Rayman
Inspiration
RPG styled Sonic game, even he had no idea just how epic the game would
be, or for that matter the aesthetic style which would prove to be most
influential over it. The Team knew they needed something, magical,
something ancient. All the ruins they had seen however has been in
books or films, they needed to get up close and personal. It was then
decided that core members of the Sonic Team would fly out to Central
and South America where they were certainly guaranteed a glimpse of the
style they were seeking.
On location
The core members of Sonic Team left Japan via Airplane, crossing the
Pacific Ocean where they would eventually intercept with Central
America, specifically the Yucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Teams journey began in the northern part of the peninsula in a
place called Chichen Itza, form there the team travelled southward
along the Eastern side of the Peninsula where they also visited Cancun,
Tulum and finally Tikal. The team then left the peninsula travelling
down through Central America, into South America, Peru, where they
visited Cuzco, Mache Picchu and then Ica.
Maps
Central and South America Yucatan Peninsula Peru
Ica
Relevance:
It provided the aesthetics for the Tails sandboarding stage.
The small village of Ica wasn't originally going to be included in
the game but after watching people sandboarding on the dunes around the
village, the concept was then made into the Tails sandboarding mini
game.
Information:
Above, left to right: 1] Photo of the village of Ica. 2] Photo of a person sandboarding on the dunes around the village of Ica.
Tulum
Relevance:
It provided the aesthetics for the Emerald Coast Beach Resort.
The cliffs at Tulum provided the more rocky aspects of the Emerald
Coast stage. The Sonic Adventure International Forum video reveals the
particular area that was used in the game, which was at the base of the
lighthouse. While the games lighthouse has no resemblance to the ruins
at Tulum, some people believe the ruins were intended as a Mayan
lighthouse.
Information:
Tulum was built in 1200 A.D. as the Mayan civilization had begun to
decline, because of this it lacked the elegance of other Mayan built
structures, this in turn also helped to compromise the integrity of the
structure. For example Mayan buildings often had vaulted roofs, yet the
roofs at Tulum were flat which has resulted in faster decay of them.
The structure of the city is also unusual, with parallel streets
surrounded by walls which were once five meters high and seven meters
deep.
There are three major structures of interest: EL Castillo (the
dominating tower within the area perched upon the cliff), the Temple of
Frescoes and the Temple of the Descending God.
El Castillo has resulted from several phases of building. Inside the
upper column is decorated with images of Serpents, just as Chichen Itza
was, demonstrating the influence of Toltec art upon the Mayan culture.
Its location over the sea made it an excellent candidate for a watch
tower, it has also been suggested that it was also used as a lighthouse
to guide the Canoes and other boats the Mayan may have used onto the
beach below.
The Temple of the Descending God is to the left of El Castillo when
looking out to sea. Above the door of the Temple is a stucco relief of
a figure prevalent at Tulum, the upside-down winged God that also shows
Bee like features. This figure is sometimes referred to as the
“Diving God� because of its position and resemblance to a Bee
signifies the importance of Honey to the Mayas.
The Temple of Fresco lies between El Castillo and the entrance to
the site. Here fragments of colour can be seen depicting Mayan life.
Above, left to right: 1] Photo taken at Tulum by Sonic Team.
In the background El Castillo can be seen. 2] Photo of El Castillo at
the ruins of Tulum.
Cancun
Relevance:
It provided the aesthetics for the Emerald Coast Beach Resort.
The Cancun resort shows some resemblance to the Emerald Coast beach
resort featured in the game. Both resorts contain similar styled
hotels, the triangular stepped shaped hotel featured at the start of
the level are in abundance at Cancun.
When the camera is paned out at the start of the level we can see
Sonic is located on a narrow strip of beach surrounded either side by
sea. The resorts at Cancun are also located on a narrow strip of beach,
the lagoon trapped behind is Cancuns characteristic feature, and we
also see these lagoons in other action stages involving the Emerald
Coast.
There are also some Jetties with thatched roofs located at Cancun
similar to the one featured at the start of the Emerald Coast level.
Information:
Cancun is built in a location that was named by the Mayan people
long ago, for the large number of Snakes that inhabit the area. Long
gone are the Snakes and Mosquitoes that might have enjoyed the numerous
lagoons. Few resorts have the infrastructure and amenities that were
built into Cancun from the very beginning.
The tourist zone, a narrow island 14 miles long, is the area of
Cancun where it comes together for most visitors. Hotels and beachfront
condominiums line the beaches and serve as a nearly uninterrupted
backdrop along this stretch of incredible Caribbean coastline. On the
inland side of Cancun Island is Laguna Nichupte, a vast lagoon that
severs home to numerous marinas, waterfront restaurants, shopping
malls, two golf courses, a few islands and inlets and some fantastic
sunsets. Laguna Nichupte is fed by fresh underground water and is
connected to the sea in two places which in turn provides an outlet for
the numerous water activities that take place. There is a center near
all this known as the Party Zone which is home to many of the areas
nightclubs and discos. The very same area is also home to some of
Cancuns better restaurants and shopping malls.
Above, left to right: 1] Photo of a jetty at Cancun 2] Photo of the Cancun beach resort.
Cuzco
Relevance:
It provided the aesthetics for the Chaos Emerald Altar.
The Circular ring shaped ruins at Saqsaywaman show a resemblance to
the Chaos Alter featured in the game. In the Sonic Adventure
International Forum video Yuji Naka is filmed standing inside these
ruins.
The Inca Temple of the Sun used reflective objects to capture the
suns rays and illuminate it. It seems that this idea may have been what
inspired the mirror section of the Lost World stage in the game.
Information:
Sites of interest include Tambomachay, Santo Domingo Church and Saqsaywaman.
Saqsaywaman is located 2km from the city. This huge construction was
planned and built by Andean Man. The Incas called it the House of the
Sun and the Spaniards called it a fortress because of its zigzag shape
and the 1536 revolution. The construction, which is made up of three
platforms one on top the other, was one of the most important religious
complexes of its time.
The enormous boulders that form part of the construction were put
together without using mortar. The heaviest boulder weights up to 125
tons. Archaeologist which have excavated the area have discovered water
fountains, canals and rooms.
Tambomachay was once a site used for bathing by the Inca. The
quality of the stone work suggests the baths were reserved for high
nobility, which was thought to be during ceremonial occasions. The
ruins basically consist of three tired platforms. The top platform
contained three niches that were probably used for seating. The ruins
are located on top of a natural spring which emerges into the top
platform through a hole at it base. The water cascades down to the
bottom platform which creates a shower high enough for an Inca to stand
under.
Santo Domingo Church was built during the 17 th century atop the
walls of Koricancha which is the Inca Temple of the Sun. Very little of
the temples interior remains intact, it contents had been raided by
conquistadors. Originally the walls inside the temple were lined with
700 Gold sheets each weighting 2 kilos. There were also replicas of
corn, golden flames, figures and jars each crafted of gold and silver.
The key feature of the temple, and by far the most impressive, was the
large golden Sun Disk (bigger than a fully grown man). The principle
behind the disk was that when the sun struck the temple the disk would
reflect its rays of light across the golden walls, illuminating the
mummified remains of the dead Inca rulers that were seated in niches
along the walls. Curiously when the conquistadors arrived the disk was
not removed, although they did report its existence. The disk
mysteriously vanished before the first party of Spanish arrived.
Above, left to right: 1] Photo of the ruins at Saqsaywaman. 2] Photo of a section of the Koricancha wall.
Tikal
Relevance:
It provided the aesthetics for the Lost World Temple and the ancient Echidna civilization.
The most apparent use for Tikal is that it lends its name to one of
the characters featured in the game, but there are also three other
uses.
When Sonic first enters the jungles of the Mystic Ruins he is
confronted by endless rows of trees, it is this same view that the
members of Sonic Team gazed upon when they first entered the jungles of
Belize and Tikal.
Protruding from the canopy is one of the largest temples in Tikal,
which the designers included in the games own jungle. But the temple
featured in the game was not created from one, but a combination of
temples located throughout the Yucatan Peninsula. As already mentioned
the temple at Chichen Itza also contributed to the final design but
there was also another, the Temple of the Lost World.
Information:
Located at El Peten in the Jungle of Belize, Tikal originally housed
100,000 people at its height, between roughly 800 B.C. and 900 A.D. The
city is believed to be one of the most powerful in the ancient Mayan
world.
The city is believed to have originally spanned an area of 23 square
miles. The temples are constructed mainly of Limestone, which was
important because the Lime was also used to make Stucco and Plaster.
The temples are said to represent the mountains, considered sacred
because the Maize grew upon them. The Temples were painted with rich
patterns and some were painted completely red. The East Plaza was the
main plaza during the classic era, but today the Great Plaza fulfils
that role.
In total Tikal has seventy Stelae placed throughout the city (only
one of these has an Altar beside it). The Stelae were built to
commemorate the rulers of Tikal ; their face can still be seen carved
into the side of large stone monuments.
The Great Plaza to the east and the Plaza of the Seven Temples all
have ball courts. In the Plaza of the Lost World, which is one of the
oldest Temple in Tikal, it is believed to have a core as old as 500
B.C.
Many of the Mayan ruins would have contained one or two row of rooms
on just one floor, but in Tikal there were also two, three and even
five storied buildings. Long before modern Skyscrapers the Maya were
building these great structures, there was an emphasis of height, it
seems the constructors wanted to get as close as possible to the Gods
as possible, or perhaps away from the jungle. Because of the people of
Tikal constructed one of the larges buildings in ancient America, a
temple which stands 70 meters high.
Above, left to right: 1] Photo of Sonic Team standing in front of a temple at Tikal. 2] Photo of the Belize jungle and the temples of Tikal. 3] Photo of the Plaza of the Lost World at Tikal.
Mach Picchu
Relevance:
It provided the aesthetics for Windy Valley.
It's hard to imagine Mache Picchu having a resemblance to Windy
Valley, but the style and texture of the Inca architecture here, is
mirrored in the level.
At such high altitudes the ground is no longer visible, the mountain
top can feel detached from the world, on a cloudy day this perception
is future reinforced. No doubt the games designers drew upon the
experiences of detachment and isolation when designing the Windy Valley
level.
One of the main attractions at Mache Picchu is the Inca Trail. The
trail involves crossing a rope bridge suspended over a deep gorge. The
bridge would have provided inspiration for those featured in the game.
Because the bridge is one of the only ways to enter Mache Picchu Sonic
Team mused have crossed it. When the Sonic Adventure International
Forum video is viewed, in one particular shot the bridge can be seen in
the background.
Information:
The city of Mach Picchu is located high in the Andres mountains in
Peru, 43 miles northwest of Cuzco. It is situated at the top ridge
above the Urabamba gorge and the massive Huaynac Picchu to which the
Urabamba River bends round sharply. The surrounding area is mostly
covered in bush, some of which hide Pre-Colombian cultivation terraces.
Mach Picchu was built between 1460 and 1470 A.D. and was most likely
a royal estate and religious retreat under the rule of Pacacuti Inca
Yupanqui, the cities geographic position did not make it suitable for
military or commercial use. After Pacacuti's death Mach Picchu became
the property of his kinship group which was responsible for the
maintenance, administration and any construction that took place on the
site.
The city is comprised of approximately 200 buildings including
storage structures, public buildings and temples, but they were mostly
residential. In fact, including the surrounding area, Mach Picchu
housed a total of 1,200 people, mostly Priest, women and children. The
city is believed to be designed and supervise by professional Inca
architects. Most of the structures were built from Granite blocks cut
with Bronze or Stone tools and smoothed with sand.
The Incas planted crops such as Potatoes and Maize at the site. To
get the highest yields possible they used advance terracing and
irrigation methods to reduce erosion and increase the area available
for cultivation. However it probably did not produce a large enough
surplus to export agricultural products to Cuzco (the Inca capital).
Few people outside the Incas closets retainers were actually aware
of Mach Picchu's existence. Before the Spanish concourse arrived, the
Smallpox spread ahead of them. Fifty percent of the population had been
killed by the diese by 1527. The government began to fail but part of
the empire succeeded and fell into civil war. So by the time the
Pizarro (the Incas conqueror) arrived in Cuzco in 1532, Mach Picchu was
already forgotten.
Above, left to right: 1] Photo of Mache Picchu. 2] Photo of the bridge on the Inca trail.
Chichen Itza
Relevance:
It provided the aesthetics for the Lost World Temple.
The aesthetics for the temple at Chichen Itza collaborated with the
temples at Tikal to produce the final design featured in the game. It
was most likely the large square clearing and the stone carved Serpents
head that were the aspect featured in the game.
Many of the Mayan ruins featured the Serpent design in some
capacity; Chichen Itza is the best example for this. The serpent design
certainly had an influence over the Pure Chaos design.
Information:
This, the city of the Maya, is located 75 miles east of Merida. The
city covers an area of approximately Six square miles. Where many of
the large buildings had once stood, now all that remains of them are
weathered mounds. Fortunately thirty of the original buildings still
survive.
Generally the ruins are divided into two groups; the first group is
characterized by the classic Mayan period which was built between the 7
th and 10 th centuries A.D. The other group belongs to the Maya-Toltec
period occupying the later part of the 10 th and 13 th century.
Original when the Maya first settled in this area the land was
largely used for agricultural purposes, but arts and science gained
importance during the central phase of the classic period.
From 800 to 925 A.D. toward the end of the classic period the
foundations of the city had weakened, this was when the religious
centers and the rural areas around them were abandoned. New centers
were built to accommodate the peoples needs, however it was not until
the 7 th century that the city was truly abandoned, before this the
city was still visited to perform religious rites of bury the dead. The
Maya finally returned to the city by the 10 th century A.D.
Around 1000 A.D the Maya formed an alliance with two powerful
tribes, Xio and Cocom. During this time the people of Chichen Itza
added new constructs to the site, magnificent buildings were erected,
influence by Toltec art, they contained galleries, porches, colonnades
and carvings depicting Serpents, Birds and Mexican Gods.
The Toltec influence the people of Chichen Itza in religion as-well,
which meant human sacrifice. During sacrifices involving the Rain God
the participants (or victim) ranged from children, young women and
elderly men and women. It was in this time that the city saw yet
another expansion, under another alliance this time with the Mayapan
and Uxmal, its political base grew, and with it the physical city did
as-well.
One of the best known constructs within the area is Kukulcan's
Pyramid. The pyramid, which has a square base, stepped, and id 75 feet
tall, was built for astronomical purposes. On March 20 th and September
21 st, during the Vernal and Autumnal equinox, the Pyramid is host to
an optical effect. When the Sun strikes the Pyramid the shadow of seven
isosceles triangles are cast across the ground imitating the form of a
serpents body 37 yards long that joins its huge head which is carved
into the bottom of the stairway. The symbol is believed to be connected
with agricultural rituals.
Above, left to right: 1] photo taken at Chichen Itza by Sonic Team 2] Photo of the temple at Chichen Itza.