Position: Individual Project

Engine: Unreal Engine 4

Development Time: 16 weeks - 100 hours

Synopsis: ASOSE is an experimental project created in Unreal Engine 4.

The project explores combining the fast pace of a 3rd person speed-running game alongside an abstract environment and music space.

Overview

ASOSE is an experimental project with a primary emphasis on the environment.

The game begins in a more game-like fashion: Simpler movement obstacles, giant red countdown timers, and even the game’s controls are written on the walls.

Soon after, however, there is an intentional tone shift towards the abstract and the experiential. The timers and their beeping fade away, the world’s decay begins to reveal itself, and players are instead encouraged to take-in their surroundings as they navigate this strange world.

STrong Gameplay

While I wanted this project to be more of an experience which focused on creating a unique sense of atmosphere, I realized the importance of creating strong foundational gameplay to support moving through and experiencing a world this large.

I spent a ton of time refining and polishing the core movement: Sprint speed & air control, field of view lerping, airborne camera shake, periodic sprint vibration, audio feedback, and many other elements.

There are also several subtle enhancements to benefit the player such as: a 0.1 delay to still jump even after running off a ledge, or immediate vertical force application to create instant-response dynamic jump heights based on press duration.

I studied and drew inspiration from games with high-speed or highly polished movement systems such as Warframe & Destiny 2.

A UNique Experience

Ultimately, however, ASOSE is about experiencing a unique atmosphere. The game fades away in favor of the world.

The initial droning beeps of digital clocks are replaced by a melodic music track, and the level design takes players into the larger atrium-like spaces of the world to allow players to see more into the heart of the experience.

ASOSE is a strange and broken world, and the player’s role in it is obscured. Themes of order and chaos are expressed both visibly and audibly: neatly stacked blocks alongside explosions of staircases, or gently paced music that continuously draws more and more attention to itself. Even the occasional small glimmers of light suggest hidden suns lost somewhere deep beyond the fog.

ASOSE has many subtle details left exposed to players so that they may ultimately wonder: “Where am I?”