Alchemical Work Video Game

We aim to finish a on-line video game about the knowledge of Alchemy.

The iconography of alchemical is very beautiful and inspiring. It tells us how to understand the exploitation of natural resources more consciously: our planet is alive and we are part of that life: each one of us is part of an ensemble. Material transmutation (transmutation is to transform copper into gold) and spiritual transmutation are not separated. The game opens a great opportunity for players to understand the concept of “Ecosophie” or the philosophy of nature: and how the unconscious abuse of natural resources can make the environment sick and create plagues and spiritual decay in humans. Amsterdam has a long tradition of alchemical studies because it was still permitted to print books about this knowledge during the golden age period. In this sense, this project mixes visual art,

The video game aims to revive the forgotten art of alchemy, and takes a speculative approach to alchemical symbols and the philosopher's stone, a “primary pure material” that lies at the heart of the alchemical pursuits of resurrection, immortality, and metaphysical truths. The open platform will present a real-time video game environment, within which players explore the seven stages of alchemical transformation through old illustrations. The title and the shared environment function as an analogy to the “collective unconscious,” directly referencing psychoanalyst Carl G. Jung's writings on alchemic symbols - which, as Jung theorized, evoke mythological images of immortality in the human psyche.

Also highlighted is the belief that the philosopher's stone must undergo a stage called “nigredo” (“blackness”) to be produced, during which the material “dies” to be reborn into a higher element. The work provides potent, multi-layered metaphors that encourage viewers to meditate on various subjects. Alchemists and Jung regarded the alchemic symbols and the philosopher's stone, as a technical object, as portals to metaphysical space, demonstrating a strong bond between technology and mythology / cosmology.

The collective dream space gives viewers an opportunity to reexamine Jung's investigation into the shared, immortal aspects of humanity and nature. And, lastly, to contemplate the nigredo stage, necessitating the acceptance of a “material death” as a prerequisite for transcendence to “immortality” —this functions as a telling allegory. Furthermore, Jung also made a relation of these images with another cultural issue that is the construction of our unconsciousness

This project mixes new technologies, visual arts, and Heritage in a very playful and interesting way.

We made the basics of the map and some of the main locations are already made. We have a puzzle door where you have to solve the code to open it. If you enter a wrong answer, you will fall on the spikes and die. We also have zombies and player character, the longer time you spend solving the puzzles, overpassing obstacles or fighting with the enemies: the more zombies enter the scene and your chances of survival are less. Our character (the player) has magic skills, helping him to eliminate enemies, he will acquire knowledge of alchemical recipes and secrets that will help to solve puzzles, create potions and ultimately make the philosophers stone that will permit him to transform nature and improve the environment.

Also, we have collectible gold coins, hidden in most of the important places. There is also a hand with an eye (the Hanse evil eye symbol), which will help the player to find the right path to follow the way to the next mystery by protecting the player from evil forces and advising him throughout the paths of the game . It will give the player tips and advice to help him move forward, this hand will also show the way to find gold apples that are a life potion for the player. The player is an alchemist and will be able to make health potions himself and potions that will help him fight the enemies and reveal their alchemical secrets.

Now we are working on two of the bosses. The first one is a green lion. His abilities will be charging and hiding in the bushes. There will be platforms moving up and down, which will give you the advantage to kill the Green lion, which is a symbol for the alchemical mixtures required to make a philosopher stone. The second boss will be a very strange creature, but his skills are still unknown and he knows the main secrets to finish the mixture you need to know to finish your alchemical work: the philosophers stone.

We already have the 3d models, textures and some of the animations. Also, we are working on an alchemy lab (craft system) and gathering / harvesting system. We have some things to fix too: some graphics and performance issues. We have to bake the light, add fog and some particle effects too. We have to add some shaders too. Also, we have to make a start menu and in-game menu.

Thanks so much!