About this project
SoundSelf
$36,766
1,180
Missed the fundraising campaign? You can still support the alpha, track development, and much more on SoundSelf's official website.
"Kids pile into a tool-shed where the game is set up. This is what I always imagined South by Southwest would be: Music, tech, and Austin's famous weirdness brought together. I just never thought I'd find it in a tool-shed."
- All Things Considered, NPR, March 12 2013
"SoundSelf is a trip, and an entirely pleasant one that will have many more features added in the coming weeks. But I look forward to what this construction will mean for future game development, as it presents an entirely new window to view what games are capable of."
- Indie Statik, March 24 2013
"Transcendental meditation. Shrooms. SoundSelf. Whatever works, man."
- Destructoid, March 18 2013
"a fascinating experiment in creating not an intellectual gaming experience, but a physical one. "
- Gamasutra, March 22 2013
"Coolest thing I played at GDC."
- Patrick Klepek (Giant Bomb), March 29 2013
About SoundSelf
SoundSelf is a sensual exploration game about the intrinsic pleasure of playing instead of the rewards of winning. You use your voice to explore a hypnotic world of sounds and visuals that feel like they are emerging directly from your body. Each tone will navigate you through strobing tunnels-of-light, impossible shapes, and into a meditative trance. The result is an elegant symmetry of image, sound and body that takes advantage of loopholes in the way you perceive to facilitate a new experience of yourself and your world. Each play-through lasts one extremely intense hour.
There is no right way to play SoundSelf: Play with different sounds and the game will dance with you, or sustain long tones and SoundSelf will take you deep into your own sonic universe. Play alone, or share the experience with friends - no two players will have the same journey, and no one player will experience what many will together.
Play the Prototype for Free
Download Mirror 1:
http://wraughk.com/SoundSelfBuild/SoundSelf-2013-04-04.zip
Download Mirror 2:
http://evanbalster.com/soundself/SoundSelf-2013-04-04.zip
Prototype Requirements (the final game will be more light-weight):
- Windows 7 or 8 / Mac OS X 10.6 64 bit
- Intel i5 cpu or better
- Headphones
- Microphone (can just be your webcam's mic)
Stretch Goal:
$36,000: Deep-playa installation at Burning Man!
Burning Man has been a continuous source of inspiration to the SoundSelf team. Taking this as a deep-playa structure to Black Rock City would give us an opportunity to "pay forward" that inspiration to the next generation of interactive art projects, and also provide a unique platform to experiment with SoundSelf as a shared collaborative experience.
Cost Breakdown
We currently have a working prototype of SoundSelf that explores the hypnosis sensation, but has a limited amount of content and only feeds off of the player's voice in superficial ways. It is the result of one year of research and experimental development, and it's already an unusual and powerful experience.
$18,000 in development funds is enough for us to complete SoundSelf to our satisfaction by early 2014. Additional funds would allow us to create more content to support longer, more intricate experiences, and experiment with more intricate interactivity. Even more development funds would allow us to add some exciting new features.
About the Creators
Developer
Robin Arnott is the sound designer for Antichamber, and creator of "that creepy gas mask game" Deep Sea.
Software Engineer
Evan Balster is a programmer whose current workings include current workings include an opensource audio engine and a system for dynamic body language and kinematics.
Artistic Director
Topher Sipes is an illustrator, graphic designer, hoop dancer, and the creative director of Artheism.
Risks and challenges
Experiment: The biggest risk is that SoundSelf won’t be what you expect. We’re exploring relatively uncharted territory in game development and, while we have a trajectory in mind and an exciting new prototype, the game evolves and changes with each new play test, new player and new experience. The greatest risk is also the best reward: that SoundSelf will surprise you.
Costs: In considering our costs and timeline, we’ve built-in a buffer to ensure unexpected challenges don’t take away from the quality or timing of your rewards or our development. This means, barring significant and disasterous events, you will get your rewards on time.
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