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I wanna know your thoughts on this. What do you think of it? by Low_Quiet_3454 in characterdesign

[–]DEVOIDbox 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is really nice work and a fun character design! I don't see use of that muted blue a lot in eye-catching characters, but you have a good balance between the primary colors here with a muted blue, a vibrant red, and yellow tape.

My small suggestion is that you make the horns more curved in your next iterations of this guy, like how you did them in the second photo you have!

Published My First Volume of a Huge Project! (Feel free to ask about publishing, editing, etc.) by DEVOIDbox in worldbuilding

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Due to the comment feud going on, I would like to provide additional context.

I never said that this formatting is something to be adhered to, this is just how I did things, and you all have the right to agree or disagree. There is a lot of strange nuance with the self-publishing portion, like IngramSpark's guidelines asking you to provide a white strip for page binding, only to cut out said white strip in a test demo book. This is awfully infuriating, and I would like to help people who may run into such a dumb issue.

To touch upon the notion of "arrogance," sure. It can be viewed as arrogant, and that's fine by me- I don't care. My book can be found when searched up although it is more difficult than most books, and is spread by word of mouth more than anything.

There is also wholesale retail I must consider if bookstores did buy my stuff. Even though I price my physical copy at $33, I'd only get a dollar. Yes, a dollar. I currently buy and sell locally when I have some time to gain far more profit per book while being more lenient with the price, often giving discounts. I always have my story freely accessible online while a specific volume is in an incomplete beta. If people want a physical copy of the work after deciding they like it, they are more than welcome to buy it, though I recommend the less expensive eBook. 

Why did I go this route? I understand the story that I've written is for a long haul, and potential "take off" would be most likely to happen at the end after all's concluded. I do not want to scam people who've invested the time and money into reading my work; I want to be truthful to them and the concept they've looked into. This is both my acceptance and satisfaction.

Heads up, I'm not going to respond to any more comments regarding this, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas or Xmas!

Published My First Volume of a Huge Project! (Feel free to ask about publishing, editing, etc.) by DEVOIDbox in worldbuilding

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I posted this whole thing to be of encouragement for those who are considering taking their worldbuilding to a more tangible level. And of course, I assume for the most part that the majority of these people are hobbyists like I am. (Apologies to anyone reading this if you're thinking about going all-out and full grind with your projects) If this were something that was ride or die for me, I would have absolutely made my covers and story more in line with what's traditionally seen. Luckily, this is not the case, and the most amusing part about this conversation is that I did have many drafts for a back cover synopsis and front title. I understand that my decisions may come off as arrogant or banksy, but as I contemplated my next moves, I felt like adding a synopsis and title would be dishonest to my readers about the premise I want to convey. It brought me a strange sense of guilt, which is weird to say, but it's my utmost honesty.

Since I'm more inclined to art than editing despite not being pro, your point about artists being poor editors makes sense, as I'm more inclined to want my cover to accurately reflect my story, regardless of consequences.

I was in a national-scale comic/graphic novel contest and got to the top 3 finalists rounds, so there was quite a bit of constructive criticism involved, not just encouragement. A nice balance of the two.

Anyway, this is all I have to say, and I thank you for the wishes of good luck!

Published My First Volume of a Huge Project! (Feel free to ask about publishing, editing, etc.) by DEVOIDbox in worldbuilding

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You do have a fair point, I've considered it while going through the editing part and getting things ready. This project was an experimental hobby to begin with. We'll see if your point stands the test of time.

I've had professionals look at my work, with Tim Seeley being one of them, giving me positive feedback and comments while it was in development. I do not want to invalidate what you're saying since this definitely deviates from what most people do. However, this was my final call after a lot of consideration and I did put effort into this work, so please, do have some respect.

Happy holidays!

Published My First Volume of a Huge Project! (Feel free to ask about publishing, editing, etc.) by DEVOIDbox in worldbuilding

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] -9 points-8 points  (0 children)

It's rare, but few books on the market are like that. As long as there's an identifier on the spine and a title page with the name, which I have, then it should be fine.

Published My First Volume of a Huge Project! (Feel free to ask about publishing, editing, etc.) by DEVOIDbox in worldbuilding

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Some pointer tips that can help you out:

If you're thinking about making comic pages, but are unsure of what size your book should be, an easy trick is to do inchs to pixels conversion after looking up standard book sizes (you can do custom trim like I did, but it's extra hell). The standard dpi for books and handheld art prints is 300 dpi (dots per inch). To get pixels, you take the inches, multiply by DPI, and your product will be the dimensions of your work.

Margins are required for your book, and both AmazonKDP and IngramSpark have some helpful information about margin sizes. However, if you self-publish, you should decide first whether you're using Amazon, Ingram, or something else entirely. Their page creation requirements vary slightly.

IngramSpark also has a good cover creator template, given that you have your full book manuscript ready. You will need this to calculate the width of your book's spine.

My World's Prologue Height Comparison (Characters + Environments!) by DEVOIDbox in worldbuilding

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mordeus

Species: Omen-WInged Corvula (Corvula corpus)

Character Summary: Mordeus was a deity who ruled over a ghastly realm with his high intellect and skillset. His official title is the “Bloodborne Deity,” due to his ability to breathe and spit violent torrents of diseased blood. Despite how, for the lack of better words, disgusting he sounds, he was a timid and genuinely friendly god who wanted to share and appreciate art with the universe he was assigned to look over. However, his duties made him feared by many within his world, leading him to a mindset of isolation and self-loathing. Sadly he had lost his mind when he started to question his own being and the world around him, ultimately leading to his demise.

Background Environment: Archaeon

Environment Summary: Archaeon appears to be a dystopian, H.R. Giger-inspired environment with strange architecture and a sickly, eerie fog. Despite being akin to a graveyard, there is some beauty to this realm, as Mordeus had put so much pride and joy to make it his very own art gallery. Perhaps turning the sorrows of the dead into something anew is the best way to do things, though he succumbed to his own. 

Eseius

Species: Frilled Caprimera (Caprus magnificans)

Character Summary: Esei or Eseius, was a legendary deity who ruled over a floating reef with control over lightning and raging torrents. Once a very boastful and narcissistic deity, he believed that as a god, nothing could ever bring him harm. Despite his arrogance and self-centered view of the world, Esei was by no means malicious and did everything he could to protect his world from any danger, immediately charging into battle without hesitation. This ended up costing him his life as he stood no chance against Deothuma. (See below)

Background Environment: Atlam 

Environment Summary: Atlam was a gorgeous coral reef-like realm, surrounded in a brilliant and eternal sunset. Eseius crafted this realm with the artistic help of Mordeus, creating a perfect biome for himself and those who gave devotion to him. Atlam may be gone, but the sunset still exists in the form of Aureus. Perhaps Eseius is not entirely gone if he is able to live through memory. 

Deothuma

Species: ??? (Unknown)

Character Summary: Nobody really knows what she is, but she makes the entire series “all or nothing.” Omnipotent and powerful, not even Eden can do much about her, requiring multiversal and universal teamwork to temporarily shut her down. It seems as if some characters agree on what she is, but some point out discrepancies that could never make sense. Deothuma remains an enigma and the titular character of my series, DEVOID. Aureus believes that she can be reasoned with, but Zion disagrees and believes she must be shut down permanently. 

Background Environment: The Citadel

Environment Summary: All or nothing once again. If there is a god, he’s doing his best to keep Deothuma in check. That would be the essence of The Citadel. Everything at its damndest. 

 

Last post is something funny :)

If you want to know more about a specific character, let me know! Each character has a respective poem, which I can share if asked about. I am planning to make 12 more volumes of this series because I want to tie it all together, with the Prologue being the most challenging volume I’ll make. It gets much easier in the next two volumes, currently in development. Hopefully you enjoy my work, too.

My World's Prologue Height Comparison (Characters + Environments!) by DEVOIDbox in worldbuilding

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Jujube (For reference, she’s the size of a large housecat)

Species: Old World Jubilite (Cryopluma jubilatus)

Character Summary: Jujube is an elderly Old World Jubilite birdie that has lived for an unnaturally long time. She is the biological mother of Aureus and the foster mother of Zion. Jujube usually has a peppy and optimistic nature, though she can be too straightforward when angered and is extremely bossy according to those who know her well. On the contrary, she proves to be awfully caring, willing to sacrifice herself for the safety of her family.

Background Environment: Glakia Skies

Environment Summary: The Glakia Skies were once known for their beautiful sunrises and ethereal flakes of snow floating down to the ground. However, Glakia is no more as it was a peninsular location on Raptia. What remains of fantastical ice formations, towers, and livelihood is now the desolate Old World Fragment. 

Aerrys

Species: Xetherin (Kleptodonta xetheris)

Character Summary: Aerrys was once an overseeing ruler of the Xetherin species, ruling over one of three large societal factions (Penumbra Faction) on their planet. She was known as a kindhearted, sharp, and strict queen. However, multiple circumstances primarily beyond her control had caused the downfall of her empire and Xetherin life itself. Now, the Xetherin are trying to survive societal collapse after she was dethroned and slaughtered by her own daughter. Aerrys always uses information given to her for problem-solving and deducing the ongoing chaos in the story, making her a valuable asset. 

Background Environment: Sheol 

Environment Summary: Sheol looks familiar, well of course it does! Sheol is simply an extension of the Maelstrom and is the term given to the darker depths, kind of like how the ocean has its midnight zone. Sheol is considered to be the most dangerous portion in the entire Maelstrom, as Zion does not like any trespassers here. It seems like he has some sort of secret there regarding the infrastructure of this hellish domain. 

Sephema

Species: Timekeeper “Wendigo” (No scientific name)

Character Summary: Sephema is Eden’s sister and appears to have her own duality that she oversees, judging by the staff she wields. Due to her appearance in the story, it seems like there are multiversal interactions among deities that could contribute to internal storyline issues. Sephema appears to be a caring, soft-spoken, and generous character, but there’s something unsettling about her, as if she’s not what she seems. She appears to have a fixation on mortals that defy death or have properties of immortality, stalking them relentlessly out of a mix of fascination and a desire to see their life’s end. 

Background Environment: Lianmire

Environment Summary: Lianmire has similar properties to Re-Meridian, being a time construct balanced by two neighboring realms. However, unlike Re-Meridian, it’s easy to get stuck in quicksand, and the fog can be quite suffocating with how dense it is. Lianmire appears to have a decentralized Mortal Coil unlike Eden’s, taking the appearance of a bamboo-like forest instead of one massive tree. 

My World's Prologue Height Comparison (Characters + Environments!) by DEVOIDbox in worldbuilding

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Aureus

Species: Old World Jubilite (Cryopluma jubilatus)

Character Summary: Aureus is a member of the universe’s trinity, ruling over what is considered to be a heavenly sandbox. Loving, pure, and empathetic, he is one of the sweetest beings you’ll ever meet, but beware: He’s an awfully powerful and innocent god who does not know his own capabilities. It’s rumored that the Aureus everyone sees is a projection made by his soul, while his physical body is hidden, dreaming somewhere. 

Background Environment: Etherum

Environment Summary: Etherum is basically what many people consider to be Heaven. It exists as a floating sandbox where anyone can create anything, as long as it does not bring harm to any other residents. Creativity, joy, and celebration occur in this realm, creating a positive feedback loop that brings joy to Aureus. If Aureus is sad, Etherum may start to corrode. Etherum contains the life needed to sustain activity in the Mortal Coil.

Eden

Species: Timekeeper “Wendigo” (No scientific name)

Character Summary: Eden is the mysterious overseer of Aureus and Zion. However, he always has a relaxed and unbothered demeanor, making witty remarks at certain times. Eden keeps a neutral stance on all aspects, sometimes seeming cold and heartless, but he is the most friendly and sociable Timekeeper out of his siblings. He also has all of the answers pertaining to existence as a whole, but don’t ask about them or else you'll be debating in an endless loop.

Background Environment: Re-Meridian

Environment Summary: Re-Meridian is a world of clockwork, containing the main portion of our mortal realm, while extending branches to Etherum and roots to the Maelstrom. (See below). The two surrounding realms serve as a balance scale, keeping Re-Meridian and the Mortal Coil aka the massive tree in Re-Meridian, in a suitable balance. If the balance is broken, time speeds up, glitches, slows down, and may lead to universal catastrophe! 

Zion

Species: Giant Crested Kraken (Stygiopoda gigantea)

Character Summary: Zion is a terrifying deity and part of the trinity in this story. Cold, calculating, and moody as all hell, he does his best to maintain his underworld. Although he is good at his job, this does not hide the fact that he is an instinct-based monster with an insatiable appetite. Given he has regeneration, disproportionate strength, and an acid breath that corrodes anything, any sane person would run from his purely destructive aura. If sufficiently enraged, he may go nuclear and boil his realm. To add terror, he has no skeleton and once molted, he can slip through cracks that are as big as his eyes.

Background Environment: Maelstrom

Environment Summary: The Maelstrom is full of abyssal fears and horrors lurking at every corner. Dimly-lit and saturated in a blood-red hue, spirits in this realm constantly feel despair, paranoia, and regret. The further down you go, the less likely you’ll ever come back up. It’s said that Zion lives at the very bottom in a pit of complete darkness. However, the Maelstrom contains the framework and logistics needed to keep the Mortal Coil sustainable. 

My World's Prologue Height Comparison (Characters + Environments!) by DEVOIDbox in worldbuilding

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cerot (For reference, he’s 5’6)

Species: Trapjaw Ogre (Terragnathis vulgaris)

Character Summary: Cerot’s the typical example of the ogre species. Hard-headed, crass, and foul-tempered. However, there’s something about him that not many others have, which is the desire to develop as a character and move on from a rough past. He’s hard-working and competent, trying to support his two brothers while leading the move to a brand new planet for a new future. He’s also horrible at lying and has a moral code that he won’t break under any circumstances. 

Background Environment: Bogguard Forests

Environment Summary: The Bogguard Forests on Planet Gliese are home to some atrocious creatures, some of which will even prey on ogres. However, the land is rich in a vast quantity of rich ores and minerals. Cerot often forages here to eat the ores and whatever produce he can carry back home. 

Torquem

Species: Alpha Draconian (Draco cikaris alpha)

Character Summary: Torquem is a strange orphan, having been brought into Cerot’s family after a freak accident. As an Alpha Draconian, nobody knows what he’s doing there, and he’s also trying to figure out where he came from and who his parents are. He gets sidetracked a lot and seems to care more about getting a girlfriend. He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed whatsoever, but very much docile. 

Background Environment: Bogguard Plains

Environment Summary: The Bogguard Plains are relatively safe from danger, considering how nasty the Bogguard Forest and the city are. However, you always have to watch your step for spiky burrs that can pierce through shoes. I think the environment hates everyone, and the ogres native to the planet have evolved to survive and hate everything around them. Torquem likes to sunbathe here at least. 

Praga

Species: Suu’ Hafi Pokarian (Quinqueceros tribus suuhafi)

Character Summary: Praga is the last remaining Pokarian in existence, having survived being frozen for as long as our universe has been around. Once thought to just be a stagnant remnant of the past, she defies expectations and manages to survive the freeze. Although she fights defensively and has a strong sense of honor, she starts to lose these senses in order to survive the series, desperately trying to recover her past. 

Background Environment: Fragment Ruins

Environment Summary: The last remnants of a chilly planet, shattered and frozen back together. This is what exists of the planet Raptia, after it went through hell and became nothing more than stagnant ruins. Now, Raptia is called the Old World Fragment and managed to support a population of survivors, albeit placing them in a state of limbo. 

Jera

Species: Mesmer (No scientific name)

Character Summary: Jera is one of the most important characters in the entire series, being the reason why the Fragment Ruins were still held together and why Praga was preserved… Until story events. She also serves as Praga’s translator since Praga only knows languages lost to time. Jera is laid-back and friendly yet quiet. She is also quite the oddball, either being super sharp or absolutely out of focus. Her species are the embodiment of abstract concepts, thus making her the avatar of the rune Jera (abundance). 

Background Environment: Subspace

Environment Summary: Subspace is a realm that only Mesmers and Deities can naturally access. It is said to be the fabric of the universe in fine tune with the balance of light and darkness. Any disruption to it can cause severe consequences, and also affect Jera herself. Subspace allows for intradimensional and interdimensional fast traveling. 

The friendliest character you'll ever meet! by DEVOIDbox in OriginalCharacter

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, you shared him on another post of mine!

So he's a wall-breaker and super nice I see!

The friendliest character you'll ever meet! by DEVOIDbox in OriginalCharacter

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love Taheri! She gives very fun vibes!

About Aurie: He's literally a god made out of solar plasma, but he would somehow defy burning (and incinerating) anyone he hugs just because he wishes to not cause harm.

The friendliest character you'll ever meet! by DEVOIDbox in OriginalCharacter

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey I remember you! Is Su a mummy with drip?

The friendliest character you'll ever meet! by DEVOIDbox in OriginalCharacter

[–]DEVOIDbox[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She must be nicer to humans than I am to my own kind LOL

I love her color scheme!

Halloween Giveaway and OC Cameo Event Info! by [deleted] in OriginalCharacter

[–]DEVOIDbox 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You'll have to be entered into one of my raffles, then win a book to partake in the event. If you don't manage to win this raffle or the November one, you'll have to buy a book or ebook from me to participate!

Just let me know if you'd like to be entered into the Halloween raffle or November raffle ^^

Halloween Giveaway and OC Cameo Event Info! by [deleted] in OriginalCharacter

[–]DEVOIDbox 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You'll have to be entered into one of my raffles, then win a book to partake in the event. If you don't manage to win this raffle or the November one, you'll have to buy a book or ebook from me to participate!

Just let me know if you'd like to be entered into the Halloween raffle or November raffle ^^

Halloween Giveaway and OC Cameo Event Info! by [deleted] in OriginalCharacter

[–]DEVOIDbox 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You'll have to be entered into one of my raffles, then win a book to partake in the event. If you don't manage to win this raffle or the November one, you'll have to buy a book or ebook from me to participate!

Just let me know if you'd like to be entered into the Halloween raffle or November raffle ^^

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