Skitterbug Concept Art. Description at the end
The world of Industrial Bluescreen is set within a video game that the protagonist finds themself trapped in. This open world RPG is set within a steampunk themed world reminiscent of Civil War era United States, but with apocalyptic theming due to the Civil War the country itself is undergoing. The country is divided between the supporters of the current king—in general, the wealthy class—and those who believe him a tyrant. The story takes place in and in the surrounding areas of a central city called Noxhaven, the capital of the country and the home of the king himself. Noxhaven was once a thriving, beautiful city, full of different cultures and life. Due to the war, many people have had to turn to violence to get by, as jobs have become scarce and food harder to come by for the less fortunate. The steampunk essence is shown in the general atmosphere of the game, décor, and lighting, as well as in the level of technology present. The city is adorned in both Victorian architecture and industrial elements, from pipes and gears to complex steam or aether powered vehicles and trains. Though, the metal is rustic and unfinished, making it seem worn, rough, or old. Weapons include civil war era gun design, such as revolvers, musket rifles, and bazookas. Robotics are common, both in large scale designs and smaller, more trinket-like objects. Many of the wealthy have employed the use of robotic creatures to do their menial tasks for them, while the guard has employed them for security.
Skitterbug is made using steampunk technology. It runs on a magical energy source common in the aesthetic called Aether. There are many portrayals of aether, but in this world, it can come in both solid and molten form. As a solid, it resembles a bright blue piece of quartz, but glows in that same blue hue. It can be melted down into liquid form at high temperatures, however, in which it will remain permanently. This liquid is most often used to power the machinery in Noxhaven. Amelia has portioned out aether in syringe form that she gives to Skitterbug and will power it for about 2 weeks.
Skitterbug’s design is created with function at the forefront. It is an object interaction/retrieval bot, so it has a long tail with a claw on the end in which it can move or lift objects up to about 10 lbs. The body shape is based on a scorpion, with 6 balanced legs and two front claws. These legs each end in a small magnet that Skitterbug can use to climb metal objects such as walls and the sides of buildings. Its claws are designed to help Skitterbug climb more natural surfaces, such as cloths, ropes, and plants. It stands at about 1 1/2 ft tall including the tail but can squeeze itself into tubes as small as 6 inches in diameter.
Skitterbug, being a robotic creature, does not have thoughts or emotions like a human does. However, it does have the sort of intelligence that a robot could have. It thoroughly understands human speech and can listen to vocal commands. It has enough “thought” to cause it to wander a bit when traveling. The player will often witness Skitterbug running between Amelia, the player, and the edges of the path the player is taking. Amelia placed two aether tubes in the front of Skitterbug to make it look like it has eyes, and it seems to look at the player with these two tubes. But, alas, Skitterbug is just a robot, and such, cannot feel emotions and can’t really communicate with others in a way other than it’s programmed, even if it somehow acts like a dog sometimes.
