Echoes is a music-driven puzzle game inspired by historical Chinese folk music, specifically Nanzhao Fengsheng Music. The project was pitched and developed by Lost Echo, a team of graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center. The project aims to build an interactive game as a medium to spark interest in learning music within cultural contexts, and to introduce methods that provide alternative ways of learning music from a variety of cultures. Set in the 8th century, the Nanzhao Kingdom struggles with internal conflict and decades of war with the Tang Dynasty. The player takes on the role of a mute musician and diplomat, using music as a bridge to convey peace and restore relations between Nanzhao and Tang. Players will utilize a 5-note music system to compose melodies, communicate with NPCs, solve environmental puzzles, explore an ancient Chinese street environment, and experience a story of music and peace.
