Appendix - Game Sound Technology and Player Interaction: Concepts and Developments - page 420

to design the game with such design decisions
already present, in counterpoint to have the game
already defined and trying to find the best way to
it or to wrap it with meaningful sound.

promote collective experiences. This is, of course,
just a feeling but I guess if I would have a game
where I was supposed to do a lot of yelling, I
would certainly guarantee a good laugh if I could
use the help of some friends or family (I mean,
in loco, not online).

Alves: is realism needed and what are the effects of
it on game players? … If we do want realism, then
the technology has to get better. (Cunningham)

It seems to me that a game interface that allows a
more expressive activation is also more prominent
to sharable experiences.

Realism is certainly interesting. Still, I tend to
feel that the actual issue is the adequacy of sound
to the “reality” of the gameworld (which can be
very disparate from that of the real world). That
is, the realism relative to the gameworld.

In turn, if there is some truth in this foresight,
we are also talking about new opportunities in
terms of game design. We may be willing to ad-
dress more attentively the design of games that
are meant to provide collective experiences.

One important aspect of this inner realism, I
believe, is coherence. Coherence with visuals,
with physics, and among sounds. I mean, the
whole setting should be believable (or at least it
should not ruin the player's will to believe in the
gameworld).

Cunningham: A quick thought in regard to the
last post by Alves, discussing the use of sound
as a game input and the role playing of the game
player. I've often thought it might be interesting
to conduct a study of the type of speech and non-
speech sounds made by games players during play.
I've often found myself muttering, cursing, elating,
and so on in response to the stresses, failures, and
victories in the game scenario. If the game could
respond to such utterances this could lead to an
even more dynamic and interactive experience.

Alves: In addition to the contribution of sound
to the enrichment of the gameworld, I'm also
hoping that sound will contribute to make the
act of playing a more enjoyable experience, per
se. I mean that the use of sound, particularly as
input, can change the way a player interacts with
the game interface with possible improvements
in the overall experience. Droumeva: perhaps in 20 years, sound will be

considered less important, characterised as an
interference with game play. In the real world,
sound within urban spaces is constantly being
categorised as noise. If we continue on the path
of highlighting post modern soundscapes as noisy
environments we justify silent virtual spaces,
places to escape to sound of the real. (O Keeffe)

I'm expecting that sound will become increasingly
bidirectional. And that means that someday we
will be sending all sorts of sound into the game.
In turn, that seems to call for a much more active
interpretation of the role of playing -- no more sit-
ting still and mute, just clicking or pressing keys.
That is, the actual behavior of the person who is
playing, while playing, may change. This made me think of a captivating user video I

once saw on YouTube from a “walkthrough” of
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City . The player was
moving his avatar and narrating his actions, and

I also believe that roaring or making some kind
of bizarre noise towards the game will tend to