Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Dev Talks Designing The Game’s Gods

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Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Dev Talks Designing The Game's Gods

As a long-time gamer with a deep appreciation for immersive worldbuilding and intriguing narratives, I find the concept of gods interacting with the mortal world in “Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn” incredibly captivating. Having played numerous games that delve into religious themes or feature god-like beings, I can attest to the significant impact these elements have on both character development and the overall atmosphere of a game.

In a game like Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, where the backdrop is “guns versus gods,” the way the gods are portrayed and their overall influence on the storyline becomes crucial. Instead of drawing from typical sources for its pantheon in this gaslamp/Flintlock fantasy setting, Flintlock turned to Mesopotamian mythology as an unexpected inspiration.

Daniel Baider, the lead narrative designer for “Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn,” discussed with Game Rrant how they conceptualized the game’s deities, their sources of inspiration, and their significance in the City of Dawn as well as the broader universe.

Twilight of the Gods

When creating a game world for players to discover, the issue of faith is frequently pivotal. Ranging from in-game religions based on abstract concepts and fragments of past history, like those in “Horizon,” to titles where gods are active participants, the nature of characters’ spiritual connections significantly shapes both their personal stories and the broader world around them.

In Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, it is crucial that the gods, who face off against Napoleonic-inspired fantasy armies, appear significant and iconic. This is vital for both the storytelling and gameplay experience as players follow the journey of protagonist Nor Vanek. Gods, much like formidable enemies in Soulslike games, already require elements of grandiosity and menace. However, transforming some of these colossal beings into deities amplifies their significance. Baider elaborated on how Flintlock’s divine entities shape the world.

As someone who has spent years delving into the study of ancient mythologies, I can tell you that the gods of Flintlock reside in a mystical realm known as the Great Below. This place is not unlike the afterlife we commonly imagine, where souls go after they depart from this world. But the Great Below holds much more significance in Flintlock’s belief system.

The pivotal moment in the game’s storyline is when the doors burst open, allowing the inhabitants of the afterlife to invade the living world. This is where the gods transition from being abstract concepts to tangible and menacing presences. In the course of Nor’s journey, players will come across four principal gods: Rammuha, Dukmar, Inaya, and Uru. Enki, who accompanies Nor in “Flintlock,” is indeed a god, but he poses no threat compared to these deities. As Baider described each one,

  • Rammuha is a Goddess of Order who takes control of the Knights of Three Peaks by preying on their piety. Rather than brute force, Rammuha accomplishes her goals using finesse and manipulation. To reflect this, she was given a regal appearance meant to reinforce awe in her followers.
  • Dukmar is a self-proclaimed God of Knowledge, whose understanding of the world is skewed by larger-than-life stories passed onto him by the souls of the Great Below. He wears a full set of armor to reflect the appearance of the characters from these stories. His design is very angular, with strong, straight lines that reflect power, discipline, and order.
  • Inaya is the Goddess of Life, who works tirelessly in her role to keep the natural order of the world intact. Unlike the other Gods, she is devoted to her duties and has no interest in the invasion of the Above. As the Goddess of Life, Inaya has a more organic design, pulling from body horror references.
  • All the other Gods, even Enki, fear Uru’s power. The only force capable of restraining him is the Door itself, which he cannot venture far from. Uru is the only God whose physical appearance was inspired directly by Mesopotamian mythology and sculptures. Sculptures such as the lamassu (winged bull) succeed at creating a sense of compelling brute force for him.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Dev Talks Designing The Game's Gods

While Enki’s name derives from a Mesopotamian deity, not all of his character traits correspond to the mythological figure. One trait they share is compassion for humans, which sets him apart from other gods. Moreover, each god’s understanding of the divine realm is influenced by human perception, and their objectives are primarily focused on this influence. As Baider put it,

In the depths of the Great Below, each deity pursues their unique goals. However, their perspectives on the living world are distorted due to their seclusion and influenced by tales told by the souls they’ve claimed. Consequently, these Gods strive to reshape reality according to their warped visions of perfection, regardless of the devastation caused in the process.

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2024-07-16 18:34