Horde Survival Vehicle Research & High Concept

For the Horde Survival Vehicle I wanted something unique, that I would be excited to work on. I first thought of doing something sci-fi, a few years in the future, before I found out that we could also go back in time, until the year when cars were invented. That's how the idea of a demon apocalypse at the beginning of the 20th Century came up. The vintage feel of those times as well as the mentality of people, who were more religious back then, could fit together into this concept, in my opinion: the creatures might or might not be actual demons, but what matters is how the people fighting them perceive them because, besides the means and weapons to defeat them, there will be glimpses of their beliefs and religion in their surroundings. Therefore, in the design of the vehicles the characters use too. 

So, I'm looking for a vintage, not exactly steampunk but close to it, dystopic and gothic atmosphere. 

For this, I made a moodboard to convey this aesthetic and get a better idea about it. 

I also added some images that I think might be reprezentative for the driver: a 20th Century classy widow driving to save her daughter. I believe that characters are the ones that drive the plot and affect the world, so she was the first thing I started to think about and ellaborate. Sure enough, all the other ideas came rushing and came together quickly after this. 

While figuring out my story world and aesthetic, I also gathered images of how my final work would look in terms of style and presentation.

I obviously want this look of a makeshift survival vehicle. My character, my driver, is not an engineer, but a mother desperate to save her daughter and, of course, she wouldn't have the means of puting together something more than this. Of course, as the brief requires, the style will be realistic. I also saved some photos for how I'd like my sketches to be presented, since I want them too to be readable and clean. 

While doing this, I also wrote down the answers to the questions about my high concept and will continue to add to it as I go and ideas come up:

General Idea – 20^th Century. The world is on its way to modernity. Steam is being replaced by electricity. Fashion is thriving. Women get the right to vote.

And demons are spawning from beneath the ground, ravaging the whole world…

What a great time to be alive! (at least for now)

-          I want to blend the stylish feel of the 20^th century with the horrors of going through a demon apocalypse. I believe the contrast would be an interesting point to base the design around. 

 

a.       Style – Realism

b.      Where in the world are they driving? – 19^th – 20^th Century European cities ravaged by demons (torn down buildings and swarms of demons running around)

c.       When are they driving? What year is it? – end of the 19^th century, beginning of the 20^th maybe not sure yet

d.      Who is driving? – high class lady who had to toughen up to survive, but didn’t lose her elegance and class hehe. Husband was eaten by demons (unfortunate, really). She went a bit bonkers probably.

Or

Bus driver in the 20^th Century trying to get to safety (note: discarded this idea because it simply doesn't have as much soul as the other, didn't evolve as quickly as the other and doesn't make me as excited to work on it.)

e.       The enemy - Demons: crawling out of the ground, the smaller ones, the imps, go around in swarms, they don’t grow over 1 meter. The swarms have a bigger demon, ogre-like, that leads them; can be more than 2 m tall and are massive, but are quite slow and dumb.

f.        Why are they driving? Where are they going? – She’s driving to the boarding school that she sent her daughter to and that is being assaulted by demons, to rescue her.

g.      Vulnerability – Though this is really a minor point: What are your persons/vehicles vulnerability?

-          Parts thrown together in a rush: an extra engine might be attached to the car through pipes and mechanisms, but it will be vulnerable since it’s not covered by anything.  

 

The 20^th century helpful info and research:

-          - Steam was slowly being replaced by electricity

-          - Transport became petrol engine powered

-          - Women were still regarded as objects in some circles, though they have aquired the right to vote

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