Research
Research Into Enemies (Design Influences)
When doing my initial survey for understanding my audience, the majority of responses came in saying that they preferred chaotic games over uniform ones. So, to keep that chaos throughout my levels, I decided to take folklore from all over history and the world, keeping it so that they only need to fit within the levels environment to be part of said level.
Bosses
(The nameless mist is not included due to me having incorporated and researched into the nameless mist in my last years' FMP, so I should focus on learning new things about the folklore in game rather than re-research something I’ve already looked into.)
Anubis
Anubis is the Egyptian god of mummification and the afterlife, as well as being the patron god of lost souls. He is one of, the oldest gods found in Egypt, whose design most likely came from Wepwawet, who is also designed around a jackal. Anubis is often depicted as a black canine/jackal hybrid or as a muscular male with a jackal head. The colour black was chosen for symbolism over the fact that jackals were black, as black symbolized the decay of the body as well as the colour of fertile soil in the Nile river valley, which represented regeneration and life. Anubis is often depicted with a was-sceptre, a sceptre carried by many of the gods, as it was responsible for the wellbeing of the deceased.
In terms of incorporating these facts into a design, I think I will go with incorporating the Jackal aspect as the main, if not the whole body, and have Anubis appear as if it were a spirit, making the whole body black, as I feel this would be better suited for the type of game I am making. I will have him wielding the Was-Sceptre, but it will have the power of resurrecting the dead, as opposed to being responsible for the wellbeing of the dead, as that wouldn't be very interesting to implement as a mechanic for a boss fight.
Medusa
Medusa is a famous monster from Greek Mythology, and is the most famous of the creatures known as Gorgons. She was usually depicted as a female with snakes for hair, whose gaze could turn any of those it looked at into stone! However, Medusa was decapitated by Perseus, as she was the only Gorgon that was mortal. There are three stories as to what happened to the head after. One, it was buried in the marketplace of Argos, two, it was given to Athena, who placed it in her shield, and three, it was used as a weapon by Perseus before burying it in the marketplace of Argos.
To implement Medusa into the game from a design standpoint, I would like to have the idea of only her head remaining, so I may do something such as implement the head being attached to her spirit that uses the head as a weapon, or perhaps a magical body that simply looks like Medusa. She will have the ability to turn people into stone when she looks at them, so the boss fight could revolve around hiding from Medusa and distracting her to attack her so you aren't turned to stone by her glare. I also think it would be a cool idea to have her turn creatures into statues to decorate her own level, so I might have that be the theme of the Greek Ruins level she will feature in.
The Grim Reaper
The Grim Reaper, also known as the black death, is a representation of death itself that came from the 14th century, around the time the black death was sweeping across Europe. It is believed that the Europeans created the Grim Reaper due to them constantly having death on their minds, so they made an image to represent death. They chose the skeleton aspect due to skeletons being representative of death, the robe came from the outfits of those who held funeral services at the time, and the Scythe came from the agricultural practices of the time, representing the Grim Reaper reaping souls, just they would with their crops.
In terms of implementing this as a character design, I think it'd be fun to have a very mysterious version of the grim reaper where you cannot see anything but the robe and scythe, and he'd float around trying to slash at the player, dealing lots of damage upon touch, as instant death would not be very fair in a 12+ game. In terms of a weak point, I think it would be as simple as "hit the enemy when they're dizzy after a spin attack", as that would be very easy to do with the Grim Reaper. For other abilities, he could also summon things such as the dead souls that he has reaped to do his bidding for the player to fend off mid boss-fight (maybe?).
Scylla and Charybdis
Scylla and Charybdis are two evils that were positioned on either side of the Strait of Messina in folklore, but were mainly used as a figure of speech, being "to be between Scylla and Charybdis", which meant being between two equally unpleasant alternatives. Scylla was believed to originally be human-looking, but transformed into her horrific appearance you see above due to jealousy and the witchcraft of Circe, leaving her with 12 feet and six heads. She is also believed to be a personification of a rock shoal/reef. It is said she often resided in a cave in her lair where she devoured all those that entered. As for Charybdis, it is believed that it was the personification of a whirlpool that "swallowed down and belched forth the waters thrice a day" which was fatal to shipping in the area. Due to this, Charybdis is often portrayed as an enormous sea creature with a large circular mouth.
In terms of implementing these within my game, I'd like to implement them both into one boss fight, saying that they began working together due to the chaotic events of the game. I'd like to have Scylla riding atop of Charybdis, whilst the player jumps around on pieces of rock sticking out from the sides of the whirlpool the boss fight would hopefully take place in. Scylla would attack with her heads, and Charybdis would "belch forth" large amounts of water towards the player, destroying any debris they were standing on prior. You'd defeat them by attacking weak points exposed whilst Charybdis would be belching water towards the player.
Enemies
Anubis Level (Pyramid in the desert)
Medjed
Medjed is an Egyptian god who is also known as "the Smiter". Not much is known about Medjed, other than its appearance. What is known however, is the fact that Medjed is capable of shooting lasers from its eyes, and is often depicted under a sheet, as nothing else is known about the god.
In terms of incorporating this into my final game, I will put a large focus on the design in terms of the eyes, but keep it under the sheet, as that is what seems to be the main focus of the design. Whilst I do like the idea of it shooting lasers from its eyes, I feel like this would be boring for a design, and instead have it so it was bored of using lasers from its eyes, and instead use appendages that come out from under the sheet instead to attack and grab the player, though these appendages would be very shadowy, due to the mysterious nature of Medjed. I also think it would be interesting to have it as a regular enemy, but rather than it being multiple, being the same, just using its god-powers to appear multiple times throughout the level. I also feel this would be fitting due to the design of Medjed being very basic, and not fitting very well for a boss.
Apep
Apep, also known as Apopis, Apepi or Rerek, is an Egyptian god of chaos. Apep is often depicted as a type of incredibly long serpent. At the time, this was a big deal, as serpents often represented divinity and royalty, and Apep threatened the underworld and represented pure evil. Apep was also known as an "enemy of light", as on multiple occasions, it was told that Apep attacked the sun god Re, and was slain over and over. However, Apep could not be permanently killed, and so he came back repeatedly to try again and again.
In terms of incorporating this into the game, I think it would be fitting to have Apep as a Mini-Boss of the first level, being made of shadow, due to the "enemy of light" idea, and he would contort himself to attack the player in many various different shapes. The player could beat Apep by simply hitting him whilst out of its shadow form, most likely in the form of a snake.
Aqrabuamelu / Aqrabuamela
Aqrabuamelu, which are also known as Scorpion men, are enormous creatures with both human and scorpion features. They were often said to be large enough to have their heads touch the sky. They were created as guardians of Shamash, the god of Sun, Truth, Justice and Healing. It is also said that they were created to wage war against the gods.
As for the implementation of the Aqrabuamelu in my game, I think they'd work as a powerful basic enemy for the first level, that would be very similar to the depiction above, it also fits with the desert theme, being a scorpion. They would scurry around in the level, and attack with the head on their tail, lashing at the player if they got close enough. I also think it would be interesting to have them hang from certain places using the tails' mouth to latch onto ledges and such. They would be defeated in the basic manner of attacking them with regular attacks, though their weak points to deal more damage would be their heads.
Medusa Level (Greek Ruins Underground)
Fachan
Fachan is a giant from Scottish folklore that walks around with one leg, one arm and one eye. It is usually depicted with a lot of hair on its body in tufts, these tufts are said to be incredibly tough, with some going as far to say "it were easier to take a mountain from the root than to bend that tuft.". Fachan is usually depicted with some form of iron-flail club with 50 cursed apples on the end of it. In terms of movement, Fachan is supposed to hop around "with great agility". Finally, it is believed seeing Fachan is horrifying enough to give the witness a heart attack!
When incorporating Fachan into the level, I think it would be fitting to have it as some kind of Mini-Boss halfway through that ended up in the ruins due to a portal. It would swing at the player using its club, which may or may not feature the apples, as I feel 50 cursed apples would lead to the boss being slightly too difficult, so it may just be a regular club, to make it feel more fitting for a level 2 Mini-Boss. It would hop around, and its weak point would be its large eye, though the player would be able to damage it everywhere apart from its tufts of hair.
Ghouls
The Ghoul is an undead demon that was believed to inhabit burial grounds and deserted areas. They were capable of changing forms, and were said to have feasted on both corpses and children. It is impossible to kill a Ghoul in multiple hits, you must kill Ghouls in one hit, "a second blow would only bring it back to life again".
To incorporate this into my game, I will make the Ghoul a basic enemy in the Greek Ruins of Medusa that wander in search of Medusa's grave, unaware of the fact that Medusa's head and spirit are still alive. They will have to be defeated in one hit, which will happen if the player hits them in their head, otherwise they will fall over and get back up again, somewhat akin to a dry bones in the Super Mario Bros series (Nintendo, 1985). To balance this ability and them dying in one hit, their head hitbox will be quite small.
Ahool
The Ahool is a cryptid from the deep rainforests of Java, it is named after its signature cry, which sounds the same as its name. The Ahool is said to be an incredibly large bat with a wingspan of over 3 meters, which is twice the size of the largest known bat to man as of current. It features large claws on its forearms, a monkey/ape bat hybrid-esque head, and large dark eyes.
To incorporate the Ahool into my game, I would have it be a regular enemy type that flies about in the cave that is incredibly large. It would grab the player and slash at them whilst flying about. When flying it would also hit itself on walls and other parts of the cave, as it would be used to flying around in a large open space (the Java Rainforests), and it would have been transported inside said cave/ruins via a portal, just as some other enemies were in the context of the game. The player would defeat it by attacking its wings and head.
Grim Reaper Level (Burning Plagued Village)
Changelings
Changelings are creatures from European folklore that are often said to be the deformed offspring of fairies and/or elves. They replace children that are stolen for the devil or for fairy stock. They are usually depicted with a round mouth filled with teeth. It is also said that they often replace primarily children who are not baptized. Finally, it is believed that the story of changelings was responsible for many cases of child abuse at the time, as one way to return the changeling into the child that was stolen was either to make it laugh, or by torturing it!
When implementing this monster into my game, I would like to have it wander around the burning village looking like a regular infant, and then when the player gets close, it would transform into its changeling form. It would be incredibly fast, and would slash at the player with its claws and gnaw at them with its rows of teeth. It would be hard to hit, but would be knocked around with the players attacks. Once defeated, it would revert into its original child, and run away crying.
Baba Yaga
The Baba Yaga is an Ogress found in Russian and Slavic folklore, who is known for stealing, cooking and eating victims which are primarily children. She usually lives in a hut in the forest that has bird legs, surrounded by a fence topped with human skulls. She usually flies around, wielding a pestle whilst flying around in a mortar, creating tempests when she flies. It is also said she accompanies death on his travels, which makes her a perfect fit for this level!
When implementing the Baba Yaga into my game, I would like to have her wielding her pestle, and try and crush the player with it. She would be a mini-boss of this level, and would have been warped into the level by a portal, just as the others previously mentioned to had. I feel this would be fitting, as she could be like a right-hand-man to the Grim Reaper, as in the original tale she travels with "death", which is what the Grim Reaper is also known as. She would be incredibly fast, and could be damaged after performing a spin attack with her pestle, leaving her dizzy, and therefore open to attacks.
Alps
Alps are creatures from German folklore that are said to eat and steal dreams, appearing in the subsequent nightmares of their victims while they do so. When they attack, it is known as an Alpdrücke, which translates to "elf pressure". The idea of these creatures is believed to have come from victims of sleep paralysis, as the so-called "elf pressure" caused victims to see something terrifying in the middle of the night, and they were not able to move. It's said that Alps much preferred to mess with women over men. Alps are often said to wear hats which grant them the ability of invisibility, and if they lose them, they will offer great rewards to those who return them.
To incorporate this in my game, I will most likely have a focus on the dream stealing aspect of the character, as appearing only in the nightmares of victims would be hard to implement in an action-platformer. I will maybe try and see if I could have it control dreams, and mess with the player by placing dreams inside their head and causing different status effects, whilst also attacking and slashing at the player to deal damage. One idea for an effect could be some form of paralysis, replicating the "elf pressure" idea.
Scylla and Charybdis Level (The Strait of Messina)
Lusca
The Lusca is a monster from folk tales that come from the island of Andros, it is said to attack those who enter the "blue holes" in its waters, which are much deeper than the rest of the waters on the island. There is very little on the monster, other than it is often said be seen as "half shark, half octopus", "half eel, half squid", or even "a dragon-like creature". Before attacking, there are often reports of large amounts of bubbles rising to the surface, which could be seen as some form of warning sign.
To incorporate this into my game, I will be going with the "Half Shark, half octopus" description of the monster, as I feel that is the most fitting underwater, and is the unique enough to stand out among other creatures in the level. I would have it chase the player as they progress through the level, jumping out of the water at the player to attack. It would then become a mini-boss just before the final fight between Scylla and Charybdis, where it would use its tentacles to scuttle along the surface of the rocks, charging at the player, snapping its jaws at them, and swinging its tentacles everywhere. I would also most likely try and make it look damaged/scarred/wounded, as it is something that people actively try and hunt to this day, with a good few people claiming that they have seen it.
Melusine
Melusine is a freshwater spirit who was cursed to turn into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She was the wife of the King of Scotland, but she said that he was not allowed to see her on Saturdays to prevent him from knowing about her serpentine secret. In a lot of illustrations featuring Melusine, she is depicted in a container of fresh water in her Serpentine form, most likely to survive.
To implement this in-game, I would like to create a design that makes use of this container, as I feel it would be an interesting mechanic. Melusine would be a mini-boss of the level, and would be possessed, as Melusine has no ill intentions in the original folklore tale, though at this point I'm not quite sure by what. I'd have her jump between her containers of water in her half serpentine form, slashing and hitting the player between jumps. The player would defeat her by knocking over or destroying all of these containers, and she'd be forced to retreat. Whatever possessed her would give up after due to her not being able to defeat the player in the state she would be in. I may also change the serpentine form to something more fish-like to make it feel more aquatic based.
Afanc
The Afanc is a half crocodile, half giant beaver hybrid demon that is found in Welsh folklore. It is said to attack and devour anybody who enters or gets near its waters. There are tales that also say that its thrashing once flooded and drowned the entirety of Britain.
To incorporate the Afanc into my game, I most likely will not be going with the power of the original tale, as I feel something that can thrash about and flood an entire country would be far too hard to deal with as a regular enemy. So, instead I will most likely make these monsters the size of a regular giant beaver, as the original states. They will still thrash around, and attack anyone that gets close to the waters, and will attack the player whilst they wander around on the rocky surfaces of the strait of Messina. Contextually, I could incorporate them by having them washed over here by a mysterious riptide that pulled them to the Strait of Messina all the way from Wales! In terms of damaging them, I think it would be best to just have them take any and all forms of damage out of water, but no damage when in water. I also think it would be funny to have them roll around when hit, as they will most likely be very round when I finalise the design.
The Return of the Nameless Mist Level (The Obsidian Prison)
Ghast
The Ghast is a creature from H.P. Lovecraft's stories, specifically "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath". They are humanoid creatures that communicate in "coughing gutturals", they often travel in packs and hunt together. They are found in the vaults of zin. They will be found in places where the sun never shines, such as underground labyrinths, cave networks and tunnel systems. They will happily attack and kill one another if necessary, and their touch alone can cause death fever, which often leads in subsequent death very shortly after.
To incorporate the Ghasts into my final game, I would like to have them be the regular enemy of the final level. They would travel in groups of 1-4, and would attack the player if they got too close, they would slowly creep along, dragging themselves along, and slashing at the player. They would do an incredibly large amount of damage, and would leave an effect on the player, narrowing their vision and playing a heartbeat sound effect, making it feel as though the player was close to death. They would be defeated if you struck them in the head and knocked all those in group down at once, effectively being a much stronger version of the previously mentioned Ghouls from Level 2.
Shoggoth
The Shoggoth (sometimes "Shaggoth") is a slave race of creatures created by the Elder Things, that feature in the H.P. Lovecraft novel "At the mountains of madness". They are described to be large black masses covered in eyes and tentacles. They are "protoplasmic" and can "generate limbs and organs at will". An average Shoggoth is around 15 feet across if it were to be in the shape of a sphere. Shoggoths are somewhat intelligent, but usually solve issues purely with its mass and limbs. They are also said to be near indestructible.
To incorporate this into my game, I will have the design maintain the idea of a black mass covered in eyes and tentacles, and they will come in various shapes and sizes. They will have a lot of health and be hard to kill. Its weak point will be its eyes, but they will regenerate very quickly. It will attack the player with its appendages, and completely dissipate upon being defeated. It will be a regular enemy that would slowly drag itself around in the obsidian prison.
Night-Gaunt
The Night-Gaunt is a creature from H.P. Lovecraft's novel "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath". They are terrifying, large bipedal creatures with wings and no face. They are described to "whirl you through space at a sickening rate of speed" and impale you with their "detestable tridents", which are assumedly their tails. Their wings make no sound when flying, and their skin is oily, much akin to a whales.
This would be the most powerful basic enemy type in the game, and would keep most, if not all of the features mentioned in their original descriptions. They would grab the player and fly around with them, attempting to crush them, and also attack the player with their tails, trying to skewer the player. There would be no weak points, so it'd be best to hide from the Night Gaunt. I think to balance this out though, I will make it so that they can't see the player, but instead have to hear the player to know where they are, making it so you'd have to sneak around these creatures where you can.
Annotated Bibliography
BBC Wales. 2014. The Afanc [Online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/themes/society/myths_afanc.shtml [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to try and find out more information about the Afanc. I found out everything described in the Afanc section to be useful, and that furthered my ideas, so this source was useful. This source is reliable as it is from the BBC.
Biology Online. No Date. Ahool [Online] Available at: https://www.biologyonline.com/articles/ahool [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about the Ahool to further my ideas. I found out much about the Ahool, and everything useful is listed in the section about the Ahool. This source is reliable as Biology Online state "Since 2001 the Biology Online mission has been to promote awareness of all things about Biology. We do that by publishing articles on Biology topics that have gone through meticulous editing and verification to guarantee accuracy and substance.".
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. 2007. Changeling - Folklore [Online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/art/changeling-folklore [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] I used this source to find out about the Changeling so that I could inform my ideas. Everything of use I found from the description given is listed in the section about the changeling. This source is reliable, as Encyclopaedia Britannica have stated: "Trust Britannica Library as a reliable source with objective, fact-check, and unbiased content that is written by experts and vetted through rigorous editorial process."
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. 2020. Baba Yaga - Russian Folklore [Online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Baba-Yaga [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about the Baba Yaga to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Baba Yaga section in the research. This source is reliable, as Encyclopaedia Britannica have stated: "Trust Britannica Library as a reliable source with objective, fact-check, and unbiased content that is written by experts and vetted through rigorous editorial process."
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. 2022. Ghoul - Arabian Mythology [Online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/ghoul [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about the Ghoul to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Ghoul section in the research. This source is reliable, as Encyclopaedia Britannica have stated: "Trust Britannica Library as a reliable source with objective, fact-check, and unbiased content that is written by experts and vetted through rigorous editorial process."
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. 2021. Apopis - Egyptian God [Online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Apopis-Egyptian-god [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about Apep/Apopis to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Apep/Apopis section in the research. This source is reliable, as Encyclopaedia Britannica have stated: "Trust Britannica Library as a reliable source with objective, fact-check, and unbiased content that is written by experts and vetted through rigorous editorial process."
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. 2020. Scylla and Charybdis - Greek Mythology [Online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Scylla-and-Charybdis [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about Scylla and Charybdis to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Scylla and Charybdis section in the research. This source is reliable, as Encyclopaedia Britannica have stated: "Trust Britannica Library as a reliable source with objective, fact-check, and unbiased content that is written by experts and vetted through rigorous editorial process."
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia 2021. Medusa - Greek Mythology [Online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Medusa-Greek-mythology [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about Medusa to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Medusa section in the research. This source is reliable, as Encyclopaedia Britannica have stated: "Trust Britannica Library as a reliable source with objective, fact-check, and unbiased content that is written by experts and vetted through rigorous editorial process."
Campbell, J.F. 1862. Popular Tales of the West Highlands. Vol. 4 (New ed.) Alexander Gardner. pp. 297–98 [Book] [Last Accessed on 01/05/22]
(Whole Book can be found online at: https://electricscotland.com/books/pdf/populartalesofwe04camp.pdf) - I used this book to find out information on Fachan, I found the source on Wikipedia, and it was useful for informing my ideas. This source is most likely reliable, as it documents many different tales, and is almost entirely composed of the original stories. So aside from some minor editing, I imagine this would be a reliable source in comparison to the originals.
Exuma Online. 2018. The Legend of the Lusca [Online] Available at: http://exuma.online/culture/the-legend-of-the-lusca/ [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about the Lusca to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Lusca section in the research. I couldn't really find much about this source's credibility, but it was the most informative whilst holding the same information I could find in most other sources, so if nothing else, it was consistent with other sources, potentially meaning the information is reliable.
Lloyd, E. 2016. Aqrabuamelu - Mysterious Scorpion Men from Babylonian Mythology [Online] Available at: https://www.ancientpages.com/2016/01/19/aqrabuamelu-mysterious-scorpion-men-babylonian-mythology/ [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about the Aqrabuamelu to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Aqrabuamelu section in the research. This source is reliable, as Ancientpages.com themselves have stated: "All our articles are based on scientific research, but we never neglect alternative ancient history that can shed new light on many unsolved ancient mysteries.", meaning all of their articles are informed by research.
Lovecraft, H.P. 1931. At The Mountains of Madness [Book] [Last Accessed on 02/05/22]
Book can be found online at: https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/mm.aspx - I used this source to find out more information about Shoggoths to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Shoggoth section in the research. This source is reliable, as the book was written H.P. Lovecraft himself, the creator of the Shoggoth.
Mark J. J. 2016. Anubis - World History Encyclopaedia [Online] Available at: https://www.worldhistory.org/Anubis/ [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] I used this source to find out more information about Anubis to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Anubis section in the research. This source is reliable, as World History Encyclopaedia have stated: "Every submission to the encyclopaedia is carefully reviewed by our editorial team, making sure only the highest quality content is published to our site. Our publication follows academic standards, but it is written in an easy-to-read manner with students and the general public in mind. As a result, our publication is recommended by many educational institutions."
McKenna, A. No Date. Where Does the Concept of A "Grim Reaper" Come From? [Online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/story/where-does-the-concept-of-a-grim-reaper-come-from [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about the Grim Reaper to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Grim Reaper section in the research. This source is reliable, as Encyclopaedia Britannica have stated: "Trust Britannica Library as a reliable source with objective, fact-check, and unbiased content that is written by experts and vetted through rigorous editorial process."
Pavel. 2021. Alps: Nightmare creatures of German Folklore [Online] Available at: https://random-times.com/2021/04/21/alps-nightmare-creatures-of-german-folklore/ [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about the Alp to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Alp section in the research. This source's reliability is unknown, but it had the most information I could find on the Alp in one place, so I used it.
Reed, S. 2015. The Tale of Melusine [Online] Available at: https://blogs.bl.uk/european/2015/10/the-tale-of-m%C3%A9lusine.html/ [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] I used this source to find out more information about Melusine to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Melusine section in the research. This source's reliability is slightly unknown, but for the most part seems reliable, as The European Studies blog have stated: "This blog is written by European Studies curators and cataloguers, with occasional pieces by guest contributors.", meaning there are people who moderate what goes on the website, so hopefully it is fact-checked.
Taylor, J. 2010. What is a book of the dead? [Online] Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20150417192941/http://blog.britishmuseum.org/2010/09/22/what-is-a-book-of-the-dead/#comment-57 [Last Accessed on 01/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about Medjed to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Medjed section in the research. This source is reliable, as it is a place that is meant for educating people, so it would be the most reliable information that they can find themselves.
The H.P Lovecraft Wiki. 2022. Night-Gaunt [Online] Available at: https://lovecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Night-gaunt [Last Accessed on 02/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about Night-Gaunts to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Night-Gaunt section in the research. This source source's credibility is hard to determine, as whilst it is the only source I could find, I cannot access the sources that it was informed by, as they are private, hence why I had to resort to using a Wiki.
The H.P Lovecraft Wiki. 2022. Ghast [Online] Available at: https://lovecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Ghast [Last Accessed on 02/05/22] - I used this source to find out more information about Ghasts to inform my ideas. Everything I found of use is listed under the Ghast section in the research. This source's credibility is hard to determine, as whilst it is the only source I could find, I cannot access the sources that it was informed by, as they are private, hence why I had to resort to using a Wiki.
Practical Research
Basic First Person Movement (Player Controller) Tutorial
This tutorial was very easy to follow, and there is not much to be said, aside from the coding took quite a while, and was a little hard to work with when I first set it up, as the camera froze and wouldn't move for some reason. This was because I forgot to assign the orientation. This has since been fixed, and I managed to successfully create a basic walking player controller. I chose this tutorial as the person who made it had many tutorials that built on this same player controller, so there wouldn't be any confusion later down the line with coding, as I am not experienced with coding, so it makes the process a lot smoother, and saves me the time of figuring out what is equivalent in a different persons player controller from another tutorial. Overall however, I'd say that this came out nicely for the time that it took.
Advanced Movement: Slope movement, Sprinting and Crouching Tutorial
This was a further development to the player controller from the previous tutorial, that not only allowed the player to walk and jump, but also sprint, crouch and move up slopes effectively. This tutorial was slightly more annoying to work with, despite being adjustments to my already existing code, I did not have any issues really, other than wrapping my head around where to put the code within the script, and writing it. Everything functions as intended, and is all scalable, so I can adjust it to my needs. Overall, I am very pleased with how I managed to finish this script, and get it sorted.
Basic Shooting Mechanic Tutorial
This tutorial was so that I could get all basic functionality of what I wanted the game to be in the demo for my project. As of the time I am writing this, this tutorial has been completed. However, there is also a second half to this tutorial which also adds enemy collision and damage, as well as explosions and visual effects to the projectiles. I would like to keep the projectiles as rocks though, so I may or may not follow the second tutorial to save time, and simply have the enemies as things you can knock over in the demo. Other than that though, I followed this tutorial well, and everything works as intended, so the tutorial worked and was very useful.
How to change the skybox in Unity Tutorial
I chose to follow this tutorial as I was very fed up of having the exact same blue sky in every single one of my 3D games, and it felt very out of place whilst I was making my desert level, so I found this tutorial, and it turns out its as easy as applying a material to the skybox. This tutorial was very straightforward, and very effective for what I wanted to accomplish.
How to show text on trigger Unity tutorial!
This tutorial was chosen and followed as I needed a win condition for my game. It was very easy to follow, as it is simple code. It is accomplished by hiding the text on the screen until the player touches the trigger collider, and it stays on screen as long as the player is touching the collider. This tutorial was very useful, as it was the shortest I could find, and got the job done just as well!
How to play a sound on keypress unity!
I used this tutorial to implement sound effects into my game, so they'd play whenever the player pressed the corresponding key. It's very simple, as it plays a sound whenever the key is pressed. This tutorial was incredibly short, and got the job done to a satisfactory standard.
Character Design Survey Feedback and Results
This was a character design survey that I conducted to get some feedback on the character designs I had created for each enemy and boss. To save the page becoming more cluttered, the format for each character was that the audience were presented with an image of the concept of the enemy from the original folklore/story alongside a small description of what said folklore actually was, then they were presented with my designs, where they were asked to pick their favourite, and then they were asked to give feedback on why it was their favourite design and for any improvements I could make to the designs. The final designs with colour and improvements can be found on my Concept Art page!
Here is the survey for viewing purposes:
Medjed
Final Verdict: A!
Feedback
-B, add more arms
-It looks the most eerie however I think that the arms and legs should be the same lengths
-It only has one eye
-the one eye looks good as is more loyal to the original as well at the back arm looking cool. one improvement would be to make the design slightly more interesting by putting patterns on the main body
-I think it looks the best, the scariest, and the most accurate to the original. I would not improve it.
-his only one eye and his similarities on the legs to the original, that small detail on the eye and the fact he has only one arm, i would think of him with a non visible mouth that he can open then when he needs it, same for his arms, he can be armless or full of arms
-looks very cool and like he could kick some ass. to improve he could have some colour to make him more unique even just an accent colour (second fav is A. b is just amogus)
-It looks more intimidating and I would improve it by making the white dress thingy longer. Basically A but without a mouth, so that it looks creepy.
-looks like the lemon thing from Friday night Funkin'
-i think it is great as well as c but give it the same dynamic, i like how similar it is but cartoony
-i like it coz he's a god, the thing that is not good is the liveliness of it, its better to improve it by giving him emotions
-Moving the mouth somewhere under the head, something in the realms of a squid beak.
-among us also because it reminds me of Mimikyu
-It looks very goofy and like a fun enemy, especially for one of the first worlds. His body and legs could have more features like teeth maybe (buck teeth would be quite funny i think)
-I like the melty face and the two arms, I'd say maybe to keep the mouth hidden when it's not open though so it's accurate to the original design.
Summary
According to the feedback that I've been given on this character, I will be going with design A, with some design changes, such as: Making the mouth not visible when not in use, which will probably be done in the form of having a regular and a provoked form, with the provoked form looking like what is in the image, and the normal form being much more faithful to the original design. I will also try and add some expression to the character, but maybe in a way where the character itself doesn't actually emote if possible, as in the original folklore, Medjed was "rarely ever seen", so the emotions would also be hidden a lot of the time.
Apep
Final Verdict: C!
Feedback
-C, make it wider or longer
-This one looks the most like a snake / serpent to me, the other ones to me don't capture this image as well
-It can have some sort of stationary attack
-I like C because it looks funny and the arms are cool as well as looking like the original without just looking like a normal snake. one improvement would be to make him a bit longer in the body to match the original
-It's the most interesting and unique looking, and I feel it'd work quite uniquely in the type of game you are trying to make.
-this design is more up for the original and i like it, tbh it's just fine
-He looks like a fun boss that could have some fun abilities to fight against and fits with the previous selection well. again some colour to make him unique would be cool but he works best all black so if anyone has the least colour should be him.
-It just looks the coolest lol
-looks sinister
-I love how scary it is but maybe add those stripes to it as well
-it perfectly depicts a real character being afraid of the dark. it would be nice if you would make the serpent long, dark have, red eyes, and long fangs
-Could be coiled in an 8 shape instead of the o.
-goes off the original design
-It also looks like a fun first world enemy that you don't pay too much attention to, like the "Rope" in The Legend of Zelda. He could be improved by having a more noticeable method of attacking.
-It looks by far the most unique, and really represents the "enemy of light" idea.
Summary
According to feedback on this character, I will be going with design C, and making it wider so it looks more well-built, as well as adding stripes. Other than that, people mostly just said they liked the design, so I will adjust the design how I feel necessary. I may make it a character made of shadows to really emphasise the "enemy of light" idea as the last response says it represents well.
Aqrabuamela
Final Verdict: A!
Feedback
-A, make top mouth drool
-C looks too humanoid and A has a better tail than B
-Most authentic
-A looks a lot more like the original and would work a lot better as an enemy than the others. one improvement would be to make the face a little more like the original
-The other two don't really look right, but A looks like it would fit in a horror game and has a consistent design. The only improvement I'd make is to change the face shape so it's not just a sphere.
-same as before, looks better because of it's similarities to the original, though the choice B was almost convincing me, but it was missing the mouth on the tail
-Looks very creepy, just like the source material. maybe a more prominent body shape to make him looks stronger or the legs idk. (A is second fav and pls don't use c, beast boy looking ahh)
-It looks the closest to the actual one and idk how I could improve it.
-seems friendly
-I like c as well, both are really good and similar to the original reference, no improvement here
-must be scary to depict a real guardian
-Longer neck and adding a fake head to the tail.
-closest to original and I like the idea of something that looks like that crawling instead of walking
-It looks terrifying and would be a good contrast to the more generic enemies seen before. Could be improved by being bigger as it kind of looks like a Bin weevil
-Looks the best, not too keen on the others really. Maybe add some more detail to the tail.
Summary
In response to the feedback on this character, I will be using design A, with some slight design changes, such as adding more detail to the tail, and making it look more like a head rather than just a mouth on a tail. I will also adjust the head shape of the main body so that it is not just a sphere/circle, as that is boring. I will also make the top mouth drool, as that puts a bit more life into the character, and is in the interest of the audience. I will also try to avoid any design choices I made in C, as people really did not like that design, to the point where not even one person chose it as their favourite.
Anubis
Final Verdict: A!
Feedback
-A, make clothes darker
-C, I feel the other designs don't capture the idea of Anubis as well
-Looks the coolest
-A is my favourite because it looks really nice as well as looking like the original and more importantly more recognisable as Anubis to those who know of him. one improvement would be to add the headpiece at the back like in the reference image
-It's a unique take on Anubis, and I wouldn't improve it past that.
-i would like a mix of A and C
-Straight fire fr, simple but not boring and not over complicated kind of like the rest. some colour again would be good and maybe a more epic weapon or something that makes him look stronger. but still a solid character (b is second fav I feel like Anubis could have multiple forms and you could base those off the alternative designs or something)
-He looks pretty big and maybe even calm when doing his job.
-could probably be very strong
-I like this because its simple however I do like all the designs and not just A
-I like it coz Anubis looks quiet and depicts the science of death
-Maybe a few hand bracelets if they make the character look over-detailed.
-the simple head and floating is cool as well
-It looks quite eccentric with a lot of character potential, rather than just a usual enemy, and could make a good boss as the player may be fond of the characters personality and could even feel bad for beating it if they understand and connect with it. It could be improved by giving him a better weapon more suited for a boss.
-I like that it floats rather than is just another bipedal take on the character, wouldn't really change anything other than not to make the head all the same colour.
Summary
For Anubis, I will be using design A, with slight changes, though I'm not quite sure what as of current. I may make him appear more powerful, or just simply give him more accessories or emotions. Other than that, I am unsure of what changes to make as of current.
Fachan
Final Verdict: B!
Feedback
-A, give club spikes
-C just doesn't really represent the creature at all and B has a better facial design than A, looks more intimidating.
-Reminds me of Goomba
-The design for B looks more menacing and the hairstyle works really well. one improvement would be to make the arm a little but shorter maybe
-I like the idea of a head dragging itself quickly towards you and gripping with its arm, it reminds me of the head from Gravity Falls in the WeirdMageddon Episodes.
-it looks goofy and funny
-would be such a cool boss fight and he looks quite funny. you could have him attack the ground with his face and cause an earthquake or something.
-It just looks the coolest and idk how lol
-my imagination decides whether or not they're arms or legs
-I like B a lot, but I feel all of them would work well as a sort of animation if it makes sense, I feel no improvement should be made here
-idk really
-Maybe the ear shape.
-fits the original more and it look like Mr potato head
-It would be a good to contrast with the last worlds enemies, being more powerful and able to attack in two ways, one with his hair and the other with his club. It could be improved with more development in his face and potentially give him more abilities to do with him being a cyclops.
-I like how menacing it looks, but give it B's club!
Summary
For Fachan, I will be using design B due to the feedback I have been given, but I will incorporate aspects of B and maybe C as well due to how close the voting was. I will probably also change the head shape of B slightly, as I think the head looks too much like a squash for my liking, and it makes it look more like a joke than an intimidating creature.
Ghouls
Final Verdict: C!
Feedback
-C, give it chains
-B looks more like a clown and C just looks sad. A looks more like a goblin should, like it's up to mischief.
-Most creepiest
-The design on C looks more dead so it works with the idea of a ghoul a lot more. one improvement would be to make the legs a wider slightly to look like they could support the body
-He looks funny, but also slightly unsettling, I'd maybe add something to the shoulders to make them more pronounced so it doesn't just look like a ribcage and pelvis.
-mix of A and B would be cool
-looks very creepy and like a fun boss because he could be quick and teleport maybe. could improve on his hands and legs more though
-He looks like a sneaky fellow, and maybe improve it by making his ears not pointy, like in the original pic
-seems sad
-I think that you captured the same amount of sadness the first image captured here with this design. I have no specific improvements here except maybe make the abdomen bigger?
-its skinny and looks like in search of flesh and looks like a carnivore coz of his sharp teeth and a smiling face
-Maybe a few strands of hair.
-funny smile
-It looks terrifying, again, and just as the previous enemy contrasts the more generic looking enemies of the first world. It could be improved by giving it a more obvious ability (something to do with his hands or spikes)
-Captures the sadness, of it, but maybe add some chains and fix the face a little.
Summary
For the final verdict for the Ghoul, the audience chose C. I will change the face slightly, as that was a piece of feedback that was given to me multiple times throughout. I will also maybe add some more width to the body so it looks like it can support itself. I may also give it a more obvious ability, as that was another piece of feedback given. I think an even more skeletal approach to the design would be successful.
Ahools
Final Verdict: B!
Feedback
-B, put holes in wings
-B looks almost like it's fat and C looks too small and almost goofy
-Simplest
-C looks nicer as it looks like it is flying around easier and would be more of an annoyance to the player. one improvement would be to make the snout longer like an actual bat
-I wouldn't improve it aside from maybe making the legs more pronounced, I just really like the design and the fluff around its neck and legs.
-a mix of all would be perfect
-He looks very cool, like a better version of A. i cant complain about the colour of this one either because its a bat, its kind of supposed to be black but a second accent colour like i said before could make things look a lot cooler while still keeping with the scary almost colourless and monotone theme.
-I like this one the most lol
-actually has facial characteristics
-I like it because has more details than the others.
-its a lot more sharp
-Maybe a few wing scars.
-It looks serious and doesn't look goofy
-It looks like a very cool enemy while still fitting with the horror theme. it could be improved, again, by having it ability or power more obvious, like having it's wings bigger to swoop down at the player etc.
-I like the design the most, but maybe flesh the legs out a bit more so they don't look like twigs.
Summary
Thanks to the feedback given on the Ahool, I will be using design B. However, I will maybe add more small details to the character design, like the suggested holes in the wings, wing scars, etc. I will also flesh the legs out slightly more, as they are far too slim and small for what they should be. Other than that, I don't know what else I would add to design B.
Medusa
Final Verdict: C!
Feedback
-C, darker hair
-I like the C the most as it has a unique idea where the hair turns in to snakes, this could be used to take the player off guard
-Fits the most
-C looks more like the human figure that Medusa is depicted as so works a lot better. one improvement would be the hair looking more like snakes even before the transformation
-I like the idea of a ghost of Medusa floating around with her own severed head using it as a weapon just as Perseus did.
-medusa's design is cool but as it must be original, so i would think a mix of all of them, keep it scary though
-B, that is a very nice design I have no complaints like damn
-The C one just looks like the actual medusa
-horrifying
-It is really creative and is similar to the original reference.
-I like the snake hair and not much else really.
-The body could be controlled by a snake head.
-eyes
-I think this would be a very fun boss that could have many abilities and attack patterns, for example, it could send out medusa heads from itself while attacking you at the same time or it could have the classic medusa pattern from Castlevania (pls do this it would be lit). The other designs also seem too over designed in comparison to the other enemies and bosses and you may not be able to use A for example to its full potential due to the simplicity of the game itself. It could be improved by making the medusa head more recognisable and maybe making it looks bigger/stronger as it would make a more fun boss. Either that or give it more attacks that are technical and hard to avoid *like the Castlevania medusa heads 👍*
-I like the unique take on keeping just the medusa head, maybe make it a combination of A and B, as I like the shadow snakes.
Summary
Due to the feedback of this character design for Medusa, I will be going with design C, but will be incorporating some aspects of A and even B into it, as not only did I like the concept for it, having a spirit wielding the head of medusa, but so did the audience. So I will use C as the basis for the design, and use aspects of A and B to help further the design. I will probably have the same design of C, but hide the soul body under the robe, or something along those lines. Overall, this feedback was useful in determining my final design for Medusa.
Changelings
Final Verdict: A and C!
Feedback
-C, give teeth
-I like A the most as it seems the most creepy and is more like what i imagine when the Changeling is described to me
-More arms
-C looks more likely to steal kids than the others. one improvement would be the the gap between the legs needs to be smaller as the body proportion look a bit off like they are
-I think A fits the description the best and looks the most fitting, but I'd add something to the head or the head shape as it seems a bit too simplistic being simply a circle.
-mix A and C
-looks the most fleshed out and scary character. would improve by making his body more damaged like scars and cuts from changing form.
-His absence of eyes is funny
-looks empty
-I like how scary it is and yes. looks like IT clown for some reason.
-its scary and depicts horror
-I guess only the head shape needs a bit of a change, maybe adding some hair and a sharp chin of sorts.
-It looks like W.D Gaster and I like that
-This is even more terrifying than the last two stages which is good in comparison (yh i wont repeat) and would make a good common enemy. It could be improved by looking more detailed in the face and limbs
-It looks the scariest, and fits the description of a round mouthful of teeth.
Summary
According to this feedback, A and C were the 2 most praised designs, and met with an exact tie, so I will be using a combination of both. As for the feedback, the audience would like to see more arms and some changes in the face and limbs, making it more detailed, as opposed to it simply being a blank circle/sphere. I will probably go about this by adding hair and changing the head shape to a degree. In terms of praise, they liked how hollow and empty the design looked, and appreciated the round mouthful of teeth matching that in the folklore description.
Baba Yaga
Final Verdict: A!
Feedback
-B, make it wider
-I think A represents how this creature should look the best as it was described as looking like an elderly lady, and this seems to capture this well, it almost looks like a witch, which i like
-Looks like a goblin
-A matches the reference image and looks more like a stereotypical snatcher as the others just look like they'd kill anyone. one improvement would be to make the arm wider as it currently looks very skinny
-I think the mystery of not being able to see her face makes it scarier and more interesting, but I'd make the bits around the ankles fur rather than just rectangles or whatever they are.
just perfect
-looks very cool and would be a very interesting boss fight. doesn't look like an old women but makes it kind of cooler idk cant think of any improvement
-Making the witch more human like is a good thing in here I think
-Looks like the Sonic from the secret screen in Sonic CD, which I think works for the horror aspect!
-I like B since its very accurate to the first image but also add a long nose to this design if you can
-not much really, she looks ugly coz it sure depicts a witch
-Could use a mortar.
-Goofy head
-Badass. Maybe too cool for a common enemy but might make sense because it is the 3rd world (mini boss potential???) No improvements needed except making it's face more detailed when its attacking for example.
-Looks the most menacing of all three, maybe make the shoes boots with fur on the ankles.
Summary
For this feedback, the final verdict was design A, with 53.3% of the votes. I was mostly told for design A that it was done well, though. There was also valuable feedback on the other two designs, which I might incorporate into the final design. So, I'll use design A for a base for the design, and maybe incorporate things such as a more developed version of the footwear on C on it.
Alps
Final Verdict: A!
Feedback
-A, make taller
-I like B the most as I like the was it almost visualizes it stealing dreams and it's face looks nightmarish in itself
-More arms
-A looks like what you would expect to see from an elf or a goblin and looks more evil. one improvement would to make it overall fatter to see like it could actually hold someone down
Looks the scariest and the most intriguing, but I'd add more to the arms, as they look a bit bland as the are now.
-again, too perfect and goofy
-looks the most unique, like it could have a cool power with the faces under his hands like putting on a mask or putting the mask on you idk. maybe make him look scarier in the face but that might be the point I'm not sure
-He looks like Hypno the Pokémon LOL also he looks cool this way :]
-seems sneaky
-I like A since its also very accurate to the first image, i don't completely understand it though it is really good looking.
-its short and looks clumsy, maybe make it more chunky
-I guess the ears could be a bit backwards.
- A looks very similar to Hypno from Pokémon, maybe make it look more unique, but keep the general idea, as I believe Hypno is based on Alps too!
-This would be a good common enemy as it isn't too complicated (I think C might be more of a mini boss and probably shouldn't have 2 mini bosses on the 3rd world idk) It could be improved by making its face more detailed as one could say it looks a little 'derpy'
-I like the arms and the dream stealing idea!
Summary
For this feedback, the final verdict was design A. People enjoyed it, but wanted it to be "made taller", and also said that it needed "more arms", and the ears could maybe "be a bit backwards". These are design choices that I will keep in mind when furthering the design into its final form. Another interesting piece of feedback someone gave was that it looked like Hypno, and someone even said they thought Hypno was based on Alps. Hypno the Pokémon was based on the Baku, which is an incredibly similar creature, that devours nightmares instead. So it may be useful to look at how they designed Hypno, to try and see what design choices they made when creating it.
Grim Reaper
Final Verdict: B/C Fusion?
(I don't feel comfortable using this design as it is far too close to what it was parodying)
Feedback
-B, Make cloak darker
-I like A the most as it shows the skull of the grim reaper rather than hiding it in hood
-Simple
-Funny grim reaper. can't be improved
-Looks very nimble and slightly more interesting, though the cloak could have some more standout details on it.
-A REMINDS ME SO MUCH OF BILLIE AND MANDY WHAT 😭😭😭
as much as I extol the grim adventures of Billy and Mandy, i feel c is the most unique of the 3. again very good design I don't have any improvement other than colour and maybe making their scythe look more powerful as it is a final boss. you could also give him other forms like when you beat him he gets angry and takes off his hood. would be pretty cool
-The first one is just that skull character from that cartoon from Cartoon Network lmao, so second one it is
-That was definitely inspired by the Grim adventures of Billy and Mandy
-(: Billy and Mandy? yes, i like this a lot go with this one although C is also really nice.
-it sure looks a lot more interesting
-Good reference.
-It definitely looks Grim, in a good way
-Such a cool boss. Only improvements could be making him seem more powerful by either changing his design, or even better, give him a second stage/form where he takes off his hood and has a better scythe that give him better abilities.
-Whilst I do like the homage to Grim, I much prefer the design for C, just maybe add more detail to the cloak as it looks a little bland.
Summary
Whilst A was the winner on the poll, I was not comfortable with the parody being as unintentionally close to the original as it was, so I decided to go for a B/C fusion, as this is what seemed to please most people as well. Some people also said that they preferred the other designs or said they were a close second. Whilst some of the feedback simply pointed out the fact it looked like grim, some of the feedback was useful to the final verdict, so overall, I'd say this question for the audience was good.
Lusca
Final Verdict: A!
Feedback
-A, make darker
-I like B as it keeps the tentacle aspect while looking like it can walk better than A. It also has my favourite face design. Maybe give B C's legs?
-Looks like a good shark
-A looks more like a shark and I really like the idea of the harpoon through the fin as it seems like it's been actively attacking people and has subsequently been injured. one improvement would be the transition between the tentacles and the body might need to look a little smoother.
-Looks the scariest, looks cooler, I'd maybe make the fins stitched/scarred like the eyes.
-meh
-has the most detail and looks the scariest. maybe make him bigger as the source material shows him as massive
-Having expressions is cool
-Squidward-esque tentacles on B are neat, maybe experiment with that on the other designs.
-A looking goddamn badass and you should use it looks so cool I like the arrow in him.
-it looks dead, and fishes cant go off water, which makes it good I guess?
-Maybe the back hump could be a bit higher.
-seems nice
-This would make a good common enemy as it isn't over or under-designed like A could be. Can't think of any improvements :/
-I like the eyes, maybe make the legs look more like bundles of tentacles
Summary
The final verdict of this question was design A. One piece of feedback that I was given multiple times was to make the main body appear more damaged/dead, so I assume that was a point of interest for a few in the audience, so I will try and incorporate it more, if not simply just make it more visible in the final design. There was also a few interested in the idea of the tentacles being legs, with someone even saying that they were similar to Squidward from SpongeBob's legs Other than that, I will just try and keep in mind all the feedback received here, as not much of it is super largely relevant enough to make note of here.
Melusine
Final Verdict: A!
Feedback
-A, no improvement
-Combine the bin from A with B. Every time she appears she should fall out of it then drag herself across the floor as that is what it looks like she is doing in B. C looks too much like a chicken
-Looks like it should be in a circus
-A looks more like the description and looks like it could have some interesting mechanics as an enemy in the game. one improvement would be to make the hair and hands more human to make it seem almost attractive to humans to have their purpose met
-maybe add more to the arms, but I like how it is in its entirety :)
-interesting design
-idk what b is and c is something else (kind of funny though so would be my second choice) but a looks the most fun and could have a lot of character. the container of water could be fun as a concept.
-bigger or look cooler maybe
-She just looks the coolest in the first one idk what to say
-C, she's seen some serious things in the past 5 minutes
-I think it is the most accurate one. I also like the hands but add more definition to the nails maybe make it scarier.
-idk, it feels good, maybe not making her look evil, like removing the black fill on her eye and make her look jolly?
-Maybe a different container.
-B, dying and such seems funny
-This would be a good common enemy, again, not being an almost mini boss which A could be.
-Looks the nicest, maybe make the back of the hair more visible(?)
Summary
From this feedback, the final verdict was design A. In terms of feedback, there honestly wasn't much to go off of, aside from a few pointers, such as making the hair more visible, making her look more jolly (I probably won't do this, as its meant to look menacing). Other than that, there isn't much to go off, so I will just do what seems right when going forward with the final design.
Afancs
Final Verdict: A! (with aspects of B)
Feedback
B, make fur darker
I like A as it looks more evil than the others and more like it is up to no good
Vulture beaver
A looks more menacing and matches the reference image to seem nicer. one improvement would be to make the back feet smaller
It looks the scariest, and looks the best for a regular enemy in the level.
sussy
he looks absolutely terrifying. could make his hands better or more powerful and could be another quick character
Maybe A could work too, but B is my personal favourite
chicken
Its like the reference but bipedal, I think it suits in a weird way and works well.
it feels the best one, but maybe make the head more like a croc, coz it look like a head of an eagle or a hawk
Maybe a more scaly tail.
looks like a Phineas and Ferb creation
This would be a good common enemy, again, not being an almost mini boss which B or C could be. (Another idea could be making this world all mini bosses with the enemies either being from the previous world or the ones I'm selecting to be common now... or both idk)
It looks the most fitting for a regular enemy, whilst looking like it could hold its own, working for a level 4 enemy
Summary
The final result was A, though I wanted to incorporate aspects of B, due to the close voting, as well as the designs being very similar in the first place anyway. In terms of feedback, there wasn't much to go off, other than the fact I should give it a more scaly tail and make it appear faster, or more like a crocodile. I will keep these feedback notes in mind when finalising the design.
Scylla
Final Verdict: B!
Feedback
-B, more snakes
-I like A and C equally, I don't like the extra heads on B, i do not think they represent the creature well.
-Sweet, but deadly
-B matches the human body more and seem more of a character as they look normal but have a powerful body behind. one improvement would be to make the human body a larger aspect
-It feels big and menacing, just as a boss should be, and very sturdy, replicating the rock shoal idea.
-mix it with C
-most fleshed out design and looks very unique unlike c who just looks like a mermaid. second choice would be a but the creatures coming out of b are too cool not to choose. could make her a bit bigger
-OMG B LOOKS SO CUTE USE THIS PLEASE
-just wants a hug i guess
-I honestly just like these out of the others, especially the legs i cant describe them.
-she looks kinda cute and kinda depict her beauty
-Maybe a more united tail fin, something closer to C.
-hydra cool
-This would be a good common enemy, again, not being an almost mini boss which B or C could be. (Another idea could be making this world all mini bosses with the enemies either being from the previous world or the ones I'm selecting to be common now... or both idk)
-Looks nice, maybe make the heads more consistent with the middle one though
Summary
The final design was chosen to be B by the results. For feedback, I was told to maybe make the presence of the human form larger. I was also told to maybe remove the extra heads on B, as they "didn't represent the creature well". However, I feel this would be a bad idea, as there are descriptions of Scylla featuring multiple large heads, so I will most likely keep them, if even just slightly changed. Overall, I think this feedback was useful, though I don't know how much I'll change the design for B.
Charybdis
Final Verdict: A!
Feedback
-A, no improvements
-I like A as it has a lure on its head, this could be used to trick the player in the game potencially. B doesn't represent the creature well, it looks too much like a fish.
-Looks like an angler fish, which is good as angler fish are cool
-C looks like it could be a lot larger and seems like a large presence as an enemy. on improvement would be to add the tentacles in the reference image to the design
-I like the lure on its head and how dangerous and well built the teeth look. I wouldn't improve it really.
-a
-the coolest one but none of them really capture the size or scariness of the source material
-C just looks the coolest I’m running out of things to say 💀
-menacing
-I also like A a lot its very close to the reference, all I have to say is add more teeth if you can to make it scarier.
-looks like an anglerfish, and anglerfish are scary
-Maybe a few more fins.
-he has a funny mouth and doesn't look ugly like C
-This would be a good common enemy, again, not being an almost mini boss which A or B could be. (Another idea could be making this world all mini bosses with the enemies either being from the previous world or the ones I'm selecting to be common now... or both idk)
-I like the angler lure and everything else, but maybe add some more detail to the tail.
Summary
For this design, people voted for and chose design A for the final design. As for feedback, people really enjoyed the anglerfish lure, so I will keep that in the final design. Another piece of feedback I got was to add more detail on the design, such as adding something to the tail. Overall, I'd say this feedback was beneficial, as I now have an idea of what to keep in mind when finalising this design.
Ghasts
Final Verdict: C/B hybrid!
Feedback
-B, make more lanky
-I like A the most as it represents the creature in the image far better than B or C. I also do not like the stripes on C and the horn looking things coming out of B's eyes
-Long arms
-A matches the reference and looks somewhat scarier than the other two. one improvement would to to make the hands more like claws rather than just long bladed fingers
-Looks the most menacing, and I like the smoke/mist/fog coming out its eyes.
-just remove some stripes and it's cool
-looks the most likely to fit with the style of the other characters. he looks kinda generic though. A would be my second option because of how scary and accurate it looks but B is still nicer
-C looks cute so why not
-C looks funky
-I think this is the best design although C is very creative I feel this is most accurate. Maybe add the same stripes C has to this.
-gives be eerie feeling
-Smaller horns and a tail.
-reminds me of XLR8 from ben ten I like it
-This would be a good common enemy, again, not being an almost mini boss which A or B could be.
-I like what's coming out of his eyes, and the black at the end of the limbs, maybe give it a tail like the source image though.
Summary
From the responses on this design, I will be going with a combination of designs C and B. In terms of feedback, I was told to remove some stripes on C, as it was slightly too many to work on a design. Some people also misunderstood the use of the mist on the eyes of design B for horns, so I will make it more evident that it is mist instead of horns. So I will most likely incorporate a lot of aspects from C onto a base of B, as I wasn't happy with how C came out overall. In the end, I'd say this feedback was useful, and I now have a good idea on what I want to create.
Shoggoths
Final Verdict: C!
Feedback
-C, make more blobby
-C looks too childish and A doesn't represent it being a large black mass very well. I really like B's multiple arms and the design of the eyes.
-B, Get rid of the arms and its good, or maybe add B's eyes to C?
-The design of A makes is seem more like a large mass that moves slowly around rather than being able to just walk or crawl properly like the others. one improvement would be to make it seem like more of a liquid
-I think the way it's built works better for something that's supposed to be indestructible, I like the eyes and the singular large hand coming out of its back. I would maybe make the shape a bit less consistent, as they are supposed to be blobs of random black mass.
-none are THAT similar, so I took the most cool
-looks like a very cool enemy. could improve on his arms and legs
-For this one, they almost look all the same 😭
-looks like a late-game boss
-Melty like the actual reference, although make it bigger.
-it looks like he's stationary and not really mobile, as shown in the picture he looks massive and maybe give him a lot of wrinkles and tentacles
-Maybe a bit greyish instead of straight up #000000
-The eyes and the pitch black body
-This would be a good common enemy, again, not being an almost mini boss which A or B could be. (Another idea could be making the last world all mini bosses with the enemies either being from the previous world or the ones I'm selecting to be common now... or both idk)
-I like the idea of it pulling itself along with those tiny arms and attacking with one massive one!
Summary
This feedback led to the final design being chosen as design C. In terms of feedback, I was told a decent amount. For example, I was asked to make it look "more blobby", and add B's eyes to C. In terms of making it "more blobby", I will make the shape slightly less consistent, so it looks more like the source material. I will also make it so it isn't "straight up #000000", and make it probably slightly grey/deep blue. Other than that, most of the feedback I got were acclamations about the designs. I'd say this feedback was slightly useful, and gave me some insight into where to take the design for its final stage.
Night-Gaunts
Final Verdict: A/B Hybrid!
Feedback
-B, take away the face
-C doesn't have wings when it is said to fly, so that doesn't make sense. And I think B as a cooler looking face than A and i also like the way the hands are in the wings.
-Scary bat
-A matches the idea of the enemy more, adding the arms and wings unlike the other two which would maybe make me choose C if it had since the face design looks nice. overall
though the body of A looks better as it seems like it can prowl around. one improvement would be to make the dead have horns rather than shaping the whole head like a crab claw
-Fits the description the most, having a face of nothing but the glaring eyes, and looks like it could accomplish all if not most of the actions described about it. I wouldn't Improve this design really.
-It reminds me of bendy
-looks very and quite an original enemy even for the game. second choice would be c but looks too similar to other enemies in the game
-B looks pretty cool, but A is also pretty nice
-that looks like the pale knight
-Make the back curly like C and it's perfect, the wings are really good.
-I just like it, maybe remove the eyes and left the mouth to keep the facelessness of the creature
-I guess removing any face features and making the horns a bit more rounded kind of like B.
-it was between this and B but this one was better because of his skinnier arms and legs then maybe add wings like thin ones
-This would be a good common enemy, again, not being an almost mini boss which A or C could be. (Another idea could be making the last world all mini bosses with the enemies either being from the previous world or the ones I'm selecting to be common now... or both idk)
-Looks perfectly able to accomplish everything mentioned, but maybe add more detail to the lower torso and legs/feet I suppose
Summary
For feedback on this design, the final verdict was a hybrid between design A and design B, as there was an exact number of votes for both. In terms of feedback, people mainly just said that they liked it. One piece of feedback that I wasn't expecting to hear multiple times is that it "looks perfectly able to accomplish everything mentioned", which I suppose makes it so that it fits contextually, as it is accurate to the original. The only major piece of feedback that I got for improvements was to add more detail to the lower half of the body, which I agree with, as it is very basic, being almost entirely black. Overall, I think this feedback was useful.
The Nameless Mist (Magnum Innominandum)
Final Verdict: C!
Feedback
-B, take away the mouth and make it more misty
-A and B look too childish, C looks much more serious much like how the description of this creature sounds.
-Salad fingers
-C looks more mysterious and Evil as the others look more friendly. one improvement would be to remove the mouth and make the fingers more scraggly and bent
Looks the most like a slasher kind of villain, and is the most well built of all 3 designs, not just being a body with stick arms and legs.
-A looks simple and clean
-looks the coolest but his legs and arms don't really match his body and it doesn't look very scary in general.
-Definitely the scariest one here
-spooky scary skeletons
-I like the spikes on the back and the sharp nails / hands, maybe also make them more talon like.
-I like it but with a few problems, 1 the skin isn't dark, maybe make it dark. 2 remove the mouth and make some white eyes and make it glow
-Removing the mouth or the lower jaw would look a bit better.
-S "C" P looking ass
-This would be a good final boss.
-C is perfection in comparison to the other two, no improvements necessary!
Summary
The final verdict for these responses was design C, with a whopping 80% of the votes! Most of the votes are just what they liked about the designs, but there are also some valuable criticisms to take into account. One person said to take away the mouth and make it more misty. Whilst I will make it more misty, the most I would do to the mouth is remove the bottom jaw, as I feel that'd take too much from the original design. As for other feedback, someone said that it looks the best there, but the arms and legs don't really match the body, nor look very scary, so to improve this, I will thicken out the arms and legs due to them being sticks here, and give them more detail to hopefully make them scarier.