Rookie Awards 2023: Lakin Ashola

GILGAMESH 

A fantasy project based on my retelling of the legend of Gilgamesh and the flying city of Babylon. It is set in a world where Gilgamesh obtained immortality and humanity has advanced so much over a short period of time that civilisations reside on floating cities and power is obtained from magical gemstones.

It focuses on the journey of the Arabian Knight, the last of the Mesopotamia, who searches for the corrupt king of Babylon, Gilgamesh to find answers on the mass disappearance of their people.

This project developed from my love for middle eastern folk tales and Babylon being something I was fond of since a young age, when I was a child I initially thought The Arabian Nights tales were called The Arabian Knights, so the inspiration for this project was based off this funny story I tell friends!

Initial research and reference gathering, I planned on developing multiple characters, so I created one large moodboard to refer to.

Style guides for the gemstones and the magic properties they possessed. 

Style guides for overall world mood and characters.

Project sigil design

The Arabian Knight

A lone wanderer from the now-lost Indus Valley, a sacred place where they tamed the mystical energy from Jasper stones and passed their teachings to the next generation of Indus Valley children, being the last of their kind, they seek answers on the sudden disappearance and destruction of their childhood home. To carry on the Jasper teachings they infused themselves with the last of the energy reservoir to aid them in their journey for vengeance.

The main character of the project, their design was based off Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilisations, I aimed for their role to act as the player character.

King Gilgamesh

The corrupt tyrant king of Babylon, thousands of years ago he obtained immortality, his findings accelerated humanity's technology, but at the cost of him becoming twisted and poisoned with power, he is seen as a Demigod by others, even Gods won't intervene with the kingdom of Babylon.

His design is based on gemstones such as onyx, the process of crystallisation, and fool's gold.

Captain Ali Baba 

Leader of Babylon's notorious thieves who commands his group of mercenaries, he is more respected than Gilgamesh, as his group of fighters see him as a ruthless, but headstrong boss who looks after his men and women. He despises Gilgamesh and his tight grip on the people, he is plotting a rebellion against the selfish king, though he also plans to reap the rewards of Babylon's guarded treasures. 

The inspiration for his design was influenced by the tale of Ali Baba and the forty thieves. I wanted to reinterpret the story as Ali Baba being the leader of the thieves, acting as a mafia boss style character with a lot of attitude and personality. I see him as an ally to the character by mutual benefits, not necessarily because he wants to help the player.

The Wandering Merchant Utu

Utu is a mysterious merchant that bumps into the Arabian Knight suspiciously more than he should. He offers his wares, has a vast knowledge on the history of Babylon and the Gods, and seems to have an interest for the Knight's progress and journey, wanting to assist out of curiosity. He seems to have an ulterior motive, but provides the player with useful knowledge and has a welcoming aura. He also has a strong liking for tea.

Utu is based on the Babylon God Utu, who was associated with the sun, divine justice, and healing. He watched the world everyday, being responsible for the protection of travellers. He was also connected to the underworld and trading of goods, so I felt this was a perfect starting point for this character. I see him as a God in disguise assisting the player, similar to a walking tutorial, but 4th-wall breaking.

Keyframes

Here I wanted to explore key story-beats, such as the knight starting their journey and the characters they interact and meet along the way.

Environments 

Lastly, I wanted to explore the world of Babylon, taking influence from the Tree of Life, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and Mesopotamia temples.

THE GRUNGE DETECTIVE

An action-puzzle project following the story of a young (self-proclaimed) detective named Ace, who must unravel the mysteries of desolate ghost-towns hiding a greater secret, whilst also avoiding the oppressive pursuit of authorities who could be behind all of this.

This project was inspired by 1980's Hong Kong and New York, alongside punk culture and grunge fashion. The project was influenced by my interest in media such as manga/anime, and more specifically Jet Set Radio, as the core design philosophy of the game was in my opinion; self-expression and the freedom to be whoever you want to be. I wanted to twist the stereotype of a detective and make a character who goes against the normal standards of the profession in both personality and looks, and also make a fun, playful interpterion of the role.

Style guide, and references for character and environments

Project sigil design

Ace the Detective 

A rowdy, impulsive, juvenile detective who solves cases his way. He isn't popular with the authorities, seen as a nuisance and public menace, in contrast, people view him as a bit odd, but is the go-to guy for any issues you have; big or small, even with is rough exterior, he has a kind-heart and is a compassionate young man.

Keyframes

Here I explored different scenarios the character could run into, including exploring the tone of the world.

Environments

I explored the mood and atmosphere of the possible locations Ace would explore.

Miscellaneous Projects

A collection of work I done over the year.

Closing Note:

Just wanted to thank you for taking  the time out of your day to look through my work, I really appreciate it! I want to say a big thank you to my family, friends and lecturers who have helped me throughout the years, this will be 5th year entering rookie awards (how time flies!) and on top of that I will be graduating! University went by so quick, but I enjoyed every minute of it and met amazing people because of it! 

Again, thank you for taking the time to view my work, I hope my immense love for world-building and story-telling show through this entry, and good luck to all the other entries including my classmates! :]

If you are interested in my work, you can find me here!

Artstation - https://www.artstation.com/lakin

Twitter / Instagram - @lakin_ashola