Guest contribution by Tom deMajo A special thanks to co-founder Tom deMajo of the game studio Quartic Llama. Tom is an artist and sound designer who currently resides in Dundee. Earlier this year, Quartic Llama was approached by the National Theatre of Scotland to make a game as part of a city-wide trans-media project called other, supporting the theatrical debut of “Let … [Read more...]
Acoustic Dirt
Guest Contribution by Rob Bridgett who is (probably) the most Easterly Audio Director in North America. 47º 34' N, 52º 41' W. Since June, 2000 he has worked as a video game developer. DESIRABLE NOISE There are a lot of problems in the modern world with noise, and it is interesting the effect that the aesthetic of noise has had on media such as film, game, radio … [Read more...]
An interview with Trevor Cox
Guest contribution by Neil Cullen Trevor Cox is a professor of acoustic engineering at the University of Salford. He has presented a range of science documentaries for the BBC, designed the acoustics of various rooms worldwide, is the co-author of a book on absorbers and diffusers and has previously been the president of the Institute of Acoustics. Trevor, you've been … [Read more...]
Nightmares and Soundscapes: Implementation of Acoustic Ecology Related Sound Design Techniques to Better Terrify your Players
Guest Contribution by Dr Tom Garner This article addresses contemporary concepts regarding how we attune to sound within a fear context and discusses the potential impact of these ideas upon sound design, specifically with regards to evoking disorientation in survival horror computer games. Relevant theory is distilled to consider an ecological perspective of sound experience … [Read more...]
Can’t We All Just Get Along? Arguments about acoustics and design
Guest Contribution by Steven Klein There are many reasons for conflicting viewpoints and misinformation on studio design / acoustics. This article will examine components contributing to the confusion along with some advice on how to avoid common pitfalls. Chaos (Merriam-Webster Dictionary: the inherent unpredictability in the behavior of a complex natural system.) We … [Read more...]
Impulse Response And Acoustic Problems
Guest contribution by Guido Helbling Don't worry, I won't bore you with a treatise on acoustics. But multi-channel impulse responses can often create problems between individual channels (e.g. over-emphasised frequencies and phase cancellation), so it is worthwhile to analyze one or two such situations. Analysing Sweeps A quick recap on impulse responses: an impulse response … [Read more...]
Unlimited Dialog “AIRFILL” to Fill your Every Need
Guest contribution by Douglas Murray I was inspired to finish this write-up after reading the feature list of the new Zynaptiq UNFILTER plugin. Their web site says: You can also apply the measured filter response from one recording to another – placing the two in the same acoustic "world”. Or you can create roomtone to fill editing gaps, by applying a measured filter … [Read more...]