- We'll be focusing on development - 5 July 2022
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! We’ve made a decision to focus on our development and slow down marketing for Mictlan, publishing only important advances of gameplay and upcoming trailers. You won’t be seeing many updates from us as you have seen before, but rest assured from here to 2025 you’ll see better-polished previews, without rushing our development! We thank everyone that has supported our devs since we started a year and a half ago. Your feedback, comments and appreciation mean the world to us. Looking forward to seeing you again on our pages! 💌Follow us on our other social media channels: Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Official website ❤️Please, keep supporting Mictlan: an Ancient Mythical Tale. We rely on your help and feedback to keep working on our project, so the presence of our community is fundamental. 1) Register to our Kickstarter campaign (We need as many people as possibl…
- Nightly Penitence - 27 June 2022
Today, we’ll show you the WIP of this quest marker, for which we used this figure drawn in the Codex Borbonicus. This figure represents the night as an eye star surrounded by darkness, above two bloody thorns which represented self-sacrifice and penitence. This icon could be interpreted as the blood poured over the heart of the night; namely, the "nightly penitence". Want to see more? Want to join the ancient world of Mictlan? We are working hard on our game and we will show more to our community at the launch of our Kickstarter campaign. It literally takes a minute to register, but it would mean the world to us. Mictlan community, help us out!
- Mictecas - 26 June 2022
The mictecas were the first inhabitants of Mictlan, the most loyal lieutenants of the lord of the dead. The look of this one honors his master, he devours the dead on their way to the nine regions of Mictlan. The mictecas were the ones who seek the departure of Quetzalcoatl with the precious bones of past humanities, and are the ones who will go to battle when their god commands them. Don’t forget to add Mictlan: An Ancient Mythical Tale to your Wishlist on Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1411900/Mictlan_An_Ancient_Mythical_Tale/
- Mythical creatures of Mictlan: a preview - 25 June 2022
Tzinacan|Camazotz Mictecah Mictecah boss Yohualtepuztli Tlacanexquimilli Our recent mythical creatures straight from the codex into our videogame, only in Mictlan! Please, keep supporting Mictlan: an Ancient Mythical Tale. We rely on your help and feedback to keep working on our project, so the presence of our community is fundamental. ✨How can you help us?✨ 1) Register to our Kickstarter campaign (We need as many people as possible in order to launch our official campaign!) 2) Buy cool merchandise in our online store! 3) Follow us on our other social media channels and share our content! Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Official website
- NPCs: a boy from the Uxmal community - 24 June 2022
We are up to date with our game development goals, so we wanted to show you something we have been working on for quite some time. Bringing the pre-Columbian world to life is a humongous task, and we are taking special care on the NPCs the player will interact with. This is why we are constantly getting in touch with regular contemporary Mexicans from different towns and cities, in order to honor their facial features and skin tones in our game. For a long time, these kinds of features have not been properly recognized in the media, which is why we want to make a difference with this effort. Today, we want to introduce a boy from the Uxmal community, who granted us permission to capture his looks and recreate them in our game. What do you think? It would help us immensely if you decide to sign up to our Kickstarter campaign. In order to launch the campaign, we need as many supporters as…
- The Ceiba tree - 23 June 2022
Greetings, dear Mictecs! Today we want to show you this 3D rendering of a monument built by the Secretary of Arts and Culture of Merida, Yucatan, honoring Ceiba, the world tree. For pre-Columbian societies, the ceiba tree held the universe in place, which was why the gods planted 4 of them on each cardinal point, each of a different color: the black ceiba was west, the white ceiba on the north, the yellow ceiba south and the red on the east. This way, the trees represented a bridge between earth, heaven and the underworld, each made up by several levels: 13 for heaven and 9 for the underworld. So tell us, what do you think of this homage to Merida, Yucatan? Legends, myths, facts, history: Mictlan has it all! We're aiming at including in our game the most incredible stories, and we will continue updating you with news, concept arts, sneak&peeks of our creative process, so make sure to fo…
- Tzinacan: a video - 22 June 2022
Tzinacan, Camazotz Bat God, as never seen before in a video game or animated series, from the codex to the console, exclusively in Mictlan! If you're enjoying seeing how Mictlan is developing and you would like to see more of our game, please support us by registering on Kickstarter and follow Mictlan: An Ancient Mythical Tale!
- UI elements: three important symbols - 21 June 2022
Greetings travelers! Today we want to show you these three items you will be able to find scattered around the underworld. First, a pumpkin, an important element of the pre-Columbian society diet, usually toasted or ground before consumption. Second, a maize container, the main food of the pre-Columbian diet as well as the most important product of their economy. Finally, a jaguar pelt, a symbol of strength and power. Tell us what you think! We also want to show you another UI element we've designed: the cocoa seed was the exchange currency of the Aztec Empire, and as such is what will be used to barter with the merchants in the open world of Mictlan. Likewise, we’ll include Mayan numbers (alongside the Arabic numbers) to increase the immersion of this pre-Columbian world.
- Tribute Roll as reference for UI elements - 20 June 2022
Hello friends! During our never-ending effort to include as many pre-Columbian symbols as part of the game's icons, we have taken the Tribute Roll as a reference, where all the objects offered by the conquered nations as a tribute to the Mexica Empire are on display; these objects include edible items, sacred items, combat armors, etc. Most of the game's UI icons are based on this special document, which we strive to depict as faithfully as possible. What do you think?
- UI icons - 14 June 2022
Hello, dear Mictecs! Here are some different new icons for items you will be able to find on your journey through Mictlan. Their designs are based on the depictions of these objects on different codicies. These type of documents made by indigenous people were commonly used to pass knowledge and traditions mostly throw images. So what do you think of these icons? We are also juggling the idea of including Mexica numbers as part of the UI design, but we are also considering using Mayan numbers. So, go ahead and leave us a comment if you think it's a good idea to include these elements representative of Mesoamerican culture, and which set of numbers you prefer. Legends, myths, facts, history: Mictlan has it all! We're aiming at including in our game the most incredible stories, and we will continue updating you with news, concept arts, sneak&peeks of our creative process, so make sure to f…
- Calendar reading: a concept art - 13 June 2022
What is the meaning of life? The unavoidable question that dives into the uncertainty of the future; but pre-Columbian civilization had the certainty that the will of the gods could manifest itself to us through nature. Their worldview marked the time they lived in, and guided the action of every Mexica, forming what we now know as one of the greatest and most impressive cultures of the world. Today we want to show you some of the art created by members of the team behind Mictlan, where a child is brought to a sage to have their calendar reading done. This 260-day calendar kept sacred dates, established harvest cycles, rains and droughts, read dreams, predicted wars and prophesied the future of each Mecixa. Are you ready to know what the gods have in store for you? Please, keep supporting Mictlan: an Ancient Mythical Tale. We rely on your help and feedback to keep working on our project…
- UI elements: give us your feedback! - 12 June 2022
Greetings, noble warriors! These are some of the proposals for the graphic display for your weapons, health and consumables. They vary in transparency, colors, backdrop and shapes. Remember, warriors: this game is for you, so we are always eager to know your opinion. Which of these is your favorite? We are launching our Kickstarter campaign soon! (have you registered yet? It only takes a minute!)
- Camazotz - 11 June 2022
Traveling through Xibalba is no easy task, especially if you come face to face with the terrible god of bats. With a humanoid aspect and a underworldly aura, he represents death, night and sacrifice. Camazotz was worshiped by the ancient Maya and Zapotecs, and they believed he had the power to cure any disease, as well as sever a person's life thread, which joins our souls to our bodies. The Popol Vuh describes him as a large beast with fierce claws and jaws, capable of destroying whoever came before him. The stories tell of how one night, the hero twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque arrived at the house of bats, where Camazotz ruled supreme, and on their crossing the darkest cave of his residence, Camazotz decapitated Hunahpu; it would eventually fall to Xbalanque to restore his twin’s head. Camazotz is associated with heart extraction sacrifices. He is a lethal creature who came down from the…
- Mictlan's new logo - 10 June 2022
This post is dedicated to our most loyal warriors. Brave Mictlan's dwellers! Just as our ancestors did, we know that life can only be understood by observing movement: the changing patterns in the world, real or fantastical, are something we want to capture to the smallest detail. The logo of Mictlan has an updated design, and our team of artists has carried out exceptional work that got everybody surprised and excited. Warriors, the time has come to officially present our new image! It would help us immensely if you decide to sign up to our Kickstarter campaign. In order to launch the campaign, we need as many supporters as possible to register to the page. It literally takes a minute to do so, but it would mean the world to us.
- "Cueitl" and "Hornettes" - 8 June 2022
Today we will show you this concept art on different dresses and hairstyles inspired by historical evidence as well as contemporary communities. The base of the common everyday clothes of pre-Columbian people was a cueitl, a long rectangular cloak held at the waist with a nelpiloni (either a rope or a belt). Cueitl could be plain or decorated with lavish shapes depicting flowers and/or elaborate geometric designs. These hairstyles were also specifically for women. The one we know the most of is one that historians have dubbed as “hornettes”, which consisted of braiding the hair over the side of the forehead along with colored cotton thread, forming one braid on each side of the head, each ending with a small point on the top. Legends, myths, facts, history: Mictlan has it all! We're aiming at including in our game the most incredible stories, and we will continue updating you with news,…
- Photogrammetry - 7 June 2022
Greetings, warriors! In this special post, we will show you our team getting to work, led by our creative director Guillermo Alarcón. As you already know, one of the graphic techniques used for creating the look and feel of Micltan is photogrammetry; with this method, we can capture and measure terrains, structures or people with incredible precision. Here you can see a photoshoot with members of an indigenous community that will be used to create hyper-realistic characters. Mictlan is not only inspired by the past, but also by our common heritage. 💌Follow us on our other social media channels to stay updated with the latest news! Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Official website
- Tonalpohualli - 6 June 2022
Hello, Mictlan gang! Today we will show you this WIP, which depicts a reading of the Tonalpohualli to children. During pre-Columbian times, it was believed that a person’s fate and character were determined by the day of their birth in the Tonalpohualli, the sacred 260-day calendar. An expert reader was summoned for the reading; these people were known as Tonalpouhqui, meaning “reader of destinies”. For a precise reading, the Tonalpouhqui had to know the exact moment of the child's birth, whether he/she had been born during the day or the night, before or after midnight. This was crucial, as it determined the child’s sign, which assigned them their fate, virtues and weaknesses. So... Are you ready to know your own destiny? If you're enjoying seeing how Mictlan is developing and you would like to see more of our game, please support us by registering on Kickstarter and follow Mictlan: An…
- UI elements in the making 2 - 27 May 2022
Today we want to show you the design of some icons you will find in your game interface, such as the health bar, your consumables and your weapons. We are currently testing numerous types of UI icons that are representative to our Mexican culture, we want to implement something that feels natural, minimalistic, its dynamic in combat, that feels right, (we love Hellblade UI, for example!) What is your favorite type of game UI? Do you have any preference? During the development of the iconography for the objects available to you in the character menu, we have sought to create easily distinguishable icons, each with its own unique essence, which is why we have chosen some designs taken straight from the codices. For example, this consumable item’s picture, a quail, comes directly from the Codex Borbonicus, and its a series of icons that we want to implement inside our game menu as charms a…
- UI elements in the making - 26 May 2022
Greetings, wanderers of Mictlan! Today we’ll show you the icons of several characters you’ll be able to see in the UI of the game. We’re experimenting to see which icons fit better. We have simple yet recognizable symbols, and drawings taken from the Codices as well. Here are some different icons for items you will be able to find on your journey through Mictlan. Their designs are based on the depictions of these objects on different codicies. These types of documents made by indigenous people were commonly used to pass knowledge and traditions. What do you think about the icons? Would you prefer something more artistic, more realistic, or more alike to historical images?
- Yohualtepuztli - 21 May 2022
Dear dwellers of Mictlan, we have a special guest today. Out of all the terrible and mysterious creatures that haunt the nights of Ancient Mexico, the most terrifying of all was Yohualtepuztli, or "night ax". Encountering it was an omen of disgrace, but also of unexpected fortune for whoever had the courage of facing it: the headless being with an open torso that roamed during the time of dreams and brought fortunes to anyone who could hold its heart.
