Desarrollo de ilustraciones de Arte Conceptual para una propuesta de Videojuego Basado en la Mitología Ecuatoriana

Abstract

Abstract:This research analyzes the narrative and visual potential of the Ecuadorian Andean worldview as a source of inspiration for a pixel-art video game concept, presented through concept art rather than as a functional, playable product. Given the limited representation of this worldview in contemporary interactive media which are dominated by imagery from Norse, Greek, or Japanese traditions this study begins with a theoretical review of the fundamental principles of the Andean worldview (duality, reciprocity, cyclicity, and the three-dimensional organization of the cosmos into *Hanan Pacha*, *Kay Pacha*, and *Ukhu Pacha*). It also examines the ritual figure of the *Diablo Huma* (or *Aya Huma*), central to the *Inti Raymi* festival, documenting its origins, historical reinterpretation, and symbolic elements (the mask, the whip, and the *zamarro* a type of chaps). Based on this framework, the author developed an original narrative centered on the *Aya Huma* as the final figure capable of restoring a lost cosmic balance; this narrative was brought to life within a visual universe structured according to the three Andean planes. The documentation of the creative process spanning from initial conceptual sketching to final digital execution in pixel art resulted in a collection of works, including concept art, original mask designs, and character and environment assets for the proposed video game. These elements constitute the final outcome of the research. The study concludes that the symbolic richness of the Ecuadorian Andean worldview holds significant potential for adaptation into contemporary visual languages, such as pixel art, and that this potential can be extended to the construction of fully realized narrative universes, thereby contributing to greater visibility.