Feature: What's Really Required For Audio Direction In 2011

Author: by Staff

In Gamasutra's latest feature, audio veteran Rob Bridgett (Prototype) discusses how today's audio designer is "largely freed from the technical constraints imposed by prior console or development environments" and must now apply constraints to work effectively. "While technical limitations have until recently provided convenient aesthetic constraints for the industry, the limitations are now being provided and even deliberately sought elsewhere: artistic, economic, artistic, and production-based limitations," he writes. "Narrowing down an audio direction, or aesthetic, can be a difficult task, and establishing limitations are absolutely key to this." In the feature, Bridgett examines three games that successfully blend their sound direction with their games perfectly. One such example is Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet, he writes. "LittleBigPlanet's audio aesthetic: minimal, playful yet endlessly customizable building blocks of sound and music that support, underpin and emphasize the playfulness inherent in the game's unique art direction, character design and game design structure." "Rather than seamlessly flowing together, the varied pieces of music work together much like the patchwork evident in the game's visual assets, nowhere is this aesthetic more evident than in the many user created online levels. Again, a difficult game to imagine working without the many unique aspects to its audio direction." The full feature talks about working in concert with other members of the team -- particularly in working to make sure the music harmonizes with the art direction. It's live now on Gamasutra.