Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Positional audio plays during gameplay only when players move over or near
where a marker is placed to activate the sound. For example, should your char-
acter see a waterfall in the distance, you might hear the sound of the rushing
water as if it were far away. As you move your character closer to the waterfall,
the sound will get louder, helping to add to the illusion of realism.
In addition to creating an immersive environment, audio can add to game-
play. Music and sounds may draw players toward another area in the game.
Heightened audio coming from another region may prompt them to explore.
Music can change tempo to create more anticipation during gameplay and
raise the player's adrenaline level a bit. It can also slow down significantly to
indicate the player is in a safe area.
The music that the composer creates for a project can also be used in market-
ing campaigns. The use of these original, signature scores is one of the ways the
distributor helps to build audience recognition.
A
marker
is a code
used to program
where in the envi-
ronment a sound
will play.
Music and sounds
also give cues that
enhance gameplay.
Signature sounds
from games are also
used in marketing.
Breaking Down music Types
The following is a typical list of how music might be broken down for various
parts of gameplay. All music in games is triggered by precise cues programmed
for the engine to read and act on:
scripted music
This is the most basic, overriding music in the game. It runs
during gameplay and then quits until another command is given.
incidental music
These tend to be short spurts of music, about 5-15 seconds
each, that run randomly in the background to help fill gaps of time if the player
is moving in a remote area of the game.
Location music
As the name indicates, these pieces of music are tied to spe-
cific locations in a game. As the player enters a city, that city may have a piece
of signature music that plays. As noted previously, if the player is approaching a
specific area, the location music may trigger to let the player know something
important is up ahead and draw them toward that place. Location music can
also be cued to notify players if a location is hostile.
Audio and music that
change according to
what is happening
during gameplay are
referred to as
adap-
tive audio
.
Battle music
When players enter into battle during gameplay, the audio tends
to consist of three unique segments: an intro, a loop that can play for as long as
the battle runs, and an outro sequence when fighting stops.
Just as specific locations may have their own sound signatures, characters
sometimes have their own music as well.
