In late January, Yang Qi, co-founder and art director of Game Science, the studio developing the highly anticipated action RPG Black Myth Wukong, participated in a discussion at the China Academy of Art's West Lake Forum.  He offered a behind-the-scenes look at the game's story, design, aesthetic choices, and user experience.

One surprising revelation was the level of international interest in Black Myth Wukong.

Q: What percentage of Black Myth Wukong players are from overseas?  How do you approach representing Eastern visuals in a digital environment?

A: Early data suggests around 30%, exceeding our expectations.  We’ve received significant positive feedback from international players.  It's intriguing that even without cultural familiarity or an understanding of the specific spaces, imagery, narratives, and presentation, they seem to grasp the core message and offer high praise.

Focusing too much on a product's cultural context can be a design pitfall. For international players, a logically consistent experience aligning with shared human experiences is key. Familiarity and unfamiliarity exist on a spectrum. In a high-quality digital environment, impactful Eastern aesthetics – those unseen and unimagined – spark curiosity.

Black Myth Wukong is divided into six chapters, each culminating in a stylistically distinct animated sequence. When questioned about this choice, Yang Qi clarified it wasn't solely a budgetary constraint but a deliberate artistic decision.

“Visual fatigue is inevitable. Players become accustomed to narrative techniques, potentially leading to boredom and a lack of surprise. We utilize animation to explore background lore and context, requiring a consistent yet unique narrative approach.

Early in development, our ideas were more diverse.  I initially envisioned six distinct films, including a live-action short. However, live-action posed a greater risk of stylistic inconsistency. We ultimately focused on 2D animation, constantly refining and compromising throughout production.

These six animations vary in character design, color palettes, and pacing. To maintain visual cohesion, we applied heavy color grading, unifying them with a retro aesthetic. The directors then requested to release director's cuts on Bilibili, adding further detail.

The discussion also touched upon the absence of a minimap in Black Myth Wukong.

Q: Black Myth Wukong lacks a minimap. What informed this design choice regarding map exploration?

A: It's a foundational aspect of our environmental design, and admittedly a challenge requiring continuous refinement.  Growing up in Nanjing, I'd explore the undeveloped Zijin Mountain, often getting lost.  Later, I'd instinctively know the paths.  Similarly, after seven trips to Huangshan to see the sea of clouds, I could navigate to the Bright Summit Hotel without a map.  This experience fascinated me. While the game offers some visual guidance, unlike the wilderness, we aimed to replicate this sense of familiarity.

Especially within a fantasy setting, avoiding the overuse of spectacle and grounding the experience in relatable exploration offers a sense of restraint. This extends to character scale, evoking a feeling of "I've been here before, I've met this person." This fosters trust in the virtual world, making players more receptive to the fantastical elements.  Our overall art direction is conservative, even restrained.  Yet, it seems to resonate with audiences, creating an illusion of familiarity.

Achieving this is incredibly challenging, potentially requiring three or four games to find the ideal balance.

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Q: How would you characterize the current stage of Chinese game development?  What are your thoughts on the overall game market?

A: I avoid grand pronouncements, preferring a player's perspective. Like many, my life offers little downtime for gaming.  Focused play sessions are limited to a few hours, favoring single-player games. However, many of these games center on foreign cultures and Western viewpoints. Personally, I’ve longed for a game resonating with my own cultural background and preferences. I'm creating Black Myth Wukong to cater to players like myself.

China’s game industry has seen tremendous growth in the past decade, achieving significant milestones across various genres.  If the gap in high-quality single-player experiences can be addressed in the coming years, our game landscape will be more complete. I'm honored to contribute to this evolution.

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