Building Contextual Perception Through Background Illustrations in Visual Novel with Historical Theme

Abstract

Visual novel is an audio visual game based on narration and illustration. Japan as a pioneer of visual novel games has mastered the world gaming market. In Indonesia, local creators strive to produce competitive visual novels. The study shows that there is a need for local creators to display visual novels with historical backgrounds, because most of the visual novels circulating are generally modern. Researchers were encouraged to design background illustrations from visual novels with the history of Majapahit's glory because they were rich in cultural values. Background illustration is a visual element which is also important to build contextual perception as a form of nonverbal communication that carries cultural messages. Background illustrations here refer to archaeological evidence in the form of Bajangratu Gate, Tikus Temple, and Wringin Lawang Gate. Qualitatively, this study discusses the creation of visual space with a proxemic study approach in the theory of nonverbal communication. The creation combines the characteristics of the remaining temples of the Majapahit civilization to build contextual perceptions of life in the past. The meaning of the elements is further differentiated according to the informational, symbolic, and image meanings, by looking at the visual elements of the building and the natural environment. This study concludes that the background illustration has visual strength to shape contextual perception through visual space. This can be a reference for local creators to create other models of background illustrations with the Indonesian history theme, and make visual novel as a more communicative and interesting educational medium.