Sonic Design - Project 4

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Sonic Design
22.4.2023 - 10.5.2023
Johnny Lam Wee Zhe (0363436)
Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

 INSTRUCTIONS

 

PROJECT 4 - GAME AUDIO PROJECT

Planning

For the last project of the semester, we are tasked with creating our own audio to be inserted in a selection of soundless gameplay. The audio must be recorded by students and should not be obtained from others sources in the web. For this project, I have decide to pick the Child of Light gameplay as this is one of the gameplay that the lecturer has not shown us as an example and do not want to have the samples affect my work.

The first action to do is to write down a list of sounds I need for this project by observing the elements shown in the video, as well as what other possible sounds that can be served as the ambient sound. From there, I list down my own sounds into a separate categories into actions, proximity, ambient and interface.

 
 Fig 1. Sound Element List
 

Recording

The next stage of the project is to record the sound itself. In this stage, we encourage to do experiments to see what the sounds could make. This can be made especially challenging since I have not play nor watch any gameplay of the chosen game. With a few selection of tools at my disposal. Some of the sounds are recorded in the studio while the others are recorded at home. For this blog, I'll be showing the 5 sounds and how I created them.
 
The first I want to show is the footstep. For this sound, I used rice in a container and my finger to 'pinch' the rice and the sound for the foot step was made.

Fig 2. 'Pinching' the rice to make footsteps

The second sound that I have made is the general 'magical' sound that I used for either the glowing flower and the tiny blue ghost in the video as that is how interpret it and the sound. I create the sound by using a technique call a glass harp where glass are used to create music. I use the sound generated from that instrument as part of my project.

Fig 3. Playing a glass harp


The third sound is the sound for the insect. For this, I use the last minute decision to use the plastic container. I achieve this by scratching the plastic along the imprints of the container to made the sound which essentially makes the 'clicking' sound.

Fig 4. Scratching a plastic container

The fourth sound I want to show is the rustling leave. This one is rather simple. I used a plastic bag and to wave it across which cause the general rustling sound. Like this:

Fig 5. Waving the plastic

 
The fifth sound I would like to show is the sound when the flower 'essence' turn into multiple orbs. I created the sound by hitting an open bottle with the palm of my hand which causes the 'bubble' or suction sort of sound.
 
Fig 6. Hitting the opening of the bottle with my palm

Here are some honorable mentions on how some other the sounds are made:
Level Up UI pop up - Waving Paper Bag
Health Increase/ Victory Ring/ Score Appearance Sting - Tapping the glass with my nail
Light On - Hitting a hanged wooden utensil
Waterfall - Combination of a shower on full blast and gushing water from a hose
Plant Collection - Ripping paper
Sword/'Attack' Selection - Dragging a metal screwdriver across a metal ruler
Jump - Fist smash rice
 

Editing

The next stage of the project is to edit the sound I've made into something more fitting to the situation I have planned in the earlier stage or to improve the quality of the sound. Just like the previous section, I'll be showcasing how I edit each five of the sounds I have shown previously. 
 
The first of which is the footstep itself. This sound has the least amount of editing as I personally find it suitable for the final project. I simply add a denoise effect to the recording and leave it as it is. Majority of the editing for this particular edit will be done during the compilation phase of the project.

Fig 7.1 Applying Denoise effect to the footstep recording

The next sound I would like to show is the magical sound for the flower presence. For this one though, I not only use Adobe Audition but I also use Audacity as it has some of the feature that I needed which would not be available in Audition. I decide to put my audio into Audacity and cut out some of the gaps in-between the sounds and overlap them to ensure continuous sound.

Fig 7.2 Cutting up the gap between sound waves
 
I then apply reverb effect as well as high pitch onto the sound. From there, I export the sound move it to audacity well I also adjust the pitch and apply a bit of paulstretch (extending the sound wave) in to the sound.
 
The third sound is the insect noise. For this one, I have cut a few part of the recording where I can hear my own breathing and some other external sounds and then, copy and paste the sound together for a longer sound. I then apply the a lower pitch for the sound and amplify the sound to make it more audible. It is also at this stage when I discover another effect called 'multiband compressor' while doing an experiment. I found this effect to be rather useful as this could help block out certain parts of the recording while allowing the rest of the sound to be played or adjust how much each part of the sound can be heard.

Fig 7.3 Applying multiband compressor to the insect noise

For the fourth sound which is the rustling leaves, I simply apply the the denoise effect to the sound as well as lowering the pitch a little bit to make it more subtle, suitable for a background noise.

Fig 7.4 Applying denoise to the rustling leaves recording

Then finally, for the 'essence turning into ball' sound. I add in the denoise as this is one of the recording I did from my home. I also apply the 'multiband compressor' to the recording in an attempt to remove the metal sounding noise.

Fig 7.5 Apply multiband compressor to the 'essence turning into ball' recording

Compiling

The final stage of the project is to add all the edited sound into the silent video and to ensure that the sound is in sync with action shown in each scene. Some particularly difficult edit to move is the footsteps which needs to be cut into several parts an be in sync with the character's movement as well as the essence turning to ball which also uses the same technique.
 
Fig 7.6 Compile edited sounds and video game playthrough
 

Final Result

Fig 8. Final Result

REFLECTION

I personally have found this project to be rather fun, considering how much I get to experiment on what sound I should get. With so much tool at my disposal and yet, leaves me without a clue om how to get a particular noise. The sound of magic in particular can also be difficult since a 'magical' sound is rather subjective and maybe hard to imitate the ones I had in my head. I am rather proud of the some of the sounds I have made and it is especially great when I get to learn to play a glass harp. It can be rather exciting to learn some new skills that may sometime even be unrelated to the module itself.
 

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