Empyrean:Setting

From Superluminon

Concept

Taking place on an alternate Earth, history is similar but not the same. Steampunk and later period inventions are common. Flying ships are the main mode of long distance transport, going slower than airplanes but more reliably. The game takes place in Europe in a late 19th century mode with dashes of the the 1920s and possibly 30s thrown in, and America in an Art Deco period. Some time will pass between acts in the game. After America opens to the player, he may return to find Europe different.

History

Art Style

Progression through the storyline will take the player through different countries and their major cities, each with distinct architectural styles. This way, visuals will reinforce changes in mood and plot. Cities will be seen from two levels; from above, when flying, and from street-level. From above, the cities will become part of the background and landscape. Street-level images will be potentially more detailed, without rendering constraints. (See the soon-to-be gameplay page for details)

Work at this point is preliminary, being mostly architectural research. The exact styles will be refined as the nations themselves develop. Some possible styles are:

• Neoclassical
• Gothic Revival
• Moorish
• Art Deco
• Art Nouveau
• Modernisme
• Victorian

(Architectural Timeline on Wikipedia)

So far, the factions are:

• Britain - This is the most developed, industrial nation. This means steel, factories, smoke, and bulky, modular shapes.
• North America - Art Deco, like the Chrysler Building. Colors are brighter, but paler. Technology is new, and sometimes untested.
• France - This is the home of individual inventors. Devices are more varied, handcrafted, and ornamental. Machines work on ingenuity, not power.
• Germany - The most militant, close behind Britain in power. Buildings are older, sharper, and more victorian.
• Pirates - Ships shoot through the sky, riding on tails of smoke and the stolen, improvised parts liberated in their last raid.

See the Factions page for more details.