"Out-of-control fantasy cultists in a cute cartoon style" is a compelling idea, and I've had glimpses of it in lots of different media. That's how Overzealous, my solo game of cult mayhem, came to be! Let's get into it.
First off, if you haven't checked out Overzealous, it's funding now on Kickstarter! Take a peek:
Inspirations
I’ve mentioned that the idea was sparked by the cartoon zealot artworks made by Gordy Higgins, which he generously released into the public domain and which have informed much of this game’s look.
These little characters get up to all the things you would expect of unhinged fantasy cultists. In Overzealous, those are all self-inflicted problems and divergences from what you’d prefer their goal to be: performing a grand summoning ritual. I’ve adapted some of the characters to add a few more kinds of trouble they can get involved in.
Another inspiration was the video game Cult of the Lamb (Massive Monster). The ‘whimsical cultists’ dynamic and cute cut-out 2D style were big draws. The recurring motif I’ve adopted (a red dangling dagger) may have been subconsciously influenced by Cult of the Lamb’s recurring visual symbol of a crowned red eye.
I enjoy the humour that can come from having to rely on characters with poorly-aligned interests. The Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night in Guards! Guards! (Terry Pratchett) are a secret society full of petty self-important personalities.
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| My battered old copy of Guards! Guards!. Plus a little companion zine I’ve been working on. |
I was also influenced by Sinister Hovering Orb (Penguin King Games). In that game, you play as an inscrutable eldritch entity with unclear goals, operating at a cosmic level yet interacting with mortals.
Speaking of humour, I’ve also been influenced by games that lean into bombastic, non-heroic jokery, such as Kobolds Ate My Baby! (9th Level Games) and Wizards (Markerslinger). You’ll see a bit of that kind of thing in Overzealous.
Influences
What about motivation for the actual gameplay design? My main design criteria for this one are
- Tactical play with well-defined actions and outcomes
- Easy to learn, quick to play, challenging, and replayable
- A flexible amount of self-directed roleplay journalling
- Actions and events that support the game’s tone
Of the solo pen-and-paper games I’ve played, one with all those traits is Dwarf Mine (Paper Dice Games), whose approach I learned a lot from.
Artwork
Overzealous has a bold, hectic, cartoonish look in keeping with its tone. My choice of black, white, and red means that much of the style is based in black-and-white artwork.
The core illustrations are by Gordy Higgins, and I’m also using many pieces by Evlyn Moreau, who has great cartoon linework, and a few illustrations from other artists.
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Three gleeful cultists getting into trouble. Art by Evlyn Moreau. |
(I’m committed to using no AI for any game project. I support artists by licensing their art, buying from their stores, and/or supporting directly on platforms like Patreon.)
The book uses a lot of eldritch symbols and other decorations, plus a set of glyphs associated with the game stats: Fervour, Divergence, Cultists, Imminence, and Monstrosity. For these I’m using art by Alderdoodle, Lorc, C M Gorynych, and Daniel F. Walthall.
Typography
Decorative text for headings and embellishments requires good typefaces.
The Overzealous title logo uses the Moonrock and So Run Down fonts, with embellishments in Witch’s Scroll and a dagger by Lorc.
The thin, handwritten, slightly esoteric lines of Moonrock and Witch’s Scroll by Sophie Grunnet (Art SilverGlass) are a good fit for the project. So Run Down font by Raymond Larabie (Typodermic Fonts) blends ‘cartoonish’ and ‘cursed’.
Note: This post was drafted for a project update at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/periaptgames/overzealous-your-cult-has-no-chill/posts/4592904
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