Role: Sound & Systems Design
Engine: Unity 6.0
Platform: PC
Team Size: 8
Development Time: 12 Weeks
Hook & Sinker is a 2.5D bullet-hell boss rush where players take on the role of a hunter who slays monstrous sea creatures. The game challenges players to master navigating the stage and utilizing their harpoon gun to ‘hook’ and ‘sink’ a massive leviathan.
I created the initial concept for the boss, laying out the ideas for how the boss's different attacks both in (rudimentary) art and text. I also programmed minor gameplay elements (drop-through platforms, the bridge that falls down in the tutorial), using Unity and C#, working closely with the team's programmer and learning their code base to code smaller features like these. I also worked heavily with games testing and balancing the game through the feedback received. Finally, I composed a three-song soundtrack, and created and programmed sound effects.
From working on this game, I learned a lot about game balance and how to make a hard yet fair game. I also strengthened my skills in music production and composition, and I composed a soundtrack I'm really proud of. Finally, I learned how to deal with inter-personal team drama, how to manage that, and how to cooperate with teammates better. I also learned that getting the team's priorities in writing each sprint is an important step to coming up with tasks. Finally, I learned that sometimes, not every project or concept is destined to succeed, and instead of feeling down and awful about the failure, and worrying about myself, I should just keep my head high and look to the next project.