What is Foley?
Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects such as footsteps and breaking glass. They are often added to film, video and other media in order to enhance the audio experience. Without these noises media would feel unnatural and uncomfortable.
Three games/movies that use sound as information
Blade and Soul
This Korean-made open-world MMO game uses speech that can be recognised as Korean without the uses of images. The oriental music fits with the Japanese styled aesthetic and is iconic as the instruments that make it oriental are used in various other Japanese games of the same genre.
Lost
This american TV series uses foley in order to create moods and feelings that are invoked in the viewer/hearer. For example, in one episode they played gentle yet tense music during heavy rain just before one of the main characters was accidentally killed.
Dark Souls
This Japanese open-world game uses orchestral music to symbolise the visuals for the area of the game you are in. For example, the first threatening boss you meet in the game looks hideous, scary and brutal, and the music that plays during it - in my opinion - fits that description in every way. The game also uses foley for some of the sounds used in-game like the blacksmiths hitting the anvil and swords clashing against each other.
Wednesday 28 January 2015
Tuesday 27 January 2015
Sound for Computer Games
Dark Souls - Taurus Demon Theme
The game developer might have chose this tribal music to invoke feelings of fast-paced action and/or survival. It is played during random missions in the game when combat begins. I felt calm yet fearful whilst hearing this soundtrack. I think that this song fits what I felt nearly perfectly in relation to the race you play in-game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzWFWCH_lTE
The game developer might have chose this powerful and dark orchestral music to invoke feelings of fear and to scare the player. It is played during the first boss fight against a huge monstrous enemy on a narrow bridge. I felt fearful and tense when I heard this soundtrack at the encounter. I think that this song fits what I felt perfectly.
The game developer might have chose this powerful and dark orchestral music to invoke feelings of fear and to scare the player. It is played during the first boss fight against a huge monstrous enemy on a narrow bridge. I felt fearful and tense when I heard this soundtrack at the encounter. I think that this song fits what I felt perfectly.
Warframe - Main Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCfWB0IFaMg
The game developer might have chose this tribal music to invoke feelings of fast-paced action and/or survival. It is played during random missions in the game when combat begins. I felt calm yet fearful whilst hearing this soundtrack. I think that this song fits what I felt nearly perfectly in relation to the race you play in-game.
Metro 2033 - Main Menu Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO5vBMQ5jCw
The game developer might have chose this guitar music to invoke feelings of loneliness and sorrow. It is played on the menu before you start the game; probably to set the mood for the game which - for the most part - you are alone. I felt sad before the game and empathetic when the game started. I think that this song fits the scenario that the game is set in really well and got me in the best mood for the game.
Fractal - Level Soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AnJVKypUiI
The game developer might have chose this electronic music to uplift you during the game. The music uses some sounds found in-game. It is played during the game along with various other similar tracks. I felt uplifted and jubilant whilst hearing this soundtrack. I think that this song fits what I felt near perfectly in the context.
Blade and Soul - Login Menu Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfp8u7YurXo
The game developer might have chose this oriental music to uplift you and to symbolise a journey. The music is played at the login menu screen before you start the game. I felt uplifted, intrigued, primed and ready for a journey whilst hearing this soundtrack. The feeling of a journey could be because the game is set in a huge open world. I think that this song sits what I felt perfectly for the games context.
Why is music and sound FX so important within games development?
Music and SFX are important to game development as they invoke emotions that give the player the best experience required for the game. In game development, audio can be used for various reasons. For example, ambient music would be added for slow period in the game where the music aims to set the mood and setting. Music is also used for in-game events such as picking up items or hitting enemies.
What is waveform, (wavelength, amplitude, frequency); pitch; Hertz (Hz); decibel level (dB); sound generator (loudspeaker)?
A Waveform is the shape of a wave as it travels, the most common being the curved "Sine Wave". They are not visible without a special device. A wavelength is the length of the shortest repeating part of a "sine wave". The amplitude of a wave is a measure of how big its vibration is. Frequency is how often an event, such as a wave vibration, repeats itself over a set amount of time. The pitch means how high or low a note is. The hertz (Hz) is a unit of time that measure frequency. It shows how often something happens. A decibel (dB) measures ratios of power or intensity. In other words, it measures the volume of a sound. A sound generator like a speaker converts radio waves like the "Sine Wave" into sounds which are played at higher decibels.
What is Foley?
Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects such as footsteps and breaking glass. They are often added to film, video and other media in order to enhance the audio experience. Without these noises media would feel unnatural and uncomfortable.
What is Timbre?
Timbre is the quality of sound. It is what makes two musical instruments sound different from each other, even when each instrument plays the same musical note.
The game developer might have chose this guitar music to invoke feelings of loneliness and sorrow. It is played on the menu before you start the game; probably to set the mood for the game which - for the most part - you are alone. I felt sad before the game and empathetic when the game started. I think that this song fits the scenario that the game is set in really well and got me in the best mood for the game.
Fractal - Level Soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AnJVKypUiI
The game developer might have chose this electronic music to uplift you during the game. The music uses some sounds found in-game. It is played during the game along with various other similar tracks. I felt uplifted and jubilant whilst hearing this soundtrack. I think that this song fits what I felt near perfectly in the context.
Blade and Soul - Login Menu Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfp8u7YurXo
The game developer might have chose this oriental music to uplift you and to symbolise a journey. The music is played at the login menu screen before you start the game. I felt uplifted, intrigued, primed and ready for a journey whilst hearing this soundtrack. The feeling of a journey could be because the game is set in a huge open world. I think that this song sits what I felt perfectly for the games context.
Why is music and sound FX so important within games development?
Music and SFX are important to game development as they invoke emotions that give the player the best experience required for the game. In game development, audio can be used for various reasons. For example, ambient music would be added for slow period in the game where the music aims to set the mood and setting. Music is also used for in-game events such as picking up items or hitting enemies.
What is waveform, (wavelength, amplitude, frequency); pitch; Hertz (Hz); decibel level (dB); sound generator (loudspeaker)?
A Waveform is the shape of a wave as it travels, the most common being the curved "Sine Wave". They are not visible without a special device. A wavelength is the length of the shortest repeating part of a "sine wave". The amplitude of a wave is a measure of how big its vibration is. Frequency is how often an event, such as a wave vibration, repeats itself over a set amount of time. The pitch means how high or low a note is. The hertz (Hz) is a unit of time that measure frequency. It shows how often something happens. A decibel (dB) measures ratios of power or intensity. In other words, it measures the volume of a sound. A sound generator like a speaker converts radio waves like the "Sine Wave" into sounds which are played at higher decibels.
What is Foley?
Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects such as footsteps and breaking glass. They are often added to film, video and other media in order to enhance the audio experience. Without these noises media would feel unnatural and uncomfortable.
What is Timbre?
Timbre is the quality of sound. It is what makes two musical instruments sound different from each other, even when each instrument plays the same musical note.
Top 10 Games
- Bulletstorm - This game has a story in which the main protagonist seeks revenge for being forced to kill good people and so, crashes his ship into a planet full of mutants in a failed attempt to kill him.
- Dark Souls 1 - This game has a simple story in which the main protagonist must prevent the age of darkness by sacrificing their soul to the first flame in existence.
- Blade and Soul - This game has a story in which the main protagonist seeks revenge on the people that murdered everyone they know.
- Warframe - This game has a story in which the main protagonists, ancient warriors known as the "Tenno", have awoken from cryosleep during a planetary war and must fight back.
- Binding of Isaac: Rebirth - This game has a story in which the main protagonist Isaac escapes from his overly-christian mother who is asked by god to kill him.
- Magicka: Wizard Wars - This game has no story and simply involves wizards fighting each other.
- Smite - This game has no story and simply involves gods from all pantheons battling.
- Gauntlet: Legends - This game has a story in which a mage called Garm summoned the demon Skorne who then imprisoned his soul in the underworld and so, the main protagonist must fight through a tough gauntlet to save him.
- One Finger Death Punch - This game has no story and simply involves fighting endless amounts of enemies in fast-paced strategic combat.
- Metro 2033 - This game has a story in which the main protagonist Artyom must make his way across a post-apocalyptic Moscow to destroy the base to an alien race called the "Dark Ones".
Nearly every game in existence has some kind of story, whether it's very simple or incredibly complex, it's there. Though there are some games that have no story whatsoever. Here are a few examples:
Tetris (Puzzle)
Worms Series (Action-Strategy)
Wii Sports and Wii Play (Sports/Party)
Monster Hunter (Action-RPG)
Zynga Poker (Card/Poker)When creating a game the developer will look for a balance between story and gameplay. If a game has very fun and addictive gameplay then a story might not be required. But a game that has hardly any fun gameplay elements might need a good story to save it from failing. The most common genre to have no story are puzzle games as their core is gameplay and a story isn't important. These kinds of games are commonly played by middle-aged women during breaks at work or at many different times at home, though people of other ages have been known to play them too. The main reason that people play puzzle games is for the competitive elements. Friends who play the same game will feel obligated to get to a higher level than the other and thus have the potential to play the game for several hours per day.
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