Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 11.6
Screen grab showing process of laying out the sound emitters on the game board.
4.
Server load:
Be eficient and choose your locations carefully; try to make the space work with 20 or
fewer sound emitters so there is time on the server for other kinds of sound in the sim.
5.
Testing:
Once you have placed your emitters, turn off your computer monitor, raise the volume on
your headset, and try to ind your way across the landscape. You should be able to navigate success-
fully from the goat barn to the orchid if your layout is good. The locations of the sounds should be
clearly heard, and not piling up in one chaotic noise. If not, move the sound emitters around until
you can.
11.8.5
m
aKing
The
s
ignage
and
e
nTranCe
Figure 11.7 has an image of the setup for the signage and entrance. Even though this is a sound-based game, you
will need some visuals for the players to help them orient to the arrangement of the space. It would be a good
idea to show them a map of the game space and to make that map object a “proximity-activated” sound emitter
that describes the space to someone who has limited vision. If you do this with a silly goat voice or a scary troll
voice, your signage will set the mood of the game right away. Each sign that the players walk past should inform
them about the game. To avoid confusion and too much overlap of sound, try to keep your signage to three or
four signs. As you can see in Figure 11.7, the game audio landscape is described along the entrance hall with a
series of talking signs; each one is activated by the proximity of the avatar. The avatar takes about 10 seconds to
walk 30 meters, so by the time the avatar gets to the next sign, the irst clip has ended, and the next one is ready
to go. You can set these signs up for your version of the game by using these three images from the Chapter 11
