Sound is Not a Simulation - Game Sound Technology and Player Interaction: Concepts and Developments - page 56

consideration of what defines reality and experi-
ence must also be explored. As mentioned earlier
in the text the simulated soundscape of war games
are not based on the real soundscape of a war
zone, but on a sound designer's definition of war
sounds. What definition of reality are we measur-
ing this soundscape of virtual worlds against, and
how real do we want our virtual environments
to be? Most of the environments we experience
within games are spaces which we may never
experience in reality. Our experience of certain
soundscapes may be understood in relation to
other media representations: television, Internet
and cinema. The digital game soundscape then
becomes a construct of definitions rather than a
simulated reality.
If we are trying to simulate a sense of reality in
gaming we must consider how real we wish to go.
Grimshaw (2007) argues that it is only through the
audification of gaming that we actually simulate
the idea of immersion. This implies that sound in
itself provides a sense of reality whether or not
the sound is based on reality. So what is it about
the physical aspects of sound that create a sense
of being elsewhere? It is not enough to suggest
that because sound is physical it creates a sense
of immersion. Sound must be understood beyond
the physical, a language must be developed as a
result of empirical research which explores the
sociological phenomena of sound.
Thibaud (1998) suggests that we must create a
“praxiology” of sound from the natural soundscape
before we construct artificial soundscapes. He also
argues that beyond just meaning and interpretation,
sound can and does affect our choices; we pick
up “information displayed by the environment in
order to control actions (such as locomotion or
manipulation) […] thus, the environmental prop-
erties and the actor/perceiver activities cannot be
disassociated: they shape each other” (Thibaud,
1998, p. 2).
Sound can be both active and passive and this
will affect our response to it. Driving a car, for
example, might be considered a passive produc-

tion of sound, we have no choice in the sound the
engine makes, but beeping a horn is active sound
making. Thus sound production has an implicit
message the interpretation of which might be
subjective. Whether it is perceived as positive or
negative can depend on the intention. It may also
affect behaviour, do we choose to move out of the
way of a vehicle or allow it to stimulate anger or
other emotive responses.
This active sound does not simply reference the
acoustics of space or a description of noise; it car-
ries a message, a description of a situation that has
social and cultural context. If, as Thibaud (1984)
suggests sound is not a “mere epiphenomenon or
secondary consequence of activity” (p. 4) then we
must consider that all sound has meaning, it is
how to deconstruct that meaning that will allow
for a clearer understanding of the soundscape.
With this understanding we can construct digital
soundscapes which will challenge the perception
that the image is what gives the illusion of the real.

rEFErENcEs

Adams, M. (2009). Hearing the city: Reflections
on soundwalking. Qualitative Research , 10 , 6-9.

Adams, M., Cox, T., Moore, G., Croxford, B.,
Refaee, M., & Sharples, S. (2006). Sustainable
soundscapes: Noise policy and the urban expe-
rience. Urban Studies (Edinburgh, Scotland) ,
43 (13), 2385. doi:10.1080/00420980600972504

Anderson, P. W. S. (2002). Resident evil [Motion
picture]. Munich, Germany: Constantin Film.

Augoyard, J., & Torgue, H. (2006). Sonic experi-
ence: A guide to everyday sounds (illustrated ed.).
Montreal, Canada: McGill-Queen's University
Press.