Some stuff we should figure out now.

Norris and I was talking about our project earlier today, and we thought about stuff that we haven't discuss about, but might be crucial to figure out first before we carry on.

- the target client for our project, for game? movie? or Animation?
- how are we going to divide the works.
- how do we balance the design for the magic and technology factions?
- the time period of the story
- the details about technology of the new era, and the type of magic from old era.
        (hovercraft? psionic power? elemental magic? laser? )
- and of course, the visual direction and form language in detail.

When Norris and I was discussing about the visual direction of the story, we realize we need to decide the time period this story happens, or at least how it relates to our world.

We come up with an idea of substitute the utilization of steam and industrial revolution to the discovery of magic, and the booming of magic research that came with it. This means in that parallel world, people rely on magic in their daily life, and they build device and even weapon that utilize the power of magic. However, the world was destroyed, because people use magic and magic weapons in World War I and II. So that sort of set the tone and time period for the Magician faction.

Our story will take place maybe 300~500 years after World War. So the new civilization is totally different from the world we knew. It will be a completely new world which is built upon advance technology. The existence of magic is erased from the history book or any official archive.
In order to maintain the function of society in the ruined world, the government controls the life of people, and suppress their emotion to eliminates disorder and rebellion.

The truth is, emotion is the major factor for one to use magic, But since government conceal the existence of magic, they claim that the elimination of human emotion is for the harmony of society. Devices they use to check on people's identity and emotional level are actually equipped with sensors for magic detection.

We came up with this story so that we can stay true to the spirit of 1984, while logically insert magic into the story. This background story also helps us defined the visual direction for both factions.

Since the government is systematic and emotionless totalitarianism, the color well be cold and functional, and stay true to the material.

Magician need to embrace the flow of emotion in order to use magic, so they value relationships, beauty and color expression.