Mainly for the artists but this is a quite compilation inspiration post for it.
This is an except/ draft of what I've written so far of the edited script for the magazine cutscene but hopefully it'll give you an idea in how it'll work.
I'll post up the full script changes when it's ready but I'll type out what I've done so far just so that you have an idea:
Travel Mag Cover: (Tourist trap type magazine, gaudy looking. You can use the Train logo like I used on the train ticket in one of my earlier posts or make a new one I don't mind).
"Tour Guide Monthly: special issue focusing on 'Ghost Month'"
Add some filler stuff for the front cover too. OR maybe just have the title and a picture of a scary Asian Demonic mask. Some random examples which I found:
Page 1: (throwing in some ideas: some ornate looking gates (like those used in Shinto shrines?) which are open, spirits pouring out, make them look scary I guess).
It is believed that once a year on the seventh Lunar Calendar, the Gates of hell would open and that its inhabitants would roam the world along with the living.
These spirites are of those who have been denied entry to Heaven. Either by having violent or accidental deaths, lacking proper burial rituals or having no living relatives to pay tribute to them.
Page 2: (incense pot maybe?)
To ease their suffering, 'Ghost Month' is the time for the living to pay tribute and respect.
Page 3: (reference to those really old style of pictures of 'Hell' etc. )
Neglecting or offending the restless spirits are often the cause of great disaster and/or unwanted attention. To avoid misfortune, many believers heed several warnings:
- Do not disturb or take food from the offering altars as they belong to the spirits.
- Whistling at night invites the dead to walk and follow you.
- Avoiding swimming during this time as playful spirits play tricks on you.
- Avoid travelling during this -
Here the cutscene will cut out and a crash sound effect will sound. After this cutscene, it'll be the post-crash part of day2. (Please refer to the old scripts of day2 if you're really confused but they'll be updated properly once I've typed them out.)
Some images:
Coloured bg, with black silhouettes is what I'm aiming for.
Art style wise, some Asian shadow puppets, especially those of Java and South East Asia:
Java:
Click on the 2nd image to go to the website for some SE Asian classical dance poses done by real humans too XD.
I know the designs look complicated but downloading but you can easily use some Asian pattern textures from dA to give it the shadow puppet effect (I've got some already which I can dropbox too).
I'm expecting just a small inanimate images that takes up less than half a page (1280x720, 72 pp), the rest will just be black for the text so it doesn't have to be a big thing. Something similar to my horribly unfinished lantern concept art like so XD:
Perhaps a little smaller (half the size I reckon) with the text in the left side.
Anyway, I'll post up thumbnails if people are really stuck but I'm quite intrigued with what people can come up with. Please refer to my flicker account to see the photos I took of chinatown too. Ghosts with uber long limbs like the top picture will look extra creepy :D.
Anyway hope this gives you an idea, please let me know if you need any other info!
Thai horror film which is practically Project Zero in film format with a buff actor as the main guy (will post up some pics of him which I found which would suit Yu's wardrobe ideas). Very creepy and there's this scene with cool lighting effects similarly used in the latest Youtube link that Rumzi posted before with the mannequins creeping up on Brad whenever the lights go off or when he turns his back.
Singaporean horror film about Ghost month. Very good film in showing how people would act around this time and the scares are subtle which is how I'd like the scares to be in HW if possible. Sticking to true Asian horror! Also Rumzi, this is NOT what you're thinking.
Hong Kong horror film about a blind girl who gets an eye transplant and is able to see ghosts because of it. Very good example of Asian (modern) ghosts as there is a big difference between them and Western ones. I'd like to incorporate Asian ghosts to HW to keep it true towards Ghost Month in spirit.
YUUMEI ON DA IS AWESUM:
Her 1000 words and Knite flash comics is what I had in mind for the cutscenes of HW cept the characters will have that Hotel Dusk squiggle effect and a much larger audio role.
CHINESE OPERA IS HORRIBLE SOUNDING (FOR ME) BUT I LOVE THE COSTUMES:
Okay more inspiration stuff since Chinese Opera is featured quite heavily during Ghost Month as part of the performances so I thought it would be good to share. This is a pop video which incorporates it so the opera singing is bearable for me and I'll try and find some traditional-traditional stuff later.
LASTLY:
What do you guys think about incorporating voice acting into HW? I know that it'll be a hassle to find actors and yadda yadda yadda but it'll be an awesome touch to have especially for the cut scenes.
This now concludes my epic post. THIS END!
[Total word count = 1553, I've practically written an essay of updates *faints*]
CRAP I FORGOT TO POST UP THE PICTURES OF THE GUY FROM SHUTTER IN WHICH I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER
YES I THINK HE'S VERY HANDSOME LOOKING SO WHAT?!
THAT REMINDS ME HERE ARE SOME SNAPSHOTS FROM 'THE MAID' MOVIE
WHY AM I TYPING IN CAPITALS? I'VE GONE CRAZY!
(Total word count including this is now 1719 carrying on from the last post.)
Some notes in why I find the Hungry Ghost Festival particularly creepy and other stuff in which I'll copy pasta from Wiki and link some (hopefully decent) pictures.
Building on what was written on the last post, the [Hungry] Ghost Festival is probably the Eastern version of Halloween. I can't remember what Halloween really represents (apart form all the commercial jazz) but the Ghost festival are more for those who died by suicide, accidents, drowning, hanging etc and have been denied entry into Heaven. They are angry since they are forced to dwell in Hell without food or comfort so when released from the Gates of Hell, they search for souls to take their place in misery.
To appease the angry restless spirits, street entertainments are performed and meals are cooked but this is the creepy part: all the seats are empty lol (or at least the front row seats for performances: reserved for ghosts). I read that shops will closed and altars/offers are placed in the middle of the empty road for the spirits which is again really creepy in itself.
Reserved for Ghosts yo'. (KL, Malaysia - Wikipedia)
This is a really good blog for pictures. I find it creepy that it's just so...empty. Especially when you read some of the captions lol. Seeing those pictures in the blog gives me the creeps; maybe it's different for me because I've actually seen stuff like that when I was a kid but didn't really know about it XD. Anyway that's the back story for the festival.
Other links if you wanna check em out (I'm only really putting them up here so that I can finally close some of the tabs I have open in my browser):
There are many superstitions and taboos surrounding the Hungry Ghost Festival. Spirits are thought to be dangerous, and can take many forms, including snakes, moths, birds, foxes, wolves, and tigers. Some can even use the guise of a beautiful man or woman to seduce and possess. One story refers to a ghost which takes the form of a pretty girl and seduces a young man until a priest intervenes and sends the spirit back to hell. It is believed that possession can cause illness and/or mental disorders.[12]
During the 7th month of the Chinese calendar children are advised (usually by an elder in the family) to be home before dark, and not to wander the streets at night for fear a ghost might possess them. Swimming is thought to be dangerous as well, as spirits are believed to have drowned people. People will generally avoid driving at night, for fear of a "collision", or spiritual offence, which is any event leading to illness or misfortune.[13] While "ghost" is a commonly used term throughout the year, many people use the phrase "backdoor god" or "good brother" instead during the 7th month, so as not to anger the ghosts. Another thing to avoid is sampling any of the food placed on the offering table, as doing this can result in "mysterious illness". Any person attending a show at indoor entertainment venues (Getais) will notice the first row of chairs is left empty. These seats are reserved for the spirits, and it is considered bad form to sit in them. After an offering has been burnt for the spirits, stepping on or near the burnt area should be avoided, as it is considered an "opening" to the spirit world and touching it may cause the person to be possessed.
- I would also like to add that if an altar is disturbed by an animal, we wouldn't chase it away because that is the animal's misfortune...not ours lol.
- Lastly I've never actually attended these kind of festivals as I grew up in England but I've heard of it so I won't be able to answer any specifics. Anyway hope you enjoy the reading material, it may help in the building of the 'creepy' factor.
Cool beans, I can finally close several hundred tabs now!
ps We also don't have to stick to the Chinese Culture, we can use another (or make up something like they did in Higurashi). I just thought this is quite a cool and unknown concept XD
