AstraVerse
Developing a framework for creating novel and culturally sensitive video game characters inspired by mythology.
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Project Overview
My Role
- Project Lead
- UX Researcher
- System Designer
- Data Analyst
Team
- 1 Researcher (Myself)
- 1 Artist
- 2 Faculty Advisors
Methods
- Visual Ethnography
- Grounded Theory
- Participatory Design
- Statistical Analysis
The Challenge
Mythology and culture are rich sources of inspiration for video game characters. However, the common practice of directly copying religious or mythological figures presents significant UX and ethical challenges. This approach limits creative potential and frequently leads to backlash from cultural communities when sacred figures are misrepresented in games.
This creates a dilemma for game designers: how can they draw inspiration from deep cultural narratives respectfully, while also creating characters that feel fresh, engaging, and appropriate for a global audience?
Our goal: How can cultural spaces and elements inform a process for designing characters that are both novel and culturally sensitive?
Our Approach
We adopted a design thinking framework, combining deep user research with systematic analysis and participatory methods. This involved a two-step generative process to establish the design space and a three-step evaluative process to validate its efficacy.
Generative Process
- Visual Ethnographic Study: Visiting Hindu places of worship to identify artifacts, mechanics, and characteristics for character creation.
- Grounded Theory: Systematically analyzing collected data using open, axial, and selective coding to identify syntagms (elements) and paradigms (categories).
Evaluative Process
- Participatory Design Workshop: Validating character creation ability with game designers.
- Novelty Evaluation: Quantitatively assessing the novelty of created characters using vector embeddings.
- Cultural Sensitivity Validation: Qualitative interviews with cultural experts to assess appropriateness.
Phase 1: Understanding the Cultural Context
To grasp the complexities and source authentic design elements, we began with understanding the cultural context and stakeholder perspectives.
Visual Ethnography in Cultural Spaces
Researchers visited four Hindu temples in Sunnyvale, California. A total of 429 images were collected, categorized as:
- Images of Idols: 248
- Images of Ongoing Rituals: 63
- Images of Miscellaneous Objects: 45
Stakeholder Perspectives
Early interactions with cultural stakeholders (Hindu temple priests) involved showing them examples of gods used in existing games. This helped us understand their concerns regarding cultural representation.
Phase 2: Building the Design System
To move beyond "god transplantation," we needed a structured way to identify and organize inspirational cultural elements from the ethnographic data.
Grounded Theory Analysis
Using constructivist Grounded Theory method, we systematically analyzed the visual data. This iterative coding process transformed raw cultural inspiration into a structured, modular system for creative exploration.
Design Space Structure
- 141 Syntagms: Granular, remixable elements (e.g., specific ornaments, gestures, symbolic items, color palettes)
- 22 Paradigms: Thematic categories organizing the syntagms (e.g., 'Headwear', 'Handheld Objects', 'Mounts', 'Postures')
- 4 Selective Codes: High-level conceptual pillars:
- Character Features
- Weapon Design
- Fashion
- Game Mechanics
Phase 3: The AstraVerse Design Toolkit
The framework was translated into a tangible design tool: a set of cards representing the identified cultural elements. This allows designers to search for specific elements they are looking for, similar to how Character Creation Interfaces in games present structured choices.
How the Toolkit Works
- Paradigms help navigate the design space
- Designers select Syntagm cards from various Paradigms
- By combining selected cards, designers can construct new, unique characters rooted in cultural aesthetics but not directly copying existing figures
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Phase 4: Validation
A design system is only effective if it meets its goals. We conducted a multi-faceted evaluation focusing on our key research questions.
Evaluation 1: Participatory Design Workshop
We invited three game designers from UCSC's Game Design and Development graduate program. They used the AstraVerse card system to create two characters each, tasked with saving a fictional planet.
Workshop Findings
- Designers found the system intuitive and engaging
- The cards effectively stimulated creativity and facilitated combining diverse elements
- The system successfully supported creating coherent character concepts
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Evaluation 2: Quantitative Analysis
To objectively measure novelty, each character was represented as a vector embedding based on the 141 Syntagms. We used the Canberra distance metric to compare these vectors.
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Key Findings (Novelty)
- Participant-generated characters are statistically novel compared to directly copied gods across the entire design space (p<0.05, Cohen's d=1.57)
- They showed significant novelty in Physical Features (p<0.05, d=1.8)
- Differences were also significant in Weapon Design (p<0.05, d=1.1)
Evaluation 3: Cultural Sensitivity
We interviewed three cultural experts (two Hindu temple priests, one with a diploma in Hindu scriptures). They evaluated participant-generated characters alongside gods transplanted into games.
Key Findings (Sensitivity)
- Participant-generated characters were received positively
- Stakeholders recognized mythological elements but perceived generated characters as fictional creations inspired by, not copies of, mythology
- Creative liberty could be taken with narratives for these fictional characters, unlike for original sacred figures
Key Outcomes & Impact
Summary of Impact
- Culturally Sensitive Creations: Generated characters were perceived by cultural experts as unique, fictional beings inspired by mythology rather than direct copies
- Measurable Novelty: Statistical analysis confirmed that characters created with AstraVerse are significantly more novel than traditional "god transplantation" methods
- Empowered Designers: Game designers found the card-based toolkit intuitive and effective, providing a structured pathway to overcome ideation challenges
Conclusion
The AstraVerse project successfully demonstrated that it's possible to move beyond direct appropriation in culturally inspired character design. Through a rigorous UX research and design process, we developed and validated a system that:
- Provides designers with a structured yet flexible tool for creative exploration grounded in cultural aesthetics
- Enables the generation of characters perceived as statistically novel and visually unique
- Produces character concepts deemed culturally sensitive and acceptable by cultural stakeholders