Shadow Merms are a visual letdown

[-Variant]

Wurt's two affinity skills grant her the ability to transform her Merms.

Visually, the Lunar Merms are absolutely awesome. Here's what they look like!

 

And as for the Shadows... I uh, I can't post any renders, cause they didn't actually get any unique designs...

Between the two factions, the Lunar Merms obviously got the most love seeing as how they have very gorgeous, intricate detailed new designs. For both variants! And the Guards even have another alt for being weak! 3 new builds!!

Shadow Merms on the other hand got no new design at all, as they're just basic Merms with a filter put on top of them!
I'm making this post to hopefully see about Shadow Merms getting some love. I'd love them to get their own proper Shadow-infused builds, but even if they're to keep the black silhouettes I'd want them to at least look partially converted! Terror Beak spines, cut out eyes like Shadows, something unique!

I was honestly pretty disappointed to learn there wasn't a unique design for Shadow Merms, seeing a Shadow take on a Merm would've been so cool! 

[Left 4 Sharkb8]

I'd like the shadow merms to take some design cues from the Ink Blights and shadelings. I'm a big fan of how those critters handle the shadow vibe. Regardless of what they do, anything is better than the current shadow merms... Even just a dark recolor of the normal merm textures would have been more satisfying to me. They are LAME. 

[SpuddyBuddy]

I wish they were designed more like the Nightmare Werepig, or even the Beardlords. It'd be more in-line with other per-established shadow-tainted creatures, make them easier to see in low light, and would be much nicer to look at. As they are now they look more like Maxwell's summons, which is a bit of a problem imo - not because it'd be confusing, but because it messes with pre-established design language; they're supposed to be altered creatures, not conjured summons.

[Jakepeng99]

13 minutes ago, -Variant said:

And as for the Shadows... I uh, I can't post any renders, cause they didn't actually get any unique designs...

They are meant to be identical clones, but maybe they should have a more exagerrated and droppy body. For example, their attack animation can be swingy.

[gamehun20]

22 minutes ago, TrashLord said:

altered creatures, not conjured summons.

Well i think the shadow merms show up after a merm dies so i think they are conjured

[SpuddyBuddy]

39 minutes ago, gamehun20 said:

Well i think the shadow merms show up after a merm dies so i think they are conjured

Ah. i did Not know this ^^' (<-- guy who hasn't actually gotten to try the beta yet)

Though in that case, it'd be cool if they looked a bit more like the Ink Mlights, with the stark black and red designs. If the Shadow Merms are a product of an allegiance with Charlie, they should look like her shadows instead of Maxwell's.

[Creatorofswamps]

1 hour ago, -Variant said:

Wurt's two affinity skills grant her the ability to transform her Merms.

Visually, the Lunar Merms are absolutely awesome. Here's what they look like!

 

And as for the Shadows... I uh, I can't post any renders, cause they didn't actually get any unique designs...

Between the two factions, the Lunar Merms obviously got the most love seeing as how they have very gorgeous, intricate detailed new designs. For both variants! And the Guards even have another alt for being weak! 3 new builds!!

Shadow Merms on the other hand got no new design at all, as they're just basic Merms with a filter put on top of them!
I'm making this post to hopefully see about Shadow Merms getting some love. I'd love them to get their own proper Shadow-infused builds, but even if they're to keep the black silhouettes I'd want them to at least look partially converted! Terror Beak spines, cut out eyes like Shadows, something unique!

I was honestly pretty disappointed to learn there wasn't a unique design for Shadow Merms, seeing a Shadow take on a Merm would've been so cool! 

I've been thinking about this too, so I've developed a concept based on the drawing that shows them in the skill tree, I also suggest changing their appearance when the shadow rift opens (they'll still dump the usual horror fuel to maintain balance).

[fabin]

6 minutes ago, Creatorofswamps said:

I've been thinking about this too, so I've developed a concept based on the drawing that shows them in the skill tree, I also suggest changing their appearance when the shadow rift opens (they'll still dump the usual horror fuel to maintain balance).

dude, that looks great! though i feel like shadow merm guards would be "sharper" (kinda like the terrorbeaks, where they are more spiky compared to crawling horrors, which are more "fuzzy")

still, awesome stuff, man

[Dr.Webber]

I made a few edits to the new skill trees. Hope you like my take on what shadow merms should look like.

 

[Mike23Ua]

Shadow Merms should be able to change shapes and sizes.. they should continue to look like Shadows and not get some super crazy visual overhaul, it’s what they do that should change..

at least in my opinion, let them be teleport (like Maxwells Warriors now do) let them transform into shadowy terror beaks, or Terror Claw or even that one flying shadow bat thing..

I think that would make the Shadow Merms far far more appealing, because currently… I’m gonna get those awesome looking mutant moon Merms over the shadow ones.

[Creatorofswamps]

4 minutes ago, Mike23Ua said:

at least in my opinion, let them be teleport (like Maxwells Warriors now do)

They're already doing it.+ merms are not ancient beetles. so I don't think they no should look like Terrorbeak.

[Frosty_Mentos]

Give them terrorbeak levels of teeth.

[Left 4 Sharkb8]

4 hours ago, Creatorofswamps said:

I've been thinking about this too, so I've developed a concept based on the drawing that shows them in the skill tree, I also suggest changing their appearance when the shadow rift opens (they'll still dump the usual horror fuel to maintain balance).

Simple, yet rather effective! Great job

[-Variant]

5 hours ago, Creatorofswamps said:

I also suggest changing their appearance when the shadow rift opens (they'll still dump the usual horror fuel to maintain balance).

Ahaha, cute! See, this is simple and it works a lot better than what we have!

The red ones can be used anywhere, you can feed the shadow merms Dreadstone currently, it doesn't change how they look at all, just gives them red lighting FX every now and then. This could be a unique design of it, too!

[WhackE]

6 hours ago, Creatorofswamps said:

I've been thinking about this too, so I've developed a concept based on the drawing that shows them in the skill tree, I also suggest changing their appearance when the shadow rift opens (they'll still dump the usual horror fuel to maintain balance).

Total florp sweep Gj!

[Szczuku]

I'm say that both sides are equally a let down.

Nothing screams lunar in the lunar one, it just looks like a merm from a more hostile bog. But that's just the fault of the devs not knowing what they want to do with the lunar mutations

[marshyds]

1 minute ago, Szczuku said:

Nothing screams lunar in the lunar one, it just looks like a merm from a more hostile bog. But that's just the fault of the devs not knowing what they want to do with the lunar mutations

the only issue is probably the fact they're purple, other than that i think the design is perfect.

in terms of shadow merms, shadow creatures generally arent flexible with their designs unless you completely mess up the sillouhette of a merm. i think it gets the job done

[Stresslvls99]

I made a sketch of a redesign. Took inspiration from Wurt's triumphant skin and wanted to make them look nightmareish to mirror how the lunar variant is all mutated.

[jobenjo1]

11 hours ago, Stresslvls99 said:

I made a sketch of a redesign. Took inspiration from Wurt's triumphant skin and wanted to make them look nightmareish to mirror how the lunar variant is all mutated.

This is incredible!

[arubaro]

I though the same, they should have the same conversion as the ancient got when become terror beaks instead of just a texture change

Maybe they look like that because is WIP

[Creatorofswamps]

On 6/7/2024 at 7:39 PM, -Variant said:

Between the two factions, the Lunar Merms obviously got the most love seeing as how they have very gorgeous, intricate detailed new designs. For both variants! And the Guards even have another alt for being weak! 3 new builds

It's funny that lunar merms are literally living tentacles with spikes, and few people have talked about it

[Creatorofswamps]

Do you think there will be any changes in the appearance of shadow mermaids?

[Wormboi]

5 minutes ago, Creatorofswamps said:

Do you think there will be any changes in the appearance of shadow mermaids?

probably not tbh ):

[Keknutui]

19 minutes ago, Wormboi said:

вероятно, нет tbh ):

They have already happened, but due to the absence of the Merm king, I only see them in the scrapbook

[Wormboi]

2 minutes ago, Keknutui said:

They have already happened, but due to the absence of the Merm king, I only see them in the scrapbook

Never mind then! I hope this is real screen shot though