A World Rewritten: Visualizing Defeat in Mr. President
When alternate history turns dark—Illustrating the fall of Taiwan and the rise of a China-led world order
Ananda:
Mr. President is a game about domestic and world politics, with the highest of stakes. Not counting surprise losses from certain Crisis Cards, there are fifteen ways to insta-lose in Mr. President. That, and the fact that the Core Sandbox Scenario involves a tapestry of different possibilities from the entirety of the 2000-2020 period, means that part of the fun in Mr. President is alternate history.
One of the most fun - and scariest - things about alternate history is envisioning it. To that end, in the digital version of Mr. President, our art director Joshua Balcaceres is doing illustrations that depict the world as it might be, if you make too many mistakes (or if you can't hit a die roll to save your life... or the world!).
One of the instant-defeat conditions is triggered should China reach 15 Influence throughout the world. If this happens, this means the PRC has achieved its core strategic goal of the 21st century so far: the creation of a China-led world order and the subsequent achievement of its global agenda. The picture the player sees, then, is one of the starkest elements of that victory - the successful takeover of Taiwan. And now, you'll hear from Josh, who will talk about the artistic process and considerations that went into visually realizing this terrible outcome.
Josh:
One of the central themes of this piece is conveying, through art, the idea of a nation overtaken—losing not just its freedom and independence, but its very sense of identity. The dominant color is red, symbolizing the PRC’s takeover, and the scene is envisioned as a wide-angle shot of that grim possibility. At the heart of the composition stands Taipei 101—Taiwan’s tallest building—used here to represent the loss of national identity, pride, and progress.
The entire piece is painted in the chiaroscuro style, intentionally using minimal light. If any light appears, it is the setting sun—symbolizing the fading hopes of the Taiwanese people—as PRC destroyers and military helicopters cast looming shadows over Taipei. Chiaroscuro is a painting technique defined by stark contrasts between light and dark. Popularized by Caravaggio, it evokes powerful emotions such as uncertainty, drama, death, and sorrow—all fitting for the scene depicted. This stylistic choice aligns with the visual tone of our Crises Cards.
The term "chiaroscuro" itself originates from artists working with cheap, non-white paper, forcing them to bring light into their images using white pencil or chalk—essentially carving figures out of darkness.
The final touch was adding the PRC flag waving over Taipei 101 subtly, but powerfully.
Go paint some art into the world.
- Joshua Balcaceres
Studio Art Director - Exia Labs
