Week 9 expanded my understanding of game design beyond visuals and mechanics, shifting my focus towards how players physically and sensorially experience a game. The lectures and discussions this week highlighted how controllers, audio, and interface design work together to create embodiment, immersion, and emotional engagement. This directly connects to my project, which centres around masked characters, shadowed spaces, and stealth-driven gameplay.
A key takeaway from this week was the idea that controllers function as an extension of the player rather than just an input device. How responsive and readable the movement feels can determine whether a player feels present within the world or disconnected from it. For my game, which emphasises hiding, evasion, and tension, this is especially important. Actions such as crouching, slow movement, and repositioning in darkness need to feel intentional and precise. This reinforces vulnerability and awareness, encouraging players to think carefully about every move rather than relying on fast or aggressive play.
Audio was the most influential area explored this week and has become a central pillar of my game’s design. Dave Milln’s talk on How Sound Shapes Play reinforced the idea that sound communicates information, atmosphere, and emotional context simultaneously. In stealth-focused experiences, audio often becomes more important than visuals, which aligns closely with my project’s reliance on shadow, concealment, and implication.
Cinematic influences such as Predator: Badlands inspired my approach to sound design. The use of distant environmental noise, low-frequency drones, and directional audio creates a constant sense of unease and anticipation. In my game, players are often unaware of where threats are coming from, and sound is used to suggest danger before it is seen. This supports my use of masked, shadow-styled characters, where fear is built through absence and suggestion rather than explicit visual cues.
In contrast to this tension-driven soundscape, I am also influenced by RnB beats for moments of thematic or emotional grounding. These influences shape my approach to theme music, favouring slower, atmospheric rhythms that blend into the environment rather than overpower it. The music would be adaptive, subtly shifting based on player behaviour and game state. This supports the non-linear audio principles discussed in the lecture, in which sound reacts dynamically to player input rather than looping passively.
This week also encouraged me to think more critically about diegetic and non-diegetic design. For my project, I aim to minimise traditional HUD elements in favour of environmental and audio-based feedback. Instead of explicit indicators, information such as danger, awareness, or proximity is communicated through sound cues, such as footsteps, breathing, or changes in ambient noise.
This design choice reinforces immersion and complements thecharacters’ masked identities. By reducing overt UI elements, the player is required to listen and observe more closely, strengthening the connection between the player and the character. This approach builds on earlier weeks’ themes of storytelling through silhouette, shadow, and restraint.
While audio plays a major role in my game, this week also highlighted the importance of accessibility. To ensure inclusivity, my design will include adjustable audio levels, optional visual indicators for key sound cues, and remappable controls. These considerations allow audio to enhance immersion without excluding players with different sensory needs.
Week 9 reinforced that my GDD is not simply a technical document, but a reflection of design intent and player experience. Audio, control responsiveness, and interface design are now core components of my project rather than secondary considerations. Each system supports the themes established in earlier weeks: vulnerability, concealment, identity, and survival.
Overall, this week pushed me to focus less on how my game looks and more on how it feels to play. By integrating audio-driven tension, embodied controls, and minimal interface design, I am creating a more immersive, emotionally grounded experience that closely aligns with my project’s core vision.
