History of the Chrono Child
Hello Ascenders!
Like any game developer, when we first started to build the world of Ascend to ZERO, we wrestled with the question of:
"In this world that we are creating, what does our main character look like? What does that character embody?"
In the early stages of development, we were already building the base of our systems and mechanics, but there was still an air of uncertainty around the main character of the game. We wanted to have a design that resonated with the players who would come to experience the world of Ascend to ZERO and worked tirelessly until we came to the design of the Chrono Child that players now know (and can play as in the demo)!
Today, we’d like to share our thoughts from December 2024 and the journey that brought us here.
[h3]'Character No.1', Born From Necessity[/h3]
In December 2024, Ascend to ZERO was focused on getting the core mechanics down. During this time, internal discussions regarding the main character of the game had begun from both a world-building perspective, but also whether players can resonate with the character.
The development of the protagonist began, code-named ‘Character No.1’ as we hadn’t given the main character a name yet. We eventually landed on Chrono Child, but at the time we were still brainstorming ideas.
We wanted to find a concept where the character would fit into the sci-fi world that we were building, trying to not lean into an over-powered persona nor an overly-meek image. As a result, development of the character continued with the A-3, A-4, and A-5 character concepts.
[h3]Initial Concept - Child of a Ruined World[/h3]
The initial concept that we grasped was “a child of a ruined world,” becoming the new codename. In the early days, the character was a strong and resilient girl who was the sole survivor of a devastated world. She never backed down from adversity - a solitary nomadic fighter wandering the battlefield.
At the time, our narrative lead described her as having a somewhat dark image. To better realize this harsh yet resilient concept, five art variations were created based on the initially selected Character No.1 (A-3) design.
During this process, we thought about the following things:
After internal discussions and lots of reviews, designs A and D were selected as the top candidates, with the team eventually going forward with design A.
[h3]Establishing the World and the Character[/h3]
As the game’s world became more clearly defined around the ideas of “time degradation” and “world collapse,” the character’s concept evolved along side the world she was meant to inhabit.
With this evolution, we felt that Chrono Child gained a sense of purpose that was beyond resilient survival, a purpose that was truly fitting for the protagonist of Ascend to ZERO. With her unique identity finally crafted and after an art style change to better match the aesthetics of the game, the Chrono Child that players now know was born.
[h3]Wrap Up![/h3]
We hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane with us! We hope that Chrono Child can be a character that players really resonate with as they play Ascend to ZERO.
The team here will continue to refine Chrono Child and her companions as we continue to work on the game. We look forward to sharing more interesting development stories as we move forward!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3279910/Ascend_to_ZERO_Demo/
By the way, if you haven't already followed us on our channels...
Discord: Join the community X/Twitter: @AscendtoZERO YouTube: @flywaygames
- Ascend to ZERO Team
Like any game developer, when we first started to build the world of Ascend to ZERO, we wrestled with the question of:
"In this world that we are creating, what does our main character look like? What does that character embody?"
In the early stages of development, we were already building the base of our systems and mechanics, but there was still an air of uncertainty around the main character of the game. We wanted to have a design that resonated with the players who would come to experience the world of Ascend to ZERO and worked tirelessly until we came to the design of the Chrono Child that players now know (and can play as in the demo)!
Today, we’d like to share our thoughts from December 2024 and the journey that brought us here.
[h3]'Character No.1', Born From Necessity[/h3]
In December 2024, Ascend to ZERO was focused on getting the core mechanics down. During this time, internal discussions regarding the main character of the game had begun from both a world-building perspective, but also whether players can resonate with the character.
The development of the protagonist began, code-named ‘Character No.1’ as we hadn’t given the main character a name yet. We eventually landed on Chrono Child, but at the time we were still brainstorming ideas.
We wanted to find a concept where the character would fit into the sci-fi world that we were building, trying to not lean into an over-powered persona nor an overly-meek image. As a result, development of the character continued with the A-3, A-4, and A-5 character concepts.
[h3]Initial Concept - Child of a Ruined World[/h3]
The initial concept that we grasped was “a child of a ruined world,” becoming the new codename. In the early days, the character was a strong and resilient girl who was the sole survivor of a devastated world. She never backed down from adversity - a solitary nomadic fighter wandering the battlefield.
At the time, our narrative lead described her as having a somewhat dark image. To better realize this harsh yet resilient concept, five art variations were created based on the initially selected Character No.1 (A-3) design.
During this process, we thought about the following things:
- Do the weapons and accessories effectively represent the concept of time?
- Does the color palette align with the game’s theme?
- Is the character distinct enough to be a main character?
After internal discussions and lots of reviews, designs A and D were selected as the top candidates, with the team eventually going forward with design A.
[h3]Establishing the World and the Character[/h3]
As the game’s world became more clearly defined around the ideas of “time degradation” and “world collapse,” the character’s concept evolved along side the world she was meant to inhabit.
- Identity Shift: Changed from a survivor of war to a being how can manipulate time, wielding the power to change the fate of a desolate world
- Name Change: Child of a Ruined World → Chrono Child
With this evolution, we felt that Chrono Child gained a sense of purpose that was beyond resilient survival, a purpose that was truly fitting for the protagonist of Ascend to ZERO. With her unique identity finally crafted and after an art style change to better match the aesthetics of the game, the Chrono Child that players now know was born.
[h3]Wrap Up![/h3]
We hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane with us! We hope that Chrono Child can be a character that players really resonate with as they play Ascend to ZERO.
The team here will continue to refine Chrono Child and her companions as we continue to work on the game. We look forward to sharing more interesting development stories as we move forward!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3279910/Ascend_to_ZERO_Demo/
By the way, if you haven't already followed us on our channels...
Discord: Join the community X/Twitter: @AscendtoZERO YouTube: @flywaygames
- Ascend to ZERO Team