Drowning in the Darkness

There are different phases to design, and one of the most important ones is passive creativity. This involves setting the stage where you can most readily come up with the necessary ideas to help you in your work. For example, as I work on tremulus, I am ever mindful to watch some scary stuff, but not exclusively scary stuff. I also watch a lot of drama and, with certain playsets, such as the Frozen Wasteland, I want to know more about ice and cold, not just that it’s white and if I stand out in it too long, it can kill me. In other words, I want to know the reality of things.

I want the mood. I want to capture the feeling. I want to take lightning, place it in a jar, and watch it with wonder. Details are important, but should be subjugated to the experience, the emotion we want our audience (and ourselves) to take away from it. In other words, I want to blur the reality, distill it down to its essence, and create an opportunity for a wonderful shared experience.

Our memories may be fuzzy or perfect of the past. We interpret events through our individual lenses, and past experiences. We make them our own, even as we seek a particular point. Sure, commonalities may exist. We’re all stewing in the same cultural pot (for the most part) after all. We each make our own mark upon things.

I know my sensibilities, and how I manage to cast a shadow in everything I work on, but the shadow is important. Without it, how can we see how bright the sun shines?

I do hope to work on some brighter projects once some of the present things are in the queue, and I’m totally digging what I’m working on. I just don’t want to drown in the darkness.

Until next time, I bid you, dear reader, adieu!