Tower Defense Prototype built with Godot
A fast, readable 2D tower defense prototype built with Godot 4, focused on tight placement, clear telegraphing, and meaningful upgrade choices. Enemies traverse spline-based paths while towers react with distinct damage types and status effects, balancing short-range burst, sustained DPS, and control utility.
My role in this project
Architect and Game Developer
Way of Sound is an atmospheric UE5 puzzle prototype where audio is the compass. Scattered goal points emit subtle sound lures and shift color/intensity with player distance and position, turning free exploration into a readable, HUD-light navigation puzzle.
- Game Architecture & Design – Prototyping the core “sound-as-navigation” loop
- Blueprints & Shader R&D – UE Blueprints for logic; material tweaks for clear spatial feedback
- Audio Interaction – Distance-driven cues (attenuation/filters) linked to color states for consistent audio-visual guidance
Developer’s Note
Hi, I’m Denis Schlusche, game developer and designer passionate about creating systems that feel seamless in motion and code.
- Audio: attenuation curves + dynamic LP/HP filtering to improve localizability.
- Materials: emissive ramps & modest hue shifts that track distance parameters.
- Interaction: approach/align/confirm cycles; optional resets to teach timing.
Tech Stack
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Scripting: Blueprints (prototype), optional C++ hooks for optimization
Audio: UE audio engine (attenuation, filters, parameter curves)
Art/Shader: UE Materials (distance-based emission/opacity)
Design Goals
Clarity over clutter – every effect is legible at a glance.
Anticipation, not surprise – early warnings for spawns and speed bursts.
Meaningful choices – distinct build paths, no strictly dominant tower.
Short rounds – quick fail/iterate loop for tuning and learning.
Challenges
- Signal clarity: rich soundscapes can obscure direction → pruned layers, tuned falloff.
- Echo vs. guidance: geometry adjusted to keep reflections interesting but legible.
- Onboarding: micro-levels that teach “follow the lure” without text
Let’s Build Something
Leave me a short message explaining what you need. A partner for a Game Dev Jam, a partner in your team or access to a shown asset?
Denis Schlusche
Passionate Game Developer and Game Designer, creating joyful and immersive experiences, where gameplay and storytelling come together.