Educational Feature: ‘Game Audio Beginner's Guide'

Gamasutra sister educational site GameCareerGuide has just posted a beginner’s guide to making audio for games, with hints and tips on tools, equipment, and tactics for those getting into the field. Written by Michael Worth and Dan Carter, co-founders of Game Music, Inc., the article is an in-depth source for both aspiring game audio professionals and game developers -- particularly producers -- who are still learning the ins and outs of the audio side of development. The feature, called “Adaptive Audio: A Beginner’s Guide to Making Sounds for Games” includes an extensive list of tools that Worth and Carter recommend for game-makers with barely any money at all, modest budgets, and big bucks to spend. The duo also gives tips throughout the article on the seemingly little (though gravely important) things all game audio designers must do right -- having consistent file naming conventions, for example, and knowing when to purchase an audio asset rather than record one. “It’s easier, cheaper, and less risky (both in terms of taking chances with the game and personal safety) to pay $2 for a shotgun blast [sound effect] than to try to record one,” they write. Another great piece of advice they have related to cleaning up and producing sounds for games is to keep “as short as possible … while still having the emotional impact necessary to enhance the gameplay.” In addition to discussing sound effects, Worth and Carter also consider music, or, “emotional context for the player to be in.” “[W]hile there are similarities between music for film and games,” they write, “stylistically their function is quite different. Game music’s function is specifically geared to create and reflect the emotional state of the player, whereas in film, the music reflects the emotional state of the characters on screen and gives the audience a visceral response to that state.” The full article on the subject, complete with audio software and hardware recommendations, is now available on GameCareerGuide.com.