Looming
Some random information about the game Looming. I wrote down all the opening letters, artifact descriptions, endings, and bonus notes. Mostly for myself.
Opening Letters
January, my love:
I have entered this new place called Looming for the first time. It is said to be a dead place, abandoned by everything but time and shadows. I will see what I can learn here, and then return to you as swiftly as I can.
January, my love:
I have once again arrived in Looming. The second time is more imposing than the first. Then, I had heard only stories. Now, I know what awaits me: nothing. Nothing but bones and soil and aged relics. I long to return to your bright vitality, and I will be home again soon.
January, my love:
The time I spend with you seems only moments compared to my time spent in Looming. How I wish it were the opposite. There is a feeling of inevitability about this place, that I fear will infect the rest of my life. Looming tells a story, but it is a story that has ended long ago. Despite that, my dear, I know that our story, yours and mine, is only just beginning.
January, my love:
I almost could not stand to step through to Looming today. How I wish I could stay with you forever, but my work conspires to drive me away. Soon, I will understand the secrets of this place, and I will never have to return here again.
January, my love:
I forgot to water the garden before I left. Could you check to make sure the plants are doing well?
January, my love:
Coming to Looming again and again wears on me. My clothing will always bear traces of the dust here, I fear. My shoes will always bear its soil. My nose will always itch with the smell of bones.
January, my love:
I hope that you found the present I left behind. I wish I could have left myself there in its place. But my place is here in Looming, for now. There is always more to learn.
January, my love:
Sometimes I think that it would be better to bring you along when I go to Looming. But it would be heresy, I think, to put your brilliance among this desolation. Heresy against you, and this place.
January, my love:
I remember the illustrations in the book we looked at together. They were so warm, so vibrant; the colors glowed on the page. It would not take such colors to illustrate Looming. Bleached paper and gray ink is enough.
January, my love:
As I stand in Looming, it is difficult to imagine you, living your life, back where things are alive and touched by your warmth. I am a fool, perhaps, to spend my time in this wasteland instead of by your side. Please, forgive me my foolishness.
January, my love:
Another visit to Looming, but my thoughts are always of you. I will be home again soon, my darling. Think of me until then.
Artifacts
Lorem Tablets
Lorem Tablet I
"Our neighbors the Seecha are strange people. They do not believe in the sky. We have pointed to it, drawn pictures, even used arguments of Logic, and they refuse to admit it exists. They spend their days never looking above the horizon, never seeing the stars."
Lorem Tablet II
"When we arrived here in Looming, the Seecha had already built one of their huge machines. One of us asked them how it worked. They could tell us what part did what, but not of the Theory behind it. They are a strange people, the Seecha. Instead of understanding a problem, they just build a machine attachment to fix it."
Lorem Tablet III
"In the early days in Looming, some of us tried to teach the Seecha of the Principles, but they said if they could not see it or feel it, it was not real. We tried to show them the Principles, but they said we were simply showing them toys and simple machines."
Lorem Tablet IV
"The Seecha are very brave, but perhaps foolhardy. A group of them has built a machine to try and capture the Oarbor. They do not understand that the Oarbor flies, but they know enough to put the machine on tall stilts. We do not think that the Seecha will succeed; our Calculations suggest very low chances."
Lorem Tablet V
"The Seecha were very confused when the first wisps of the Epiphany began to fall. They thought it was appearing from nowhere. But strangely, they are not disturbed or alarmed by the mental effects it has. They say that knowing what will be merely means that they need not waste effort on building any more."
Lorem Tablet VI
"The Seecha have packed up to leave Looming. Since they saw that they were going to leave, they had no reason to stay. With this baffling explanation, they left, taking with them the hearts and other useful pieces of their great machines. The Epiphany, it seems, was merely an inconvenience to them."
Seecha Rods
Seecha Rod I
"A group of people arrived today. They call themselves the Lorem. They seem to revere strange beings which do not exist, called names like Logic and Physics and Chemistry. They claim these beings make them smart, but they cannot build even simple machines. They spend much of their time discussing these fairy tales."
Seecha Rod II
"Despite their strangeness, the Lorem are pleasant neighbors. They often invite us to their gatherings; although the food is simple, it is good. We have all learned to choose conversation topics that avoid their nonsense. Weather and mechanics are bad. Children and the strangeness of Looming are better."
Seecha Rod III
"Some Lorem youths came by today, asking about a machine. When we explained how it worked, they asked how each piece worked, and so on, until we could only throw up our hands in frustration. They are like children, in a way, asking 'Why?' repeatedly until the parent is fed up and stomps away."
Seecha Rod IV
"I spoke with one of the Lorem today. I had heard of their false beings, but I asked for details. She spoke of Physics, who controls how everything moves, and of Logic, who can tell all truth from all falsehood. There is Biology, who guides our bodies, and Psychology, who guides our minds. The Lorem are very strange."
Seecha Rod V
"Strange things like cobwebs began appearing today. The Oarbor monster said they were the Epiphany. Touching them gave us visions of the past and the future, a flash of insight like the inspiration for a machine design. The Lorem do not trust what they cannot calculate, so they are very upset; at least one of them has collapsed in shock."
Seecha Rod VI
"As we prepare to leave, I have learned that the Lorem are moving on as well. The Epiphany said they would, but the Lorem would not believe it and refused to go. But their stress and confusion proved too much, it seems. They are moving on to a place where what they see as impossible does not occur."
Oarbor Bones
Oarbor Bone I
This is a long tail bone that appears to be reptilian in origin. Its irregular density suggests that it was broken at some point, then fully healed. Extrapolating from bone structure in similar smaller reptiles, the tail must have been at least ten feet long.
Oarbor Bone II
This is a right rear thigh bone, seemingly from a large four-legged mammal. It is hollow, like that of a flying creature, but very sturdy to support a large weight. A faint sheen to the surface indicates that this creature could metabolize metal to reinforce its skeleton.
Oarbor Bone III
This is a forearm bone that shows qualities of both mammalian and avian origins. It is exceptionally long, and marked with pits that suggest long flight feathers. This bone could have been part of a pair of wings that spanned over fifteen feet.
Oarbor Bone IV
This is a complex bone that bears similarity both to an avian shoulder blade and to one half of a mammalian hip bone. It is sturdy but very light, and appears to be able to support a third pair of limbs between the forelimbs and the hindlimbs of a large creature.
Oarbor Bone V
This is a small wrist bone with a shape remarkably like that of a human wrist bone, but roughly twice the size. Its structure suggests that the hand of this animal had an opposable thumb.
Oarbor Bone VI
This is a skull roughly three feet in length. The front of the skull is extended in a long, strong beak with teeth rooted in the jaw. The owner of the skull had enormous brain capacity, an excellent sense of smell, and was omnivorous.
Tally Beads
Tally Bead I
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "ones." It was found near a path intersection. It is made of copper, an engraved with subtle waves and a stylized fish.
Tally Bead II
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "twos." It was found at the edge of a ruined mechanical area. It is silver, and etched with a sharp-edged frost-like pattern.
Tally Bead III
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "fours." It was found near a large arcing stone formation. It is beaten gold, and it is decorated with a flame pattern.
Tally Bead IV
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "eights." It was found near a large decaying device on stilts with a snare-like structure on top. It is blown glass, colored with delicate blue helices.
Tally Bead V
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "sixteens." It was found on the edge of the Seecha territory. It is polished wood with a gear-like inlay of darker material.
Tally Bead VI
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "thirty-twos." It was found near a large device shaped like a triangular gateway. It is made from a solid pearl, unmarred except for the holes that let it be threaded onto a string.
Path Rings
Path Ring I
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was found beside the path near the southern wall of the Looming site. Engraved inside is: "CHEMISTRY - She guides mixtures and solutions, the flames of all colors and the gases we breathe. Through her, we may break apart what seems permanent and rejoin it in new forms. May we refine ourselves in the same way."
Path Ring II
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was lying beside a washed-out portion of path. Engraved inside is: "LOGIC - She determines truth and falsehood. Through her, we reduce complexity to simplicity, and we ward against the dangers of unsound and invalid thought. May our minds be ever pure and keen, and may our emotions never lead our thoughts astray."
Path Ring III
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was in the dirt near a large dome. Engraved inside is: "BIOLOGY - She directs the functioning of our bodies and of all bodies. Through her, we live and exist and breathe. May we always be thankful for her gifts, and may we treat our flesh with the care it deserves."
Path Ring IV
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was to one side of a ruined colonnade. Engraved inside is: "PSYCHOLOGY - She organizes our minds, determining how we think and feel. Through her, we know the glory of sadness and the terror of pride. May we heed the warnings of our heart, and keep away the cold apathy of progress without passion."
Path Ring V
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was beside an upright stone hoop. Engraved inside is: "PHYSICS - She commands the movement of all things, that they fall to the ground and move across the earth. Through her, we may see the infinite glory hidden in white light or the calmness in a pendulum's swing. May we never forget that complexity lurks beneath simplicity."
Path Ring VI
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was near a collapsed arch over a path. Engraved inside is: "MATHEMATICS - She tallies and divides, separating the nothingness from the endless with an infinity of numbers. Through her, we may count all things and understand the colossal and the tiny. May we measure all things with clarity, and never falter in our equations."
Endings
Ending 1 - Exiting immediately.
I could not stay today. It is all too much for me, January: the dark ground and the dry, towering geology. I will return another day, after steeling myself with your presence.
Yours,
September.
Ending 2 - Exiting after a few minutes.
I have spent much time here, January, but it seems as if I have made little progress. To be sure, I have seen new things, catalogued new facts. But I feel as if I have resolved no great issues this time. Perhaps next visit. I will be home soon.
Yours,
September
Ending 3 - Exiting from the northern portal.
My feet are tired, January. It feels as if I have traipsed all through this place, with its rough paths and barren wastes. A broad area, yet still so small; there is an entire world outside the fence, but I, with the remnants of these people, am penned in a much smaller universe. You, though, are my true universe. Welcome me warmly when I arrive.
Yours,
September
Ending 4 - Finding all the tally beads and exiting via the triangular Seecha portal.
"With tally in hand, step through our gateway."
The Seecha could not, would not, see the sky, January. I pity them. For how barren Looming is, the sky here is as beautiful as any I have ever seen. Perhaps you will be able to join me some time. We can discuss it when I get home.
Yours,
September
Ending 5 - Finding all the path rings and exiting via the Lorem dome.
"This door opens only to those with a grasp of the Sciences."
The faith of the Lorem is something I envy, January. They believed so strongly, more strongly than I believe in anything. Anything except my love for you. Now, I make my pilgrimage back to your arms. May it be short.
Yours,
September
Ending 6 - Finding all of the Oarbor's bones and bringing them to the 4 spheres in the northwest.
"Bring my bones together here, and you will be shown a new way."
The Oarbor knew it would die, and when. It knew to the hour and the second. Would you want to know the same, January? Would it make you cherish every moment more, or stain the time you have left with grief? I can not say, myself. All I know is that I would continue coming home to you, as I do so now.
Yours,
September
Ending 7 - Arranging the 4 light towers as the shattered diagram says.
Mystery, January, is what drives us forward. We seek answers to questions, and new questions to ask. When we see a symbol, we wonder what it means; when we see a hill, we want to see what is on the other side. You are a mystery to me, January, a collection of mysteries, and there is nothing I adore more than unraveling them. I will make more progress soon, when I arrive home.
Yours,
September
Ending 8 - Finding all of the signposts.
"Welcome, visitor. The time I have left here is brief, so I will dispense with courtesy. I wish you to visit and learn. South of here is a patch of rough ground. Look in the center for a hidden signpost."
"I have lived in Looming for a long time, but I was not born here. I will die here, however. Further south, past a cluster of spires, you will find a second hidden signpost."
"The Lorem came here after some trouble in their original home; I did not ask, and they did not offer. They were friendly, but flighty. They fled Looming in existential terror. To the west, a signpost is hidden off the end of a path."
"The Seecha were workers and explorers. They saw me as a threat, and attacked me. I admire their fierce tenacity. They saw no point in remaining after the Epiphany showed them their departure. Another signpost hides to the north between two metal floor panels."
"Many have come to Looming. When I first arrived, there were signs of earlier settlement, but those traces have crumbled to dust by now. Everyone leaves, but I will stay until my end. East of the second hidden signpost is another, at the base of a spire."
"The Epiphany occurs here. It is natural to Looming, as far as I know. It is like snow or wind; it comes, it lingers, it fades away. And it makes you know your future. Stand between the two gears, elsewhere, and travel north to another hidden signpost."
"I have been in Looming for a long time. I have seen many Epiphanies, and have seen far into the future. This place never keeps its visitors. They always leave. To the east, where the path is just out of sight, a signpost hides."
"I remember my death, and your arrival. I remember you reading these signs. I recall my bones growing dry and bleached in the dust. Follow the spires to the northeast. Between the final two is the last hidden signpost."
"If you have unearthed all of my messages, then a portal sits to the south. An Epiphany is coming. I remember it. What will it make you remember? That is one of the few mysteries still masked to me."
I have experienced an Epiphany, dear January. I have seen time spread out before me like a ribbon, and I could see the end of it. Not the end of me; I know only of my time in Looming, and I know that the end of it will not be the end of me. Nor of us; as far as I can see, we are as one. But I never needed prophecy to know that. I come home tonight. I have seen myself leaving.
Yours,
September
Ending 9 - Arranging the 4 light towers as the 4 signposts in the corners of the map describe.
"The northwest star shines west."
"The northeast star shines south."
"The southwest star shines east."
"The southeast star shines north."
Even the dead tell stories, January. Among the rubble and the ashes and the bones and the watching spires, there are glimmers of knowledge and secrets that show what was and what will be. That is Looming, January; a snapshot of the end of time, a place for remembering and discovering. I love you, January. I hope that we will be remembered in the same way that Looming remembers those who briefly stopped here. I hurry home.
Yours,
September
Notes
The concept for Looming came to me at the 2010 Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco, during one of the lectures at the Independent Gaming Summit. The note in my notebook reads "Looming - Atmospheric moody game w/ tiny PC and huge architecture." The images in my head were of a dark environment, misty and mysterious, with huge, looming shapes scattered around a barren plain. The original concept was for an exploration game, with perhaps more puzzles than ended up in the final product.
The story came a bit later. I knew I wanted the discovery of artifacts to play a large role, and so there needed to be a culture to leave the artifacts behind. Post-apocalypse is overplayed in video games, so I decided that the culture had simply moved on, been forced to leave for another place. Somehow, one culture became two, and I wanted an interesting duality between them. Instead of being divided between science and mysticism, the Seecha and the Lorem are divided between pragmatic intuition and theoretical analysis. They each hold beliefs that our culture would find rather strange.
A recurring theme in Looming is indirect learning: finding out about someone through roundabout means. The player character, September, is learning of the inhabitants of Looming through what they leave behind. The only writings about the Lorem are from the outside perspective of the Seecha,and vice versa. The Oarbor can leave messages directly, but it is dead by the time September arrives. The Epiphany, a strange psychoclimatic event, provides knowledge without a source. And the player only knows about September through the letters to September's love, January.
I tried to make the graphical style of Looming very distinctive. I hold a certain fascination for one-bit color;there was some fantastically primitive art done in games like Transylvania and various early Macintosh titles. Looming uses patterned dithering for its black-and-white sprites the result reminds me of old woodcuts, while still being definitively digital. I cheated a bit on certain effects: clouds, shadows, and alpha fades mean that Looming is not a fully one-bit game.
The sound in Looming is entirely foley (homemade), recorded and processed in an attempt to sound a bit otherworldly. Many of the sounds are heavily processed versions of my voice. The drones and odd chants in the ambiance are simply the word "Looming" said in various ways, then reversed and processed to make them a bit stranger. Some noises, like the birds and the footsteps, are me fiddling with stuff on my desk.
The world in Looming is designed to lead the player to important locations; I did my best to add rough patches to faded paths that guide the eye toward places where items can be found. With the exception of the secret signposts at the corners of the world, every collectible object should be near a landmark and tied to the main path by these little scenery hints.
I got more serious with my development process during Looming, thanks in large part to my fiancee and project manager, Melissa Avery. I used FogBugz, an issue tracking web application, to track and estimate the tasks involved in the last half of development. I also decided to spend more time on polish, inspired by the IGS keynote I watched as I developed Looming's initial concept. This is, I think, my most polished game to date.
Looming has many inspirations, but two in particular. Myst is the most prominent game to feature learning about an abandoned place through exploration. Yume Nikki is a free game that plays very similarly to Looming, but is harder, larger, and much more surreal. I am also indebted to the one-bit color games to which Looming is a partial homage.
I hope that you enjoyed Looming. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, please contact me at (e-mail omitted). You can find my blog and occasional podcast at ludusnovus.net.
Thanks for playing.
Gregory Weir
2010
Opening Letters
January, my love:
I have entered this new place called Looming for the first time. It is said to be a dead place, abandoned by everything but time and shadows. I will see what I can learn here, and then return to you as swiftly as I can.
January, my love:
I have once again arrived in Looming. The second time is more imposing than the first. Then, I had heard only stories. Now, I know what awaits me: nothing. Nothing but bones and soil and aged relics. I long to return to your bright vitality, and I will be home again soon.
January, my love:
The time I spend with you seems only moments compared to my time spent in Looming. How I wish it were the opposite. There is a feeling of inevitability about this place, that I fear will infect the rest of my life. Looming tells a story, but it is a story that has ended long ago. Despite that, my dear, I know that our story, yours and mine, is only just beginning.
January, my love:
I almost could not stand to step through to Looming today. How I wish I could stay with you forever, but my work conspires to drive me away. Soon, I will understand the secrets of this place, and I will never have to return here again.
January, my love:
I forgot to water the garden before I left. Could you check to make sure the plants are doing well?
January, my love:
Coming to Looming again and again wears on me. My clothing will always bear traces of the dust here, I fear. My shoes will always bear its soil. My nose will always itch with the smell of bones.
January, my love:
I hope that you found the present I left behind. I wish I could have left myself there in its place. But my place is here in Looming, for now. There is always more to learn.
January, my love:
Sometimes I think that it would be better to bring you along when I go to Looming. But it would be heresy, I think, to put your brilliance among this desolation. Heresy against you, and this place.
January, my love:
I remember the illustrations in the book we looked at together. They were so warm, so vibrant; the colors glowed on the page. It would not take such colors to illustrate Looming. Bleached paper and gray ink is enough.
January, my love:
As I stand in Looming, it is difficult to imagine you, living your life, back where things are alive and touched by your warmth. I am a fool, perhaps, to spend my time in this wasteland instead of by your side. Please, forgive me my foolishness.
January, my love:
Another visit to Looming, but my thoughts are always of you. I will be home again soon, my darling. Think of me until then.
Artifacts
Lorem Tablets
Lorem Tablet I
"Our neighbors the Seecha are strange people. They do not believe in the sky. We have pointed to it, drawn pictures, even used arguments of Logic, and they refuse to admit it exists. They spend their days never looking above the horizon, never seeing the stars."
Lorem Tablet II
"When we arrived here in Looming, the Seecha had already built one of their huge machines. One of us asked them how it worked. They could tell us what part did what, but not of the Theory behind it. They are a strange people, the Seecha. Instead of understanding a problem, they just build a machine attachment to fix it."
Lorem Tablet III
"In the early days in Looming, some of us tried to teach the Seecha of the Principles, but they said if they could not see it or feel it, it was not real. We tried to show them the Principles, but they said we were simply showing them toys and simple machines."
Lorem Tablet IV
"The Seecha are very brave, but perhaps foolhardy. A group of them has built a machine to try and capture the Oarbor. They do not understand that the Oarbor flies, but they know enough to put the machine on tall stilts. We do not think that the Seecha will succeed; our Calculations suggest very low chances."
Lorem Tablet V
"The Seecha were very confused when the first wisps of the Epiphany began to fall. They thought it was appearing from nowhere. But strangely, they are not disturbed or alarmed by the mental effects it has. They say that knowing what will be merely means that they need not waste effort on building any more."
Lorem Tablet VI
"The Seecha have packed up to leave Looming. Since they saw that they were going to leave, they had no reason to stay. With this baffling explanation, they left, taking with them the hearts and other useful pieces of their great machines. The Epiphany, it seems, was merely an inconvenience to them."
Seecha Rods
Seecha Rod I
"A group of people arrived today. They call themselves the Lorem. They seem to revere strange beings which do not exist, called names like Logic and Physics and Chemistry. They claim these beings make them smart, but they cannot build even simple machines. They spend much of their time discussing these fairy tales."
Seecha Rod II
"Despite their strangeness, the Lorem are pleasant neighbors. They often invite us to their gatherings; although the food is simple, it is good. We have all learned to choose conversation topics that avoid their nonsense. Weather and mechanics are bad. Children and the strangeness of Looming are better."
Seecha Rod III
"Some Lorem youths came by today, asking about a machine. When we explained how it worked, they asked how each piece worked, and so on, until we could only throw up our hands in frustration. They are like children, in a way, asking 'Why?' repeatedly until the parent is fed up and stomps away."
Seecha Rod IV
"I spoke with one of the Lorem today. I had heard of their false beings, but I asked for details. She spoke of Physics, who controls how everything moves, and of Logic, who can tell all truth from all falsehood. There is Biology, who guides our bodies, and Psychology, who guides our minds. The Lorem are very strange."
Seecha Rod V
"Strange things like cobwebs began appearing today. The Oarbor monster said they were the Epiphany. Touching them gave us visions of the past and the future, a flash of insight like the inspiration for a machine design. The Lorem do not trust what they cannot calculate, so they are very upset; at least one of them has collapsed in shock."
Seecha Rod VI
"As we prepare to leave, I have learned that the Lorem are moving on as well. The Epiphany said they would, but the Lorem would not believe it and refused to go. But their stress and confusion proved too much, it seems. They are moving on to a place where what they see as impossible does not occur."
Oarbor Bones
Oarbor Bone I
This is a long tail bone that appears to be reptilian in origin. Its irregular density suggests that it was broken at some point, then fully healed. Extrapolating from bone structure in similar smaller reptiles, the tail must have been at least ten feet long.
Oarbor Bone II
This is a right rear thigh bone, seemingly from a large four-legged mammal. It is hollow, like that of a flying creature, but very sturdy to support a large weight. A faint sheen to the surface indicates that this creature could metabolize metal to reinforce its skeleton.
Oarbor Bone III
This is a forearm bone that shows qualities of both mammalian and avian origins. It is exceptionally long, and marked with pits that suggest long flight feathers. This bone could have been part of a pair of wings that spanned over fifteen feet.
Oarbor Bone IV
This is a complex bone that bears similarity both to an avian shoulder blade and to one half of a mammalian hip bone. It is sturdy but very light, and appears to be able to support a third pair of limbs between the forelimbs and the hindlimbs of a large creature.
Oarbor Bone V
This is a small wrist bone with a shape remarkably like that of a human wrist bone, but roughly twice the size. Its structure suggests that the hand of this animal had an opposable thumb.
Oarbor Bone VI
This is a skull roughly three feet in length. The front of the skull is extended in a long, strong beak with teeth rooted in the jaw. The owner of the skull had enormous brain capacity, an excellent sense of smell, and was omnivorous.
Tally Beads
Tally Bead I
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "ones." It was found near a path intersection. It is made of copper, an engraved with subtle waves and a stylized fish.
Tally Bead II
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "twos." It was found at the edge of a ruined mechanical area. It is silver, and etched with a sharp-edged frost-like pattern.
Tally Bead III
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "fours." It was found near a large arcing stone formation. It is beaten gold, and it is decorated with a flame pattern.
Tally Bead IV
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "eights." It was found near a large decaying device on stilts with a snare-like structure on top. It is blown glass, colored with delicate blue helices.
Tally Bead V
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "sixteens." It was found on the edge of the Seecha territory. It is polished wood with a gear-like inlay of darker material.
Tally Bead VI
This is a tally bead of Seecha design, marked with a symbol for "thirty-twos." It was found near a large device shaped like a triangular gateway. It is made from a solid pearl, unmarred except for the holes that let it be threaded onto a string.
Path Rings
Path Ring I
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was found beside the path near the southern wall of the Looming site. Engraved inside is: "CHEMISTRY - She guides mixtures and solutions, the flames of all colors and the gases we breathe. Through her, we may break apart what seems permanent and rejoin it in new forms. May we refine ourselves in the same way."
Path Ring II
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was lying beside a washed-out portion of path. Engraved inside is: "LOGIC - She determines truth and falsehood. Through her, we reduce complexity to simplicity, and we ward against the dangers of unsound and invalid thought. May our minds be ever pure and keen, and may our emotions never lead our thoughts astray."
Path Ring III
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was in the dirt near a large dome. Engraved inside is: "BIOLOGY - She directs the functioning of our bodies and of all bodies. Through her, we live and exist and breathe. May we always be thankful for her gifts, and may we treat our flesh with the care it deserves."
Path Ring IV
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was to one side of a ruined colonnade. Engraved inside is: "PSYCHOLOGY - She organizes our minds, determining how we think and feel. Through her, we know the glory of sadness and the terror of pride. May we heed the warnings of our heart, and keep away the cold apathy of progress without passion."
Path Ring V
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was beside an upright stone hoop. Engraved inside is: "PHYSICS - She commands the movement of all things, that they fall to the ground and move across the earth. Through her, we may see the infinite glory hidden in white light or the calmness in a pendulum's swing. May we never forget that complexity lurks beneath simplicity."
Path Ring VI
This is a mindfulness ring of Lorem design. It was near a collapsed arch over a path. Engraved inside is: "MATHEMATICS - She tallies and divides, separating the nothingness from the endless with an infinity of numbers. Through her, we may count all things and understand the colossal and the tiny. May we measure all things with clarity, and never falter in our equations."
Endings
Ending 1 - Exiting immediately.
I could not stay today. It is all too much for me, January: the dark ground and the dry, towering geology. I will return another day, after steeling myself with your presence.
Yours,
September.
Ending 2 - Exiting after a few minutes.
I have spent much time here, January, but it seems as if I have made little progress. To be sure, I have seen new things, catalogued new facts. But I feel as if I have resolved no great issues this time. Perhaps next visit. I will be home soon.
Yours,
September
Ending 3 - Exiting from the northern portal.
My feet are tired, January. It feels as if I have traipsed all through this place, with its rough paths and barren wastes. A broad area, yet still so small; there is an entire world outside the fence, but I, with the remnants of these people, am penned in a much smaller universe. You, though, are my true universe. Welcome me warmly when I arrive.
Yours,
September
Ending 4 - Finding all the tally beads and exiting via the triangular Seecha portal.
"With tally in hand, step through our gateway."
The Seecha could not, would not, see the sky, January. I pity them. For how barren Looming is, the sky here is as beautiful as any I have ever seen. Perhaps you will be able to join me some time. We can discuss it when I get home.
Yours,
September
Ending 5 - Finding all the path rings and exiting via the Lorem dome.
"This door opens only to those with a grasp of the Sciences."
The faith of the Lorem is something I envy, January. They believed so strongly, more strongly than I believe in anything. Anything except my love for you. Now, I make my pilgrimage back to your arms. May it be short.
Yours,
September
Ending 6 - Finding all of the Oarbor's bones and bringing them to the 4 spheres in the northwest.
"Bring my bones together here, and you will be shown a new way."
The Oarbor knew it would die, and when. It knew to the hour and the second. Would you want to know the same, January? Would it make you cherish every moment more, or stain the time you have left with grief? I can not say, myself. All I know is that I would continue coming home to you, as I do so now.
Yours,
September
Ending 7 - Arranging the 4 light towers as the shattered diagram says.
Mystery, January, is what drives us forward. We seek answers to questions, and new questions to ask. When we see a symbol, we wonder what it means; when we see a hill, we want to see what is on the other side. You are a mystery to me, January, a collection of mysteries, and there is nothing I adore more than unraveling them. I will make more progress soon, when I arrive home.
Yours,
September
Ending 8 - Finding all of the signposts.
"Welcome, visitor. The time I have left here is brief, so I will dispense with courtesy. I wish you to visit and learn. South of here is a patch of rough ground. Look in the center for a hidden signpost."
"I have lived in Looming for a long time, but I was not born here. I will die here, however. Further south, past a cluster of spires, you will find a second hidden signpost."
"The Lorem came here after some trouble in their original home; I did not ask, and they did not offer. They were friendly, but flighty. They fled Looming in existential terror. To the west, a signpost is hidden off the end of a path."
"The Seecha were workers and explorers. They saw me as a threat, and attacked me. I admire their fierce tenacity. They saw no point in remaining after the Epiphany showed them their departure. Another signpost hides to the north between two metal floor panels."
"Many have come to Looming. When I first arrived, there were signs of earlier settlement, but those traces have crumbled to dust by now. Everyone leaves, but I will stay until my end. East of the second hidden signpost is another, at the base of a spire."
"The Epiphany occurs here. It is natural to Looming, as far as I know. It is like snow or wind; it comes, it lingers, it fades away. And it makes you know your future. Stand between the two gears, elsewhere, and travel north to another hidden signpost."
"I have been in Looming for a long time. I have seen many Epiphanies, and have seen far into the future. This place never keeps its visitors. They always leave. To the east, where the path is just out of sight, a signpost hides."
"I remember my death, and your arrival. I remember you reading these signs. I recall my bones growing dry and bleached in the dust. Follow the spires to the northeast. Between the final two is the last hidden signpost."
"If you have unearthed all of my messages, then a portal sits to the south. An Epiphany is coming. I remember it. What will it make you remember? That is one of the few mysteries still masked to me."
I have experienced an Epiphany, dear January. I have seen time spread out before me like a ribbon, and I could see the end of it. Not the end of me; I know only of my time in Looming, and I know that the end of it will not be the end of me. Nor of us; as far as I can see, we are as one. But I never needed prophecy to know that. I come home tonight. I have seen myself leaving.
Yours,
September
Ending 9 - Arranging the 4 light towers as the 4 signposts in the corners of the map describe.
"The northwest star shines west."
"The northeast star shines south."
"The southwest star shines east."
"The southeast star shines north."
Even the dead tell stories, January. Among the rubble and the ashes and the bones and the watching spires, there are glimmers of knowledge and secrets that show what was and what will be. That is Looming, January; a snapshot of the end of time, a place for remembering and discovering. I love you, January. I hope that we will be remembered in the same way that Looming remembers those who briefly stopped here. I hurry home.
Yours,
September
Notes
The concept for Looming came to me at the 2010 Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco, during one of the lectures at the Independent Gaming Summit. The note in my notebook reads "Looming - Atmospheric moody game w/ tiny PC and huge architecture." The images in my head were of a dark environment, misty and mysterious, with huge, looming shapes scattered around a barren plain. The original concept was for an exploration game, with perhaps more puzzles than ended up in the final product.
The story came a bit later. I knew I wanted the discovery of artifacts to play a large role, and so there needed to be a culture to leave the artifacts behind. Post-apocalypse is overplayed in video games, so I decided that the culture had simply moved on, been forced to leave for another place. Somehow, one culture became two, and I wanted an interesting duality between them. Instead of being divided between science and mysticism, the Seecha and the Lorem are divided between pragmatic intuition and theoretical analysis. They each hold beliefs that our culture would find rather strange.
A recurring theme in Looming is indirect learning: finding out about someone through roundabout means. The player character, September, is learning of the inhabitants of Looming through what they leave behind. The only writings about the Lorem are from the outside perspective of the Seecha,and vice versa. The Oarbor can leave messages directly, but it is dead by the time September arrives. The Epiphany, a strange psychoclimatic event, provides knowledge without a source. And the player only knows about September through the letters to September's love, January.
I tried to make the graphical style of Looming very distinctive. I hold a certain fascination for one-bit color;there was some fantastically primitive art done in games like Transylvania and various early Macintosh titles. Looming uses patterned dithering for its black-and-white sprites the result reminds me of old woodcuts, while still being definitively digital. I cheated a bit on certain effects: clouds, shadows, and alpha fades mean that Looming is not a fully one-bit game.
The sound in Looming is entirely foley (homemade), recorded and processed in an attempt to sound a bit otherworldly. Many of the sounds are heavily processed versions of my voice. The drones and odd chants in the ambiance are simply the word "Looming" said in various ways, then reversed and processed to make them a bit stranger. Some noises, like the birds and the footsteps, are me fiddling with stuff on my desk.
The world in Looming is designed to lead the player to important locations; I did my best to add rough patches to faded paths that guide the eye toward places where items can be found. With the exception of the secret signposts at the corners of the world, every collectible object should be near a landmark and tied to the main path by these little scenery hints.
I got more serious with my development process during Looming, thanks in large part to my fiancee and project manager, Melissa Avery. I used FogBugz, an issue tracking web application, to track and estimate the tasks involved in the last half of development. I also decided to spend more time on polish, inspired by the IGS keynote I watched as I developed Looming's initial concept. This is, I think, my most polished game to date.
Looming has many inspirations, but two in particular. Myst is the most prominent game to feature learning about an abandoned place through exploration. Yume Nikki is a free game that plays very similarly to Looming, but is harder, larger, and much more surreal. I am also indebted to the one-bit color games to which Looming is a partial homage.
I hope that you enjoyed Looming. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, please contact me at (e-mail omitted). You can find my blog and occasional podcast at ludusnovus.net.
Thanks for playing.
Gregory Weir
2010