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Uyen Dang
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Don't Move: A 'Statues' Variant

A compact Unity prototype inspired by the playground game 'statues'. Walk while the track plays; when the music cuts and a red light washes the forest, freeze. Find the golden Shiba Inu by following barks that grow louder as you approach before the timer runs out.

Timeline
Nov – Dec 2024
Category
Game prototype · Unity
Tools
Unity, C#
Don't Move: A 'Statues' Variant, cover image

Don't Move is a small experiment in sound-guided navigation and clear stop or go cues. The player searches a dense forest for a golden Shiba Inu icon. You can move only while the music plays. When the track cuts and a red wash appears, you must freeze. A looping bark acts as a beacon; its volume rises with proximity so you can navigate without waypoints.

Project Overview

The aim was to build a focused statues-style loop with readable tells, minimal inputs, and short sessions. Difficulty is a simple timer choice: Easy (5 min), Medium (3 min), Hard (1 min). Players adjust difficulty level without changing rules.

  • Design intent and core rules
  • Session structure and flow
  • Controls and interface
  • Key systems and scripts
  • Animation state setup
  • Technical steps
  • Credits

Design Intent & Core Rules

  • Keep the rule set obvious: music on means move, music off plus red wash means freeze.
  • Guide with audio instead of UI wayfinding; bark volume increases as the player nears the Shiba icon.
  • Favor quick rounds and instant restarts to encourage retries.

Scenes & Flow

High level flow. Game or Start scene with timer dropdown and exploration; Menu scene for Guide, Credits, Quit; End scenes (Victory and Defeat) with Restart. Core scripts: Timer.js, Shiba.js, Character.js; utilities: QuitGame.js, LoadStartScene.cs.
High level flow. Game or Start scene with timer dropdown and exploration; Menu scene for Guide, Credits, Quit; End scenes (Victory and Defeat) with Restart. Core scripts: Timer.js, Shiba.js, Character.js; utilities: QuitGame.js, LoadStartScene.cs.

Controls & Interface

Start screen with Start, Guide, Credits, Quit
Start screen with Start, Guide, Credits, Quit
Timer mode dropdown: Easy 5 min, Medium 3 min, Hard 1 min
Timer mode dropdown: Easy 5 min, Medium 3 min, Hard 1 min

Inputs are deliberately light: Up arrow to walk forward; Left and Right arrows to turn. The simple scheme keeps focus on timing and listening, not on dexterity.

Key Systems & Scripts

  • Timer.js: applies the chosen duration and signals end of round.
  • Character.js: arrow-key movement that honors a global canMove flag so freezes are authoritative when the track mutes.
  • Shiba.js: periodic bark with distance-based volume scaling; triggers victory on proximity.
  • LoadStartScene.cs: loads start, game, and end scenes; connected to Restart.
  • QuitGame.js: handles application exit from the menu.

Character Animation

Animator with two clean states: Idle and Walking. Snappy transitions make freeze moments read immediately.
Animator with two clean states: Idle and Walking. Snappy transitions make freeze moments read immediately.

Technical Steps

  • Stop/Go conductor: a simple controller mutes the track at intervals and flips a global movement flag; Character.js reads the flag to gate velocity.
  • Red-light cue: a directional light plus a lightweight color shift creates a scene-wide warning when movement is forbidden.
  • Audio beacon: the Shiba bark loops with distance-based volume to help player navigate to the beacon.
  • End states: distinct victory and defeat canvases with a single Restart action to encourage replays.

Asset Credits