SOUND

The importance of Sound in games, existing soundtracks & research.

As a member of the team and with previous experience in this sector, Sound Design has been assigned my responsibility for Anima Mundi.

I will begin my research into the Importance of Sound in games and will also look into existing soundtracks in similar games to inspire the creation of my own. My documentation for my weekly process can be found in my Sound Design section via the Main Menu.

"THE EVOLUTION OF AUDIO IN VIDEO GAMES" - Daniel Scarratt

RESEARCH LINK: https://www.acmi.net.au/stories-and-ideas/evolution-audio-videogames/

NOTES:

• Sound Design and music play an important role in the overall experience of games.

• Game audio helps create tension, add emotion and build immersion in the game world. Sound effects can be used to do this and soundtracks can be composed specifically for a level or gameworld in order to convey a particular mood.

• Sound has been recently employed to enhance the experience for players. Sound also plays a part in immersion and engaging users.

• Audio is used to differentiate actions - this alerts players and makes them aware of this. This adds to realism in the environment.

• "Chance to record real-world audio and create libraries of sounds to be used in their game"

• Fascinating blog to read - http://neveralonegame.com/sound-music-came-together/

• "Sound plays a huge part in shaping our experiences"

"THE POWER OF VIDEO GAME AUDIO IN TELLING VISUAL STORIES"

RESEARCH LINK: https://www.gamedesigning.org/learn/video-game-sound/

NOTES:

• "Game sound design is the art of creating and adding audio elements to a video game"

• Sound effects give the game a 'sense of realism and uniqueness'.

• Audio effects/sound make the game more attractive.

• The role of a sound designer is someone who "generates and manipulates audio elements for the game".

• Sound is what creates a captivating experience

• Sound effects "make virtual characters, stories and worlds come alive"

• "Music is a powerful tool when it comes to evoking emotion from players".

"THE IMPORTANCE OF SOUND DESIGN IN VIDEO GAMING"

RESEARCH LINK: https://geargods.net/editorials/the-importance-of-sound-design-in-video-gaming/

NOTES:

• "Playing a game with poor sound reduces the enjoyment dramatically"

• Even basic sound effects can add excitement or tension to the game and contribute to immersion.

• Sound effects can be used to alert players - when it's their turn to play, that they've won or lost etc.

• Music can be carefully designed to match the style/mood and atmosphere of the game.

• Music can change across levels - "making each level an independent experience with its own atmosphere"

• Music should be specially composed for that environment.

• Sound is just as important as visuals.

• Providing good visuals and sound is delivering users with the whole package.

REFLECTION:

Reading these articles has made me more aware of the importance of sound in games. I am a huge fan of music in general and hearing a good soundtrack in a game is a plus. I completely agree with sound being just as important as visuals in games as they have a massive impact on immersion in games and will make the overall experience a million times better.

So what is the importance of sound in games? Sound is used to provide players with a captivating gameplay experience and contribute to immersion. Music can be designed to suit a particular atmosphere or mood which is what is so great about it. A few music notes can change the whole experience for a player. Soundtracks can be composed specifically for an environment taking into consideration the mood it's trying to convey, and the effects of this shape the experience for the player, in terms of how it makes them feel while they play and how it changes the way the play.

HOW WILL I USE THIS? WHAT HAVE I LEARNED FROM THIS?

As the sound designer for Anima Mundi I will take into consideration every aspect of our game. The environment, the atmosphere, the gameplay and the objective. I will compose a unique piece of music specifically made for the air region in which the vertical slice takes place in and will source the relevant sound effects according to this. The sound effects will focus on what's most important in the vertical slice, this being the spirit guardians (animals), the nature and the puzzle interactions. Furthermore, it would be ideal to source effects for these game elements. Additionally, the soundtrack will suit the atmosphere of the environment and will convey a similar mood to this. According to Josh's GDD it would be ideal to take advantage of 'Piano and Soft synthesisers' to achieve his desired atmosphere and focus on using these instruments to convey a particular mood.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOUND IN ANIMA MUNDI

We intend to provide players with an experience that puts them at ease, through the use of appealing visuals and sound! Both the visuals and sound will be designed to captivate and engage players as this is one of our most important aims. As well as providing users with a casual gameplay experience we'd like the appearance of Anima Mundi to appeal just as much, and for players to recognise our insane attention to detail and effort put into the little things.

EXISTING SOUNDTRACKS IN GAMES

Looking into existing soundtracks in games similar to Anima Mundi will undeniably inspire my composition of our own. I can begin by listening to soundtracks from games with a similar atmosphere/environment and analyse the kind of music behind them. I'll use this research to influence the creation of our own soundtrack and focus on doing this to the best of my ability.

WENJIA - "Wenjia is a 2D platform game with puzzle-solving elements. Players can freely travel between two realms (the material world and the energy world), each of them with different challenges and obstacles" - Steam.

I have written about Wenjia before because in terms of gameplay, mood and design, it is very similar to Anima Mundi. Something that I picked up on while playing Wenjia and watching a series of game walkthroughs was the soundtrack. The soundtrack behind the game is beautiful, and definitely worth listening to if you ever feel like you need to escape.

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/stallod_orch/moonlight-theme-wenjia-ost-2018

THE COMPOSITION:

HOW DOES IT MAKE ME FEEL? (Written while listening)

• Sleepy, relaxed and calm

• As if I am at Disneyland

• A little sad

• Magical

• At ease, birds chirping and nature sounds are relaxing, similar to meditation

The composition for Wenjia is almost like something out of Disney. It represents the mood of the environment extremely well and the additional nature sounds really bring it all together. The soundtrack is light and airy, with layers of strings, piano and synthesisers to create a dreamy effect. The composer also uses delicate chimes to represent the magic within the environment which would be great to include in Anima Mundis soundtrack. There is something about it that when listening it almost puts you in a trance. The effect of this soundtrack made me feel a little sleepy and didn't convey the best mood! For Anima Mundi it's important to take into account the objective of self-discovery and enlightenment, which should make players feel uplifted and happy while they play. (Focus on portraying a happy mood through sound)

LEGENDS OF ETHERNAL - "a 2D single-player action adventure game where you need to explore beautiful hand-crafted environments, solve clever puzzles and battle tough creatures to uncover the truth about your parents' disappearance" - Steam.

Legends of Ethernal is similar to Anima Mundi in terms of "beautifully-handcrafted environments" and having to solve puzzles and avoid obstacles to progress. I will listen to the soundtrack to inspire my own composition as our gameplay is fairly similar and take notes to convey how I am feeling while doing so.

"A Quiet Lies Ahead"

HOW DOES IT MAKE ME FEEL?

• Powerful, the rhythm makes me feel as though I am in control.

• It's a little bit mysterious

• Gives me a sense of curiosity

• Perfect for an adventure themed game

• Calming/relaxing yet there's a feeling of suspense.

EVERGATE - "a haunting 2D puzzle-platformer set in a stunning hand-drawn vision of the Afterlife with an original score recorded by a live orchestra. Navigate 85 challenging stages and unleash the extraordinary powers of the genre-defining 'Soulflame' to help a lost soul reincarnate on earth!" - Steam.

The atmosphere of Evergate is quite eerie yet magical. The soundtrack consists of several different compositions however all of which have a ghostly sense to them and represent the 'supernatural' by using high pitch sounds and 'airy' effects.

Evergate - Full Original Soundtrack

"Afterlife Lullaby" and "A Tale of Two Souls".

HOW DOES IT MAKE ME FEEL? KEYWORD BRAINSTORM

• Relaxed yet on edge

• Calm

• Spooked

• Constantly waiting for something to happen

• Curious

• Light

• Restful

• Pleasant to listen to

• Tranquil/peaceful

• Soothing

The composition "Afterlife lullaby" for Evergate, similar to Wenjia uses delicate chimes and soft notes to create a ghostly and mysterious feel. It's slow and mellow but players are still kept on edge throughout the game. This creates a sense of suspense and fuels my curiosity. In "A tale of two souls" the composer layers violins and other orchestral instruments to create an overwhelming effect with a gradual increase in sound. (Crescendo) This composition depicts the mood of the game extremely well and contributes to feeling of immersion throughout. The soundtrack to Evergate truly is incredibly captivating.

ANIMA MUNDI

For Anima Mundi, I plan to design and compose a soundtrack that depicts the mood of the air region and overall makes the player feel at ease while completing puzzles, enabling them to just sit back and relax during gameplay.

REQUIREMENTS:

The purpose of Anima Mundi is to take the 'Shaman' (essentially the player too) on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. In order to do so, the Shaman must complete a variety of environmental puzzles to light up the region and restore beauty. Overall the mood of the game should be uplifting and joyful yet slightly challenging at times. Anima Mundi focuses on providing players with the chance to explore a beautiful Japanese-themed environment with fascinating visuals and audio effects. The soundtrack must represent this and in order to do so I must outline my main requirements:

• Depict a happy and uplifting mood

• Convey the games atmosphere

• Convey emotion - happy, carefree, peace, tranquility

• To ease players - calming, relaxing, pleasant, untroubled

• Subtle - not too overwhelming

• Use of soft notes

• Piano/soft-synthesisers

• Depict a sense of nature in the environment

NEXT STEPS

I will begin by using my research and understanding of the mood of our game to generate a playlist of songs/soundtracks similar to the requirements for Anima Mundi. I will use this as inspiration to fuel my creativity and eventually compose the soundtrack for our vertical slice.

My work and weekly documentation for sound design can be found in my Sound Design section via the Main Menu.