This project explores how sound alone can drive interaction, immersion, and player engagement. Designed for a non-seeing user, the game delivers a fully audio-based experience that unfolds without any visual cues or external explanation.
The gameplay is shaped through sound design, spatial audio, and responsive feedback, creating an interaction loop that holds the player’s attention for at least one minute.
The design process focused on accessibility, clarity through sound, and the challenge of communicating mechanics and objectives purely through audio, resulting in an experience that is both minimalist and sensory.
PREMISE
Read the Game Design Document
Research
This research stemmed from an interest in how Kalari Payattu utilized non-visual sensory input—particularly auditory and spatial awareness—for navigation and interaction. By examining the role of rhythm, breath, and movement in Kalari, I aimed to inform the design of a sound-only game experience that emphasizes intuitive, audio-driven engagement.
Spatial Awareness
Kalari Payattu emphasizes acute spatial awareness, especially in relation to one’s body and surroundings — which is essential in a sound-only game where players rely on 3D soundscapes to orient themselves.
Rhythm & Breath
The martial art has rhythmic breathing and movement patterns that enhance flow and control.
Learning & Repetition
Practitioners of Kalari learn through repetition and muscle memory, gradually internalizing movements and sequences.
Integration: Use of spatialized audio cues to guide player movement, echoing the awareness of positioning central to Kalari practice.
Integration: Incorporating rhythmic breath-based pacing to help the player anticipate actions or gauge timing in the game loop.
Integration: Players learn patterns through audio feedback loops, mimicking the learn by doing approach.
Senses Beyond Sight
Kalari Payattu training heightens non-visual senses, particularly hearing and touch, to anticipate and react in combat.
Embodied Listening
Kalari views the body as a site of knowledge, where perception and action are intertwined.
Integration: Focus on haptic-like audio feedback (e.g., varying sound textures, proximity cues) that simulate touch or tension, attempt at creating a multi-sensory experience via sound.
Integration:The game requires embodied interaction — players respond physically to sound cues, moving or reacting in sync, fostering a full-body engagement even without visuals.