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| The image I am using is from Dark Souls. The knight is called Solaire, knight of Astora. |
Recording the Details
Name of Designer/Team: From Software
Name of Publisher: Namco Bandai
Title of Work: Dark Souls
Date it was made/published: October 7th 2011 (Europe)
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Target Audience: Hardcore Gamers
Formal Elements
[Composition]
The main organisational features of this image is set spectacularly to really bring out a characters glow gently against the light source which is provided (buildings, areas and other beings happen to have this glow as well). This happens in all parts of the game, but this image particularly shows this feature. The main focal point of this image is Solaire of Astora, standing brightly against a lit sky. The building Solaire is standing on is full of geometrical shapes, such as round soft curves to express that it is a building of high standard (a castle), and not been taken lightly to make. The walls may be crumbling but they blossom with beautiful ivy which crawls through the cracks of rocks and settle on the wall. There is no methods regarding symmetry, but there is ways in which this image sparks up the character standing in the middle. Solaire is lit purposely to bring out his character, and to share his glorious back story and relation to the sun with the player.
[Space/Depth]
As talked about before, the effects created on this image is merely sunlight beaming brightly on a knight. It's really to create a sense of power and innocence, as sunlight is deemed as 'pure' or 'incandescent' to quote from Solaire himself. Or it may be an illusion that he indeed 'pure' or 'innocent', to trick the player into thinking that this character is some what special to the story.
[Colour]
The main colours used in this image is undoubtedly dark and dank colours; greys, whites, greens and reds. This gives the image a more natural looking tone, like all of the world is some what being given away by mother nature itself. The splashes of red and yellow really sets warmth to this image, and is donned on Solaire. These are his clan colours, and he represents them in a very open way to the player (this is also another way to relate the player with the character.) There isn't much range to the pallete but the effects it creates are very noticeable and is seen as a style the game has taken up.
[Light]
Atmospheric light is something that occurs quite a lot in Dark Souls, because it sets the tone, and meaning to an area which you have just come across in gameplay. Solaire, being related to light in many more ways then one, is always glowing brightly against a light source. As well as colour, light also brings a feeling, and this feeling is happiness. There is a lot of Chiaroscuro lighting is more used later on in the game, as characters and the player progress on their own story, it becomes more apparent that the world they live in is breaking apart. In this image, Solaire is lit brightly, but so is his surroundings.
[Style]
It's hard to place a style on Dark Souls, as there is a lot of realistic entities embedded in the game, but also manga influences regarding humans in this game. You can't see it on Solaire in this image, however his armour is very fantasy like. The buildings are very realistic, and as the game progresses, you are always struck with beautiful structures and confusing tunnels for you to explore. The castle that Solaire stands on is one of the first buildings you climb, and it inhabits a dragon, a mixture of both realistic and fantasy worlds.
[Subject, Theme & Meanings]
The character Solaire is indeed the subject in this image, shining brightly against the suns brilliance. He is a knight of the sun, and is looking for his own personal 'sun'. This really sets the scene (or the Mise en Scene) of Solaire's own personal goals and, possibly, achievements. The sun is actually his own image, as well. Solaire is possibly a fallen disciple from the gods above, and he's trying to regain his own authority back as best as he can. Seeming this is the first time you encounter Solaire, after a boss battle, you could believe that he's 'godly' just by being at the end of the line, he managed to perfectly escape and possibly destroyed all possible threats towards him (a powerful entity). An issue with this could also be that he's 'insane'. Looking for a 'sun' of his own, like the glowing gas ball in the sky? Either he could be 'godly' and talking about a power he once had, or that he's actually looking for a sun.
[Context and Influences]
Dark Souls is really influenced by mythology. It takes on all sorts of cultural aspects of Mythology (Asian Mythology) with Dragons, Gods and Architecture. The game then takes that inspiration and creates its own spots of mythology, and the characters/NPC's all talk about it. They seem very unsure, or they are determined to go and find something that may or may not exist. For example; Solaire is looking for his 'power', his 'sun', so this could be a myth to him because he's also unsure where about it is or where it exists but he's so determined to find it, because it gives him hope. Hope is what drives the NPC's in the Dark Souls' world, as the areas are just full of monsters and humans who have lost themselves to the terrors, they all need something to grab onto to protect so they don't feel alone. Going back to Mythology, there's gods which different Clans look towards for guidance, they preach to them, and that is what gives them power and protection.
[Personal Response]
I really like Solaire as a character, as so much is going on in his mind and his own story. The first time I came across Solaire in Dark Souls, I felt attached to him because of the way his dialogue was perfectly referencing himself and me (as the player) fighting together to destroy evil. That reference towards player and character could really go the wrong way, and make something like that quite 'soppy', but it really depends on the player. His character design is gorgeous, simple, and full of bright and cheerful colours. That enough to make any one either like his armour for themselves, to be Solaire, or just like him as a character, and as a 'buddy' to use to defeat bosses through out the game.
[Space/Depth]
As talked about before, the effects created on this image is merely sunlight beaming brightly on a knight. It's really to create a sense of power and innocence, as sunlight is deemed as 'pure' or 'incandescent' to quote from Solaire himself. Or it may be an illusion that he indeed 'pure' or 'innocent', to trick the player into thinking that this character is some what special to the story.
[Colour]
The main colours used in this image is undoubtedly dark and dank colours; greys, whites, greens and reds. This gives the image a more natural looking tone, like all of the world is some what being given away by mother nature itself. The splashes of red and yellow really sets warmth to this image, and is donned on Solaire. These are his clan colours, and he represents them in a very open way to the player (this is also another way to relate the player with the character.) There isn't much range to the pallete but the effects it creates are very noticeable and is seen as a style the game has taken up.
[Light]
Atmospheric light is something that occurs quite a lot in Dark Souls, because it sets the tone, and meaning to an area which you have just come across in gameplay. Solaire, being related to light in many more ways then one, is always glowing brightly against a light source. As well as colour, light also brings a feeling, and this feeling is happiness. There is a lot of Chiaroscuro lighting is more used later on in the game, as characters and the player progress on their own story, it becomes more apparent that the world they live in is breaking apart. In this image, Solaire is lit brightly, but so is his surroundings.
[Style]
It's hard to place a style on Dark Souls, as there is a lot of realistic entities embedded in the game, but also manga influences regarding humans in this game. You can't see it on Solaire in this image, however his armour is very fantasy like. The buildings are very realistic, and as the game progresses, you are always struck with beautiful structures and confusing tunnels for you to explore. The castle that Solaire stands on is one of the first buildings you climb, and it inhabits a dragon, a mixture of both realistic and fantasy worlds.
[Subject, Theme & Meanings]
The character Solaire is indeed the subject in this image, shining brightly against the suns brilliance. He is a knight of the sun, and is looking for his own personal 'sun'. This really sets the scene (or the Mise en Scene) of Solaire's own personal goals and, possibly, achievements. The sun is actually his own image, as well. Solaire is possibly a fallen disciple from the gods above, and he's trying to regain his own authority back as best as he can. Seeming this is the first time you encounter Solaire, after a boss battle, you could believe that he's 'godly' just by being at the end of the line, he managed to perfectly escape and possibly destroyed all possible threats towards him (a powerful entity). An issue with this could also be that he's 'insane'. Looking for a 'sun' of his own, like the glowing gas ball in the sky? Either he could be 'godly' and talking about a power he once had, or that he's actually looking for a sun.
[Context and Influences]
Dark Souls is really influenced by mythology. It takes on all sorts of cultural aspects of Mythology (Asian Mythology) with Dragons, Gods and Architecture. The game then takes that inspiration and creates its own spots of mythology, and the characters/NPC's all talk about it. They seem very unsure, or they are determined to go and find something that may or may not exist. For example; Solaire is looking for his 'power', his 'sun', so this could be a myth to him because he's also unsure where about it is or where it exists but he's so determined to find it, because it gives him hope. Hope is what drives the NPC's in the Dark Souls' world, as the areas are just full of monsters and humans who have lost themselves to the terrors, they all need something to grab onto to protect so they don't feel alone. Going back to Mythology, there's gods which different Clans look towards for guidance, they preach to them, and that is what gives them power and protection.
[Personal Response]
I really like Solaire as a character, as so much is going on in his mind and his own story. The first time I came across Solaire in Dark Souls, I felt attached to him because of the way his dialogue was perfectly referencing himself and me (as the player) fighting together to destroy evil. That reference towards player and character could really go the wrong way, and make something like that quite 'soppy', but it really depends on the player. His character design is gorgeous, simple, and full of bright and cheerful colours. That enough to make any one either like his armour for themselves, to be Solaire, or just like him as a character, and as a 'buddy' to use to defeat bosses through out the game.
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