Tethered

Made for February Forging Jam in about 6 days with an “Ocean” theme and “Hammer” thing.

[Note:  This is a 3D game. It takes a slight amount of time to load for the first time. Please be patient. The downloadable version works better than the web build. ]

Inspiration

This game is a tribute to the unsung heroes of the abyss. The deep-sea divers who brave crushing pressures and absolute darkness to maintain the transatlantic cables that keep our world connected.

The Story

Thousands of feet below the Atlantic surface, the silence is heavy. You are a Cable Maintenance Specialist, sent into the "Midnight Zone" where the sun never reaches. Critical faults have been detected in the transatlantic line, threatening global communications.

Armed with only a hammer and a sonar device, you must navigate the jagged seafloor. But you aren't alone. The hum of the electrical leak has drawn the ocean's most efficient predators to your location. With your oxygen tanks ticking down and shadows circling just beyond your spotlight, the mission is simple: Find the fault. Fix the line. Survive the ascent.

Controls

Remember to follow the cable!!

• WASD / Arrow Keys: Navigate the currents and trek across the seabed.
• Left Mouse Button: Swing your hammer. You don't need to aim for the nails.
• The Three-Strike Rule: Each fault is secured by three heavy-duty nails. You must strike the point three times to successfully seal the repair and restore the connection.
• M: mute the volume

Game Overview

Survival in the deep requires more than just a strong arm; it requires constant vigilance.

• Cable Tracking: Use the Spline-Link cable as your lifeline. Follow the physical tether through the terrain to locate the breach.
• Proximity Sonar: Monitor your handheld device’s pulse. The frequency of the "blip" is your only guide to finding the exact repair site in the murk.
• Vital Monitoring: Keep a sharp eye on your Oxygen Gauge. 
• Bio-Threat Detection: Your device isn't just for repairs; it tracks movement. If the Shark Indicator triggers, find cover or stay still. They can smell your heartbeat, but they hunt by movement.

Team 

Design and development: APel & PGad

Tools 

Figma, PhotoDemon, Unity 6, Audacity, JSFXR

Credits

Type	Title	Author	URL	License(s)
Font	OCR-A	wfonts	https://www.wfonts.com/font/ocr-a	OFL
3D	Glove	Lucine	https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/glove-537b54ae49be4c32a00512cf13149578	CC BY 4.0
3D	Low poly arm	bananalogos21	https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/lowpoly-arm-ac8b5f0864da49619e7731d87bc1c24d	CC BY 4.0
3D	Fish and sharks	Backrock Studios	https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/characters/animals/low-poly-animals-3d-assets-258476	Standard Unity Asset Store EULA
3D	Coral Anker Kleur	carolienvanbedaf	https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/coral-anker-kleur-1d1bfae4627b433a9d2324e110538e51	CC BY 4.0
3D	Jellyfish	RickStikkelorum	https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/simple-jellyfish-f77876d8297846eeb23c4ad82dbebb97	CC BY 4.0
3D	Low poly rocks	Yughues	https://opengameart.org/content/free-lowpoly-rocks-set01	CC0
2D	Shark Icon	Adopik Ltd	https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/4813714-collection-of-animal-shark-silhouette-in-different-poses	CC BY 4.0
SFX	Heartbeat Drum	mikef7 (Freesound)	https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/people-heartbeat-drum-sound-83410/	Pixabay Content License
SFX	Ground Impact	Universfield	https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-ground-impact-352053/	Pixabay Content License
SFX	Bubbles	freesound_community	https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-bubbles-108320/	Pixabay Content License
SFX	Big Splash Sound	u_moo3yn7s9y	https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/nature-big-splash-sound-202450/	Pixabay Content License
Music	Ambient Video Game Music	Phat Phrog Studio	https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/audio/ambient/nature/ambient-video-game-music-underwater-worlds-220371#content	Standard Unity Asset Store EULA
Texture	Yughues Free Sand Materials	Nobiax / Yughues	https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/2d/textures-materials/nature/yughues-free-sand-materials-12964	Standard Unity Asset Store EULA