Sound and Music in Video Games

As with film, television, and other primarily visual media, sound and music are often the forgotten elements in video game design. That may be because sound affects humans more subtly than splashy visuals. In fact, often times the mark of superior sound design is that one does not consciously notice it. Instead, it goes to work on one’s subconscious—heightening tension, manipulating the mood and drawing the player into the game world. This essay is an exploration into video game sounds: how time and technological development has changed them, as well as what is involved when creating a video game soundtrack.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SOUND IN VIDEO GAMES

In 1972, Pong the first video game which includes sound comes onto the market. Six years later the game “space invaders” hits arcades with its menacing, paranoia-inducing soundtrack. It is an example of simple, effective sound design; the thumping audio track actually accelerates in tempo as the enemy invaders draw nearer– and move faster. The following year Asteroids– another arcade game– employs a similar sound technique to achieve the same results.

At the beginning of the 80's PacMan makes its debut. The game boasts many memorable sound and music elements; for exampl

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The sounds all need to work together to enhance game play, not aggressively compete with each other.

It is important to know whether processors will alter certain sounds during game play.

In the early stages of game development, the composer is often given storyboards to allow him a rough overview of what the game is supposed to look like. Sound often gets the last consideration; it is afforded the smallest budget as well as the smallest space—memory—as it is still mostly support for the graphics.

The setting in which the game will be played is also important, home games and arcade games have very different sound tracks.

Successful musical accompaniment often complements the visuals so perfectly that it goes unnoticed. It is impossible to please every player of the game; therefore often, it is a character in the game for whom he composes, and that is where his inspiration lies. In 1985 the Nintendo Entertainment System enters the market with, first, Tetris– whose infectious “Russian” soundtrack adds greatly to the puzzle game's enduring appeal. This information helps determine the sound quality as well as the parameters in which the sounds are created. In video games, it is certain areas or start points that are programmed to trigger certain sounds during game play—similar to the way images in silent movies triggered the piano player to begin playing. This is achieved by processing speech though an equalizer or the volume controls.

The average game piece is between a minute and a half and three minutes long, and has the capability of being looped, and so it plays continuously for as long as the player takes in a segment of a game—some game employ more complex techniques, such as the use of specific loop and breakout points.

SOUND DESIGN IN VIDEO GAMES

Game audio is a very powerful weapon. At home, in one’s living room, the call for attention is useless, the player has already bought the game; no more money can be made.

Approximate Word count = 1914
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

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