Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

Has the Noxian aesthetic changed or become obsolete?

Clockwork88··6 votes·4,869 views

Hey Rioters, I'd love an answer from a lore person OR and Art person, simply because I'm curious from either angle!

We've seen some interesting changes in the lore (not commenting here) and a bit of juggling about what champions are where etc. What I'd like to ask, is why is there so little consistency between new Noxian champions vs old, or has the visual associated with Noxians changed? Previously, we had associated them with the Green/gold/black etc. Recently We've seen the re--reveal of Sion, but he doesn't display any visual connection to Noxus other than a dark/bloody pallet. Swain and Urgot (oldies) Still have that green/gold/black consistency that helps separate them from the likes of the shadow isles champions (although recently they've got ghostly particles to help) or void champions and their black purple (Talon, Leblanc).

In essence, in the wake of the Sion reveal, can you comment on a perceived lack of visual cohesion between Noxian champions, compared to say Demacia, Shadow Isles, etc.?

also, Swain is the best!Swain

12 Comments

RiotWhren10 votes

Hi guys, I'm one of the art persons you've summoned! I help out a lot on setting Noxian design language, in addition to the many other great writers and artists who pitch in as well. In short, Sharjo hit the nail on the head -- a lot of our older champions had no cohesive design aesthetic and that's why they're all over the place. With that said, even though reds and blacks are a big (BIG) part of the current Noxus design, that's not to say it's the end all be-all of all Noxian colors. We tried to introduce some of the new Noxian shape language and materials in the architecture, or what you can see of it, in the Reborn teaser art. For example, you can sort of make out some of the wall design in the background of Day 2, and the Sion memorial statue is crafted in a Noxian aesthetic. Even the runic magic on Day 4.

Sharjo5 votes

Your mention of Demacia kinda reminds me that Demacia has a weird patch to its visual consistency. Around the time Jarvan came out, further Demacian champions didn't look very Demacian at all, at least to me. Shyvana, Vayne, Fiora, and Jarvan himself, do their designs scream Demacia to you as profusely as the designs of Garen, Lux, Xin Zhao and Galio? It wasn't until Quinn and Garen's VU that they seemed to be re-embracing that old Demacian aesthetic, but even then we have Lucian, who also looks kinda removed from Demacia.

Something to consider is that League's visual style really became solidly grounded around 2012 for a lot things. The likes of Hecarim, Ziggs, Syndra, Jayce and Darius set the bar by which the standard for their nations are held visually. You look at these champions and you can instantly say: That's the Shadow Isles or, They're a Yordle! These visuals were later embraced and adapted on by further champions later down the road:

  • From Jayce Jayce we got Vi Vi
  • From Hecarim Hecarim we got Thresh Thresh and Karthus Karthus
  • From Ziggs Ziggs and Lulu Lulu we got Heimerdinger Heimerdinger and Gnar Gnar
  • From Syndra Syndra and Zed Zed we got Karma Karma and Yasuo Yasuo
  • From Darius Darius and Katarina Katarina we now have Sion Sion

This is something we also saw for Freljord and Shurima as the design principles set by the Howling Abyss, Sejuani, Trundle and Lissandra helped to conceive Braum, and the design principles set by Sivir and Nasus helped bring about Azir, Renekton and Cassiopeia, plus all the Shurima related content that came with it.

With Sion looking as he does now, I think it seems safe to say that the visual style of Noxus has been set. It was set by Darius before, met by Katarina with her VU, and now Sion meets the bar with them. Reds and blacks, cold dark steel, spikes, skulls, power and brutality. That's Noxus, at least as far as I can see from this. If anything, the lack of visual cohesion with the older champions is because the older champions of League were not made with that cohesion included as a paramount principle of their design. Going forward we'll see champions (provided they come from established areas with established identities) abide to the aesthetic and style set by other more recent champions, going back no further than early 2012.

At least that's how I see it. Hope I explained that well!

Dreamspitter1 votes

Your mention of Demacia kinda reminds me that Demacia has a weird patch to its visual consistency. Around the time Jarvan came out, further Demacian champions didn't look very Demacian at all, at least to me. Shyvana, Vayne, Fiora, and Jarvan himself, do their designs scream Demacia to you as profusely as the designs of Garen, Lux, Xin Zhao and Galio? It wasn't until Quinn and Garen's VU that they seemed to be re-embracing that old Demacian aesthetic, but even then we have Lucian, who also looks kinda removed from Demacia.

Something to consider is that League's visual style really became solidly grounded around 2012 for a lot things. The likes of Hecarim, Ziggs, Syndra, Jayce and Darius set the bar by which the standard for their nations are held visually. You look at these champions and you can instantly say: That's the Shadow Isles or, They're a Yordle! These visuals were later embraced and adapted on by further champions later down the road:

  • From Jayce Jayce we got Vi Vi
  • From Hecarim Hecarim we got Thresh Thresh and Karthus Karthus
  • From Ziggs Ziggs and Lulu Lulu we got Heimerdinger Heimerdinger and Gnar Gnar
  • From Syndra Syndra and Zed Zed we got Karma Karma and Yasuo Yasuo
  • From Darius Darius and Katarina Katarina we now have Sion Sion

This is something we also saw for Freljord and Shurima as the design principles set by the Howling Abyss, Sejuani, Trundle and Lissandra helped to conceive Braum, and the design principles set by Sivir and Nasus helped bring about Azir, Renekton and Cassiopeia, plus all the Shurima related content that came with it.

With Sion looking as he does now, I think it seems safe to say that the visual style of Noxus has been set. It was set by Darius before, met by Katarina with her VU, and now Sion meets the bar with them. Reds and blacks, cold dark steel, spikes, skulls, power and brutality. That's Noxus, at least as far as I can see from this. If anything, the lack of visual cohesion with the older champions is because the older champions of League were not made with that cohesion included as a paramount principle of their design. Going forward we'll see champions (provided they come from established areas with established identities) abide to the aesthetic and style set by other more recent champions, going back no further than early 2012.

At least that's how I see it. Hope I explained that well!

Good ideas

SecretLore3 votes

I think the thing about demacia is that they seperate military-champs and non-military champs.

Garen XinZhao Lux Quinn are all part of the military of demacia meanwhile we have JarvanIV at the top,so that is understandable However Vayne Lucian are not part of the military,they are citizens of demacia,but thats basically their only connection to it.

Shyvana is part of the military,but I think she is designed differently to emphasize her being an outsider,she still has problems fitting into the society

Solideus10 votes

This is a really interesting subject and you are spot on with the trend-setters for each faction.

It seems to me each faction have their general aesthetic and themes set by now. I'll summarize my interpretation, but if anything seems disagreeable to anyone, say so!

**Demacia **have a shiny militaristic Renaissance style with many variations on the templar/crusader archetype; **Noxus **has a militaristic Brutalist aesthetic with some Baroque outliers; Ionia is aesthetically Asian, of course. It's Chinese as well as Japanese and Korean. (I can't say more specifically.) **Freljord **obviously have Norse-derivative aestetics with a touch of Dark Fantasy; Shadow Isles have Dark Ages/Gothic/Occult themes and a distinct reventant-look for the undead; **Shurima **is of course Egyptian, with a bit of Muisca and Arabic influences; **Targon ** is Greco-Roman with other Pagan influences; **Yordles **are a bit all over with a mix of european fables on one side and Raygun Gothic-style Science Fiction on the other; **Piltover **is Utopian Art-Deco and Golden Age Science Fiction with atomic-parallel technology; **Zaun **is Punk, Dystopian Industrialism and Science Fiction with chemical-parallel technology; **Bilgewater **Is Caribbean 1600s while seemingly reaching into Atlantis-style themes as of lately; The Void have Lovecraftian and Giger-esque aesthetics.

It will be interesting to see where they take the champions currently without cohesive aesthetics and/or affiliations; Riot seem to have moved away from totally unaffiliated champions. Wherever they take new directions like the Darkin will also be exciting to see, especially visually.

RiotWhren8 votes

Dude (or dudette), I love your summary. :) Wonderfully concise! It is WIP of course, and there are more unexplored visual directions we're experimenting with, but it's exciting to see these big notes are coming through.

I worked a bit on Ionia as well and that is a tough faction to flesh out, personally. They all kinda have their challenges, but Ionia's is that it's very nuanced. Everything is basically a big balancing act -- Shurima, for example, really doesn't have a lot of traditionally Egyptian motifs if we're talking about shapes -- no triangles, no pyramids, none of that. We threw in a lot of other influences and added gold, sand, and the color yellow, and all of a sudden the first reaction is "Egyptian!" again without having to resort to pyramids. And we get to use a lot of our own symbology for the Shuriman shapes.

Solideus1 votes

It is really inspired work you guys are doing. It would be awesome to see a Dev Blog in the future about your aesthetic and thematic development for the factions!

LordHippoman2 votes

Anybody remember "Crimson Elite"? The skin series that was supposed to be a counterpart to the Demacian Commando line, but only got a Talon and Riven version (And the Riven version is pretty much universally considered her worst skin)?

What happened to that? Lack of sales?

Sharjo1 votes

If memory serves they planned to give Katarina one, but they decided that it wasn't good and they could make a better skin for her.

Lord Graves III1 votes

Yeah. Nobody liked the Crimson Elite. Crimson Elite Talon is my talon skin of choice too. :(

MrSc0tty1 votes

Buuuut both Talon and Leblanc are from Noxus. And what about Dravius? They follow a pretty clear red/black.

Dan Squared1 votes

I think they are leaning Noxus more towards black/red...and keeping Demacia more white/blue (exceptions for some such as Jarvan's golden armor)

Note Tyrant Swain, which is basically him as Grand General, is more along the new Noxus lines of reds with blacks...there is still some green mixed in though. Note that a lot of Noxian champs are actually not directly part of the military. Draven left the service to become a performer Cassiopeia was a spy basically, and is now a snake Urgot's been removed from service and is used as an executioner (and is probably going to be up for a VU eventually) Talon serves General Du Conteau, not the High Command and Leblanc is head of the Black Rose, not affiliated with the military (at least officially)

Honestly, the only military Noxian champs are Swain/Kat/Darius/ and now Sion again.

More from Story, Art, & Sound

Petition to keep the Bilgewater ARAM map in circulation
Story, Art, & Sound154 comments
1,161
votes
[SUPER IMPORTANT PETITION] Change Sion's ban quote...
Story, Art, & Sound54 comments
597
votes
Can we get an Honor animation?! 4 ways to insult an opponent but none to congratulate them.
Story, Art, & Sound202 comments
578
votes
Petition to make Rengar wiggle his butt when there's a pounce-able target near his bush
Story, Art, & Sound140 comments
476
votes
About this years harrowing...
Story, Art, & Sound357 comments
459
votes
RIOT, please postpone Blood Moon Diana and make it into a Legendary skin.
Story, Art, & Sound236 comments
423
votes