Today is Vyshyvanka Day in Ukraine. And I want to tell a bit about the symbolic meaning of some elements of Threads of War which is made in the style of Ukrainian embroidery used in the Ukrainian vyshyvankas.
Vyshyvanka is not just folk clothing, not just the fashion of those times. The patterns on vyshyvanka have symbolism; they are amulets and protection from evil forces.
When we started making Threads of War, I decided to design the entire game in the style of Ukrainian embroidery because of the amulet symbolism.
- Enemy tanks are depicted as demons and hellhounds.
- The Ukrainian tank features a protective amulet on its tower.
- If you look closely, the red blocks resemble high-rise buildings from above. These represent cities suffering from warfare and are easily destroyed in the game.
- The red and black blocks are fortifications. This colour combination conveys Ukrainian strength and resilience. It's strongly associated with our Independence wars.
- The green blocks represent forests, symbolized by one of our brightest symbols - the viburnum.
- The blue blocks represent water. They symbolize constant movement and the cycle of life, which I depicted as a whirlpool (which is used in the embroidery too).
Of course, no embroidery or amulet alone can save our land without struggle. The foundation of Ukraine is its people who do something for the country. But the cultural code of embroidery, embedded in our subconscious, gives us strength and inspiration to finally win the War for Independence.
Happy Vyshyvanka Day!
PS This is how the game's credits screen look like in the Demo-version which is already available. My son and I thought this photo would be appropriate in a game designed in the style of Ukrainian embroidery :)
Have you played the demo yet? If so, please write on the forum what you liked and what you didn't. What are your thoughts on the game?