What’s Behind Lu Jin’s Design

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As a die-hard gamer diving into “The Hidden Ones,” I’m immersed in an exhilarating fighting game adaptation of the captivating world of “The Outcast.” Here, I navigate through tales, duels, and trials to claim victory. It offers rich, character-driven narratives, high-speed, adrenaline-pumping combat inspired by their martial arts, wraps it all up in a cinematic experience, and prioritizes a level playing field for PvP encounters. There’s a lot happening in “The Hidden Ones,” but the essence of it lies undeniably in the characters of “The Outcast.

Game Rant recently chatted with Fox Lin, lead designer of Morefun Studios on The Hidden Ones’ protagonist Lu-Jin, focusing on his combat style and Inner Demon State. We also delved into the character design process utilized at Morefun Studios in this conversation. Below is an excerpt that has been simplified for clarity and conciseness.

A: Could you elaborate on the overall approach you took when designing Lu Jin’s character, detailing the initial stages of this process?

Typically, we initiate by brainstorming the fundamental characteristics of a character such as their persona and backstory. Subsequently, we work on designing their appearance, fighting style, and abilities. For characters from existing franchises, we scrutinize their portrayed personality and combat skills as outlined in the manual. In certain cases, we may consult Mi Er, the Manhua author, for insights. Once we grasp the essentials of a character, we draft their initial move set. By amalgamating the move set design and appearance, we generate a preliminary sketch of the character. Upon internal approval of this draft, we proceed to create the original artwork, model, and animations for the character.

To illustrate Lu Jin’s demonic form during his fight on Longhu Mountain, we plan to depict him transforming into an uncontrollable fighting machine when surrounded by enemies, forcing him to release his inner demon. This design doesn’t align with a defensive playstyle in the game, so we chose to weaken his defensive capabilities and boost his offensive power instead. In the initial stages of development, Lu Jin was designed moderately, where a short press of the defense button would trigger a Standard move. However, after discussions among the team, we decided to emphasize his aggressive playstyle entirely.

In my enthusiasm as a fan, I can share that during the design process, we opted for a strategic change in Lu Jin’s combat style. Now, instead of a continuous defense mode, there’s a cooldown period. However, if you press the defense button rapidly within a brief span, he rewards you with two Standards! This adjustment aims to motivate players to adopt more aggressive and proactive playstyles when controlling Lu Jin. After numerous refinements in various iterations, we strive to create an ideal version of Lu Jin that aligns seamlessly with the IP’s lore and delivers a satisfying gaming experience.

Question: How many times did Lu Jin go through the development process before reaching his current position, and what major obstacle did he face during this journey?

As a dedicated fan, I’ve had the privilege of following the evolution of Lu Jin’s character design, and it’s been quite an intriguing journey! Over seven iterations, we’ve refined everything from the initial 3D model to multiple rounds of animation and special effects updates. The focus during the special effects stages was on harmonizing his basic attacks and skills, ensuring a balanced feel across all his moves to prevent any effect from feeling too jarring.

The most demanding part of this process was undoubtedly capturing Lu Jin’s unique movement style and conveying the intense, almost maniacal nature of his demonized state. We also spent considerable time figuring out how to seamlessly integrate the original manhua’s portrayal of the Universal Talisman, one of the powerful Eight Secret Arts that Lu Jin wields, into his special effect design.

In the end, we’ve transformed Lu Jin into a formidable demonized figure, characterized by fiery eyes and wild hair, whose abilities fill the air with thunderous Talismans. Our goal is to make players feel the raw power that erupts when Lu Jin unleashes his inner demon!

Q: From early concepts to the current stage of Lu Jin, what has changed the most?

Previously stated, no significant shifts have occurred in the design approach. With each update, our primary concern has been on enhancing the character’s details and improving the battle effects. To illustrate, we tried out numerous variations of Lu Jin’s appearance primarily to alter the quantity of his hair. Initially, we intended to mimic his manhua look with disheveled, voluminous hair. However, we discovered that it interfered with the character’s combat movements. Consequently, we made several modifications to Lu Jin’s hair volume, demonstrating our dedication to perfecting the details.

Could you elaborate a bit on the role that Lu Jin and his internal struggle with his demon play within the narrative of The Hidden Ones or The Outcast?

One night, Longhu Mountain was attacked by a wicked group called The Fulfilled, who belonged to the Outcasts. Lu Jin, a well-regarded member of an honorable sect and a confidant of the Heavenly Master, participated in the defense of Longhu Mountain using the Grand Luotian Ritual. However, he was subsequently trapped and confronted by The Fulfill’s forces.

In the heat of the battle, I found myself squaring off against Gao Ning’s ‘Heart Labors Formation’, one of the Wild Four’s deadly creations from The Fulfilled. These four masterminds wield desires as their weapons, and this particular formation had a knack for playing with people’s emotions, driving them to intense extremes. With no other options seeming viable, I made a daring move – I chose to let the formation consume me, hoping to harness its power and turn it against itself.

As a gamer, I intentionally immersed myself in a maelstrom of rage and malice, unearthing the long-buried ‘inner beast’ that had lain dormant for decades – the haunting remnants of my former sect’s massacre. This fury became my weapon to mete out justice upon The Fulfilled and safeguard Longhu Mountain.

  • The Outcast, Lu Jin [Inner Demon] is designed based on this special state of Lu Jin. Through his demonized form, we get a glimpse of his obsessions and hidden resentments, while also sensing his determination and sense of justice in that moment.
  • In-game introduction of Lu Jin [Inner Demon]: One of the Ten Masters, once trapped in the Fulfilled’s Heart Labors Formation. Is easily consumed by rage and hatred.

A: Is Lu Jin generally known as a fierce combatant, or is this a more recent development? Which fighting style do you think suits him most effectively?

As a devoted fan, I can tell you that honing your skills with Lu Jin requires a relentless focus on his Standards, which are best executed by repeatedly pressing the defense button. This strategy not only accentuates offensive advantages but also cleverly employs Cancel during duels. When an adversary falls, a swift, short press of the defense button unleashes a powerful sweeping attack, keeping the pressure on my opponent at all times.

When facing off against Lu Jin, consider these strategies:

1. Utilize defense and counter-attacks to your advantage as Lu Jin has a broad repertoire of Standard moves.
2. Leverage his defense cool-down periods by making aggressive strikes towards him.

A: In what manner do the team members determine the playing style for each character, and what factors influenced the choice of giving Lu Jin a demonic fighting style? Was the decision based on game mechanics or storyline first?

In our game design process, we prioritize creating rich narratives for our characters, inspired by the Hitori No Shita: The Outcast franchise. This series explores a variety of superpowered individuals, including Outcasts beyond just the main characters. To ensure authenticity when incorporating original IP characters into our game, we conduct thorough research on their personalities, combat techniques, and possible martial arts styles they may practice.

To maintain Lu Jin’s inherent selflessness when confronted with a difficult situation, where he stands firm in upholding justice even if it means transforming into his demonic form, we aimed to portray this transformation. Upon releasing his inner demon, he succumbs to madness, as evidenced by his glowing red eyes and wild, standing hair due to the rampage of his spiritual energy. His body language also conveys his frantic state.

Alongside his impressive physical change, his fighting approach is markedly aggressive. His abilities, which include swift dashes and the exchange of continuous defense for numerous “Thunder Talisman” Standards, enable players to consistently pressure their opponents. Yet, the cooldown on his defense necessitates deep strategic planning.

Q: What were the goals when developing Lu Jin’s lightning-based skills?

The abilities of Lu Jin are modeled after the Thunder Talisman from the Universal Talisman, one of the Eight Secret Arts. This ‘thunder’ aspect is evident in his Standards and Ultimate. During development, we wanted to evoke the feeling of “talismanic thunder fills the atmosphere.” In the comic, the Heavenly Master remarks about his old friend Lu Jin’s Universal Talisman: “He uses Thunder Talismans as if scattering beans.

In our design approach, we intentionally accentuate the ominous aura of Thunder Talisman within Lu Jin’s combat abilities. For every character’s skills, our goal is to establish distinct characteristics that reflect their portrayals in the work or their individual personalities. This allows players to grasp each Outcast’s unique martial arts style and battle emotions more effectively.

A: How did you design Lu Jin’s distinctive fighting style and camera angles in The Hidden Ones’ combat sequences, considering his particular demeanor?

In our artistic approach, we prioritize crafting an appealing visual style and creating authentic characters. To bring these characters to life in a cinematic way, we aim for accuracy in portraying each individual’s essence. This involves skillfully using animation and motion effects to reflect the characters’ inner emotions effectively. For instance, instead of merely depicting Lu Jin as a ‘cool’ character who performs impressive poses upon unleashing immense power after being demonized, we aim for a more genuine portrayal that resonates with viewers.

Instead, we decided to reveal his real emotional condition at that point in the design process, using somewhat bizarre, even macabre elements. This led us to portray Lu Jin as a demonized figure, exhibiting unsettling body language. We think this method is the most truthful and consistent with the original work’s portrayal of his mental state during that time. In a similar vein, when developing other characters or story animations, we focus heavily on understanding their internal worlds and aim to reflect these discoveries in their visual expressions.

Q: How do you hope players receive this character?

Our aim is for both seasoned fans and newcomers to appreciate the portrayal of Lu Jin in his demonic state, showcasing his unwavering resolve to sacrifice everything against adversity, which we hope will draw them into the game’s unique appeal, the allure of each Outcast. For everyone, our goal is to deliver an engaging combat experience through Lu Jin’s exclusive mechanics and by elucidating his design and gameplay, we strive to help players develop their own personal playstyle and grasp his character more deeply.

Q: Is there anything else you want to share about Lu Jin for those interested in playing him?

Previously stated, we carefully perfected the intricacies of Lu Jin’s hairstyle to deliver optimal fighting effects. Likewise, for every character, we devote our attention to even the tiniest details. Our aim is to provide players with an immersive audio-visual experience and exhilarating combat encounters within the game. This is where our enthusiasm truly shines.

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2025-03-23 15:15