Mariposa by The Video Game Development Club (VGDC) @ UCSD

Process

For the timeline transition SFXs and the antique shop track, I used MuseScore to compose and produce - purely on my computer. At the time, I did not have a MIDI controller, so it was interesting to rely on my keyboard for notes and rhythms. Since I mostly composed to Mariposa's world, the sounds are bright and light, represented by the piano and flute.

This process was different from creating pure SFXs as there was more feedback sessions and discussions with artists about how the music should fit with the characters' personalities, backstory, and world visuals. The two main characters are Mariposa and Kairo; Mariposa lives in a clean solarounk utopia while Kairo resides in a dark and violent wasteland. Each character and world have their own distinct energies and with the frequent timeline switches, the music needed to clearly embody each environment to remain cohensive to the game's narrative. When you switch into Mariposa's timeline, the sound is brighter compared to the heavy and dark sound of Kairo's world.

The antique shop cutscene was supposed to add further content to Mariposa's story. The art is full of warm sunlight and devotion. The scene features a nostalgic flashback to Mariposa and her grandmother hanging out in their antique store.

Unfortunately, the antique shop cutscene and the transition SFX were scrapped in the published verison. You can view the Mariposa trailer, coming soon to Steam!