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Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, you will be able to: -
• Identify the different contexts in which sound is used by games.
• Explain how sound can be used to communicate information and emotion.
• Articulate the use of sound design theories as they relate to games.
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Question:Where would you expect to find sound in games?
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Sound Elements
• Gameplay and mechanics
• Cutscenes and cinematics
• Menus and interfaces
• Title screens and credits
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Music Sound Effects Voice
Sound Examples
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Music Sound Effects Voice
Battle
Ambient
Radio Stations
Puzzle Solving
Environment
Character
Weapons
Navigation
Dialogue
Tutorial
Narration
Incidental
Sound Examples
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Communication
• We have already established that the subjective quality of sound can be used to communicate with an audience.
• It can be used to illicit an emotional response in concert with other narrative elements.
• It can also be used to convey different types of information or messages to the player.
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Interface Sounds
• A common use of informative audio is in user interfaces.
• The system needs to quickly communicate the results or status of user activity, often without the aid of visuals.
• The characteristics of the sound reflect the message that it is trying to communicate.
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Sound Generation
• Using BFXR, create a set of informative sounds which represent the following system messages: -
• Log In, Log Out, Attention, Correct, Incorrect
• Export the complete sounds and challenge someone to identify the intended message of each one.
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Context
• Our association with certain types of sounds can also add context to ideas, settings and narratives.
• For example, these kinds of sounds immediately communicate high-tech, futuristic or science fiction themes.
• They can also communicate ideas about brands; the startup sounds for the GameCube and PlayStation 3 tell you something about Nintendo and Sony respectively.
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Music & Emotion
• Music is a powerful tool in evoking emotion from an audience.
• Listen to the three following themes; what do they tell you about the games they are from?
• Can you guess what kind of gameplay or narrative genre they possess? How do they make you feel? Why?
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Game Gameplay Themes
FableExploration
Magic & SwordplayRoleplaying
FantasyAdventure
Good vs. Evil
Sim CityConstructionEconomicsSimulation
RealityProgress
Commerce
Gears of WarPoint-to-Point BattleHeavy LocomotionCover & Gunplay
Science FictionMilitaryLoss
Music Examples
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Element Definition Emotion
Tempo The speed or pace Fast Tempo: Happiness, excitement or anger Slow Tempo: Sadness, serenity
Mode The type of scale Major Scale: Happiness, joy Minor Scale: Sadness
Loudness The amplitude or volume High Volume: Intensity, power, angerLow Volume: Relaxation, timidness
Melody The linear sequence of notes Complementing Harmonies: Relaxation, serenityClashing Harmonies: Excitement, unpleasantness
Rhythm The pattern or beatConsistent Rhythm: Happiness, peace
Irregular Rhythm: Amusement, uneasinessVaried Rhythm: Joy
Music Elements
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Audio Signatures
• Narrative can be enhanced through signature audio; recurring sounds or musical themes which represent specific characters.
• The theme from Jaws and the Imperial March from Star Wars represent two well-known examples from film.
• They amplify and highlight character presence, communicating personality and intent.
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Law & Order
• Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama.
• A sound known as ‘The Clang’ is played between scenes when the plot advances, giving the audience a sense of immediacy.
• It is composed of over a dozen different sounds, many of which are associated with them themes of the show including a judge’s gavel and a jail door closing.
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Leitmotif
• Occasionally, variations on a theme will be used to represent a character, place or idea throughout a narrative.
• This is known as a leitmotif; it uses a recurrent musical phrase or melody, but alters characteristics such as mode or tempo as required by the story.
• LA Noire has an established theme which is then used to create a leitmotif associated with Cole Phelps’ character arc.
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Sound Diegesis
• Sound used in games, film and television can be classified as being either diegetic or non-diegetic.
• This relates to the way sound is used within the narrative; diegesis translates to ‘narrator’ in Greek.
• Most games have combination of both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds.
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Diegetic Sound
• Sound which is implied to exist within the game environment is diegetic.
• This encompasses actions such as gun shots, character voices or music from an evident source.
• Another way of thinking about diegetic sound is as actual sound; it must come from something happening on or off screen.
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Non-Diegetic Sound
• Sound which exists outside of the game environment is non-diegetic.
• This includes suspenseful or dramatic music, a narrator’s commentary or sound cues without an evident source.
• Another way of thinking about non-diegetic sound is as commentary sound; it is used to enhance the audience experience.
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Sound Diegesis
• Some games blur the line between diegetic and non-diegetic sound to create interesting and unpredictable narratives.
• In both The Stanley Parable and Bastion, the narrators describe what is happening but also react to player actions and influence the story.
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Interactive Audio
• Film and television use linear audio; sound which has been specifically edited and synchronised so that the audience experiences it in exactly the same way every time it is heard.
• Many modern games make use of adaptive or interactive audio; sound which is reactive to player actions or other emergent elements.
• Software such as FMOD allows the characteristics of sound or music to be altered in real-time.
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Adaptive Environments
• An audio designer can define the acoustic characteristics of an environment, as well as decide where different sounds will emit from.
• These characteristics will match the visuals; as the player moves toward or away from an object, its emitted sound will increase or decrease in volume. Similarly, a gunshot will generate more reverb in an enclosed space and less in an open space.
• BioShock Infinite - The First Five Minutes
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Adaptive Music
• Musical elements can also be made reactive to player-driven events.
• Many games feature soundtracks which are partially non-linear in terms of structure, instrumentation or other characteristics.
• Shorter cues can also be used to accompany game mechanics; Gears of War features a prominent ‘gong’ phrase to signify the end of a battle.
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Question:What are the advantages of interactive audio?
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Advantages
• Increases the credibility and immersive qualities of game environments.
• Enhances the narrative and action by sharing greater parity with on-screen events.
• Potentially saves time and money by allowing samples to be reused; i.e. changing the pitch of a care engine.
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Expectations
• The pairing of audio and visuals has great affect on the message or emotion that is conveyed to an audience.
• Music can either satisfy or defy our expectations, which are defined by generally accepted conventions.
• The choice of music in relation to visuals defines whether it is parallel or contrapuntal in nature.
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Parallel Music
• Parallel Music is what we would expect to hear when viewing or playing a specific sequence.
• It underlines the emotion or mood evident in a scene.
• Call of Duty Advanced Warfare - Trailer
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Trailer
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Contrapuntal Music
• Contrapuntal Music purposefully opposes on-screen action to create a sense of juxtaposition or irony.
• Its use can completely change the mood or message of a scene. Silence can also be used to a similar effect.
• Dead Island - Announcement Trailer
• Fallout 3 - Teaser Trailer
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Question:What effect does parallel or contrapuntal music have upon the previous examples?
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Further Viewing
• The Sound Design of Battlefield 3
• The Sound Design of Borderlands 2
• The Music of Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
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