vox populi: red, of transistor

[Sophia]

VOX POPULI

-waves- Hey team! For upcoming Badass Bitches Challenge, I made a humble one-page tribute to Red, its protagonist. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the majority of the actual original content was inspired by an old blog post of mine, but in thinking about the seasonal BAB prompt as I replayed the game, I realized I knew Red even less than I thought I did: I wasn't sure if she was that loyal.

I apologize, I recognize that the layout is visually irritating, but I was trying to make each section conceptually linked to its content while also referencing the game (the fades on certain sections reference the way that the enemies in the game, the Process, are blanking out the town around them).

Anyway, this is my first shrine .... and damnit, I need to completely redo the CSS, I need to add a lot of content, but for now, I think it's ... done! And I'm real proud of that.

[Robin]

Goodness gracious, great blocks of fade! And style! And CONTENT holy snazzballs O.O

For this to be a one-page shrine, it packs a visual and literary punch! The bold and stark color scheme, the strength of your analysis and layout design...it all plays into Red as a character REALLY well and introduces us to her subject matter in an unforgettable way. GOOD WORK! <3

[Rems]

Oh my gosh Sophia, Red!

Ever since you mentioned you were planning to do her when I revealed my plans for Transistor, I've been excited to see her result! Congrats on finishing!! And might I say that it's gorgeous? It's extremely striking and varied section by section, and I love the geometric patterns and shapes - they certainly do remind me of the aesthetic of the game and the Process (and the wiped out Cloudbank), so it's a definite success on that front. Either way, I love reds and whites, and this site is wonderfully presented and brought together by every aspect of the layout.

(And Vox Populi is such a good name for her, oh my gosh. I love the irony, especially as she is handed complete control at the end of the game and rejects it. Such a good name.)

I've had her site open in my tabs for days and I've finally had the opportunity to dive in, and what a treat! It's given me a lot to think about with how full of holes Transistor actually is as a game, and how so much of it is unclear, and how much I've readily accepted them and as to why - your analysis is incredibly thought provoking and such a good read. It's given me a lot to think about; I never really considered the significance of Red and her lover's traces and their breaking of the rules, and looking at my own notes, how so many things can be interpreted in different ways. I like how you've ordered the site, as well - by introducing a concept and stripping it down or expanding upon it further.

Thank you so much for posting this and congrats again. <3

[Todd]

Sophia, this is gorgeous! I recently bought Bastion and plan to play Transistor after it, so I can't read much, but the intro sections are great, and I look forward to reading more later! This one pager is huge, lol.

[Stefi]

Congrats on completing your first shrine! Although I'm stopping myself from reading all of your content right now (I started this game and plan to finish it at some point), your writing draws me in every time, so I'm super tempted to spoil myself for everything LOL.

I also wanted to mention that your layout is pretty freakin' cool! By putting a lot of thought into the symbols and imagery around your site, you've created a distinctive style for yourself. I think it's kind of awesome in that sense, and I'm really looking forward to things you'll be working on in the future!

[Sophia]

@Robin: Thank you so much <3 I very much appreciate the feedback - I wasn't sure if visual emphasis on the layout didn't pair with the content (or the amount of it) - and I am glad that it seems to be working here. -hugs- You've been such a wonderful productivity buddy, like a fountain of good vibes - I appreciate it!

@Rems: -hugs- YES DUDE. I was trying with the fades and the blcoks of nothing in the 'Road to Nowhere' to specifically recall the Process, but overall I was trying to do a White-Stripes-album-cover version of the game's own aesthetic, I'm glad it seems to have landed! I cannot wait to see your tribute. I would love to see what you say about the world and how it works - and, duh, what you have to say about everything else in the game! There's a part of me that wonders if my final opinion, that there are just HOLES and you cannot figure it out, is laziness. I googled a lot of Transistor theories, but I felt unable to decide between them. Maybe that's my hangup. Anyway, thank you so much for posting, and I really can't wait to see your tribute <3 <3 <3

@Todd: Thank you so much! Yes ... leaving something out is not my writing style >> Please let me know what you think! I loved Bastion as well (they share a lot of the same creators / cast, but it's interesting how different the voice acting (Logan Cunningham is both Rusk and the voice of the Transistor, with completely different aural effects)). Also we gotta arrange that disco / metroidvania night sometime. (Discovania? Metrodiscovania?)

@Stefi: Awww, thank you so much <3 I appreciate that! It really helped that Transistor itself was so visually slick and conceptual - but working on it did make me appreciate how I could try to design with greater appreciation of content / object. Please do get in touch if you play it - I would love to know your thoughts. Please know that as I've been working on my Quistis site, I've been deeply inspired by your Antihero tribute to Squall - something I sometimes try to manage by going on a Squaresoft shrine blackout periodically, so I don't copycat :S

[Destinie]

I'm so sorry for the late reply but I love the design of this site. It's so bold and engaging. I love how the sections are broken out and how you've styled key words to make them stand out. The shrine is really easy to scan. I also think you have a lot of really nice writing here! Congrats on getting it done; it's great!

[Laura]

Visually irritating... whaaaaaaaaaa??? ???_??? I absolutely love what you were going for; conceptually linking each section to its content while using visual references from different parts of the game to emphasize this.

I really can't get over how much work you must have put into this layout... Every section is completely different in terms of where you decided to put floating images or floating text boxes. Each section has its own unique sort of image too; it's not just the typical square cutout, but unique shapes, animations, etc. Interesting visual cues that really break up the white space.

Your style of writing is also engaging; I want to keep reading but I can't because I still haven't gotten around to playing the game yet and I don't want to spoil myself! Eep! This does make me wanna hurry up and play though, I really love the art style of the game and your site makes me a little more curious about the premise. :3 It's been on my playlist since before it came out so maybe once I'm done with ME:A, this'll be next. <3

[Sophia]

@Destinie: Oh my gosh, thank you so much! I'm glad the visual design is working and the writing seems to serve the shrine well - I was sincerely worried it would come off more confusing than bold, as you put it. I appreciate the feedback!

@Laura: Thank you Laura! You have to ABSOLUTELY tell me what you think of the game when you finish - it's not a long play, but it's wonderful, though obviously I'm a bit biased. And I so very much appreciate the response to both the writing and how that writing is supposed to link with the design. Mwah. <3 <3

[dubiousdisc]

I just wanted to say that OMFG THIS LOOKS GORGEOUS AND WOW. SO WOW. You know how is this visually irritating - it's irritating how good and clever it is!
...And then I scrolled and, after reading the introduction, I went - wait a moment, I'm pretty much about to play this game so waaait a moment here!
I'll read it when I'm done (which, actually, might not be too long from now - maybe just next year instead of ten years from now) and I foresee writing you a long long post about it, but, for now, congratulations on making this and I'll give you some more in-depth yelling later!