Exclusive Darkstarr Metronome. Get yours before they're gone!

In celebration of Starr Long joining the SotA Dev Team, we are memorializing his Darkstarr online persona with several new pledge rewards available to all backers that pledge prior to July 31, 2013. In addition to the Darkstarr Moondial included at the Citizen level (and above), there is also the Darkstarr Metronome included at the Virtual Collector level (and above)! For those of you planning to play virtual instruments this mechanical metronome can help keep the tempo! Place this in-game decoration near your instrument, set the desired beat, and start the scythe to swinging!

You can watch the much of the creation process for the Darkstarr Metronome here:



Starr provided me with some excellent reference of different kinds of metronomes. Richard added to the reference with various styles and sizes. He also wanted to have a a death theme for the metronome with the quote "As time passes Death Approaches" written somewhere on the object.

I started my process with a little research into visuals for death. The Grim Reaper along with a skull and an hour glass were the most eye catching. Some of the metronome reference was unknown to me and I felt it would be important to go with shapes that are readily identifiable by the majority of the community. My rough pass incorporates 3 distinct variations. The red indicates the movement of the various pieces.


From this point I continued the concept creation on Pen of the Avatar which you can see above. Community input as always was invaluable. The spine for the measure, Grandfather clock size, etc. Initially I thought to use marble and copper (thanks Fire Lotus) for the metronome but decided against it later. I determined that the closed cabinet door would have the left arm of the Reaper on it as if he opened and closed the cabinet. This insinuates a consciousness in the object. I indicated a scroll at the base with the quote in Runic; font kindly created by Dame Lori of our community.


This is the Work in Progress I sent to the team Tuesday evening. I changed the scroll to be a plaque and finished the color pass on the concept.


This is the final approved DarkStarr Metronome concept art. I changed the materials to a hard cherry wood finish for the cabinet with brass trim to be more Grandfather clock like. The scythe blade folds down into the cabinet. The skeletal right hand holding the scythe is attached to the pole and there is a second right hand for decoration on the outside of the cabinet when the door is closed.


Thank you again for all your support! I love making art with the community for the community!

 

Absolutely amazing! Can't wait to see what you come up with next

 

Looks great. I can`t wait to add it to my tent (at least until I can afford a house).

 

You, sir, are brilliant. :3 Lovely final color choice.

 

It's gigantic! What a brilliant piece. I'm digging the colors too.

 

If I stick my head into it will it knock me across the room? XD please say yes

 

Your art sessions, since the kickstarter days, never cease to amazed me.

Since this piece is on death motif, would a scythe made out of obsidian and inlaid with copper/gold/platinum work? This would make it valuable.

 

What an amazing piece and so much fun to watch it "come to life". So glad I'll be getting one of these. Thanks for all the work you do Stephen and letting us participate.

 

+1... I still remember that fun last KS day- all day Saturday I had to toil in the yard so I had the stream running just audio on headphones. You would think an art show needs to be seen to be enjoyed... but I enjoyed it immensely just by listening to the stories and the work being described. (And seeing the work later never disappointed) If I ever talk about fond memories of PotA and "shoveling heaps of compost" comes up, I swear it's a compliment!

 

Man, a scythe swinging reaper metronome. Totally rad!

 

I thought this would be something that would sit on a table or shelf and easy to miss. I'm glad I was wrong; great job!

 

Marvelous and unique item! Great art! I can't await to receive all the Darkstarr items.

 

The red robe looks great.

 

What is the ceiling height in the den of my castle? Or is this intended to go in the great hall?

 

Awsome as all you guys do.


Some further inspirations regarding skelleton furniture :


chair

lamp

knives and forks


mirrow
shelf

 

Very Rad, apparently someone took the remains of the real "Lich King" and crafted him into this metronome.

 

I like it but I have one critical note. The scythe wont fit in the body cavity as it is shaped right now. How about if you shaped the body cavity like a coffin to fit the scythe?
I vote more for a small size if this is going to be something we are placing in our home. We already have a huge throne of bone we don’t need another big piece like that. It would start feeling more like a haunted house or crypt.

 

The blade is supposed to fold down when it's in the cabinet...kind of like a switchblade.

 

Love the skull reference!

 

Now all we need is some skeletal instrument to play to the beat of this death-metronome while relaxing in our throne of bone!

P.S. When it's put in-game, the sound it makes needs to be that of a heart beat! (would be soooo spooky!)