Xingbao - Environmental Props
Personal worldbuilding project. For character cast, check it here: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/bl2DXg
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An ongoing world-building project based in Xingbao (星堡), a layered hovering city where stars are used as a primary energy and light source. They are pulled from the sky by humanity with the power of 12 ZodiArts, wielders of powerful art forms that are used to manifest and shape space.
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Each one of these wielders are given a ShengDi (生帝), Zodiac Spirits, who grants said power and are passed down through generations of the 12 zodiac clans. However, these Spirits hides a demonic form called “Primals” when their Year of the Animal hits and hidden from the public, are chained up to power the city.
For the price of interfering with the stars to build an entire city on pillars of such energy, is as fragile as putting all of one’s eggs in one basket…
Genre: 3D Open World, Exploration, Action RPG and/or Turn based
Selling Point: Environmental Exploration + Story Thriller, Character-Focused
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Initial Inspiration:
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A passing thought on the Skytrain, watching Vancouver lights spanning in the night.
It was strange, how much human beings admires the stars in the skies, that their own cities outshine them
so that their shine is no longer in the dark skies – but in the very cities they live in.
Metaphorically almost as if the stars are pulled down so humans can live with them,
but ignorantly unfazed by the consequences the future brings.
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My project goal, then expanded to my roots to explore more of my Chinese heritage and history, using the
zodiac as a vehicle to expand on this exploration and metaphor.
Because the city is vertical, the stars powers the pillars and provides energy for the city to stand on its own. To minimize resources needed for architecture, energized pillars are used. However, there are fatal consequences if they stop functioning.
Another visually cool idea, is that players at night can see the star power running through the city pillars like veins. During the day, it is still there but invisible, giving the illusion of floating buildings. They can change colors depending on Primal
In this city, stars were pulled from the sky to provide energy. They are alien and mysterious, each one representing a zodiac spirit that lives with the 12 clans.
To ensure order, the zodiacs are sorted into 4 art factions under 4 Gods: Azure Dragon of Music (peacekeepers), Vermillion Bird of Painting (creators), White Tiger of Calligraphy (documenters), and Black Tortoise of Weiqi (military).
Who powers the stars in the city? The Zodiac Spirits going Primal do. During New years (or the Nian festival) while the citizens are celebrating, the zodiac of that year goes primal. Kept a secret from the public, the Zodiac Spirit is locked and drained.
Early concept of buildings...At this stage, Xingbao was not a layered city but an open world like many RPGs. These ideations were exploring the way I can stretch architecture shape motifs to embody places zodiacs can live in.
Stars ideation
Black Tortoise temple ideations.
Black Tortoise prop idea sketch. Even though I did not keep the idea, I thought it would be interesting to include non-traditional weapons like guns in a more traditional setting.