Comparison of the Effect of Islamic Geometric Motifs of the Safavid Period in the Design of PC Games “The Cat and the Coup” and “Engare”

In the game Cat and Coup, two main groups, called Cat and Coup, face each other. Cats symbolize strength and steadfastness, While coups symbolize opposition movements and attempts to change the status quo. Comparing this game with Safavid architecture, we can see similarities and differences. In the architecture of the Safavid period, large and magnificent buildings were built, such as the Imam Mosque in Isfahan and the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad. These buildings, like cats, symbolized strength and stability and showed that the Safavid government had a lot of power and civilization. Likewise, cats in the game are a symbol of strength and steadfastness. In contrast, coups are symbols of opposition movements and changes in the cat game and coups. During the Safavid era, many attempts were made to change the previous situation. For example, the role of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili and the early Safavid dynasty in establishing the Safavid government and rising from the Timurid rule can be similar to the activity of coups in the game. In terms of difference, the game of cat and coup is an imaginary game in which two opposing groups face each other. Still, the architecture of the Safavid period was a historical reality, and the buildings built in that period are symbols of Iranian culture and art. In short, in the cat game, the coup, and the architecture of the Safavid period, there are also significant differences in addition to the similarities. These two issues are investigated separately in two different fields (game and architectural art).