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some players were concerned by the untimed
sounds. However, this concern in finding the
nature of the untimed sound effect seems to be
more about not knowing the source of the sound
effect rather than the timing. Likewise, the quanti-
tative results did not show a significant difference
between sourced and acousmatic sound effects
in evoking anxiety. Nevertheless, the qualitative
results indicate that when some players heard an
acousmatic sound, they stopped and looked around
in an attempt to find the source. Being unable to
find the source caused some players to become
concerned that something dangerous would oc-
cur later in the game, which could mean that the
players were in a state of suspense. And, as noted
previously, players may have considered suspense
to be more of a fear emotion than anxiety, which
would have resulted in less reporting of anxiety.
The overall implication to game designers is that
playing a threatening or eerie sound effect without
a visual source may be better at causing suspense
in players than accompanying a sound with a visual
threat. Furthermore, untimed sound effects can
also promote suspense if the player perceives it
as independent from the visual source, at which
point the player would appraise the sound effect
as acousmatic.
The results of this study strongly suggest that
the best sound design for causing fear are high
volume sound effects that are well-timed with the
accompanying visual element. This may seem
obvious but this study has provided statistical va-
lidity for using this technique and these results can
be used as basis for further research. For anxiety,
results strongly suggest that the best sound design
is medium volume sound effects. Furthermore,
qualitative data suggest that suspense was evoked
by untimed and acousmatic sound effects. And,
although results suggested that medium sound
effects were able to promote anxiety, players may
have been in a state of suspense at this time, as
well. Low, acousmatic sound effects appear to
not be effective at evoking fear and anxiety, and
possibly any emotion, due to their tendency to
become masked by other sounds. Perhaps low
volume sound effects may be best used for en-
hancing immersion or mood.
An interesting interpretation of the current
study's evidence is that anxiety, as a separate
gameplay emotion, is difficult to evoke on its own.
Rather, the combination of fear and anxiety, that
is, suspense, is easier to promote, and probably
more desirable. Players play survival horror games
to experience fear and suspense (Perron, 2005b).
Anxiety is too diffuse and vague to be compel-
ling for players to experience in survival horror
games. Players of these games would rather have
a more direct and powerful emotional response
to perceived events and gameplay.
This chapter provided quantitative and qualita-
tive evidence that game designers can manipulate
the sound properties of volume, timing, and source
to evoke fear, suspense, and anxiety in players.
The literature and field review, methodology, and
results of this study can serve as a foundation for
future research.
cONcLUsION
The aim of the current chapter was to provide a
theoretical foundation for the study of evoking
emotions using sound design and determine how
to cause fear and anxiety through sound design in
computer games. The literature and field review
that focused on human emotion theory and sur-
vival horror games provided an understanding of
basic sound design principles of volume, timing,
and source in relation to the emotions of fear and
anxiety. This study used qualitative and quantita-
tive methods to determine the best use of volume,
timing, and source of diegetic sound effects to
cause fear and anxiety in players.
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