Overview

 

 

Sanctuary of the Cicadas is a collaborative horror project combining a fully playable Unity game with an original cinematic short film created to introduce the world, atmosphere, and narrative. Developed as a Game Design class project, the emphasis of the assignment was placed primarily on visual world-building, environmental storytelling, and horror atmosphere rather than advanced gameplay systems. However, we still implemented several basic mechanics to reinforce tension and interactivity. My contributions centered on 3D modeling, animation, lighting, sound design, and overall visual direction.

 

 

Concept & Narrative Foundation

 

 

The project is built around the unnerving symbolism of cicadas, creatures associated with resurrection, cycles, and transformation. In the game’s fiction, these associations become metaphors for:

 

• memories resurfacing

• psychological disorientation

• the tension between reality and hallucination

 

 

The sanctuary is imagined as a forgotten ritual space where the constant drone of cicadas becomes a guide, a warning, and an oppressive presence shaping the entire experience.

 

 

Game Design & Artistic Direction

 

 

 

Visual Inspiration

 

 

The visual style is heavily inspired by Resident Evil, especially its combination of:

 

• claustrophobic architecture

• organic decay and ritual symbolism

• cinematic lighting and atmospheric tension

 

 

The professor specifically instructed us to prioritize the overall look and mood of the level over the complexity of game systems. So the project focuses on:

 

• detailed environment design

• realistic lighting

• strong use of shadows and silhouettes

• cinematic color palette and composition

 

 

 

Integrated Mechanics

 

 

Even though mechanics were not the priority, we still implemented:

 

• environmental triggers

• basic interaction systems

• sound-based cues

• puzzle-like progression moments

 

 

These were added to support immersion without overshadowing the visual storytelling.

 

 

3D Production & Environment Design

 

 

All 3D assets were created from scratch using Blender.

 

 

Modeling & Texturing

 

 

• Sculpted organic shapes, stone structures, ritual objects

• Hybrid texturing: procedural materials + hand-painted details

• Custom PBR materials for stone, wood, and biological surfaces

 

 

Lighting & Unity Integration

 

 

• Volumetric fog to deepen contrast and atmosphere

• Color grading reminiscent of survival horror cinematography

• Strategic use of flickering lights to imply movement and tension

• Post-processing: grain, bloom, chromatic aberration, subtle vignette

 

 

Cinematic Short Film

 

 

A standalone cinematic teaser was created to introduce the atmosphere of the game.

 

 

Sound Design (Created Entirely by Me)

 

 

All audio for the cinematic animation was recorded by me using only my phone, capturing environmental noises, textures, and improvised effects.

These recordings were then heavily processed in After Effects, using:

 

• distortion

• time-stretch

• pitch-shifting

• grain

• layered ambience

 

 

This created an unsettling, textured soundscape aligned with the thematic presence of cicadas and the psychological horror tone.

 

 

Film Production

 

 

• Custom camera animations inside Blender

• Slow reveals and macro shots to emphasize tension

• Editing and compositing in After Effects

• Sound synced directly to lighting cues and environmental motion

 

 

My Contribution

 

 

Across the project, I was responsible for:

 

• 3D modeling of props, environment pieces, and atmospheric elements

• Lighting design in Blender and Unity

• Texturing and material creation

• Environment layout and visual storytelling

• Animation for the cinematic shots

• Full audio production for the short film: recording, processing, and compositing

• Visual direction for both the game level and cinematic trailer

 

 

Technical Pipeline

 

 

1. Concept Development — narrative, tone, sound ideas

2. 3D Asset Creation — modeling, sculpting, texturing

3. Unity Implementation — lighting, layout, mechanics

4. Sound Recording & Processing — phone recordings + effects

5. Cinematic Creation — camera animation, rendering, editing

​