So, I couldn't help but notice that Arcane has been undergoing something of an aesthetic shift, as of late.
Arcane used to be a sort of weird, garish, toy-esque land of plastic pinks and greens.
[center][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/8a570c4355651e40de5e39d82aea48aa/83e2ea8a880b308b-84/s1280x1920/80b4d7ce704daf2c2628726865480f9b0bb77a2b.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/d0b20b1e53f775d316ebf9bda7b382a1/83e2ea8a880b308b-3b/s1280x1920/757f19bf1d4968cde9167066aa8d7a5b006a226f.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://flightrising.com/images/layout/arcane/banner.jpg[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://flightrising.com/images/nests/9/0healthy_0dead.png[/img][/center]
But now, Arcane seems to be skewing darker.
[center][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/0ce50052f96bc1aa4cdcead2c853b644/83e2ea8a880b308b-ac/s1280x1920/b13a0f772770f7c619f29ed8ab011c125113094a.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/9d5de437e7252a1149827b4ac7578dba/83e2ea8a880b308b-86/s1280x1920/182441a67336061ec1d81833c2a1012c83c7d899.png[/img][/center]
Which, don't get me wrong, it looks good, and seems to be in line with what some people want... But it's strange, to see a flight's aesthetic just shifting into something new. Personally the newest scene even just screams "Shadow" aesthetic to me, with luminescence on a dark backdrop- not Arcane. Which is maybe the risk someone runs with breaking the mold to either experiment or cater.
I don't want to say something like "the Shade's influence" or something actually happening within Arcane, I'm more curious as to what's happening behind the scenes. I'm not even particularly concerned with whether people like it; I like how it looks, but the shift itself is strange to me, and isn't making Arcane feel like Arcane.
There's more horror than hope, more implied madness than curiosity. A logical progression, maybe... But isn't that Light? Dark and light lands starkly standing beside each other, with scholars and hidden horrors? In these bleak backdrops, where's the stargazing aspect of Arcane going, or the sense of naivety?
Are we set for changes for some flights, and stagnation for others? More overlap? Worsened neglect of certain flights? Changes that match what people have, but not what they joined for? Absolutely nothing at all?
[b]Edit:[/b]
[quote name="Drakessis" date="2020-09-27 07:33:04" ]
I see people saying that Arcane has always been this, it just wasn't showcased- which I never disagreed with, necessarily, I know full well that horror is a big part of Arcane. I don't know why people are assuming I didn't know about mutations or cosmic horror or whatever. (I have a huge chunk of my lore in Arcane- I didn't think I had to explicitly explain what Arcane's lore was for people to know that I knew it...?) But the old aesthetic didn't contradict those horror aspects of the lore- I'm saying that the turn towards a darker aesthetic might just do that, though.
See, I think the horror in Arcane is sort of a tragedy- being too curious for your own good, and only getting caught up in the consequences when it's too far to turn back. From the outside perspective, it's avoidable, which makes it scarier to see someone descend and destroy things around them without really realizing they have a choice. A tragedy. But to embrace the darkness of Arcane loses that. There's no naivety when dragons always know the danger, or when the land is dark and warns you about the price of curiosity and exploration before you even begin.
That's why you don't see themes of self- or world-destruction in Shadow, for example. Embracing the darkness means that the victims are anyone that doesn't. In Ice, there's the mystery aspect, and the themes of keeping things unseen (and maybe even unjustly falling victim to that rigid concealment yourself)- if Ice suddenly starting showing off all the imprisoned Shade monsters, it might look cool, but it detracts from the appeal Ice's horror had. Even Gaolers were shrouded in mystery at first, and probably would remain so if Ancient breeds hadn't become a thing.
[/quote]
So, I couldn't help but notice that Arcane has been undergoing something of an aesthetic shift, as of late.
Arcane used to be a sort of weird, garish, toy-esque land of plastic pinks and greens.
But now, Arcane seems to be skewing darker.
Which, don't get me wrong, it looks good, and seems to be in line with what some people want... But it's strange, to see a flight's aesthetic just shifting into something new. Personally the newest scene even just screams "Shadow" aesthetic to me, with luminescence on a dark backdrop- not Arcane. Which is maybe the risk someone runs with breaking the mold to either experiment or cater.
I don't want to say something like "the Shade's influence" or something actually happening within Arcane, I'm more curious as to what's happening behind the scenes. I'm not even particularly concerned with whether people like it; I like how it looks, but the shift itself is strange to me, and isn't making Arcane feel like Arcane.
There's more horror than hope, more implied madness than curiosity. A logical progression, maybe... But isn't that Light? Dark and light lands starkly standing beside each other, with scholars and hidden horrors? In these bleak backdrops, where's the stargazing aspect of Arcane going, or the sense of naivety?
Are we set for changes for some flights, and stagnation for others? More overlap? Worsened neglect of certain flights? Changes that match what people have, but not what they joined for? Absolutely nothing at all?
Edit:
Drakessis wrote on 2020-09-27 07:33:04:
I see people saying that Arcane has always been this, it just wasn't showcased- which I never disagreed with, necessarily, I know full well that horror is a big part of Arcane. I don't know why people are assuming I didn't know about mutations or cosmic horror or whatever. (I have a huge chunk of my lore in Arcane- I didn't think I had to explicitly explain what Arcane's lore was for people to know that I knew it...?) But the old aesthetic didn't contradict those horror aspects of the lore- I'm saying that the turn towards a darker aesthetic might just do that, though.
See, I think the horror in Arcane is sort of a tragedy- being too curious for your own good, and only getting caught up in the consequences when it's too far to turn back. From the outside perspective, it's avoidable, which makes it scarier to see someone descend and destroy things around them without really realizing they have a choice. A tragedy. But to embrace the darkness of Arcane loses that. There's no naivety when dragons always know the danger, or when the land is dark and warns you about the price of curiosity and exploration before you even begin.
That's why you don't see themes of self- or world-destruction in Shadow, for example. Embracing the darkness means that the victims are anyone that doesn't. In Ice, there's the mystery aspect, and the themes of keeping things unseen (and maybe even unjustly falling victim to that rigid concealment yourself)- if Ice suddenly starting showing off all the imprisoned Shade monsters, it might look cool, but it detracts from the appeal Ice's horror had. Even Gaolers were shrouded in mystery at first, and probably would remain so if Ancient breeds hadn't become a thing.
Arcanist is 10 minutes away from causing another apocalypse.
Arcane is the potential madness flight. Theirs is closest tied to the 'eldritch space horror' and peering into the unknown(and going crazy due to it) aspect of things. Even in the early days when referencing which flights are the 'meanest' it referenced that Arcane are destroying the world by breaking apart reality with their magic(but being cheerful about it).
Arcane is the potential madness flight. Theirs is closest tied to the 'eldritch space horror' and peering into the unknown(and going crazy due to it) aspect of things. Even in the early days when referencing which flights are the 'meanest' it referenced that Arcane are destroying the world by breaking apart reality with their magic(but being cheerful about it).
Arcane has always been eldritch chaos and I'm glad it's being embraced.
Re: the scene, that's the Starwood Strand, which canonically:
To stand inside of the Starwood at night is be embraced by an infinite universe. Along this former shoreline, the trees stretch skyward and grow taller than anywhere else. At night, they blossom and reveal millions of flowers winking in the moonlight like so many stars. It is a place for inspiration and thought. Many dragons discover their genius here, but many more become lost to the dangers hidden in its beauty.
Arcane has always been eldritch chaos and I'm glad it's being embraced.
Re: the scene, that's the Starwood Strand, which canonically:
To stand inside of the Starwood at night is be embraced by an infinite universe. Along this former shoreline, the trees stretch skyward and grow taller than anywhere else. At night, they blossom and reveal millions of flowers winking in the moonlight like so many stars. It is a place for inspiration and thought. Many dragons discover their genius here, but many more become lost to the dangers hidden in its beauty.
- restore hoardsold items.
- maki's festival guide & event calendar.
- uncheck "hoard... while scrolling" to unsticky your hoard.
- buying an apparel slot for a dragon unlocks it for all of your dragons.
It's both imo. Yeah the fest apparel is a bit darker this year, eldricht horror-ish, but several of the skins is happy pink magical girl stars. There's room for both, kinda like how nature is both pretty flowers and megalomaniac WC tendencies.
Personally I love the darker aesthetic. That said I see your point, both is nice.
It's both imo. Yeah the fest apparel is a bit darker this year, eldricht horror-ish, but several of the skins is happy pink magical girl stars. There's room for both, kinda like how nature is both pretty flowers and megalomaniac WC tendencies.
Personally I love the darker aesthetic. That said I see your point, both is nice.
Arcane’s lore [i]does[/i] involve it warping things around it and stuff.
[item=emerald webwing]
I’d say it’s less “changing its theme” and more “changing its focus”.
Arcane’s lore does involve it warping things around it and stuff.
Emerald Webwing
Familiar
Warped by arcane energies, this twisted bird bears little resemblance to its parents. All its eyes are looking in different directions.
1525
I’d say it’s less “changing its theme” and more “changing its focus”.
Well, for one, it appears to be nighttime in the Arcane scene, but it still appears to be somewhere in the Starwood Stand (even the icon for said location seems to match).
I feel like all three locations shown are in different parts of the Starfall Isles. Crystal Pools is closer to the ocean, the Arcane scene is in the Starwood Strand, and the Forbidden Portal is probably at its border with Plague or somewhere around the Observatory.
Well, for one, it appears to be nighttime in the Arcane scene, but it still appears to be somewhere in the Starwood Stand (even the icon for said location seems to match).
I feel like all three locations shown are in different parts of the Starfall Isles. Crystal Pools is closer to the ocean, the Arcane scene is in the Starwood Strand, and the Forbidden Portal is probably at its border with Plague or somewhere around the Observatory.
I see people saying that Arcane has always been this, it just wasn't showcased- which I never disagreed with, necessarily, I know full well that horror is a big part of Arcane. I don't know why people are assuming I didn't know about mutations or cosmic horror or whatever. (I have a huge chunk of my lore in Arcane- I didn't think I had to explicitly explain what Arcane's lore was for people to know that I knew it...?) But the old aesthetic didn't contradict those horror aspects of the lore- I'm saying that the turn towards a darker aesthetic might just do that, though.
See, I think the horror in Arcane is sort of a tragedy- being too curious for your own good, and only getting caught up in the consequences when it's too far to turn back. From the outside perspective, it's avoidable, which makes it scarier to see someone descend and destroy things around them without really realizing they have a choice. A tragedy. But to embrace the darkness of Arcane loses that. There's no naivety when dragons always know the danger, or when the land is dark and warns you about the price of curiosity and exploration before you even begin.
That's why you don't see themes of self- or world-destruction in Shadow, for example. Embracing the darkness means that the victims are anyone that doesn't. In Ice, there's the mystery aspect, and the themes of keeping things unseen (and maybe even unjustly falling victim to that rigid concealment yourself)- if Ice suddenly starting showing off all the imprisoned Shade monsters, it might look cool, but it detracts from the appeal Ice's horror had. Even Gaolers were shrouded in mystery at first, and probably would remain so if Ancient breeds hadn't become a thing.
I see people saying that Arcane has always been this, it just wasn't showcased- which I never disagreed with, necessarily, I know full well that horror is a big part of Arcane. I don't know why people are assuming I didn't know about mutations or cosmic horror or whatever. (I have a huge chunk of my lore in Arcane- I didn't think I had to explicitly explain what Arcane's lore was for people to know that I knew it...?) But the old aesthetic didn't contradict those horror aspects of the lore- I'm saying that the turn towards a darker aesthetic might just do that, though.
See, I think the horror in Arcane is sort of a tragedy- being too curious for your own good, and only getting caught up in the consequences when it's too far to turn back. From the outside perspective, it's avoidable, which makes it scarier to see someone descend and destroy things around them without really realizing they have a choice. A tragedy. But to embrace the darkness of Arcane loses that. There's no naivety when dragons always know the danger, or when the land is dark and warns you about the price of curiosity and exploration before you even begin.
That's why you don't see themes of self- or world-destruction in Shadow, for example. Embracing the darkness means that the victims are anyone that doesn't. In Ice, there's the mystery aspect, and the themes of keeping things unseen (and maybe even unjustly falling victim to that rigid concealment yourself)- if Ice suddenly starting showing off all the imprisoned Shade monsters, it might look cool, but it detracts from the appeal Ice's horror had. Even Gaolers were shrouded in mystery at first, and probably would remain so if Ancient breeds hadn't become a thing.
But now, Arcane seems to be skewing darker.
Which, don't get me wrong, it looks good, and seems to be in line with what some people want... But it's strange, to see a flight's aesthetic just shifting into something new. Personally the newest scene even just screams "Shadow" aesthetic to me, with luminescence on a dark backdrop- not Arcane. Which is maybe the risk someone runs with breaking the mold to either experiment or cater.
