Below you will find questions that I asked Brian, the writer, and Joshua, the artist, about the Tens-Day project. The following responses share insights about their vision for the graphic novel, as well as their workflow. We also have included several iterations of the building from early concepts to the finished design that is depicted on the cover of Tens Day #1.
1) What was your thought process and goals when designing the Pinnacle Hotel?
Brian: From the writer's side of things, the primary issue on my mind when conceptualizing The Pinnacle was less about the details of its physical appearance and more about its status as the premiere resort location in colonized space. It had to look impressive and embody a futuristic aesthetic, but it also needed to be a sprawling, waterfront property, able to host a wide variety of recreational activities. Joshua did a great job with the property, as you can see with his concepts and the cover for the first issue of Tens Day.
2) What was your design process and inspirations when artistically creating the Pinnacle Hotel?
Joshua: As I was conceptualizing The Pinnacle I took inspiration from a lot of places. First and foremost I would read and stick heavily to Brian’s description of how it should look and feel. Originally I was going for an exotic appearance, but as I read more I realized that the events which took place in this building were quite bleak. I tried to reflect this in The Pinnacle design by striving for quite an arid and corporate feel, which creates a nice contrast when you place it in a tropical scene such as a beachfront.
3) There are three sets of images here for buildings that ultimately lead to the finalized Pinnacle Hotel? Explain what it was like creating each set? How did you get from the first to the final building image?
Joshua: The original Pinnacle designs were less informed than what I have now simply because I didn't have the understanding of the story as I do now. I was going for sleek and slender shapes. I was also making sure that the buildings could relate to one and another, so nothing looked truly out of place. As I worked more on Tens Day I got more of a feel for what The Pinnacle should reflect and as I continue to read more of the story I feel that the design of The Pinnacle and Serenus (note: Serenus is the island-laden tropical planet on which The Pinnacle is located) will keep evolving along with my own understanding.
4) How does the story of the Pinnacle Hotel evolve throughout issue #1?
Brian: The story of The Pinnacle is less about its own evolution and more about the way it serves as ground zero for the evolving story of the cast of character in Tens Day. I am, however, really enjoying the evolution of the working relationship that Joshua and I have established; he is doing an amazing job bringing the story to life with his art. And I also will mention this: part of the fun of working on the graphic novel is that it occurs about ten years before INT does. Joshua and I, then, are working with some characters that might appear in the game in the future. Moreover, some of Joshua's designs will be modeled and used in the game, too.
So, while the graphic novel isn't a precursor or prequel to INT, it isn't merely a standalone story, either. Ultimately, Tens Day evolves and fortifies a slice of lore for the INT universe, which is an extensive and ongoing inter-departmental endeavor. The writing team, headed by Blind Caesar; Justin, the project lead; and creative development continue to flesh out INT’s history in various stages and genres. Expect to learn more about INT’s backstory over the next few months at our website, which is receiving a makeover under Panda’s direction.
We also have one concept image and a render of in-game object to share.
This is a concept image of Bastion when viewed from the streets. Bastion is a large and well-established metropolis; a place to be for the wealthy, young, and generally upwards populations. Things change however, so before all hell breaks loose...
And below is the rendered image of one out of many roof-top elements players will see on the Medical Centre. It is a very small part of the entire building, we nevertheless crafted it with a great deal of attention to detail, as we do to all aspects of the INT project.
