Introduction

Lost Echo is a music-driven puzzle game developed by a six-person student team at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center (ETC). This student-pitched vertical slice was designed and implemented using Unreal Engine 5 over the course of a semester. The game draws heavy inspiration from traditional Chinese folk music, particularly the Nanzhao Fengsheng tonal system, and is designed to appeal to players between the ages of 13 and 40.

The game aims to deliver a culturally rich experience by combining musical puzzle-solving, environmental storytelling, and immersive interaction. Players use a flute—both through a digital interface and a custom-built physical controller—to interact with the world, trigger puzzle mechanics, and progress through narrative scenes. The experience seeks to foster a unique form of musical learning through the lens of cultural exploration.

One of the team’s core goals was to investigate the potential of alternative input methods, such as a real-world flute controller, to elevate immersion and offer players a new way to engage with rhythm- and tone-based gameplay.

Team Members:

Yifan Chen – Programmer & Narrative Designer

Azu De – Sound Designer, Programmer & Producer

Jialan Dong – Programmer & Designer

Kimi Du – Lead Game Designer, Narrative Designer & Producer

Harley Xu – Environment & 2D Artist

Xiaofan Zhang – Character & UI Artist

The semester goal was to deliver a polished, playable vertical slice, a working prototype of a physical controller, and to document ongoing design changes through a structured playtesting schedule.

What Went Well

Team Collaboration

Throughout the semester, the team demonstrated strong cross-disciplinary collaboration. While each member had a primary role, everyone showed flexibility and initiative. Artists frequently adapted to shifting design needs and delivered assets on short timelines. Programmers were proactive in solving integration issues and communicated clearly with designers to ensure consistent implementation.

To stay organized, the team relied on collaboration tools like Trello, Miro, and Google Docs. Trello tracked production tasks, Miro supported visual brainstorming and narrative structure planning, and Google Docs was used to record feedback and outline documentation. This tool-based workflow ensured visibility and transparency across disciplines. Weekly meetings helped keep the team aligned, and daily check-ins (especially during crunch periods) kept morale high and momentum steady.

Team Trello Board 

Use of Software and Technologies

In the early development phase, the team explored several software tools—including Unity, SpeedTree, and Houdini—before committing to Unreal Engine 5 and Maya as the project’s primary development platforms. This decision allowed the team to minimize tool complexity and maximize focus on the game experience.

One of the standout technical achievements was the development of a functional prototype for the physical flute controller using Arduino components and 3D printing. While full in-game integration is a future milestone, the prototype showcases the team’s drive to innovate beyond conventional interaction models. The potential of this controller lies in making musical gameplay more tactile and intuitive, enriching both immersion and accessibility.

Playtesting & Iteration

The team incorporated playtesting early and consistently. In the first few weeks, paper prototypes were used to test level layouts, puzzle logic, and narrative flow before a single line of code was written. This lean approach allowed for fast idea validation and encouraged feedback-oriented design thinking.

Once a digital prototype was ready, the team used Parsec and in-person ETC playtest nights to conduct remote and live sessions. Weekly builds were compiled so players could experience the vertical slice in full, from flute interactions to narrative cutscenes. During each session, feedback was recorded in shared documents, tagged by category (UI, narrative clarity, puzzle difficulty, etc.), and reviewed during team retrospectives. As a result, the game saw major improvements in usability, visual clarity, and overall engagement.

What Could Have Been Better

Prototype & Planning Speed

The team took several weeks to finalize the core gameplay loop and begin digital prototyping. This delayed the timeline for iteration and polish. In hindsight, starting with a two-week sprint dedicated solely to prototyping core mechanics would have created more space later for refinement, especially regarding UX and polish.

Technology Learning Curve

Most programmers on the team entered the semester with little to no experience in Unreal Engine 5, leading to a steep learning curve. Valuable time was spent resolving basic setup or engine functionality. A pre-semester onboarding period or a dedicated “engine ramp-up week” at the beginning could have eased this burden and given the programmers more confidence early on.

Communication Under Pressure

While team communication was mostly effective, there were times—especially during crunch periods—when design disagreements or unbalanced workloads led to tension or misalignment. In future projects, assigning a designated conflict mediator or proactively scheduling 1-on-1 check-ins may help resolve issues before they escalate and ensure psychological safety.

Limited Late-Stage Playtesting Sample Size

Although many playtests were conducted throughout the semester, the final two weeks featured a limited number of new testers. A larger, more diverse player pool at the end would have yielded more robust feedback, particularly around puzzle balancing, narrative clarity, and controller usability. This would have better supported final tuning before showcasing the game.

Conclusion: Lessons Learned

The semester-long development of Lost Echo provided the team with a number of important insights:

• Rapid prototyping is critical. Early and frequent iteration can reduce risk and improve final quality.
• Tool selection should follow design goals. Avoid being sidetracked by non-essential tech that doesn’t serve core gameplay.
• Cross-functional respect enables success. Strong collaboration across roles led to better outcomes and a more cohesive product.
• Playtesting should scale with development. Begin small with paper prototypes but grow toward structured, polished sessions with fresh players to validate the final experience.

Stretch Goals & Future Directions

Though the semester has ended, the team is interested in continuing Lost Echo‘s development. Potential next steps include:

• Fully integrating the physical flute controller into the digital gameplay system.
• Enhancing narrative flow and expanding cultural references based on user feedback.
• Preparing the game for game showcase events, demo reels, or student competitions.
• Polishing the vertical slice for use in portfolios or publishing it as a standalone prototype.

The team is proud of what was accomplished in one semester. Lost Echo represents not just a game but a learning journey in immersive design, cultural storytelling, and experimental interaction. We believe the project holds meaningful potential as an educational and artistic game experience.