1. Role Of The SoundDesigner InThe GamesIndustry:
The sound designer is a keymember in the process ofcreating a video game as sounds canbe usedfor multiple things such
as setting the mood, portraying emotions, makingthe game realistic, etc. However being a sounddesigner isn’t as easyas
just recordinga sound and putting it intoa game, there are manyoptions and skillsrequired to be inthisfield ofwork.
Recording:
The sound designer must be comfortable recording sound and all the elements that go along withthat suchas makingthe
conditions of the recording areasuitable so that there is the least amount ofbackground noiseor interference. When
recording the soundtheymust use equipment that best suits them sothat ifanythinggoes wrong theycould quicklyfind
out whyor thinkof a solution. Ifa persondidn’t knowthe piece of recording equipment then human errors will occur
meaningyou will slow productiondown altogether whichhas a ripple effect to all the other departments.
http://www.bluehousemedia.tv/tulsa-recording-studio/
Modify Sound:
Modifyingsoundis a veryuseful andcrucial technique for the sound designer to have as thiscouldultimatelyspeedupthe
process ifneeded. Iftheyhadlittle time the sound designer could recordsomething roughlyand later onmodifythe sound
so that it suits what theyhave been asked to create or if a stepin the snowwasn’t loudenough theycoulduse this skill to
change that without losing the originalsound. Using thiscouldalsosave moneyif doingmultiple takes cost moneythan
theycouldjust doone take and modifythe sounduntil theyare pleasedwith the result.
Understand Pre-Production:
Pre-productionis whenthe sound designer will create all the relevant sounds andneeded sounds duringthis stage before
the actual productionof the game begins as this saves time whencreatingthe game andthe sounds are basicallythe
storyline as a certainevent happens when a certain soundis played(soundcanbe seen as a template). Understandpre -
productionas a sounddesigner is veryimportant because you wouldneed to understandthe time that you have the
sounds that you need to create sothat you don’t miss the deadline or waste time generating sounds that aren’t needed.
People Management:
Havinggood people management skills is neededifyou are going to be incharge ofa team of people or even when
workingwhenothers whichis most definitelygoing to happenas not just one personcouldcreate all the sounds for a
video game. To have this skill you must be confident as you willhave to talkto a groupof people at once, you must be
decisive as you willhave to tell people what to dobasedofftheir strengths andweaknesses and finallyyou must be strict
with deadlinesas you don’t want to slowthe productionof the game down causing complications that puts your
department ina bad light.
Create Digital/Simulated Sound:
This is a crucial skill to have whenit comes to being a sounddesigner as there are just sounds whichcannot be field
recordedsuchas a spaceship sothe designer will have to studyall the sounds ofa spaceship from films, other games or TV
shows and thengenerate their owncustomsoundbased off this. Another possibilityis that the soundthat the game needs
just simplydoesn’t exist andthe sound designer will have to create a soundthat fits the purpose that he has beenasked to
meet. Alsoiftheywent out and did a fieldrecording but the soundwasn’t goodenoughor not a goodenoughqualitythen
2. Role Of The SoundDesigner InThe GamesIndustry:
theymayhave to re-create the sound basedoff the fieldrecordingthat theyhave.
http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/how-to-make-it-as-a-sound-designer-243324/
Quality Control:
Beingable to determine whether a sound is of a goodenoughqualityor to the highest qualitypossible is a positive trait as
the difference between twosounds couldbe verycrucial whenit comes to a certain part of the game so being able to
determine which is the best qualitysoundbest suitedfor the purpose whenever you need to make a decision. Also you do
these qualitycontrol checks at intervals sothat youknow all the sounds are actuallyworkinganddon’t clashwith any
other sounds that will be inthe same sequence.
Develop/Use Software:
Being able to use the industrystandard software to the best ofits ability is a skill that has to be developedover time but
once masteredit becomes extremelyuseful as you will knowyour wayaround the software’s user interface soyou canedit
the sound I whichever waypossible. Youwill alsoknowthe shortcuts for that software whichwill save time inthe long run
and make it easier to make manydifferent versions of the sound you are tryingto create so that youcanre -visit hem if you
make a change that you feel doesn’t suits the purpose.
Communication With Other Departments:
Communication withother departments is essential whenin the games industryas you are allworkingtogether to create
one big project and if some departments don’t talkto each other thenthings maynot match. Inthiscase I couldbe talking
about the sounddesigners and the animators not constantlycommunicating witheachother couldcause problems such as
the characters dialogue not matching the animationof the characters mouthmoving or event happening witha soundthat
just completelysounds out ofplace. Communicationis a basic function that everyone shouldbe comfortable withas you
will always have to work withother departments or have interval meetings to checkthat nothing has changedfrom the
originalplan.
Editing:
Beingable to edit soundis a craft that will occasionallycome inuseful whenyou begin to listento the sounds that you just
recordedto ensure that you are happywiththe qualityandeverything but ifyou feel that there is a problem withthe
soundthenyou will be able to edit/tweakthe sound(without re-recording it or creatinganentire new soundfrom scratch)
until you feel that you have got the soundthat you set out for inthe first place or maybe somethingeven better that you
could onlydo withediting.
Play/Record Instruments:
Knowinghowto capture a wide range of sounds frommanydifferent instruments canbe veryuseful as it gives you many
potions ofdifferent routesto take your soundin. Alsoknowingthis you canrecorda full orchestra which are commonly
usedto create tense/horror music. However if you couldplaythe MIDI keyboardwhich can replicate the sound of many
instruments theyyou could doeverything that you wantedfromwhere you were sat.
Field Recording:
3. Role Of The SoundDesigner InThe GamesIndustry:
When going into the role ofbeinga sounddesigner being skilful at fieldrecording is a beneficial skill to have because if you
wanteda certainsoundfor the backgroundsuchas birds tweetingthen fieldrecordingwouldbe the best optionif you can
get the right atmosphere outside without anyother backgroundnoise to interfere. Thisis sometimes better thancreating
the soundyourself withsoftware as field recording gives you a more natural soundthat the user canrelate to as it could
bring back memoriesfor them.
http://www-3.unipv.it/cibra/res_network_uk.html
