FPP Horror

This is a short survival horror game set in an FPP environment, drawing inspiration from iconic titles like Outlast. My goal was to create an experience that evokes genuine suspense with minimal system and design. The environment interacts dynamically with the player and enhances the player’s experience delivering a narrative that naturally draws the player to the next checkpoint. This project allowed me to deepen my understanding of Unity's toolset and apply my knowledge in a practical way.

Objectives and Design Philosophy

  • Design implementation: I designed and implemented advanced programming techniques, ensuring smooth and efficient game mechanics that enhance player immersion.
  • Interactive Storytelling: Utilized Unity's Timeline to craft interactive sequences that respond dynamically to player actions, enriching the narrative experience and story telling.
  • Visual and Atmospheric Design: Employed advanced post-processing techniques and Unity's lighting system to create a visually compelling atmosphere that heightens suspense.
  • Environmental Storytelling: Developed realistic weather effects and dynamic environments that contribute to the game's narrative and emotional impact.
  • AI Development: Independently designed advanced AI systems that adapt to player behavior, enhancing the challenge and engagement.
  • Performance Optimization: Conducted thorough performance optimizations, identifying bottlenecks and implementing solutions that improved frame rates and overall stability.
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    Level Overview

    Early Development

  • Initial challenge: In the first iteration, the game environment lacked the necessary tension and immersion. Key issues included non-walkable terrain and insufficient ambient sound design.
  • Iterative Improvements: Through iterative design processes, I achieved a 15% performance improvement by refining texture sizes and implementing occlusion culling. This phase emphasized the importance of testing feedback in shaping the design.
  • Final Iteration: The final iteration showcased a 60% performance improvement, achieved through strategic modifications to terrain and camera settings, demonstrating the impact of thoughtful design on gameplay experience.(Improvement video below)

    • Performance Optimization Strategies

  • Holistic Approach: Implemented a holistic approach to performance optimization, focusing on terrain modifications, camera adjustments, and advanced techniques like batching and GPU instancing.
  • Impact on Gameplay: These optimizations not only improved technical performance but also enhanced the overall gameplay experience, ensuring a smooth and engaging player journey.

    • Audio Design and Implementation

  • Sound as a Narrative Tool: Leveraged audio design to enhance the narrative, utilizing separate audio mixers for effects, ambience, and music to create a rich auditory landscape.
  • Technical Optimization: Implemented audio compression techniques to improve performance while maintaining audio clarity, demonstrating the importance of sound in player immersion.

    • Key Takeaway

    As a solo developer, I managed all aspects of the project, from initial concept to final implementation. This experience honed my skills in project management, time management, self-motivation, and deepen my knowledge in unity's toolset, allowing me to bring my creative vision to life.