TECHNICAL DETAILS

Synchronizing Player Inputs

Earwyrm is a rhythm game, so we had to check if the players' inputs were triggered in sync with the music. We used Wwise music callbacks and applied a window around each music beat callback to verify that the players' inputs were aligned with the beat. We also had to be mindful of input lag, audio/video latency and include it in our calculations.

Playing as Dragon Bards

In Earwyrm, you play as a troupe of dragon bards who wield musical magic. This design choice meant we had to create musical spells that matched the theme. As a rhythm game, we challenged ourselves to ensure that musical feedback sounded appropriate in any situation.

Since the game supports up to four players, we designed four unique instruments: the lute, the lyre, the violin, and the flute. These instruments blend together through players actions.
To achieve this, we made a system in Wwise that allowed us to trigger instrument samples while dynamically following the chord grid of the current music.