Introducing: Spark! (Patreon)

Spark. Fennec fox. Cybernetic Systems Technician.

One of the very first Technicians in the new and growing field of cybernetics. His unusual technical ability landed him a position at the prestigious corporation Kobold MediTech one year ago. Prior to that, he and Peri attended the same university, where they quickly became best friends.

He may be short, but he's got two big ears and an even bigger grin. He's Spark, Cybernetic Systems Technician extraordinaire!

As a Technician (and your best friend), Spark's more than willing to lend a helping paw to Peri as they (and you) navigate the complexities of operating on synthetic devices. You might even find Spark to be a bit too willing...

Either way, you'll find that Spark's been assigned to assist you: First with tests on K-Tech's K-TAZ Cybernetic Eye, and later with patients containing all sorts of marvelous machines and contraptions. He'll walk you through these procedures, give you advice, and might even help remember a passcode. Still, Spark's just a Technician, so you'll be the one handling all the surgery. But don't worry. Spark would never let Peri down...

The Old Friend

From their character introduction, you know that Peri is a very skilled surgeon that is nevertheless not at all familiar with working on cybernetic parts. The latter is likely to be true for the player, too, whether you're new or a returning vet. But how do you ease the character (and the player) into a world where they have to quickly pick up on 'netic procedures?

The solution I settled on was having an 'old friend' re-introduce you to the field. In the game's Prologue, Spark is there to guide you through some of the tech in your artificial eye. And though the specifics of his employment change shortly afterwards, Spark stays relatively 'in the know' and is eager to get you back up to speed. He's also very helpful at vouching for you, and thus hopefully provides enough 'lubricant' to keep the story rolling.

"Reason for existing" aside, there were also some other things Spark's character needed to have:

He'd ideally contrast with Peri a decent bit, as the two spend a decent amount of time together. Since Peri tends to be more introverted and self-conscious, Spark became ... checks notes, "a bit of a goober", with an outgoing, almost chaotic personality.

Despite this, he also needed to be legitimately skilled, not just comic relief. (He's got enough clout to vouch for you, after all.) Hence, the role of Cybernetic Systems Technician was a good fit. He might act a bit easygoing, but Spark knows his stuff and gets the job done.

He also needs to be friendly. There are a lot of new things you (and Peri) will have to deal with, and having someone reliable and genuinely on your side means you won't have to go through it alone. Probably.

Character Design

Spark was actually the second character I designed for Cutting Edge: ROM. Like with Peri, I didn't want to make a fairly major character first, though Spark was when I more or less got the workflow for designing, sketching, and rendering a character down.

Here are some of Spark's design notes:

He's short. It's both a nice visual contrast as well as something I find fitting for a 'little gremlin'.

His proportions make it easier to exaggerate. His ears actually have quite a lot of expressive potential that, as of the time of writing this, I haven't actually exploited yet. (I hadn't fully figured out my workflow for splitting each character up into modular pieces when I finished Spark's sprites.)

His overall pose is somewhat A-shaped, something which I hope feels 'stable' - fitting for an old friend who's helping you return.

I tried to go with a kind of 'earthy' theme, with louder sandy yellows and browns anchored by a calming green and blue.

Though he's got some 'techwear' - headphones, a watch, and a "scouter" / AR device-thing - he also dresses a bit casually, which hopefully matches his personality better than a uniform would.

I definitely didn't want one of your primary assistants to be boring - or worse, annoying. Hopefully you'll find Spark fun to hang with!

Fun facts

When thinking of his name, I was considering up to two syllables, and eventually decided it should be a 'mundane noun'. Candidates that "Spark" eventually won out over included: Amp, Baud, Diode, Fuse, Gain, Ground, Meter, Nail, Rivet, Short, Socket, and Wire.

The jagged tip of Spark's tail (where the colors change) sort of resemble an electric spark. How fitting.

To make his occupation a bit more obvious, I was planning on adding some wires and other tech junk spilling out of his cargo short pockets. But now, I don't really think it's needed.

You might notice Spark gets away with not wearing a badge, unlike the other staff. (That is, after a certain early event has occurred.) Maybe it's clout? Maybe he's got an alternative badge? Maybe he simply doesn't need it? Who knows...?

I'm pretty sure Spark hates flying on airplanes. Look, those headphones aren't gonna do much noise-cancelling - at least, not with those ears. Maybe he's just too busy to be able to engineer fennec-appropriate cans...

The lines of code on Spark's tablet are real. They're part of the actual script that controls the S.L.E.D., a device he made.

I sort of hate Spark's current 'hand raised' pose and will probably redraw it. Eventually. Hands are hard.

Spark hates passwords. Specifically, he hates always having to type in a billion passwords. OTP? Sure, they can call it whatever they want. All he knows is he has to punch in his password at least five separate times every day, just to do his job.

As for something he likes, rather than hates? (Other than Peri?) He's got to have his own sticker machine - or, at least, a labeling gun.

Spark's tablet doesn't appear in the game. Or, at least, not in the demo.

Spark isn't his legal name. His full name is actually currently discoverable.

If you pay attention to the output of various devices in the game, you might find Spark-related things...

I also drew Spark, by the way. It's still just me working on this game!

Some of you have observed Spark's accent colors (on his shirt, belt buckle, watch, and earrings) are blue and orange. I will neither confirm nor deny if they're related to the blue and orange of Peri's eyes...

Check out the demo for Cutting Edge: Roots Of Mutation on Steam if you haven't! It includes most of Chapter 1. And it's free! (free f r e e f r e e)