H A C K T H E T A O
HACKATAO’S ART TAKES LIFE IN THE SANDBOX GAME
C O M I N G S O O N !
Hack the Tao is the first art game experience designed by Hackatao for The Sandbox Game.
The game is inspired by the hero’s journey narrative developed by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Hack the Tao is a collection of transitions; a number of representative phases we undergo throughout a life cycle. Each level of the game is inspired by an archetype, creating a dynamic and interactive connection between fiction and reality.
Hackatao’s art combines formal aesthetics with the symbolism of the ancestral self. The land design is also an homage to Jung’s archetypes of the collective unconscious: each level of the game represents a phase in life and is built within sections of a golden spiral.
Don’t miss the first art game experience
in The Sandbox Game by Hackatao!
Meet some of the most iconic Hackatao’s characters from their paintings, sculptures, and cryptoart as they come to life! Join Lady Hack on an adventure, listen to the wise words of the Podmorks... but, beware of the great and powerful Cthulhu!
Discover the game’s levels:
L e v e l 0
The Rebirth (The Age of the Innocent)
Meet Lady Hack, the game’s hero. As she finds herself in Hack Land, she is presented with a number of challenges to regain her flesh and come back to life.
Lady Hack has been reborn from her ashes and should now fight her battles until the world will be reconciled.
Her dilemma is:
“Can art save the world?”
The journey begins with The Age of the Innocent, a world in which everything appears as something from a dream. Don’t be fooled by the candid look of this world, stay focused and collect the Tao you need to pass through the level and continue on your journey.
Throughout the game, you will encounter a number of threshold guardians.
These are the Podmorks. These creatures come from a distant world and they landed in Hack Land to protect you and guide you in your journey. They are your guardian angels.
L e v e l 1
The Abyss (The Age of the Orphan)
C t h u l h u
“I’ve returned from the abyss to defeat you, Hack! Are you afraid to die?”
Descend into the abyss of Cthulhu and face your worst dreams. The portal to the next level is guarded by Cthulhu, an ancient God worshipped by his loyal seers cultists.
Lady Hack will have to defeat Cthulhu and his cultists to reach the surface. Beware: the real enemy is not always who it seems when you are an orphan.
L e v e l 2
The Tower (The Age of the Wanderer)
L i t t l e s i s t e r
“I’m cute, I’m sweet and I am more powerful than you think. Do you want to play with me?”
A high tower is standing over the abyss. This is where Little Sister dwells to protect Queeny, the sovereign of the tower. Despite the fairytale-like atmosphere, there is something odd about this place, don’t take anything for granted! Even the cutest character could be tremendously dangerous here. This is the level of the Wanderer and it is where Lady Hack will connect with her inner self as she confronts her alter ego.
L e v e l 3
The Arena (The Age of the Warrior)
D E A T H F
“Let's take a killing selfie!”
Lady Hack has grown strong and knows how to defeat her enemies. In the arena, a triumph of Hackatao’s art comes alive, evoking ancestral fears in Lady Hack. Each villain in this level has a peculiar trait which they use as a powerful armour to defeat the hero, either politics, social power, or the art of war. Will Lady Hack be ready to rule the world?
What’s next?
As the journey continues, the Hackatao crew continues to build the next levels of the game. Stay tuned to discover how the story will unfold!
Follow our news to discover Hackatao’s new assets for 2021!
Meet the Hackatao’s crew:
We are a group of Italian creatives and videogame lovers who have been working together with much enthusiasm on the design and creation of Hack the Tao. Some of us met on the Italian Sandbox Discord channel and some have met before in real life.
During the first part of the development of the game we decided to take a closer look at Hackatao’s art characters and their personalities. We then worked on the their physicality and animation. We tried to imagine how they would move and react in the metaverse and in interaction with other characters. This initial process was much fun and dynamic. To see some of the most iconic Hackatao’s artworks taking like in the Sandbox Game was quite an experience!
For the game’s narrative we imagined a parallelism between Hackatao’s art and the Jungian’s theory of the collective unconscious. We discovered many synergies between the way in which humans behave and act during their life cycle, as described in the Hero’s Journey, and our own personal life experiences. This connection between the art and ourselves really made us working organically as a group. We listened to the art, and this came to life quite naturally in the game.
We are a group of Italian creatives and videogame lovers who have been working together with much enthusiasm on the design and creation of Hack the Tao. Some of us met on the Italian Sandbox Discord channel and some have met before in real life.
During the first part of the development of the game we decided to take a closer look at Hackatao’s art characters and their personalities. We then worked on the their physicality and animation. We tried to imagine how they would move and react in the metaverse and in interaction with other characters. This initial process was much fun and dynamic. To see some of the most iconic Hackatao’s artworks taking like in the Sandbox Game was quite an experience!
For the game’s narrative we imagined a parallelism between Hackatao’s art and the Jungian’s theory of the collective unconscious. We discovered many synergies between the way in which humans behave and act during their life cycle, as described in the Hero’s Journey, and our own personal life experiences. This connection between the art and ourselves really made us working organically as a group. We listened to the art, and this came to life quite naturally in the game.
The Hackatao’s crew is formed by:
H a c k a t a o - artists and game makers
S e r e n a - game narrative and project manager
S a n d i o - voxel designer and creator
R e m - voxel designer and creator
S o f i a - voxel designer and creator
H a c k a t a o - artists and game makers
S e r e n a - game narrative and project manager
S a n d i o - voxel designer and creator
R e m - voxel designer and creator
S o f i a - voxel designer and creator