Soul Vault
Soul Vault is a game that is the first of its kind, combining traditional 3D puzzle elements with wave survival, otherwise known as Gauntlets to provide a change from typical puzzle games. Beat Gauntlets to unlock puzzles and earn clues, and discover more parts of the story as you unravel the mysteries of the device in front of you.
The Core Features of the Project
Team Size: 9
Engine: Unity 3D
Timeline: January - May 2025
Major personal contributions:
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Created original music and an adaptive music system to reinforce gameplay
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Recorded original Foley sound effects, used in combination with edited sounds from sound databases
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Oversaw and managed documentation, risk analysis, and initial marketing in order to support the team and set everyone up for success
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Handled testing plans and wrote up testing feedback, allowing for stronger iteration
Game Trailer
Puzzles VS. Gauntlets
Adaptive Music System
With this game featuring two gameplay elements that were both deeply connected and yet also dramatically different, the background music acted to reinforce that. An adaptive music system that worked directly with the gauntlet system allowed for the music to ramp up in intensity when the gameplay called for it, and then calm back down to match the player's shifting goals.
Magic and Drama
Jingles and Stingers
Audio can do a lot of communication that visuals alone might have trouble getting across. With the game being structured in phases, it was important for the player to know when they could progress. I created two different jingles, one to mark a puzzle as complete, and another to indicate the start of the next phase of the game.
Aesthetic Shifts
Responding to Feedback
With one of my major roles in the project being managing testing sessions and compiling feedback, something that showed up was an issue of aesthetic miss-match between the audio and visual elements of the game. This came largely as a result of the visual direction shifting gradually, without the audio immediately following. The main music of the game went through 7 different versions to finally land on something that would properly fit and support the overall aesthetic.
Making Puzzles Satisfying
Foley Recording and Editing
Using overall simple puzzles, it was important that they still felt satisfying to interact with. Using Foley sound effects, I added all the little clicks and twists to each type of puzzle, making each interaction feel a little more real.