City-Pop Brawlers? Sunny Attitude Surfers? Anarchist Outlaws? The League of Elegant Gentlemen? Houses come in all shapes and sizes and with every type of Vibe you can imagine. Yours will be as unique as every member.
Espers: welcome to Zener City! As we get closer to the crowdfunding launch for City of Espers, we wanted to open up the floor to you, our amazing community, and give you the opportunity to start your life in Zener City a little early.
Over the coming weeks, we're going to be starting a number of 'discussions' here on Backerkit to go over some key parts of the game and give you the space to start creating, sharing, and talking with other would-be Espers.
To celebrate the start of our Backerkit Launch Party period, we wanted to start with one of our favourite parts of City of Espers, and arguably the foundational moment for any new player starting their life in Zener City: building your House!
What is an Esper House?
In a game built around found families and the experiences of urban living, Esper Houses function as both an anchor to keep you steady as Zener City throws everything it has your way and also as a foundational part of your Esper's identity. Your House is your family here in Zener.
United by shared beliefs, shared passions, and shared fashion and style, Esper Houses are safe havens and sources of safety and drama. Most will remain small and insular; a collection of likeminded individuals, yes, but with no great ambition. Others, yours included, will rise up and make their mark on this technicolour city. Whether that's taking on the Esperball League or protecting your community from unscrupulous property developers or diving into the secrets of Turf, you are destined for great things, and your House will be with you every step of the way.
Let's Build Some Houses!
For this discussion, we want you to build your Esper House and share it with us and the community here on Backerkit. As the weeks go by, you'll use this House you've built to then create a cast of Espers who call it home and start building your Turf: the psychic resonance of Zener City itself, coming to life to reflect your power and your identity.
So, it's time to get involved! It's time to build your House.
Feel free to answer all of the questions below, or -- if you'd prefer -- just choose three or four from each list!
To begin, you need to answer some Vibe Questions and then declare your House Vibe. The questions are:
• What two colours does every member of your House wear? • What genre(s) of music does your House widely listen to? • Is there a shared hobby or job among members of your House? • When a member of the House enters a room, how do outsiders react? • What would an emblem representing your House look like? • What’s your House’s Vibe in 1 to 3 words?
With your Vibe settled, it's time to tell the story of your House, to give it personality, history, and bring it to life. And most importantly, giving the House its name. We do that by asking and answering House Questions. The questions are:
• How long ago was your House formed? • What kind of person founded the House? • How does the House look after its members? • What does the House’s base of operations look like? • What form of self-expression does the House value? • What action or behaviour does the House forbid? • How does the local neighbourhood feel about your house? • Who or what has the House been struggling with lately? • What’s the name of your House?
We want to hear all about your House, so please do take part in this first discussion and share your Houses with us and the rest of the community. We'll even choose some of our favourites and share them on the Launch Livestream!
To get you started, I (George, City of Espers producer) will share one of the Houses I created for the final book: The House of Barricade.
The House of Barricade. Illustration by Shane Melisse.
Vibe Questions • What two colours does every member of your House wear? Black and red • What genre(s) of music does your House widely listen to? Lots of speed punk and hiphop • Is there a shared hobby or job among members of your House? Monitoring the Zener City Police Department • When a member of the House enters a room, how do outsiders react? Initially with wariness, but soon with reassurance • What would an emblem representing your House look like? A molotov cocktail • What’s your House’s Vibe in 1 to 3 words? Anarchist Outlaws!
House Questions • How long ago was your House formed? Five years ago • What kind of person founded the House? A prolific squatter of abandoned buildings who saw the need to provide free accommodation to Zener's homeless population • How does the House look after its members? With food banks, financial aid, and legal support • What does the House’s base of operations look like? An occupied warehouse building that technically still belongs to one of Zener's largest absentee landlords • What form of self-expression does the House value? Protest, creativity, and helping out those in need • What action or behaviour does the House forbid? The ends never justify the means. The House must achieve its aims without replicating the injustices that make the House's actions necessary. • How does the local neighbourhood feel about your house? The local neighbourhood were initially wary of these crust-punk squatters and activists. But over time, as the House has sought to protect and nurture the local community, people have become increasingly welcoming and proud of the House. • Who or what has the House been struggling with lately? There are constant fears that police spies and informants have infiltrated the House. With a House that always tries to welcome those in need, this can create significant disruption. • What’s the name of your House? The House of Barricade!
Time to Share Your House With Us!
So there we have it: a House created from the ground up! Now it's time for you to create yours and share it with the community.
Thanks for being with us on the journey, Esper. Zener City, our technicolour metropolis, is a city unlike any other, and its waiting for you to make your mark. Start now. Start with us. Bring your House to life!
I'll see you in the comments!
George City of Espers producer Studio Lead, Three Sails Studios
