Nostalgic aesthetics and paradises
The feeling
Nostalgia for a childhood you never had: late summer afternoons in the countryside, the smell of rain, lantern light in grandma's window, fireflies in the backyard. It is not "realistic" or "epic" all the time; it is cozy and full of wonder. Reference feelings (not art): Studio Ghibli films, the light of Zelda Breath of the Wild, the comfort of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, the beautiful melancholy of Ori and Journey.
Aesthetic rules
- Warm, low light is the protagonist: lots of dusk, golden dust in the air, sun rays between the leaves, lit windows.
- Particles of life: fireflies, pollen, falling leaves, butterflies, dust in the sun, dandelion seeds, fine snow. Always present in small amounts; many in special places.
- The sound of the place before music: crickets at night, frogs in the swamp, a village bell in the distance, wind in the wheat, running water. Music comes in at moments.
- Saturated but soft colors (watercolor), soft outlines, no "dirty" gray.
- Worn, beloved objects: crooked fences, clotheslines with laundry, flowers in pots, cats in windows. Places that look inhabited for generations.
- Moments that repeat with affection: the village bell at nightfall, the lanterns lighting one by one, the first firefly of the night, the smell of the bakery in the morning (sound and smoke particle).
Fireflies and night lights
- They appear at dusk, on warm, rainless nights, in meadows, by rivers and lakes, in crops and groves.
- Firefly places: the Prado dos Vaga-lumes (Firefly Meadow, Vale de Lumen), the Lagoa das Fadas (Fairy Pond), the banks of the Rio do Véu (Veil River), the Vinha-d'Âmbar (Amber Vine) fields in summer, the Floresta de Cogumelos (Mushroom Forest).
- They are interactive: you can catch them in a jar (it becomes light, an alchemy ingredient and a house decoration); they flee from strong lantern light; more numerous on the new moon.
- Other living lights: bioluminescent mushrooms and moss (Bosque Antigo, Profundezas), plankton that glows in the water when someone swims (Arquipélago), aurora borealis in the Geleiras.
Paradises (17 on the map)
Each one is a rest area (no PvP, recovery bonus, its own fishing and music) and a contested place to live (see 15).
| Paradise | Region | What it is | Best time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Praia das Conchas (Shell Beach) | South coast | White sand, turquoise water, palm trees | Sunset |
| Lagoa Turquesa (Turquoise Lagoon) | Arquipélago (Archipelago) | Clear water between islands | Midday |
| Recife de Coral (Coral Reef) | Arquipélago | Shallow colorful reef, swimming and diving among fish | Clear day |
| Ilha das Tartarugas (Turtle Island) | Arquipélago | Beach where turtles lay eggs; hatchlings run to the sea | Full moon |
| Vale das Mil Quedas (Valley of a Thousand Falls) | Selva and Cânions (Jungle and Canyons) | Dozens of waterfalls in a green valley, rainbows | Morning |
| Fontes Termais (Hot Springs) | Ermos de Brasa (Ember Wastes) | Hot pools with steam in the middle of the volcano | Cold night |
| Jardim de Pedra (Stone Garden) | Ermos de Brasa | Zen garden of volcanic rock, moss and stone lanterns | Dusk |
| Lago de Cristal (Crystal Lake) | Cordilheira (Mountain Range) | Turquoise mountain lake with a bed of crystals | Morning |
| Gruta de Cristal Azul (Blue Crystal Grotto) | Cordilheira | An entire cave of glowing blue crystals | Any time |
| Aurora de Hrim (Hrim Aurora) | Geleiras (Glaciers) | Ice valley where the aurora borealis is strongest | Clear night |
| Oásis de Miragem (Miragem Oasis) | Cânions Rubros (Red Canyons) | Palm trees and water in the red desert | Late afternoon |
| Campos de Lavanda (Lavender Fields) | Colinas de Âmbar (Amber Hills) | Blooming purple fields | Spring and summer |
| Prado dos Vaga-lumes | Vale de Lumen | Meadow with thousands of fireflies | Summer night |
| Bosque das Cerejeiras (Cherry Blossom Grove) | Bosque Alto | Cherry trees with falling petals | Spring |
| Lagoa das Fadas | Bosque Antigo (Old Wood) | Pond with floating lights | Night |
| Floresta de Cogumelos | Bosque Alto (south) | Giant glowing mushrooms, spores in the air | Night |
| Jardins de Celéstia (Gardens of Celéstia) | Ilhas Celestes (Sky Islands) | Hanging gardens and waterfalls that fall into the void | Dawn |
The paradises change with the season and the time of day: the cherry trees only bloom in spring, the turtles only lay eggs on the full moon, the fireflies only in summer. Returning to the same place at another time is a new experience, which fights boredom (see 20).
For the art
- Ask for one color board per paradise (day and night).
- The particle system (fireflies, pollen, petals) is a priority in Phase 1, because it defines the feeling.