PROJECT SENTIENCE

Abstract

This dissertation explores the application of parasomnia-induced vulnerability as a core mechanic within psychological horror game design. While traditional survival hor ror frequently relies on combat mechanics and external monstrous threats to generate fear, Project Sentience—a short-form, narrative-driven interactive experience developed in Unity 6—subverts this paradigm by focusing on internal vulnerability and the cognitive dissonance of extreme somnambulism. The primary objective of this research is to investi gate how interactive media can simulate the physiological and psychological disorientation of waking up in a perilous, unfamiliar domestic environment. The design methodology employs a dual-state environmental approach, transforming a mundane residential space into an uncanny, hostile landscape via dynamic post-processing and chromatic distortion. To accurately simulate the physical dissociation of sleepwalking, the project utilizes spline-based locomotion to enforce strict agency deprivation, neutral izing the player’s spatial mastery. This passive observation state culminates in an active pursuit sequence governed by asymmetric, randomized Quick Time Events (QTEs). Implementation and testing of these mechanics reveal that replacing predictable first person controls with high-cognitive-load inputs successfully disrupts established player muscle memory, accurately mirroring the motor-skill degradation and panic associated with real-world night terrors. Ultimately, this project demonstrates that mechanically restricting player agency, weaponizing spatial unfamiliarity, and utilizing ambiguous en vironmental storytelling provides a highly effective framework for interactive horror, suc cessfully blurring the boundaries between subjective somnambulistic hallucination and objective physical reality.