Alchemy Kingdom
Virtual environment design
Visual storytelling
Graphic design
Worldbuilding
Game design
These were tile-based maps designed for a medieval fantasy-themed event organized by the youth leadership non-profit SELIDER Morelia. This virtual environment is hosted in the virtual platform Gather.
The Seminario “Líderes Hoy” is an event that takes place in different cities around Mexico and this year will be the fourth edition in Morelia. This is a non-profit event in which young people with leadership potential have the opportunity to develop and enhance their skills. It is an experience where young people come into contact with people with perspectives different from their own and listen to the testimony of leaders in different fields whose skills have allowed them to inspire others and make a positive impact in their community. The learning of these four days is consolidated through challenges that test their skills and make them reflect on relevant issues for human development. This event is a transformative experience that seeks for young people to transmit the values and learnings that they will acquire during the event to those around them and thus achieve a positive impact on their communities.
The first virtual space that was designed was for invitation sessions where event participants got introduced to the storyline of the event that took place from April 10 to 13, 2021.
Upon entering this space, the participants start with a brief tutorial on how to use Gather, after this, they entered through the main gate of the wall that surrounds a very small version of the Kingdom of Alchemy. In the village, you can interact with non-playable characters (NPCs) with whom you can converse or complete a mission in exchange for a reward.
Upon entering the castle, participants found the main hall with the Alchemy star emanating glow from the ground. This seven-pointed star has symbols that represent each of the metals that the participants will be assigned to protect as guardians during the event.
Going up the stairs participants entered a room with the book of prophecy. By interacting with the book you can read:
The guardian who is able to maintain the balance between the seven alchemical metals will become the savior from the tyranny of the Kingdom of Alchemy, thus becoming the supreme king.
The chosen guardian will be the one who traces his own path and who is loyal, bold, resilient, honorable and just, but above all who has the necessary courage to carry out the prophecy.
If the prophecy is not fulfilled, the balance of the earth will be lost as well as its kingdoms...
This was just the first iteration of the map that ended up bing used during the event. The following images show some of the maps that were used during the event that took place from April 10 to 13, 2021.
Alchemy village
The participants got to interact with different villagers and hidden items to find the path to their assigned kingdom. This map evolved as the event progressed and for that reason there are day, night and purple.
Alchemy castle interior
This is the main hall of the castle which served as a meeting and networking space during the event.
Enchanted Forest Journey
The participants went through an enchanted forest where they explore and interact with different creatures and characters.
Castles of the metal kingdoms
The Alchemy Kingdom is made out of 7 smaller kingdoms which guard the metals of antiquity. Part of the quest that the participants go through is finding their way to their assigned kingdom to guard the castle. Different colors and symbols match the metal related to the kingdom.
Secret Underground Labs
The Alchemy Kingdom had a network of secret tunnels that were revealed by a group alchemists on the second day of the event. In these secret labs the participants learned about the different kinds of magic like necromancy, geomancy, hydromancy, aeromancy, pyromancy, palmistry and spatulimancy.
Exploration maps
The participants got a chance to explore their surroundings through a series of activities which took place in different maps.
Dante's Inferno
The participants went through an activity where they travel between the 9 circles of the underworld based on the narrative poem by Dante Alighieri. The 9 circles are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery.
Dungeons
The participants go through an escape room-like experience where they have to complete a set of 5 challenges based on water, wind, fire, earth and aether to get out of the dungeons of the castle.
Crowning ceremony
The interior of the castle was transformed to host the crowning ceremony at the end of the event.
Event t-shirts
Custom made t-shirts were delivered to participants and staff to wear while attending the event remotely.
Augmented reality invitations
Alongside the t-shirts, the participants and staff got themed invitations that featured an interactive video they could watch when using the augmented reality app Artivive.
This project would not be possible without the help of SELIDER Morelia staff, volunteers, organizers and board of coordinators.
Note: These maps where made using the licensed Celianna's Ancient Dungeons and Celianna's Fantastic Buildings Tilesets.