Good Morning Gato # 104 – So Regal
It’s been two weeks again since our last Gato update and while Gato was probably relieved to not have a camera shoved in her face during that time, we simply cannot go any longer without a Gato pix fix. The days and weeks seem to melt away and we often forget it’s even Friday. It’s hard to keep track when every day is game making day!
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie
We’ve shown off Charlie Murder at three PAX conventions now and one of the most often-received bits of feedback we’ve received is that the game seems really close to done. We’re very happy to hear the Charlie Murder demo builds look polished (this wasn’t always the case), but a demo is, of course, only a small fragment of what has quickly become the biggest, most ambitious thing we’ve ever made. There are many more things to reveal as the game develops so we thank you for your abundant patience.
In the meantime, enjoy some character bio/development history!
Circe
Circe Bathory is the bass player of Gore Quaffer, the rival band of Charlie Murder. In addition to laying down a wicked bass line, Circe controls electric elements and can raise hordes of the living dead. Before her debut as a musician, she paid the bills as a professor of Necronomics at the local community college.
Circe has gone through a number of changes since the first playable build of Charlie Murder and could possibly go through a few more.
Below is the original Circe intro screen. Like all the early art, she is made of a quick black outline and flat color fill:
Charlie Murder’s original game model was aiming to be a pitch-perfect homage to early 90’s arcade beat-em-ups, right down to the Winners Don’t Use Drugs screen and credits system; pulling any trigger simulated an Insert Coin.
Here’s the original Circe concept, playing her sweet Evil Bass:
The changes are subtle yet important, especially the jump from the left image to the middle. This was our first pass taking Charlie Murder from a small Xbox Indie Game to a full blown XBLA title. More recently, the second jump made Circe’s clothing more detailed. She was alright but a little plain. A black body suit with a dark red wrap? Most people would never notice but I needed to update her wardrobe. Sometimes game art is selfish. Read: Sometimes I’m selfish. With a few lines, a little painting and without changing her silhouette, her dress gained collar detail, a waist band, leggings and thigh high boots. Layering is important in clothing.
Circe descends to fight Charlie Murder.
Circe is one bad-A bass player.
