January Devlog Part 1: Let's Talk Timeskip Vlad (Spoilers)

Hello again and happy January to everyone- Today we're returning with a discussion that's been going on regarding just...Vlad. This post contains some story SPOILERS so proceed at your own risk:

As we are working on the Shot One Fighters prototype, we decided that the events of that game will take place in a time period following the events of the core game. As we've been working for a few years the paths of the characters have mostly been laid out. Mainly with most of our focus having been focused on where Volley and Vlad go in their journey to be #1 in the galaxy.

Unfortunately, it's not a happy ending for everyone- And a price must be paid to attain those levels of greatness. After finding out the true intent of the Universal League as a means to harvest the souls of those with true will- Volley and Vlad find themselves at odds and set about in different paths. Volley- To save her friends. Vlad, to be #1, no matter the cost.

So unlike some of the other characters- Vlad ends up paying a heavy toll in the events of the core game, with most of his body destroyed by a thwarted attempt to be absorbed into Paradox, an elder god who's held at bay by another mysterious character- Enigma. 

We put together a group of artists to do takes on what this version of Vlad might look like- and it fell into a few camps. We've always loved the idea of getting multiple takes from artists on a core idea. So here we go:

Void Vlads are ones that resemble hollowed out versions of the original character. Like Quanta- They either become beings of energy or hollowed out versions of themselves. In this take by Lobsteritus, Vlad retains most of his core but his glasses fuse into part of  his being- With a Quanta-like energy about him.

A take on a 'rebuilt' Vlad by Omega Chaino- It retains some of the original feel but overall sees Vlad return as a 'Broken Star'. With a partially destroyed body and him no longer himself, Vlad returns as a radically changed character. Emotionally unstable, angry and unable to forgive Volley for preventing him from becoming one with the stars.

Ascended Vlad would be an alternate form that sees Vlad achieve his ultimate goal and become a deity- Completely transformed into a being of energy and fury. This would relegate him into a boss like status if we end up going this direction- And would serve as somewhat of an overseer of the galaxy's champions and future Universal Leagues. 

Zeta Vlad would represent the antithesis of the Void Vlad- A version of him that became cosmic but took on too much corruption in the process. With nothing left of his original personality- This take would brim with Paradox energy and seek to reshape the entire universe into a new twisted landscape where only the strong survive. This would be a full villainous route in which only the 'shell' of Vlad serves as a reminder of what he once was.

Another take on the 'Broken Star' concept- This one would see Vlad hide his mostly damaged body underneath a new protective suit. His right arm missing, his eyes now voided out (A sign of being afflicted by Paradox Energy in our universe)- Vlad comes back as a bitter, angry version of himself that blames Volley for what happened to him.

We also discussed a hybrid version of the Voided out Vlad in which you can see his injuries and cybernetics used to contain the spreading corruption throughout his body. His trauma on full display for the world to see. The cracked glasses a reminder of that happy go lucky Vlad we once knew. 

So which direction do you vibe with the most? We've been busy exploring this concept as he's one of the few characters that would see a significant change in a timeskip. We've been cooking on many directions to see what would make the most sense. 

Thank you for checking this out and stay tuned for part 2: The full dev update. Over and out!