Sound & Narrative Design

Sound style references

The sound style for !Bird will match the quirky, offbeat nature of its premise, referencing games like Donut County and A Short Hike. Some sounds, like wind blowing or cars moving on the street, might be more realistic, but many, such as UI interactions, player actions, and other general feedback, will go for the slightly lo-fi and charming vibe that the aforementioned games do. These sounds might be more synthesized, consisting of bright, slightly off-kilter jingles, boops, and bops. There will also be some voice acting in the form of a character who speaks to you and guides you throughout the game.

Story Overview

The premise of !Bird is fairly simple: All of the birds in the world are actually government surveillance drones being used to spy on citizens, and you control one of them. Under the command of a government agent who instructs you in your objectives, the bird drone flies throughout a city looking for individuals who have been suspected of suspicious activities. These activities are not disclosed, but it is hinted at that the government spying on them might not exactly be the most trustworthy themselves.

Narrative Plan

Most of the game's narrative is in its premise, as things remain relatively stagnant over the course of the actual game; However, a relationship will be built up over the course of the game between the player and government agent, which will ultimately be subverted in an ending that wouldn't be fun to reveal now. The focus over the course of the game will be on the environment of the city, which will be intentionally made to look essentially like the most average western, urban city possible; almost painfully normal to contribute to the humor of the game.