Before any real drawing and concept work can be done, the profiles of the game's characters have to established thoroughly. I've created character backgrounds and established a rough timeframe for the game's story, although the information is akin to what the player would be given at the start of the game. The information the player is given is going to change because of the nature of the game's storyline. I also did some research and brought in some bits from my influences to create homage to other related works and real-life events:
Steven Bauchwitz
Age: 41 Sex: Male Occupation: Hotelier DOB:20.10.1969
Born in the sleepy town of Ignis Lake, Steven was born into
his father’s successful coaching inn business. His mother (Molly Williams) left
when Steven was only three years old, leaving him to be raised single-handedly
by his father (Lee Bauchwitz). Graduating from high school in 1987, Steven went
straight into working for his father until 1989, when Steven’s father died of
heart problems. In 1990, Steven met Dana Gillespie, a slightly younger woman
who worked as a proficient housekeeper for Mayor Freeman. The two struck up a
passionate relationship, resulting in the birth of their son Tristan that same
year. Marriage blossomed in 1991, and the family gained an addition in the form
of Sunny, born many years afterwards in 2001.
In the year of 2008, the family’s finances were in a
shambles due to the hotel failing to make profits. Unfortunately, the business
was forced to fold and the family were left with little support. This event caused
massive distress in Steven’s personal life, mainly putting a strain on his
marriage, which led to his wife eventually leaving him along with their two
children. Further disaster struck when his wife and children were killed in a house
fire.
After being forced to leave the family home when it is
repossessed, Steven underwent a massive mental breakdown and began attending
psychiatric counselling to deal with his trauma. The year is 2010. Now residing
in an apartment in the quiet lakeside town, Steven attempts to rebuild the
shattered fragments of his once superlative life, but his world is torn asunder
yet again with a single ominous phone call…
Dana Bauchwitz
Age: 38 (at death) Sex: Female Occupation: Housekeeper DOB:
5.7.1970
Born in the nearby town of Briar Falls, Dana Gillespie
graduated in the year of 1988 and moved to Ignis Lake in order to pursue a
domestic cleaning job. Ambitiously applying for the housekeeper vacancy in
Mayor Freeman’s residence, Dana is surprised when she gets the job.
A few years later, in the summer of 1990, she meets the
charming Steven Bauchwitz and falls quickly in love. A child and a marriage
followed in 1990 and 1991 respectively, solidifying a stable family with Dana’s
job and Steven’s coaching inn.
Dana gave birth to a daughter in 2001, and took a temporary
break from her work, which eventually led to her giving the job up to focus on
her family. In 2008, tensions rose between Dana and Steven when the hotel fails
to return a profit and the family are placed in financial bind. The events of
2008 quickly escalated into a blur of wretchedness, resulting in the fall of
the family business, and Dana subsequently perishing in a house fire that also
kills her son and daughter.
Tristan Bauchwitz
Age: 18 (at death) Sex:
Male Occupation:
Student/Barista DOB: 13.3.1990
Born in 1990, Tristan is the first child of Steven and Dana
Bauchwitz. At the age of 18, Tristan graduates with a sports scholarship in
basketball but delays applying to college because of the family’s money
problems. He gets work in a coffee shop to help support the family.
Unfortunately a series of events occur shortly after that culminates in
Tristan’s death along with his mother and young sister in a horrific house
fire.
Sunny Bauchwitz
Age: 7
(at death) Sex: Female Occupation: Student DOB: 30.10.2001
Born much later after the Bauchwitz’s marriage, Sunny is
born in the year of 2001, forcing Dana to leave her housekeeping job when it is
found that Sunny is physically handicapped. Despite her extensive physical
disability, Sunny grows up and attends Ignis Lake Elementary School and
achieves exceptional grades. Sunny bears witness to the breakdown of the family
in 2008, but is obviously too young to understand properly. Sunny is tragically
killed in a mysterious fire.
Dr. David Cardone
Age: 56 Sex: Male Occupation: Psychiatric Counsellor DOB: 1.9.1954
Born in Kansas, Dr. Cardone practiced medicine for a long
time before moving to Briar Falls as the residential psychiatrist of Briar
Hospital. Having seen more than his share of tortured souls, Dr Cardone is not
fazed when Steven Bauchwitz is referred to him as a patient. Meeting almost
every week for sessions, the doctor is determined to help Steven confront his
inner demons that have surfaced since his family’s tragic end.
Naming Origins
Bauchwitz (inspired by the Jewish-German
surname “Berkowitz” after serial arsonist)
Molly Williams (reference to the real “Molly
Williams”, the world’s first female firefighter)
Steven and Dana (reference
to “Steven and Diana Freeling”, characters in Tobe Hooper’s “Poltergeist”)
Gillespie (reference
to the Gillespie family from Konami’s “Silent Hill” series)
Tristan (Name
meaning ‘sad’)
Sunny (Reference
to “Sunny Baudelaire”, a character in Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of
Unfortunate Events”)
Mayor Freeman (Reference
to Gordon Freeman, protagonist of the “Half-Life” series)
David Cardone (Reference
to “David Lynch” and “J.S. Cardone”, two horror film directors)
Concept Art and rough outline of the game's plot soon to follow.
