Nightbreath Bat
Category
Interactive game prototype
Tools
Unity · Arduino · Microphone input · Light sensor · Sound design · Pixel art
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Nightbreath Bat is a breath-controlled interactive game inspired by Flappy Bird. Players control the flight of a pixel-art bat at night by adjusting the strength of their breath or voice; passing through pillars triggers different retro sound effects, as if playing a rhythm. When a player fails, the game does not end; instead, they are revived via a light sensor, and a ghost bat is generated to follow them. Meanwhile, the spacing between the pillars and the difficulty level gradually change, allowing players to enter a more embodied and immersive experience through a cycle of breathing, feedback, and adjustment.
The Problems
During the development ofNightbreath Bat, the main issues I encountered were that it was difficult for players to intuitively grasp the mechanics of sound-controlled flight and light-based revival, as well as the timing of the two actions—making sound and blocking light tended to clash.
Additionally, there were issues with unstable collision and health mechanics, the pace being too rushed after revival, and readability problems with the pixel art assets due to their looped and pieced-together nature.
How I Solved Them
To address these challenges, I reduced the learning curve by adding a volume slider and pixel-art prompt text, while introducing a delay and clearer feedback to the respawn mechanism, enabling players to keep up with the pace.
At the system level, I integrated sensor data seamlessly into Unity and repeatedly fine-tuned the HP and collision parameters. Meanwhile, I iterated on the background loop as well as the character's color scheme and dimensions, ultimately making the gameplay more engaging and the visuals more cohesive.
