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An immersive walking simulator puzzle game that delves into themes of reality, time, and perception. Concept and Core Design: Echoes of Truth focuses on using level design and interactive mechanics to create an emotional experience.

PROJECT TYPE

Personal

GENRE

3D Walking Simulator

Platform

Windows PC

Engine

Unreal Engine5

Language

Blueprints& C++

Duration

1.5 months

Team Size

1

COMPLETION

November 2024

Tools Used

Photoshop, Maya

Role

Narrative design(story, locations, dialog)
Level design, prototyping, and construction
Environment puzzle design
Decoration and lighting
Sound design, UE issues, tweaks, and bug
workarounds

For more stories behind the design and
development iterations of the game, please
watch my gameplay commentary video
below.

Echoes of Truth was born from my desire to explore new directions
in narrative design, inspired by the seamless integration of storytelling
and gameplay. After playing The Beginner’s Guide and revisiting
The Stanley Parable, I was struck by how narrative mechanics can
reshape player perception and interaction. This project aims to push
those boundaries further, blending cryptic storytelling with immersive
puzzle-solving to create a thought-provoking experience.

Combining Text
Prompts with
Puzzle Mechanics

The core gameplay revolves around wall text prompts, but ensuring their dual meanings are both intuitive and thought-provoking without feeling forced or contrived is a key difficulty. The game’s themes—time, truth, and illusion—needed to be seamlessly integrated into the puzzle design to naturally convey these concepts during gameplay.
‍
Text Design Optimization:
Each level’s text prompt had to provide clear operational guidance while retaining a deeper meaning for players to interpret. Through repeated testing, we refined the phrasing to balance puzzle logic and abstract depth.

Complexity of
Time Manipulation
Mechanics

Player Guidance:
Initial levels introduced simple time-based puzzles (e.g., unlocking an exit at “5 o’clock”) to help players gradually familiarize themselves with time control logic. More dynamic and complex puzzles were introduced later.
‍
Inspiration from other Games:
Drawing from The Beginner's Guide and Braid, I ensured each puzzle was both engaging and innovative by incorporating creative variations in mechanics.

Resource Constraints
in Visual and
Audio Design

As an independent project with limited resources, creating a sufficiently immersive and expressive experience within a minimalist art style was a significant challenge.
‍
Flexible Tool Use:
Development prioritized core levels and mechanics, leaving more complex visual and audio elements for future updates to balance current resource limitations.