Overlanders call "Sonic 3 and Knuckles" happened AFTER the events of Project Biohazard (or "Adventure 2") for me. Tails was with him since the very beginning, I mean it WAS him who helped her escape her own shadow and realise her true potential. I saw Knuckles during Project Biolizard when Eggman stole his Master Emerald and he left the island to get it back. He got it back, he returned to Angel Island and when my bro...*ahem* I-I took his place. One of the fragments of the Project landed somewhere on Angel Island and Eggman wanted 'em for...something, so I went with Tails to Angel Island to secure it before he did. I guess the whole "Sonic 3" thing was my first adventure as Sonic. It was...it was actually pretty fun! As for Amy...uh, w-we don't talk about Amy..."

Tails: "I can't think of anyone off the top of my head. Everyone I idolised turned out to be a monster when I knew more about 'em. Professor Gerald, The Duke of Soleanna, heck I even thought EGGMAN was a cool guy once upon a time! And I DO know my parents, but for some reason I'm not allowed to talk about 'em anymore. Like, they did this really awful thing and now I can't even mention their names. Something about some legal troubles they got caught up in. I just kinda live with Sonic in my workshop now..."

Knuckles: "I know of my race, Overlander. The last remnants of my clan trained me for the duty of protecting the Master Emerald. They died, one by one, and once I had learned everything, the sole remaining tribesman died peacefully. I am aware of what my clan has done. The hedgehog and the fox showed me everything. You Overlanders kept records of Chaos' rampage on your archives. The Master Emerald is now with your Guardians, and all I can say is...No More."

Lowell: "Oh, I've seen every bit of madness this crazy multiverse has to offer! I've seen people living in starships, or fighting fat robot creators in forests, some even just trying their damn hardest to survive in a world that's dying. I've learned plenty of things. Rule One: Don't work or mess with the No-Zone, those pigs must do everything by their stupid little rulebook. Rule Two: Don't mess around in universes that the No-Zone have 'claimed'. No-Zone tazers hit like a truck. And Rule Three: Live Life to the fullest...'cause there'll be a time where you won't have much of it left."

Katherine: "Ooh, that's a good question. I mean, we DO have a home back in our native world, but we kinda let Sonic use it for when he can't stay at his friend's workshop. We have this little ship all to ourselves, basically a flying house. On the off days we just sorta mill around, play games and order pizzas, the usual stuff most people do off-duty. Sometimes we just plan where we're gonna go next, or just sleep or do...other things. *ahem*."

Nikolai: "Must you ask? Well, if I have to. To keep it brief, we ran into the bad guy of the moment. Creature thought he could just get away with controlling a full gaggle of kidnapped female Mobians from other worlds. One of them turned out to be an alternate Katherine, so Lowell, as you Westerners say, "flipped his ****" and "went ham" on this guy. But my friend has a habit of overestimating his ability, and he got overpowered. The man tried to shoot at him, and I knew the shot would be fatal, so...I took the shot for him. At least it gave Lowell the sheer rage to put this monster down, but...urgh. I am in no mood to ever try that again. What is death like, you ask? It is is like going on holiday with a number of businessmen."

Blood Lilac: "It's amusing that you ask, darling. Those No-Zone ruffians have tried all sorts of things. But they're designed to deal with purely scientific monsters and criminals, not the supernatural. Bless. I sometimes wonder if the poor little pet has gotten used to her new form. It's not like she's any worse off, apart from the fear of water and the, uh...poisoned blood. Both me and her ended up getting lumped in with that nutty Lilac in her little gang. The League of Extraordinary Lilacs - or LEL, for short. I didn't really believe in her twaddle; I just wanted to see the world, drain the blood of the...exotic. Perhaps my soggy counterpart wanted to find her place in life...whatever that may be."

Grounded Lilac: "The No-Zone's said they're gonna set up Physical Therapy for me. Starting at once a month, and then it gets more involved as I show signs of improvement. Not sure if that's how it's supposed to work, but I'm just a dragon with non-functioning legs what do I know? I'm not even sure what I can do anymore. It's hard to live in a world where your main method of transportation is alien to them. We have robots and healing pools, but no freaking wheelchair ramps. Great. I...I'm lost, Mr Arcade. I don't know what to do..."

[What? I had an idea for an alternate Lilac, and I went for it. No-one's ever done a Paraplegic Lilac before! Granted there's a reason for that, but still.]

Carol Lilac: "Wha? Uh...well I guess there IS my sister Lilith. We don't keep in touch much, though. Girl's a thief through and through. Reminds me too much of me and my own Carol. Who is...supposed to be me and I'm supposed to be her? It's...confusing. I guess I've got a few relatives scattered across the planet, but we're still not quite as common as the wildcats of the world. Heck, we're still behind our world's lore, for the most part. It was still Carol to beat Serpentine, though. Poor girl got fried to a crisp for it, but WE made sure he got his just deserts."

Samantha Lilac: "Blimey, I haven't thought that. I've got me bread and butter Carol runnin' the Chop Shop's business side and apart from that...not much else. We sometimes hire temps that I can teach a thing or two 'bout the world of steam-flavoured mechanical interaction, but apart from that? It's just us. I don't want that little orphan we picked up to be involved in this YET. 'Part from that? Well, I've gotta improve on my Dragonboost engine, and I've got a few plans for stuff like a steam-powered toaster and even like this little device that fires small chunks of metal via explosive propulsion? Cool, roight?"

I hope that answers your questions, Mike. And thanks for asking 'em!

[TheRedStranger]

Anything new? @WarTraveller

[MoKat]

On 11/5/2016 at 12:40 PM, WarTraveller said:

Oh yes, and that evil purple one to the side? That's War Lilac. From Freedom Dies With Me. My design, more or less. I like it.

I do too ^.^

On 11/12/2016 at 5:08 PM, WarTraveller said:

It's not an excuse, but I still don't see things the exact same as most others.

Sometimes that can be a -good- thing; my experience is that the majority is often wrong about many things

On 1/22/2017 at 7:51 PM, WarTraveller said:

I'll show you what the ICR looks like. It's a simple thing, really. An update of the HK416/M27 from Black Ops II. What they do, is...uh, this;

Ugh! That was obviously designed by somebody who doesn't handle firearms very often (if at all) >.<

FYI, Serious Sam titles like to poke fun at things so the series' name is a bit of a misnomer. That pic you posted is typical of their style of humor.

On 1/24/2017 at 9:19 PM, F07E said:

I find It's a balance really, as too many smooth and textureless styles can end up lacking any creativity (fallout 4 exemplifies this trend in games), alternatively the excess in moving parts and hard edges can lead to a form of sensory overload

Agreed.