Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Go General
If you can't i nd something in a specii c search, sometimes searching
for general categories helps. Let's say you are looking for the sound of a
horse galloping. Instead of searching for 'horse galloping,' search for the
term 'horse' to see how many matches and variations turn up.
Listen to the Whole Sound
You may i nd a sound buried within the audio of another sound. For
example, let's say you need to provide a hoof clop. If you are having
no luck i nding anything useful, you might generalize your search and
i nd a minute-long ambient recording of a horse cart passing in front of
somebody in Italy. This i le might contain a couple of isolated horse clops
that are perfect for your project. You can cut these sounds out of the
original i le to obtain the sounds you need.
Think Interesting and Original
When you are using existing sound ef ects, i nd interesting and original
ways to edit or process sounds. Many sounds are well dei ned in the
genre and regarded as instant clichés when they are heard.
A perfect example of such a recognizable sound is the Wilhelm Scream.
This sound, which originated in the 1950s, has been around the block
numerous times, yet it's still a good sound due to its over-the-top
This screencap from the movie
Distant Drums
shows the i rst recorded
use of the Wilhelm Scream (originally titled 'Man Being Eaten by an
Alligator'), which predated the
Charge At Feather River
movie scene that
has since become synonymous with the Wilhelm character. From the
movie
Jungle Drums
.
