Sound for Fantasy and Freedom - Game Sound Technology and Player Interaction: Concepts and Developments - page 22

Chapter 2
Sound for Fantasy and Freedom

Mats Liljedahl
Interactive Institute, Sonic Studio, Sweden

AbstrAct

Sound is an integral part of our everyday lives. Sound tells us about physical events in the environ-
ment, and we use our voices to share ideas and emotions through sound. When navigating the world
on a day-to-day basis, most of us use a balanced mix of stimuli from our eyes, ears and other senses to
get along. We do this totally naturally and without effort. In the design of computer game experiences,
traditionally, most attention has been given to vision rather than the balanced mix of stimuli from our
eyes, ears and other senses most of us use to navigate the world on a day to day basis. The risk is that
this emphasis neglects types of interaction with the game needed to create an immersive experience. This
chapter summarizes the relationship between sound properties, GameFlow and immersive experience
and discusses two projects in which Interactive Institute, Sonic Studio has balanced perceptual stimuli
and game mechanics to inspire and create new game concepts that liberate users and their imagination.

INtrODUctION

put to play. In our work we use perspectives and
methods from art, science, and technology and
we utilize digital technology as a vehicle for our
ideas and experiments.
In a series of projects we have explored in-
tuitive, emotional, imaginative, and liberating
properties of sound. These projects have resulted
in new insights and knowledge as well as in new
and innovative applications for sound, audio, and
technology. In this chapter I will describe our per-
spective on a number of sound properties and how

At the Interactive Institute, Sonic Studio in Piteå,
Sweden, we do research on sound and auditory
perception in order to find new ways to use sound,
new contexts where sound can be utilized, and
new applications for sound in general. Of special
interest to us is how sound resembles and differs
from other sensory stimuli and how this can be