The World Of Twilight

For the next faction for this great game I'd love to see something a bit more darker. I understand the premises for the current factions and really like them, but would love to see something darker.

The first thought that comes to mind is a swam army, something really nasty. But it needs to come from the animal kingdom. I keep on thinking about GW's Skaven, they look and feel really bad and have the swam affect. They would look good Vs the other factions and could be a type of plague faction that would work. But I understand that a rip off of the skaven wouldn't work.

So what other animal would be cool, like the skaven?

There will never be a truly evil race in Twilight. There won't be a truly good race either, it's always a matter of perspective! Feel free suggesting ideas though... I always like that sort of creativity!
There is a (very) slow-burning plan for a proper swarm-style force, although it won't be 'evil' and won't be too rat like.  ;)

Swam = swamp or swarm.  ???
How about a faction that encompasses both ? Though I would prefer more of a jungle swamp feel.  8)

Now you've got me thinking of pished hill-billy Fubarnii :D

i like twilight because there is no moustache twirling villain faction. as mike said perspective is key

When I hear swarm, Ants and Bees are more of what spring to mind.

Are there other races beside the 'reptile' types that have been revealed so far? Perhaps living in hiding, and a flight based race would give an interesting adjustment to the world.

Caliginosity

Have you found much on the kedashi/frenu? I rambled (http://www.worldoftwilight.com/forum/index.php?topic=1930.0) about them a few months ago. They are the latest race that I've detailed for Twilight and certainly fit the flying swarms description.
I do want to investigate the garkrid (the equivalent to insects) a bit more as well eventually and maybe have some larger varieties...

No, not got them yet. :-[  I am trying to work through things from as early as possible, so not reached them yet.

I am trying in my own way to learn as much about this world, so may take me a little while to catch up.

Caliginosity

Don't worry - I like being asked questions! They often get me to think and expand upon things

I love the idea of something arthropoid in Twilight!  I feel like creatures designed and sculpted in Mike's style could look great, still fit in, and be a very cool addition.  I'd be especially happy if they had more accurate insect anatomy than most insectoid models that I'm aware of - six legs, three body divisions, compound eyes, and wings on some, but perhaps not all.  In a general sense, anyways, but personally, I think I'd still want to avoid anything too familiar, or similar to past or present animals on earth, just something inspired by insects.

Given the cool thought that has gone into the life cycles of the vertebrate life in Twilight, I'm sure Mike would come up with something interesting for these guys, too, which might relate to the wingedness of some and not others (as in ants), or units with varying morhologies (larvae vs. adults). And insectoid fantasy creatures that aren't just a mindless ravenous horde would be nice, too...

Anyways, I'm rambling, and realize anything like this would be a long ways off. Just nerding out at the idea!

I am REALLY happy to see the creators of this game resist the temptation to add something "evil" to their world. Evil is all well and good, and it can be fun for certain kinds of stories, but I think the world is a lot richer if you avoid it, or at the very least avoid it being a big deal. Not everyone is a hero in their own minds. Some people know what they're doing is wrong, they've just convinced themselves that it's necessary or acceptable in context or some other weak excuse. But being dedicated "to evil" is just such a flat motivation. Even when evil is a force in a world, I think it's more interesting to focus on the lives and choices of "evil"'s minions, who probably have more complex reasons for doing what they do.

What if we took "swarm" and turn it upside down a bit?  A swarm of monkey/humanish critters, something like gibbons?  Maybe a pack with leashes on them, being driven by something that real-life (but not in Anyaral) would consider more primitive than the humanoids.

I like the no-evil and no-good, just nature concept.  Very refreshing.

That's almost exactly what I was aiming at with the kedashi swarms!

The swarms of frenu are very primitive and the fubarnii wouldn't even consider that they might be part of a more intelligent species. The kaopi are reasonably intelligent, but the kedashi queens are at least human/fubarnii levels of intelligence (even if it is a very different form of intelligence).

The trebarnii fit your 'gibbon' thoughts, although a bit more developed. I want to develop them and have considered them having characters who somehow herd garkrid (beetles) into combat... more gibbon-like creatures could be fun for them to herd...

Sounds interesting. I would love to see the kedashi and their world developed more. They add a fascinating extra dimension to the world.

Your Trebarnii just arrived and are sitting on my desk in the office, right now, herding some of the little critters.  I think they are my favorite group in Anyaral.  Something basic and appealing about them, both innocent and creepy at one time.

I'm trying to figure out how to best arrange one of them, probably the lizard/gila-monster guy, onto the base of the Trebarnii (the brute?) on the biggest base.  I had envisioned him coming out of tall grass but I think a critter will look nice.

I love how you turned the tables on so many common concepts, such as greater/lesser, sentient/beast, good/evil, religion/tech, and so on.  Very clever and very appealing ideas.

Still, with the gibbons, I was envisioning something that was just human-enough for people to see ourselves in this world, yet not in the Apex-Predator position we take for granted.

I have a definite soft spot for the Kedashi and the trebarnii - they are a challenge for production and I'm not sure many people have played them very much, but I'm really pleased with them. The big swarms and the way they play is a lot of fun, but certainly one for more experienced players!
I would very much like to develop them next - sculpt the kedashi queens and expand upon the trebarnii. Trebarnii swarm callers (who can manipulate the frenu swarms) and maybe some new beasts that they can work with. Large flightless bird-like mounts that will burst from the undergrowth with the whooping trebarnii clinging on for dear life.
Maybe some day I'll sculpt the emperors pet trebarnii that is kept in the palace, dressed in fine clothes and forced to perform tricks to entertain the royal guests.

Actual monkey-like gibbons? Creatures from another family that haven't developed as much? Could be interesting.

Wasn't sure where to post this, so it is here!

A New Year photo of my Kedashi swarms as they are at the moment.

(http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r639/phil396/DSC02750_zpsw56epjke.jpg) (http://s1175.photobucket.com/user/phil396/media/DSC02750_zpsw56epjke.jpg.html)



As you can see, I went for the unpopular painting scheme of all the Frenu in the same colour! :P

That's a fine looking force you have there.

To me, the Trebarnii look like quiet, enslaved, crushed-spirits, creeping-through-the-jungle guys, as opposed to passionate war whooping Indians.  Maybe that's just me, though.

I wonder what kind of tension would exist between the enslaved/dependant and their masters.

A mini of a shaman-like Trebarnii with butterfly-sized swarms circling an outstretched hand would look really cool.  Also, perhaps a "leader" with something perched on his shoulder, telling him what to tell the other Trebarnii, both as the boss and as an angel/devil on the shoulder.  Maybe a little group of Protectors of the Masters' Eggs, too.  Sounds more like a scenario than a new mini sculpt, but perhaps it will ignite someone else's imagination.   :)