Our visual development grammar consisted of a few simple rules designed to enhance the story and keep the underworld environment of Xibalba both visually coherent and unique. You can click on the sublinks to see our initial results.
- Komoids: The ruling class, descendants of meat eaters.
- All designs (creatures, architecture, etc) should use sharp angles to enhance the feral, dangerous quality of the species.
- Color choices for the creatures and their buildings should be blanched out like an old tattoo. Theirs is a culture is in decline and their own lack of pigment serves an important story point as to why they can’t survive on the surface.
- Hadroids: The slave class, descendants of plant eaters.
- All designs (creatures, architecture, etc) should use soft, round edges to enhance the more peaceful quality of the species and help to elicit audience sympathy.
- Color choices for the creatures and their objects should be more vivid. They might be the underclass, but their society is far more vibrant.
- Lighting: The underground world needs to feel alien, so while the light should be dimmer than on the surface, we shouldn’t constantly feel like we are in a shadowy underground cave. Lighting on the Komoid side of the river should be fiery and underlit. Lighting on the Hadroid side of the river should be cooler, more peaceful.