Character Design Proposals – Clyde

Terrifying Inter-dimensional Wing Ball Creature / Cherubim

You wake up in the night to discover OH GOD WHAT THE HELL IS THAT in your apartment. Oh well, might as well try conversing with it. Maybe it’ll even turn your brain into a hypercube…

In this setting cherubim in general come off as having severe ADD due to their six-dimensional hypercube minds, which form trains of thought that look more like anteaters juggling daffodils than trains from your three-dimensional perspective. Figure out how to communicate properly with this avatar of insanity, and maybe JUST maybe you can find out what the hell it is doing in your apartment.

Excalibur, the sassy sword.

A game in which you encounter the famous Sword in the Stone and HOLY CRAP IT CAN TALK. Possible results of interaction can be getting crowned Rightful King of Britain, or just getting told by a three-foot piece of metal sticking out of a rock.

Have an informative discussion with Excalibur as it sizes you up and overall is very judgmental at you. Can you befriend or at least gain a shred of respect from a magic sword and become a monarch that isn’t a butterfly?

10 comments
  1. I think the cherubim idea is really interesting but also really open-ended. Conversing with an avatar of insanity might be too unpredictable to make the game enjoyable. If the results of conversing are too crazy it sort of trivializes any choices that the player would try to make. However if done right I think it could be really fun!
    Excalibur seems like it would be much easier to understand and plan for, since most people are familiar with the story and the sword is just sassy rather than completely random.

  2. The first idea has promise, but it might be difficult to make the ‘figuring out’ aspect compelling. Maybe you could force the reader to do their own research while playing the game?

    The second idea might be too limited in scope to make an entire visual novel. I would try to incorporate more serious questions/discussions into the humor.

    1. I like Alex’s idea of forcing the reader to do their own research, it definitely adds a layer of detective work to a game that makes the interaction that much better. In fact, it would even be awesome if you created a few websites of your own to specifically aid in the game.

  3. The second one seems almost directly out of Soul Eater which I guess I am fine with. I also think that it is more straightforward than the first. However, I am more interested in the first one because there seems like there is a challenge to it. Almost puzzle like, depending on what brain it is using you have to talk to it a certain way. You have to make sure not to make it too hard that the player won’t get it and quit. What would be different outcomes of the first one be though.

  4. The Cherubim seems funny and entertaining per your description, but i’m not sure how it would play out (what kind of questions you would ask, what it would say, how you would get closer to knowing anythinga bout it). It’s a fun idea, but i think Excalibur will be more easily and effectively executed. There are so many possibilities with the format you have: does it give you random trivia? does it measure your demeanor and values? does it get to know you personally? all wrapped up with sassy commentary, it could be very fun to play.

  5. I prefer Cherubim due to the mystery of what it is, in addition to why its there and how to get rid of it. Excalibur is good, but too linear for my taste. Cherubim has more potential to be engaging and different, a real ground breaker!

  6. The cherubim idea does sound more entertaining right off the bat, but either could work depending on the writing.

  7. The first idea is awesome, very Douglas Adams-esk (maybe with a little Tom Robbins thrown in). I love it to death, you can have so much fun with that and really explore out there concepts on quantum physics, and religion, and suedo-scientific nonsense, really whatever. There’s a second idea there too… I probably would really like it, if the first idea wasn’t so damn awesome.

  8. Cherubim is so open to anything, but the visuals that would hopefully accompany it would be fun to try and comprehend. Your description of the Cherubim’s mind should have a visual to go with it. Maybe the game is just a way to show off your own mind and what chaos it can formulate. Could be very fun to witness. The second idea is a solid one that could be executed in the time frame for the assignment very well. Maybe part of the humor is that Excalibur recommends you go find another demeaning magical object that would suit the player better. The enchanted spoon? I dont know, but that could be a way to judge the players success dealing with this sassy sword.

  9. The first one sounds funny, but it might be hard to build Cherubim’s personality without facial expression. The second one could be interesting if I can get the sword out of the stone and take it around with me. Otherwise the setting might be a little bit limited.

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