Yes yes yes yes!
This last panel is absolutely fan-tas-tic! It looks better than my imagination lol
I love the different architectural styles. I love how you can sorta infer an architectural idea with a simple glimpse. The counterpoint between the Acropolis style VS panopticon style is rad. The whole minitown that looks like the top towers of the Sagrada Familia is also amazing.
I love them too!
Here is the graphic novel gn_WORLDBUILDING_def_light.pdf (2.7 MB) and the version embedded SciFiLab_docs_Worldbuilding_standalone.pdf (12.2 MB) in the publication we think of using as promotional material, but still deciding the times. Please don’t share them before we decide the proper timeline.
Here are their single images, extracted from the graphic novel:
@yudhanjaya, @nadia, @alberto, @hugi, @bojanbobic, @MariaEuler
This is the final set of Witness images created by Michela. It contains views and glimpses of the city. I find them really beautiful and would love to hear your comments.
The Migrant Train
Inside Libria’s council
The Covenant - (inside the library?)
Officers of the Ramos Harvest Division
And finally, Fatamorgana (who could somehow be introduced into Witness’ lore)
@alberto, @bojanbobic, @nadia, @yudhanjaya, @MariaEuler, @hugi, @michi1, @marcolok, @lidiazuin, @joriam
I really like the whole lot. I’ve been wondering who the Lady of the Lake was, and mow that we have an answer I would love to add her in. Very prow of the ship / Lady Liberty icon vibes.
That image from Libria feels like an anti-imperial museum they would have set up: just the kind of thing that might work for a hyper-Hayekian state.
I do have one critique: it makes little sense for the city (we really need a good name for this!) to be anchored so closely to landmasses: if they were large enough landmasses anyone sane would go off to land.
I am very glad you liked the work. Sure Ivan, in the third image we are in the Covenant’s library. The lady is the fairy Morgana, sister of Merlin, which according to legend has her castle on the banks of the Strait, where in some days she creates fantastic visions. As for the proximity to the landmasses, we wanted to represent the city in the Strait territory, where we were supposed to meet.
Oh, wow, I have only now realised the term fatamorgana is related to the King Arthur and the Round Table arc. Is it a Norman heritage or did it reach Sicily in another manner?
When you spoke of it I thought it was only a phenomenon that occurs in Messina as it happens elsewhere. Now I like her even more 
Sure a Norman heritage! Another legend says that the Count Ruggero arrived with his army on the Calabria banks and, thanks by Morgana fairy, saw the Sicilian coast so close that he could understand the Arab army position and consequently moor his ships in a safe area. A mix between science and legend.
It’s interesting how far the Arthurian myths resonated. When I saw it I immediately thought it was the pre-Vulgate Arthurian Lady of the Lake (Ninain / Nimuë). Fatamorgana is Morgan le Fay / Morgaine from the same legends? Post-Vulgate texts sometimes gave Morgan the “Lady of the Lake” title.
Yes, the direct translation is “Fairy Morgana” or in French “Fée Morgane” (Morgane la Fée or le Fay in English transcription)
In fact, there are similarities, legends also speak the fairy Morgana arose from the waters of the Messina strait, where she have her castle, to offer her help to Count Ruggero.
Some reflections around esthetics/illustrations for the card game
For the witness and events cards I find film posters are a good inspiration, especially those of Laurent Durieux. The esthetics are good at drawing the eye to the key element of the story, while still conveying the broader context in an evocative way.
It can also apply to individual notable persons/ personas, as the perspective can still leave enough to the imagination
Collaboratively out what the key elements should be in the images can be a way to identify new entries into the cannon - in a social, fun way.
I would like to adress the title of the game:
As I understand the final titel is not yet decided, correct?
I would like to bring up that maybe naming it just after “witness” the world might not be the ultimate option since the namerecognition of it is not yet very high and it does not connet directly to the mode or theme of the game.
I would like to open up the search for a name to the community to gather ideas and engagement that way.
Could I do a mini playful call for that?
Would describe the game a bit and ask people for their name suggestion and why and if we pick it in the end they will get a free game once it is in print?
Or we just give 3 options and do a vote.
How about playing on these graphical political posters of different times, since you are playing policies?
I think and hope we could do much better than reusing the trite propaganda images.
Honestly, I would strongly advise against using original political posters and references because they are misleading in a game like this and would require quite some effort to be converted and credible…
The same goes for the game - there is already plenty of characters and concepts in Witness that there is no need to tie them to any real world figures. Too many strings attached.
Was more refering to the aestetic, not to usi g the concrete caracters and posters, but fair enough I see your point.
The scifi setting gives us some freedom here that we should not sqander.
Yes I think part of this is finding an aesthetic that is forward looking and not references to a past that may or may not resonate with people depending on where they are from. To me communist aesthetics are the murder of an entire generation of Ethiopian intellectuals.
