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"Yax Defender" Xiao Genshin Impact - Character Story.
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Developer miHoYo has released the story behind the creation of Genshin Impact character Xiao "Defender Yax". Here's how it happened.
A lot of players were interested in the characters. Many wanted to know how they were created and what their history is. Now, after the release of the version of "Festive Lantern Light", the attention of the players was riveted by the already officially released character named Xiao. In this issue, we have published an interview given by members of miHoYo's design, illustration, and animation departments, who shared their character creation story with Nami "Yax Defender Xiao.
Below you can read the memoirs of studio employee Zhongyuan, representing the project department of Genshin Impact:
The appearance of Defender Yax - the interweaving of cultural heritage and the fate of the character
In the process of designing characters for Genshin Impact, we first define the essence of the character. At this stage, we need to isolate a specific feature that will distinguish this character from others and at the same time ensure that the character can make a deep impression on the players. Based on this feature, we determine the character's place in the world of Genshin Impact. A character is not a stone or a sculpture that can be easily placed as you please. He, being an individual with his own will, must necessarily constantly interact with Teyvat in the past, present and future. The main feature of the character is his first contact with the world, the same feature forms the basis of the concepts of behavior necessary for his existence.
Xiao is one of the first Li Yue characters we created. First, a general outline of the image of a young warrior, invented by CiCi, appeared, and all the colleagues who participated in the discussion immediately approved him as a character. At first, fellow artists wanted to make him a "beautiful young man", while the design department wanted to turn him into a "beautiful adept". We easily agreed, and Xiao became our first Enlightened character.
Given that many players are interested in this aspect, I'll take the liberty of digressing a bit and briefly talk about the concept of Enlightened Ones in the world of Genshin Impact. The beautiful name of Adepts Li Yue is “Enlightened Adepts”, at the same time this concept refers to all those who are not human. This stems from the concept "whoever has seven (nine) holes can comprehend the Tao", according to which even an animal can become an Adept; the humanity of Teyvat, on the other hand, bears on its shoulders a duty even more sublime than that of the Adepts. Therefore, due to the unusualness of people, only those who are not people can be called “Adepts” in Li Yue. The Enlightened Ones can control the power of the elements, and this kind of supernatural ability among humans takes the form of the Eye of God. The Guardian of the Clouds and the Creator of the Mountains, according to people, also have an "inner Eye" that is invisible from the outside. And Xiao, being a character often in human form, follows a more explicit order and wears the Eye of God.
After creating the base for the character, we immediately started working on the development of the constellation and cultural context.
In the traditions of ancient China and the mystical prose of the Ming Dynasty, the Enlightened One is mentioned, which usually indicates Ma-wang. Ma-wana is also called the "Prince of Horses". He personifies the protector deity and in the novel Journey to the South he fights with Sun Wukong. Another study on folklore also traces the relationship between Ma-wang and the mountain spirits Utuns.
Therefore, given the extremely mystical and highly grounded nature of the character, we chose the name Xiao for him and decided that he would become a Protector Adept. Xiao's name - "evil mountain spirit" - is used to hide his past. It is also deeper, reflecting his soul. All other features of its development and culture appear on the basis of this name.
As for other character planning concepts, Xiao had to use Anemo Eye of God. At the same time, in combat, he is very fast, agile and has maneuverability in the air that other characters cannot. To combine all this, images of yakshas from Buddhist stories were used in the development of skills and the constellation Xiao. Although such concepts came from outside, after the Sui and Tang dynasties, they completely merged into the legends of Chinese villages and cities. Yaksha is a very important element of the concept, thanks to it we made the image of Xiao even brighter and richer.
The historical images of the protector of the yaksha and the "official of the heavenly kingdom, walking the path of good" are associated with the desire of some evil spirits for good, and this corresponds to the essence of Xiao as a character. His swiftness coincides with the description of the yaksha as "fast spirits". We expanded the image of the yaksha and decided that the other part of Xiao would be based on the concept of "Yaksha protecting in the name of the emperor".
It is worth mentioning one very interesting detail. The legend of the twelve yaksha generals is very popular, and, according to this legend, each yaksha general corresponds to an animal from the Chinese horoscope. Initially, Mihir's animal was a rooster, and then we transformed the rooster into a Golden-winged Bird. The Golden-winged Bird ate the evil dragons every day and in the end could not bear their poison. It burned to the ground, leaving behind only a glass heart. This story accidentally coincided with the characteristics of the character. Moreover, the name Golden-winged Bird also has its own history: it appeared from the fusion of legends about Garuda, a bird with golden feathers that eats snakes and dragons, and Chinese traditional myths about the Peng bird. All of them are inseparable from local singularities. Therefore, after some consideration, we have chosen the Golden-winged Bird as the constellation Xiao.
We have completed the brief review and revisited the concept of Xiao. This time, we noticed that Xiao has a very complex past: it has both folklore flavor and elements of religious stories. Monstrous mountain spirits, the Taoist Ma-wang, the protectors of the yaksha and the Golden-winged Bird... So many images were remade and combined that a very colorful character was formed. More importantly, all these elements were connected at the narrative level and thus harmoniously complemented the image of the character, intertwined in a clear, detailed system of his fate. These intricate weaves gave Xiao a whole new depth and charm, which is exactly what we wanted for Xiao. We hoped that through the fusion and unity of cultures, a fresh symphony would be obtained, and Xiao born from it would become a kind of symbol that combines feelings of strength, dynamics and some kind of sediment.
Below we will talk about the creation of character and design.
In the process of deep interaction between the artists and the design department, we continued to improve the details of the character step by step. For example, the image of a “young warrior” is a feature that we wanted to keep. Since he is a warrior, who is he fighting with? Of course, we connected it with the war of the Archons. (Thanks to this, the artists got the concept of the mask. Details in the second part). According to Genshin Impact's alignment, the Archon cannot be completely destroyed; even if his divine nature disappears, his strength and will remain. The remains and hatred of the defeated Archons continue to exist in the world and are waiting in the wings to bring trouble. And in order to protect the peace and tranquility of Li Yue, someone is needed who will pacify them.
We wanted Xiao's appearance during the Sea Lantern Festival to coincide with the Chinese tradition of banishing the monster called Nian. For Li Yue Xiao is a protector.
When the holidays come, people light incense, pray and ask for protection from the Adepts.
But they don't pray to Xiao.
Xiao does not bring good omens or lucky stars. For he is Yaxa, the demon hunter.
After the lights of Li Yue's lanterns go out, an invisible battle for the city begins. It has no winners, it has no end.
Perhaps the first impression Xiao makes on the Traveler is that he is cold and untalkative, but brave and skilled in combat. At the same time, he is subject to extraordinary suffering, and this suffering is rooted in himself. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that year after year Xiao fought the remains of the Archons, and these endless battles made him believe that the best thing he can do is fight; on the other hand, due to the influence of the remains of the Archons, the killings increase his karma and torment his soul.
This was embodied in his concept of skills. After activating Extermination of All Evil, Xiao puts on a mask. His combat ability starts to increase, but at the same time he continuously loses HP. This demonstrates that, by using his powers, he is forced to suffer.
After interacting with Xiao, the Traveler will be able to understand that deep down Xiao is kind and gentle. He is not at all soulless, it is just not easy for him to open his feelings.
Xiao stays away from the noisy mortal world. He is not indifferent to people, he only establishes a distance with them, as a protector. Where people do not see it, he must fight against numerous forces of evil. He experiences such suffering that people never dreamed of, but despite this, he never felt hatred for people. It is the people that underlie the contract that he made with the Lord of the Stone and which has been fulfilling for thousands of years. Xiao silently protects Li Yue so that all the houses in this city have lights on.
Players invite Xiao to the Sea Lantern Festival for the first time to "taste civilization". Xiao reflexively refuses. But he does not disdain, but avoids. For him, who has lived for thousands of years, the world of people is a fleeting phenomenon, colorful and fragile, fleeting, like smoke, fireworks. And he, the defender of this noisy celebration of life, looks like a driven animal surrounded by fire: he is both scared and interested. But he has not been able to make up his mind for too long, and from that he does not understand how to join the crowd.
Sky lanterns rising to the sky are like myriads of stars. Xiao, standing alone on the top of the mountain and looking at this beauty, also feels the kindness of people, understands that people do this in memory of the past and his comrades with whom he fought shoulder to shoulder. Being an eyewitness to these memories, he naturally understands the feelings that are embedded in the wishes written on these lanterns. He understands what love and kindness are, he just does not know how to communicate with mortals, how to find his place among the noise and temptations. Loneliness gave rise to his sadness, it also stopped time for him, allowing him to remain young at heart to this day.
In Li Yue Xiao's plot, he fearlessly steps forward when the Traveler is in mortal danger. In version 1.3, during the Festive Lantern Light event, we wanted to give players the opportunity to experience Xiao's softness, which he does not easily demonstrate, and his deep-seated trust in you through the story.
2. Adept with the appearance of a young man - detailed concepts of the artists
This part of the article is based on the artists of the studio creating the story of Genshin Impact.
Hello Travelers! We are D and Suisui artists in charge of developing Xiao.
At the very beginning of our joint work, we created the first Xiao concept based on the “young warrior” installation. It can be seen that back then, Xiao's expression was not as stern as it is now. His character was softer, there was a smile on his face, he was closer to the traditional image of an Adept. Then, after several discussions with the design department, we pieced together his background and ultimately chose the blue-green version as the main one.
As an Adept protecting Li Yue, Xiao, during his long struggle with the remains of the Archons in the Li Yue region, inevitably fell under the influence of their miasma. Based on this, we chose white and blue colors for Xiao's upper part, symbolizing his essence of the Adept and suitable for him as the owner of the Anemo Eye of God. The lower part of the body is dominated by dark tones, which demonstrate the darkness and vicious power in his soul.
Thinking along the same lines, we added a few blond strands to Xiao's dark hair; during the attack, an exceptional blending of two deep colors is shown. The dark color represents the cruel and ferocious force of wartime, and the little sparks and flashes fluttering in the wind, in turn, show the nature of the Adept.
Even though Xiao has the appearance of a child, he is actually over two thousand years old.
No one has ever judged him by his appearance. Anyone who spent even a little time with him could understand that jokes with this young man are bad.
He is silent and dangerous, and his gaze is sharper than a spear.
Considering Xiao's true age and his affiliation with the Adepts, we chose jade jewelry for him to enhance the sense of mystery and spirit of past eras. Therefore, on his hips, sleeves and shoulders are similar jasper decorations and small objects with ancient patterns; To make his image fit the concept of a beautiful young man, in the design of his clothes (especially the top) we chose relatively modern concepts to make him look more lively and dynamic.
As for Xiao's position, he is not only a floating Adept, but also a young warrior. Such a big difference between the images was a real test for the art department. Usually the word "Adept" implies the image of a scientist in a long dress, whose movements are constrained by the same frames. But Xiao is a Jax Protector wielding a spear, and his clothes should not only protect him, but also ensure the comfort of movement. At the same time, it should be taken into account that after the completion of the 3D modeling work, there may be problems with the compatibility of movements and clothes, and hanging tapes had to be limited.
Therefore, Xiao's clothes are short and close to the body, and there are light bracers on the wrists. He carries a dagger for taming demons, a small censer, and other ritual tools. At the same time, the fabric in front and behind, as well as the ribbons, are needed for beauty, and the decorative patterns in the form of clouds on them give them a certain charm of antiquity. All this evokes feelings of experience and loftiness of the character, his renunciation of worldly fuss.
Extermination of all evil - these three words are a generalization of the many thousands of years of Xiao's experience, invented by the truth-knowing rulers of Li Yue.
When developing the concept of the mask, we borrowed several features of the enchanted demon exorcism mask:
The main colors of the mask are black, blue and gold. She is catchy, but not frivolous, but serious and mystical. The eyes are like copper bells, fangs protrude from the mouth, and horns are on the head. This mask with its ferocity inspires people with horror. The eye in the middle of the forehead symbolizes the mind, and the flame pattern of the eyebrows adds strength and is meant to intimidate.
Xiao is presented during the Sea Lantern Festival, as we want to spread the wish for happiness and victory over the epidemic through this age-old tradition within the game and beyond. We hope you enjoy Xiao's character, and by understanding the elements of his concept, you will be able to resonate with him even more and understand him better.
3. Blade that destroys demons - animation demonstration after reconfiguration
We continue with staff member Xiaolong speaking from the animation department of Genshin Impact.
When Genshin Impact was first approved, the animation team set themselves one very difficult goal - we wanted players to perceive animation as easily as a cartoon. To achieve this goal, we involved a lot of people and spent a lot of time. Thus, the characters began to move even more naturally. In addition, we have worked out every little thing so that players can look at the animation again and again and so that they do not get bored with it.
When we received Xiao's textual description and the first drawings, the entire animation team was very excited. Evil Conqueror, Yax Defender, Enlightened One… The image of Li Yue Defender, beautiful and masterful in battle, appeared before our eyes, and everyone hoped that they could participate in the development of this character. To some extent, we believe that the design department and the art department created the spirit of Xiao, and the animators bestowed that spirit on him.
Xiao, being a character from Li Yue, demonstrates elements of the east in his movements. We imagined the hieroglyph 侠 (xia), which has a special Chinese specificity and has the meaning of “noble, chivalrous”. “We need to show this oriental charm to players from all over the world, even if not everyone will notice it.” This idea burned in our hearts like a fire.
The fusion of polearms and Eastern specifics naturally evokes thoughts of traditional Wushu styles, but Xiao, being an Adept, has lived for many years, has extensive battle experience, and therefore may not fully adhere to accepted techniques and techniques. Therefore, through animation, it was important to convey both the Eastern specifics and the courage to kill, which he mastered over thousands of years of battles as the Defender of Yax.
There is sideways movement in the third normal attack, and according to the laws of movement, when a person lands after that, it should be clearly seen how the force of movement decreases. But to show Xiao's agility and flexibility, we relied on wuxia's "leaf-light" qigong elements and parkour techniques. Thus, after spinning in the air, Xiao can land easily.
An excerpt from the movie "Dragon's Gate"
Xiao's elemental skill is based on Anemo, and according to the concept, it is very mobile. With the help of a rich imagination, we decided to come up with a visual effect of “flying an arrow” or “moving a thread” for an elemental skill. For skill, we added a few steps and slow turns to make Xiao look even more skillful.
An excerpt from the film "Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon"
Of course, we also did the aforementioned polishing of small things. Designers have repeatedly thought about every detail of clothing, every curl. After conducting numerous dynamic simulations, we chose the best ones, and based on them we gradually improved the main points. Only in this way, we were able to better demonstrate his speed and strength through the movements and flexibility of the body, only through this could we make Xiao's figure even more beautiful, could we demonstrate the proud posture of Defender Yax of Li Yue.
The mask is an element that cannot be ignored. She appears in the explosion animation and in the idle animation. For many thousands of years, Xiao continuously fought against the vices of the Archons and mutating monsters, and karma continuously accumulated in him. When he puts on the mask, the karma within him becomes apparent: it greatly enhances his fighting skills, but at the same time causes terrible suffering. However, Xiao wears this mask over and over again to protect Li Yue and fulfills the terms of the agreement over and over again.
The deepest element hidden in Xiao's concept is his "softness". Aside from other personality traits, Xiao's inner tenderness is what makes him interested in the things of mortals, but it's not easy for him to open up to people. This feature is difficult to express through actions, so we developed this waiting animation: a tiny, like a ghostly flicker appears nearby, and Xiao reaches out his hand to him, but because of this, the spirit flies away. He knows it must happen, but he still feels bitter.
Only the conflict of these complex, conflicting feelings can demonstrate the character's inner world, create a living, breathing spirit.
To perfectly portray Xiao, our animation team used motion capture techniques and high fidelity data to accurately capture the movement of the actors. Xiao has many fighting moves that are difficult to replicate in real life. this requires the animation team to manually adjust each position and movement of each tape. This allows the animation, while remaining light and natural, to become more spectacular and fresh.
We are currently actively pre-studying character movement styles from various future areas of the world. Our goal is to create living characters and a world steeped in quirky culture, showcasing the cultures and climates of the different places in Teyvat. Although this path is long and difficult, we are trying our best to create the best gaming product and bring it to you. It's worth the effort.
Thank you dear colleagues for sharing this information with us. Did you learn anything new about character creation in Genshin Impact?
Dear Travelers, if you are interested in the development of Genshin Impact, please leave a comment. Then we will continue to invite colleagues from different departments to us to share with us their ideas and insider information on the game development process.
We would like to thank all the Travelers for their interest in the project and for accompanying us on this journey. Until then, see you soon!
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