Sound

Sound Design in Games

• Audio Types

• Diagetic

  • Within game context

    Footsteps, wind, weapons Provides feedback without visuals

  • Gives information about:

    What happened How much happened Who did it Where it happened (3D spatial audio)

  • Creates texture

    Like visual color schemes Unified/coherent elements

• Non-diagetic

  • Outside game world

    Background music/soundtrack UI sound effects

  • Sets tone/emotion

• Audio Design Elements

• Contrast-based differences

  • Audio beats = changes in quality

• Feedback mechanisms

  • Foreshadowing: drips, creaks
  • Completion sounds
  • Transition markers

• Examples:

  • Outlast: Horror cues
  • Portal 2: Leitmotifs

    Character/object themes Overlapping for narrative

• Level Designer Role

• Work with audio designer’s library
• Use sounds effectively
• Don’t create sounds themselves

Sound serves as critical feedback system and emotional driver, potentially comprising over 50% of game experience. Level designers must effectively utilize audio libraries to enhance gameplay through both in-world and external sound elements.