by khedrond@gmail.com

Vampire: the Masquerade Reawakened

[ WavePad ~ GIMP ~ LibreOffice ~ Skyrim Special Edition Creation Kit ~ NifSkope ~ Discord ]

In 2021 an already established Skyrim/Fallout modder started a project to re-create the original Vampire: the Masquerade Redemption (VtMR) game using Skyrim, which turns out to be well-suited for the work.

Y2K saw the much-anticipated release of this bleeding edge video game set in White Wolf’s World of Darkness universe. It was an overnight hit, creating an experience through a tortured tale of a Knight of St. John the Hospitaler who is Embraced into vampirism in 12th century Prague on the cusp of realizing true love. Our hero navigates the internecine politics of the region only to be defeated by a cave-in; after he awakens in December of 1999 in London, an entirely new set of vampires—and problems—awaits.

The game's splash banner, reflecting cityscapes from the two different time periods where the game is set.
The game’s splash banner, reflecting cityscapes from the two different time periods where the game is set.

Originally signing on as a voice actor (VA), I soon became the Lead VA; with my extensive library of applicable lore, I also soon became the Lead Lore Advisor, and de facto after that, the Writing Lead. It was not long until I was second-in-command over the entire project, having a strong influence over most of the creative aspects. As Creative Director, my involvement includes but is not limited to:

  • Lore
    • Ensured World of Darkness canon and lore remains true
    • Also guaranteed historical, geographic, and cultural accuracy for the settings
    • Working closely with the developers, game mechanics were vastly improved over the original VtMR, enriching aspects of canonical vampiric existence that were previously omitted (boons, social traits, the Masquerade, among many others)
  • Writing
    • Transcribed the entire VtMR video game into screenplay format;
    • Created a pipeline for writers to submit quests in a format applicable to Skyrim’s quest system and met weekly to curate progress using Agile methods
    • Created over 100 lines for each of the 80+ individually named NPCs in a Skyrim city (4 cities)
    • Generated load screens from playtest screen captures delivering useful or interesting information such as game mechanics, game lore, or real world history
    • Codified rules and mechanics into a user manual
    • General UI and verbiage edition across the entire project
    • Drafted and edited Marketing copy (including the development report scripts) and legal documents
Hubert, a Norman Knight of St. John, at the East Gate of Prague, before Our Hero is turned into a vampire.
Hubert, a Norman Knight of St. John, at the East Gate of Prague, before Our Hero is turned into a vampire.
  • Voice Acting
    • Held regular casting calls (which also served as general recruitment for the entire project) to solicit the fan base for volunteers, ending with hundreds in the voice talent pool spanning the entire globe
    • Created a pipeline for VAs to submit auditions, be cast, find lines, sound check themselves, and create
    • Kept a running list of spoken languages, as many of the parts required a particular accent on (often archaic) English
    • Sound checked and critiqued/coached actors as necessary for specific roles
    • Maintained deadlines and project readiness scores
  • Assets
    • Character appearance often is based on canonical descriptions and must be adhered to
    • Settings are often also canonical, but also must reflect a gritty, grungy 90s feel reminiscent of the original game and/or Bloodlines, the sequel to to VtMR
    • Collaborated with modelers to tailor the maps to written scenes
    • Played a significant role in music development and selection, nudging artists to take songs in an appropriate direction for the scene where it was to be used
Upon discovering a Wraith in the story was in fact the ghost of King Wenceslaus, I asked one of the musicians to create a rendition of the song about him, which existed in 1191 when the game is set.
Upon discovering a Wraith in the story was in fact the ghost of King Wenceslaus, I asked one of the musicians to create a rendition of the song about him, which existed in 1191 when the game is set.
  • Project Management
    • Tracked the story, characters/motives, items, and actions (because how good or evil you are affects access to item abilities, locations, and how NPCs treat you) in a coherent timeline (every scene is numbered)
    • Ensured thematic setting, including asset style, costuming, music, and blocking to guarantee specific canonical traits appear where appropriate
    • Coordinated script writing with VA casting to respect volunteers’ time and real-life priorities while still moving the project forward at a reasonable pace
    • Sewed together elements to create compelling scenes that draw the player in and make them want to see what’s around the next corner or what comes after the next negotiation
    • Made critical decisions regarding release format and timing to sufficiently gauge market reaction and leave contingencies in place that will allow us to pivot with minimal revision and continue with the work
    • Interfaced with IP lawyers and IP stakeholders (Bethesda Softworks, Activision, Paradox Interactive) to establish safe operating boundaries where IP was concerned
    • Co-moderate a Discord server from its inception to currently over 4,000 members, many of whom are willing volunteers aiding in the work with no sacrifice to quality

The Reawakened project operates from Discord and is 100% volunteer-powered. We have been featured in many game magazine reviews, most notably being regularly followed by PCGamer whenever we release development reports, which can be found on YouTube. The project is still very nascent, so please forgive the lack of polish.

Yours in Caine~

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