A downloadable game for Windows

Download NowName your own price

--Echoes of Connection--

About Project

This is a solo project with a brief to create 2 gameplay moment with a focus on sound.

Artist Statement

In the first gameplay moment, I created a puzzle-like experience where players need to interact with rune stones to disable a forcefield. The tension arises from the question of what lies inside the forcefield and the increasing anticipation as each rune is activated.

To enhance this moment, I focused on repetition, variation, and contrast. I repeated the interaction with runes, but each one had a different colour and accompanying sound. This created a sense of progression and mystery. Finally, I introduced a contrast by shutting down the forcefield, removing its familiar sound and creating an eerie atmosphere. This leaves players wondering what has changed and what they will discover.

The second gameplay moment contrasts with the first. There is now only one interactable, a set of swords. Interacting with them triggers a cutscene that reveals the whispered history of the ruins, providing an answer to the question raised in the first gameplay moment. This further engages players and deepens their understanding of the ruins' significance. After the cutscene, the player can listen to the echoes of connection between the artifact in the ruins and the history behind them.

Audio plays a significant role in my project. I carefully crafted a soundscape by layering various sounds such as birds chirping and wind gusting to create a peaceful ambiance at the beginning. I used 3D spatial blending to make the forcefield feel more immersive as players approach it. Additionally, I employed specific sounds to cue players about the order of the runes and incorporated them into the rune interactions. In the second gameplay moment, I used audio to contribute to the effect of exploring the ruins. By adding sounds near artifacts, I created a sense of history and encouraged players to engage with their imagination. As players exit the ruins, I fade out the sounds to reinforce the narrative of the echoes of history. Making both the player and character feel, “something has happened here”.

As for the new shader, I have developed a terrain blending shader (which I followed a tutorial from Inresin, however the links in the tutorial page are not up to date, therefore I have to manually change it from a shadergraph to shader code) that I applied throughout the ruins and artifacts. This shader adds a visual layer of detail and age, indicating that these elements have been present for a significant period.

By combining gameplay moments, audio design, and shader development, I aimed to create an immersive and captivating experience for players as they uncover the mysteries (of the forcefield and runes) and history within the ruins.

References/Attribution

Special Thanks

Caleb Noller

Max Myers

Code/Tutorials

https://inresin.wordpress.com/2020/04/03/terrain-and-mesh-blending-in-unity/

Model/Textures/Tool

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/clothing/female-ankle-boots-photo...

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/free-christmas-presents-low-poly-...

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/vegetation/plants/pbr-low-lying-plant-p...

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/stylized-vegetation-free-samples-59916

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/vegetation/plants/yughues-free-bushes-1...