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positivelyamazonian · 4 years

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What do you mean by “more focused on general TRAOD lore than in Kurtis as character which doesn't surprise me anymore given what we know” - what is it given we know?

Hi, you’ve sent this question concerning my tags in the last post about Kurtis’ journal as merchandise from The Dark Angel project - just stating it for the readers that might be confused about what you’re asking about.

When I say “what we know” I refer mostly to all those - rather scarce - TRAOD/TR fans who have bothered to read every detail about TRAOD’s lore, every making off video and documentary concerning this game, every interview and beta/hidden/deleted/unused content related to all this universe - which I did. I also refer to those who have discussed all of it in this Tumblr over the past years - and honestly if you don’t know what I’m talking about it’s because, perhaps, you’re not totally up to date about it.

I would recommend to catch up - and those are long hours of reading - with all this content so you can have the whole picture of what I’m talking about, but just to reduce it to the point that concerns us now, it’s not surprising Kurtis’ journal was gonna end being just a TRAOD lore concept art compendium than a Kurtis focused item as character because:

1. It was always announced and marketed like that. Murti Schofield has always stated the journal was gonna be a compendium of fresh TRAOD concept art - it’s not old, the old one you can find it in the notes I pledged for in the Kickstarter - more focused on Konstantin Heissturm - Kurtis’ father - character than in Kurtis himself.

2. Murti also said there’s no content related to the game itself, but a collection of data and lore prior to the events of the game.

3. He also said there was not gonna be big notes or textes or written lore, mostly concept art, maps and short data file about some characters he didn’t have space to develop more in the final version of the game, such as the Cleaner.

4. Finally, that most of the present lore belonged to Konstantin Heissturm and not Kurtis Trent. The journal belongs to his father in origin and he receives it from him.

Now with all of this is not surprising the journal has turned out like this, but to be fair I must admit I, myself, was expecting a bit more because, after all, it’s called Kurtis’ journal, not Konstantin’s journal. I wanted it to look more rough, used, and worn out fitting not only Kurtis’ hazardous lifestyle - as it was marketed - but also Konstantin’s himself. But it’s Murti doing it, and Murti Schofield is extremely delicate and polished in his calligraphy and design. So in the end it’s more a Murti’s journal containing lore of the game than some item in-character. For me, it looks like more like an add-on to the old notes I pledged for than a whole new product.

Again, though I’m a bit disappointed - because I wanted to see more of KURTIS himself in here, not Murti/Konstantin - I am not surprised of the result and here’s the point you’re asking about: Murti was never that interested in releasing more lore concerning Kurtis himself. If you’ve paid attention to all of his interviews, statements, and the way he sees the whole TRAOD project itself - I am now talking about the game released in 2003, not the Dark Angel music project - which I did because I’ve been in some contact with him recently and also following his activity due to my backing of the project, Murti wasn’t the only creator of the story, neither he was of the characters, Kurtis included.

In fact, the final version of the story we see in the game has much more to do with Adrian Smith and Richard Morton’s involvement and creative decisions than with Murti as storywriter. Soon you realize he cares much more about Konstantin - a character that barely appears in the game because he’s already deceased, not even his name’s mentioned - than about Kurtis. That doesn’t mean he isn’t involved in his bio and lore and other details, because he absolutely was, I just mean that the final version of what we saw is a teamwork, not just Murti’s ideas. Even Murti is not at all behind the dynamic between Lara and Kurtis - the delicious dynamic we all know about - this being a product of the creative ideas and process of Morton rather than Murti.

From the moment only Murti Schofield was involved in TR Dark Angel project and not other Core Design members, I’ve had very clear in my mind than only a part of the final lore of the game was gonna be present at the project. And it’s fine, I don’t mind, it’s amazing they gave me the chance to meet this fantastic writer. But as I’ve been following all the content related with the project and the game I realized he doesn’t know everything or could answer to everything he was asked, because, naturally, he could only respond to the parts he was involved with - and that’s perfectly fine, and he had no problem to admit it, and nothing otherwise was expected!

This means many details about what Kurtis is, looks, and we enjoy about him were born by Richard Morton’s decision. So I knew this part was not gonna be present in the journal. Also, if you explore Murti’s activity and statements, he’s been recently working more on the past lore of the game. He’s been talking and headcanoning more about Konstantin than Kurtis, he’s been talking about more of the Nephilim, the Lux Veritatis, and producing content for Morgau and Eckhardt rather than for Kurtis and Lara at all. And it’s because he handles the part in which he was involved, the lore of the game, not the game content itself. For that, they should have included Morton or Smith, as far as I’ve found out.

This means Lara was never gonna be present at the journal, neither Kurtis as personality, because it was Richard Morton who created this personality - he chose the final name, I think, after all! Murti wanted him to be called Vance Renner - and of course Murti has been more seduced and interested recently in Konstantin as character than in Kurtis himself. And more invested in describing artefacts, power devices and other lore definitely not present in the final version of the game because he left the team before the game was released, since his task had been concluded: giving lore and plot.

As you can see, this way, it is not surprising the journal is not a piece of merchandise that responds 100% to the final version you saw of what Kurtis is in the game, nor I expected it, but rather a recently crafted product that reflects more of the immediate past of the game’s universe, than the game plot itself. I would say it looks, at most, as if Kurtis has just gotten this diary from his father and the blank pages are still to be filled by him.

Which again, despite it was noted in advance, and we all could see photos of the inside pages, and nothing that wasn’t marketed was delivered, I still would have preferred it to look like a Kurtis’ journal, not a TRAOD lore concept art compendium whose pages don’t even look aged. But yet again, if you’ve been digging and listening to Murti’s part in the whole project, it was expectable in a way. And all of this I am not saying in a derogatory manner. It’s natural. TRAOD was the result of a teamwork, not just one single man. This one single man, thus, gives you his part in the story, but not the whole picture at all.

I hope I’ve made myself clear with this. Sorry for the long post, and I recommend you to read the whole content around this game, because it’s worth the time if you care about such things.

#tomb raider #lara croft #kurtis trent #traod #trdarkangel #kurtis' journal #murti schofield #richard morton #my answers #traod lore #but not all murti's lore was meant to be included

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positivelyamazonian · 5 years

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Murti Schofield’s TRAOD Original Notes - Scans

So, the time has come. Here you have, for all the TRAOD fans and the TR fans interested in TRAOD lore, the last bundle of notes by TRAOD storywriter Murti Schofield from a larger one that was destroyed.

I pledged for these notes in @trdarkangel Kickstarter and I promised myself I’d share with the fandom every detail that these pages might contain. And so, I’ve scanned and prepared myself all the 33 pages that compound this last bundle.

What do the notes contain? TRAOD lore and development ideas, beta content that made it - or not - to the final version of the game, concept art, drawings and details. There’s not an specific order in which these notes can be consulted, but I’ve scanned them in the strict order in which I’ve encountered them, and by this way they are numbered file by file.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading and consulting these notes, because they are incredibly rich and meaningful not only in the content but also in the aesthetics, showing the talent and creativity that Murti put into building this amazing story.

I do hope, also, that these notes, which contain new and unknown details, might inspire artists and writers to create new TRAOD fanart and fanfiction, so that we keep alive, as we’ve done all these years, this wonderful story that deserved so much better.

You can watch the notes HERE. Enjoy!

#tomb raider #lara croft #traod #murti schofield #murti's notes #trdarkangel #traod lore #traod concept art #let me know if there's any problem #kurtis trent

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positivelyamazonian · 5 years

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Hi!!! Idk who Bathsheba is but your fanart of her is absolutely gorgeous! (Ik that some of them aren’t ur art but it’s still consider urs.)

Actually no fanart made for my fanfics is mine. I know how to write, but not how to draw. Fortunately, I’ve been blessed with the friendship of many amazing, talented people who have been kind enough to read my fics in the past and decided to gift me some art made by them, based both in my OCs or other TR characters.

Since you asked, I want to mention them again to tribute their love, friendship and dedication to my fics. None of this works were commissioned - not because I won’t pay for their talent, which I’m doing anyway in other aspects (Patreon, Redbubble), - but because it’s my moral guideline not to tell artists to draw something for me. I feel happy enough to see they draw and keep their talent alive. So, all of this pieces were given out of their good heart and free will. I’m gonna just mention and show some artwork.

1. @hydraballista

Powerful, passionate, this artist who is well formed in comic style drawing and digital design has gifted me many drawings, scenes and sketches devoted to my fics and my OCs. She has done some wonderful works, indeed, but I want to remark the digital covers made for the Spanish versions of The Golden Seal and Lilith’s Scepter, my first two TRAOD sequels, a wonderful design out of her brilliant and creative mind. Not only that, she’s been kind and generous to gift me two copies of my own fics in this design and the original of Lara kissing Kurtis at the end of the first sequel, among other little scraps and sketches.

It is well to highlight her rough and strong Lara and his cheerful and carefree Kurtis, liberated from all grief, she loves to draw, far from any sexualization or shallowness. It is good to mention she’s right now working in her own comic project of Bloodline, which was meant to be Kurti’s first spin-off game.

2. @adayka

Sometimes sweet, sometimes powerful, sometimes dramatic, sometimes funny as hell, Jasmine, to whom belongs the Batsheba you’ve seen and has generated this ask, is one of the most recent blessings to my fanfics. Her drawing and colouring talent has really no limits. Despite she has a very defined style for her faces, she’s able to draw a wide range of expressions and situations always managing to touch your heart. There not a thing she can’t draw, and she’s been the most prolific in drawing for my fics.

Not only prolific, but also kind and generous: she’s been amazingly altruist to gift me practically all the originals she has drawn for them, including an amazing, craft handed Kurtis’ journal taken from the lore of my fics - Kurtis having a sketchbook to practice drawing; and this far before that we knew Murti Schofield has plannes a similar reward for the @trdarkangel project. Inspired, also, in Werner’s diary in TRAOD, of course.

3. Carola Funder

Used to be a very appreciated TR fan artist, though now it’s been a while she has moved on to other projects, she drew some scenes for The Golden Seal out of her good will, which I’m still very grateful for.

Her strong, well built - even buffed - athletic figures are very remarkable of her style. She has drawn some of the best classic/TRAOD Laras AND Kurtis that I can remind. All in traditional style.

4. @angel-in-shadow

Recently arrived to the current fandom, she’s a digital artist who has done many fresh, new renders using the actual models taken from the game, for which I’m grateful since I don’t like renders using “realistic” new models, or models for other games (specially LAU trilogy and reboot, ugh).

She has done covers and renders for The Golden Seal and Lilith’s Scepter, too, and some scenes for the first one. She’s also a fanfic author and is currently working on renders for her fic, The New Order.

5. @anentireamazon

- Anna, one of my latest OCs, from the fic The Awakening. Surely she reminds you of someone in particular, but with a slight change… :)

Currently developing her own style, my sister Elena works on digital art with her tablet out of her own motivation, that means, she’s autodidact. She has made many drawings for my fics and will probably kill me for sharing this one but here goes anyway.

Not many have dared yet with my Anna, so, this is a must.

6. Kyu Chan

Speaking of people who has dared with Anna… here comes Ariadna, Spanish reader and friend who has made some artworks for my recent fanfics Mr Vance Renner and The Legacy, the one still on updates. She also uses tablet and she’s one of the scarce, scarce Spanish readers left.

I’ll have to stop here so the post doesn’t go too far and it’s too long. Of course, many other artists (***) have worked on my fics in the past - I’m so lucky! - but I’ve mentioned them in past asks and if I recall correctly, those posts stop where this one starts. So I hope this one was useful and entertaining to you.

*** My love and tribute also to Kaworu, Damian, Mystique, Scheroff and @anyathebloodshell (*) for your contributions ***

Please, consider following these artists and giving them your best - likes and reblogs - for each one deserves love and have more and amazing works apart from the ones they did for my fics. And of course, if you once feel like reading my fics which are linked in this post, I’ll be immensely grateful myself, too.

As I said at the beginning, I don’t reclaim ownership on this works, they are theirs, not mine. But they were gifts and no gift shall be returned, right? ;) Thanks for the ask!

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positivelyamazonian · 5 years

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Have you read Jenny Milward's unofficial novelization of AOD and what did you think of it?

I read it some years ago, while I had my first destination in my job and I felt lonely in a stranger city, in a stranger flat. Kept me company during the time before sleep and it was a nice read. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy reading it, since it’s very well written in terms of skills and composition and presents very good highlights and moments reminding of the game and in Lara’s personality.

But apart of that, it wasn’t particularly my cup of tea. Basically because it’s too canon divergent and it fails in many aspects of characterization when the canon in game situation was there for reference. It’s been promoted as a “novelization” or as you say, an unofficial novelization of the game, but it isn’t. It’s a fanfic. She invents too many things, changes the original game situation and canon and introduces characters, dialogues and scenes and details that not only don’t exist in the game, but also diverge too much from the original product in which it’s based.

That’s why I think it should not be called a TRAOD novelization but a TRAOD fanfic. However, while this doesn’t mean anything negative or degrading, I see reluctance on the author and the fandom to accept this obvious detail, as if fanfic was a “minor genre” or inferior category, when in fact writing fanfiction takes more effort, work and creativity from the author - in terms of world building, story telling and characterization - than merely writing down an already existing game or story.

Which in any case she didn’t do, because despite having access to Murti’s notes - if I remember correctly - she didn’t implemented any of the deleted content of the game in her story, which would have been the only ampliation expected if she wanted to keep it a “novelization”. Instead, she sticks to the plot holes and boundaries seen in game and adds her own lore, which makes it a fanfic.

In general, as I said, the ambience, descriptions and punctual characterization are excellent. But there are other details and personal ado too canon divergent that ruin the whole thing for me. For example, Lara has a mental trauma in her story and ends having a personality dissociation with the appearance of a second voice in her head, “Maggie”, who tells her what to do and how to react because she’s too damaged to act on her own initiative. We see absolutely nothing of this nor in the game, neither in the deleted content.

Kurtis and Lara’s dynamics are seen as a “predator and prey” and later “cool allies” cliche which again barely have little to do with the equal footing and power couple we see in game.

While Kurtis in general is decently depicted, the terror with which he faces the Sanitarium horror and which leads him to fear and doubt - he ends praying in Latin and asking strength from his deceased ancestors - has nothing to do with the fearless calm and sarcasm and irony with which he faces the Sanitarium levels, per original in game canon and the unused audio lines recorded by Eric Loren.

While the author gives some details in many parts of the story, others are absolutely suppressed, giving a sensation of imbalance. She suppresses practically all Parisian ghetto after being so detailed with the previous part, same with description of some stances in Hall of Seasons and erasing the others.

Lara loses her original backpack at the beginning of the game. Here, this backpack was not only waiting for her in Werner’s apartment - he gives it to her - but she keeps it after if I remember correctly, another canon divergence.

She inserts a nice flashback from Kurtis’ past in the Legion and a scene of Boaz and Karel’s plot before her punishment that don’t exist in game but are a good ado, giving her own lore and context to the story, but again, canon divergent as we don’t see anything of this in the game.

Kurtis’ Chirugai speaks. The blade has an own voice and conscience that speaks to him in his mind as “Maggie” does inside Lara’s brain. And guides and encourages him because he apparently needs so but using a very limited grammar and expression compared with “Maggie” when guiding and counseling Lara.

Finally, Lara is aided by Horus himself in the battle against Eckhardt. The Egyptian god appears out from nowhere and helps Lara to defeat him, something that never happened in the game.

I can’t point out here all the story details that are TRAOD’s in game canon divergent but I think that with the examples I provided I explained why I think this story should not be called a “novelization” but a fanfic. The author is free, entitled and encouraged to insert her own headcanons and lore but then again, that makes it a fic since a novelization, as I understand it, is the faithful writing down of an already existing story with minimal divergences - only the ones needed for a literary format. Which is not the case.

In the end, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the reading but I don’t think I will ever re-read it. I’m not convinced with Lara and Kurtis being traumatized heroes needing inner voices to guide and motivate them because it’s not what they were, not in the game. The characterization fails here and I can recommend many better fics in this aspect that don’t pretend to be an exact and only novelization of the game but have a much better grasp of the characters and lore.

Summarising: a well written, entertaining read, but not the TRAOD novelization they say it is. It’s a fanfic because the author invented and changed and diverged enormously from the game’s canon, and personally, I didn’t like many of these divergences. That being my opinion, of course. Thanks for asking!

#reviews #fanfiction #traod #Jennifer milward #the angel of darkness #lara croft #tomb raider #kurtis trent #my answers #positivelyamazonian

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