Hey r/indiansinusa,

We’re a small game studio from Seoul currently developing a MOBA inspired by Indian mythology.

A quick note first: in earlier posts, some people pointed out that our concept art looked AI-generated. They were right. We used AI-assisted images as temporary placeholders during prototyping, and we should have been clearer about that from the beginning. Final production art is being redesigned separately, and we’re trying to approach this project more carefully going forward.

Today we wanted to ask about one specific character name and whether our interpretation feels respectful or misguided.

The character is called Mahabahu (महाबाहु).

https://preview.redd.it/z05r5ns1791h1.png?width=2584&format=png&auto=webp&s=062aebc32203789677f76e683d29f16976706768

We chose the name because the literal meaning — “mighty-armed” — became the core idea behind the character.

In our version, Mahabahu was born unable to walk in one of the empire’s poorest districts. After years of severe Tapas, he develops gigantic lightning-infused arms that allow him to move and fight. Over time, he becomes a military commander who believes that uncontrolled human desire leads to suffering, and that a very rigid sense of Dharma is necessary to protect society from chaos.

But we also know “Mahabahu” is strongly associated with Arjuna in the Mahabharata, especially through Krishna’s dialogue in the Bhagavad Gita.

As outsiders, we genuinely don’t know where the line is between respectful inspiration and misunderstanding, so we wanted to ask directly:

• Does using “Mahabahu” as a primary character name feel respectful in this context, or does it feel like misuse of an important cultural/religious term?
• Does his transformation through Tapas feel grounded in Indian-style mythological storytelling, or does it feel disconnected from the spirit of those traditions?
• Does his strict interpretation of Dharma feel like an interesting character flaw/philosophy for a MOBA character, or does it feel like we misunderstood the concept entirely?

We also made a short survey for more structured feedback: [Survey link]

But honestly, comments here probably matter more to us right now than survey data.

We’re not trying to just “reskin” mythology for aesthetic purposes. We know we’ll still make mistakes, but we’re trying to understand where those mistakes are before moving further.

Thank you for reading 🙏
— Arena of Avatars Dev Team, South Korea

Hey r/GameDevelopersOfIndia,

Dev team from Arena of Avatars here. We’re a small South Korea-based studio building a MOBA deeply rooted in Indian mythology.

Last time we shared our work, some of you pointed out that our concept art looked AI-generated. You were 100% right. We’re currently using AI-assisted placeholders for rapid prototyping while our final, high-quality illustrations are being hand-crafted. We’ve heard you loud and clear, and we’re committed to working with Indian artists for our production art.

Today, we need your professional and cultural input on our newest character: Mahabahu

https://preview.redd.it/rfxyq5q7491h1.png?width=2584&format=png&auto=webp&s=3278990ef99227d9df3b613d876786fc53407296

The Design Concept: Mahabahu was born in the empire's lowest slums with paralyzed legs. After witnessing how "lawless freedom" only allowed the strong to crush the weak, he underwent 10 years of bone-grinding Tapas (Penance). He eventually replaced his paralyzed legs with colossal, lightning-infused arms, becoming a commander who believes that absolute, impartial Dharma is the only path to true peace—even if it means sacrificing individual free will.

Three questions we’d love your "dev-to-dev" perspective on:

1. Lexical vs. Mythological context: We chose "Mahabahu" because it literally describes his "mighty arms." While we know it's a common epithet for Arjuna in the Mahabharata, does using it as a primary character name feel meaningful and respectful, or does it feel like a misapplication of a sacred title?
2. Representation of the transformation: Does his origin—transforming a physical limitation into divine power through Tapas—resonate as an empowering "hero's journey" in the context of Indian storytelling, or could it be seen as insensitive?
3. The "Strict Dharma" Philosophy: He argues that human free will leads to chaos, and only the "Order of the Cosmos" (Dharma) can provide true mercy. Is this a compelling exploration of Dharma, or does it lean too far into a "totalitarian" distortion?

We’ve set up a short survey for more detailed feedback: [Survey Link]

But honestly, your comments here—from anyone who grew up with these epics—are incredibly valuable to us. We’re not just trying to "skin" a game; we want to understand the soul of the mythology we're adapting.

감사합니다 / Thank you 🙏 — Arena of Avatars Dev Team, South Korea

Hey everyone,

We’re the Korean team building Arena of Avatars (AOA).

After sharing one of our previous characters here, we were genuinely surprised by how thoughtful the discussions became — especially around identity, symbolism, and what makes something feel culturally authentic versus merely aesthetic.

Today, we’d love to share a darker and more morally conflicted character concept: Angaar, “The Deceiver Bearing Ashes.”

The Core Idea

While researching Indian mythology, we became deeply fascinated by the story of Bhasmasura — particularly the idea of power that inevitably destroys its wielder.

Rather than directly adapting the myth, we wanted to explore some of its emotional and philosophical themes through an original character.

Who is Angaar?

https://preview.redd.it/qh4hlpud1wzg1.png?width=2584&format=png&auto=webp&s=20b098119c3e238d469b5239698dbc170ccef42d

Angaar is a survivor of a catastrophic fire that erased his entire district.

But instead of dying, he becomes bound to the lingering karma and memories of those who were lost.

Over time, his body begins transforming into something ash-like and burnt from within, as he uses a dangerous power inspired by the destructive symbolism associated with Bhasmasura.

To the outside world, he intentionally presents himself as a selfish scavenger or villain.

But internally, his entire identity is built around carrying suffering alone — even if it means becoming hated or misunderstood.

We’d genuinely value your perspective on a few things:

1. Mythological Inspiration vs Reinterpretation

Does using themes inspired by Bhasmasura in a morally tragic anti-hero feel creatively respectful?

Or does it feel like the original symbolism becomes lost?

2. Dharma and the “Misunderstood Hero”

Many Western anti-heroes are cynical or selfish.

But Angaar is someone who chooses to be hated because he believes suffering should end with him.

Does that emotional logic resonate within an Indian philosophical framework, or not really?

3. Visual Identity

Visually, he appears intimidating — burnt armor, stolen relics, fragmented soul crystals.

But emotionally, we imagine him as deeply exhausted and self-sacrificial.

Does that contrast feel compelling or disconnected?

A Small Note on the Current Art

The current images are AI-assisted concept prototypes used internally during early exploration.

As a small indie team, we currently use them to test visual direction and atmosphere while our artists develop the final handcrafted designs.

We know this topic matters to many people, so we wanted to be transparent about the process.

We also prepared a short anonymous survey (3–5 min) if anyone would like to share more detailed feedback:

[Survey Link]

As developers outside India, we know there are limits to our perspective.

That’s why conversations like these genuinely help us understand whether our ideas feel emotionally honest — or if we’re missing something important.

Thank you for reading.

— Arena of Avatars Dev Team, South Korea

Hey everyone,

We’re the Korean team building Arena of Avatars (AOA). After our last post about Vanya, this community gave us a lot of thoughtful feedback that genuinely helped us rethink parts of our cultural approach.

Today, we’d love to share another prototype character: Angaar.

A Quick Note on the Art Direction (Transparency)

As mentioned before, we are currently in the prototyping phase.

The current visuals are AI-assisted placeholders used internally to explore ideas like burnt-charcoal textures and soul-crystal effects. Final in-game assets will be fully hand-crafted by our art team, because we believe characters inspired by mythology and culture deserve intentional human artistry.

The Character: Angaar — “The Deceiver Bearing Ashes”

Angaar is not a traditional hero.

https://preview.redd.it/992euf2nzvzg1.png?width=2584&format=png&auto=webp&s=9b342b8fc0ea6a360972f1afe29859d4f24bf8ef

He is a “Soul Looter” who wears crystallized remnants of the dead across his armor — not as trophies, but as burdens he believes he must carry.

Lore Concept

Born in a district destroyed during a brutal “purification” campaign by a fanatical ruling order, Angaar survived as the unwilling vessel of countless dead souls.

His body became linked to a curse inspired by the legend of Bhasmasura — the power to reduce all things to ash, while slowly destroying himself from within.

To the world, he behaves like a selfish villain and grave robber.

But secretly, he wants the world to hate him, so that when he eventually sacrifices himself to destroy the “False Providence,” nobody will mourn him.

We’d genuinely value Indian developers’ perspectives on a few things:

1. Mythological Reinterpretation

We tried to reinterpret themes associated with Bhasmasura — self-destruction through power, ego, and inevitable ruin — through the lens of a tragic anti-hero.

Does this feel like a respectful creative adaptation, or does it go too far?

2. Social Themes

The tension between abandoned lower districts and a rigid ruling order is central to Angaar’s worldview.

Does this kind of theme resonate with modern Indian fantasy storytelling, or does it feel too politically/religiously loaded?

3. Visual Identity

Can a character visually appear like a dangerous “looter” or villain, yet still emotionally read as a deeply selfless martyr over time?

We also prepared a short anonymous survey for deeper feedback:

⏳ 3–5 min
🔓 No login required
📝 Anonymous

[Survey Link]

Your feedback genuinely helps us avoid superficial “cultural tourism” and instead build a fantasy world with more thought and respect.

Thank you for reading.

— Arena of Avatars Dev Team, South Korea

Hi everyone,

I’m working on a game character inspired by Indian themes, and I wanted to get a perspective from people who might see this a bit differently.

This is the idea:

A boy is born into a warrior family, but his identity is erased because his Kundali matches that of a royal prince.
To protect the prince, he’s forced to live as a “shadow double” - taking poison and attacks meant for someone else for years.

https://preview.redd.it/xmnzp9udhiyg1.png?width=2584&format=png&auto=webp&s=19cccadfbc10e2cc70ed637c9fccec835f40bff4

I’m not Indian myself, so I’m trying to be careful here.

👉 Does this feel like an interesting concept, or does it cross a line / feel uncomfortable?

If anyone feels like going a bit deeper, I also put together a very short (3-5 min) survey - totally optional:

[Survey Link]

Really appreciate any honest thoughts.

Designing a MOBA hero for an India-inspired game.

This is Rahan:

https://preview.redd.it/nejlksq6giyg1.png?width=2584&format=png&auto=webp&s=ee4174dac43d9b2447c9a8475ea0abf24d523eca

His identity was erased because his Kundali matched a prince’s.
He spent years as a “shadow double,” taking poison and attacks meant for someone else.

👉 Is this an interesting twist… or crossing a line?

Optional survey if you want to help more:

[Survey Link]

Hey everyone,

I’m part of a Korean dev team building a MOBA inspired by Indian mythology. We’re still learning, and today we need your honest, unfiltered feedback.

We’re designing a new character named Vanya.

https://preview.redd.it/vytwuungj3xg1.png?width=2584&format=png&auto=webp&s=b5ac4ab140b93f42a5a81cc33b8eff1981fcc3aa

Here’s the dilemma:

– Her story is deeply inspired by Indian philosophy (nature, balance, and the idea of Panchatattva)

– But visually, she doesn’t look very “Indian”

She was born in the wild, far from kingdoms or temples — so her design leans more toward a raw, universal fantasy style rather than traditional clothing or jewelry.

So we want to ask you directly:

→ Is that a problem?

→ Do characters need clear cultural visuals to feel authentically Indian?

→ Or is story and meaning enough?

No need to be polite — honest opinions help us way more.

We also made a short anonymous survey (3–5 min) to explore this:

[Survey link]

Your feedback will directly influence her final design. Thanks 🙏