Creating the sounds - Mood Board:
Starting the research by looking at other games that incorporated ghost like enemies. This was to find a way to improve and incorporate the sounds for the ghost, plus the setting the game is based on. Focusing on a mixture of genre from Scooby Doo which had light hearted fear, to Phasmophobia which you truly felt powerless.
Understanding this, the first sound example was created:
By trimming and using various special effects such as;
- Studio Reverb (to add a natural echo)
- ST Tremolo (modulates the volume base)
- VibeToo (adjusts the pitch to give a vibration styled effect)
- BL Driver (adjusts grit to the sound)
- ST Chorus (adds a rich shimmer styled effect)
The second ambience example:
Manor-Festation ambience: https://www.bandlab.com/post/4bc80943-ad9a-ef11-8474-6045bd375453
Creating the ambience for this second iteration took a lot more editing and special effects. Such as;
- A D-Delay (allows me to customize the delay of the sounds played)
- Buzz Face (adds a fuzzing sound)
- Filter Echo+ (allows me to adjust the audio signal as and when it should play)
- Ping Pong Delay (delays the audio in a back and forth styled way, like a ping pong effect)
As well as other special effects and sounds.
Creating the sounds - The Ghost sound effects:
As these games inspired the general ambient theme, it made sense to look more into how ghosts sounded in not just these games but media as a whole. As expected, most ghost related sounds heard were of 'whooshes' or 'faint moans' as this is how ghosts are depicted in most horrors.
Using sound re-creation, 3 examples of ghost sounds that could be used in the main project were produced. The first iteration was using basic sound effects, whereas the second and third iterations were made using a microphone and doing self recordings, making sounds to re-create how it was believed the noises of a ghost should make;
Creating the sounds - Ghost SFX version 1:
After doing the basic edits such as denoise and trimming, the special effects were added. Some of which was used before like BL Driver, whilst including new ones such as;
- Univerb (adds a more authentic styled ambience to a sound),
- Puff Pie (added a fat, fuzzing styled noise),
- Distortion++ (allows imitation of a classic 70's guitar distortion),
- House of metal (another distortion for hard rock and heavy metal beats),
- Bitcrusher (makes the sound have a classic bit styled crunch effect).
Although the special effects such as House of metal are more used in tracks, after experimenting with these effects, it helped give the strong whooshing noise that could be heard.
Creating the sounds - Ghost SFX version 2:
- Ghost SFX version 2: https://www.bandlab.com/post/f9f955c0-0d9b-ef11-8474-6045bd375453
The second iteration took a bit more editing to perfect the way that was envisioned for it. This was because it would take adding a lot more special effects to the sound recorded, to adjust the pitching of the groans to not only sound distorted, but to have the proper echo desired. Most of these special effects were ones that had been used previously.
This was achieved by adding;
- a BL Driver,
- ST Tremolo,
- Studio Reverb,
- Univerb,
- ST Chorus,
- Filter Echo +,
- Distortion ++,
- Ping Pong Delay,
And a new special effect: Auto Filter (which creates a moving filter effect). Some special effects like Univerb, really helped push the sound and give it a more realistic echo like effect.
Creating the sounds - Ghost SFX version 3:
Like the previous iterations, this also included several special effects. However, this time a couple of new ones were added, known as:
- Delta Driver (adds a creamy crunch sound effect, commonly associated with a Blues guitar),
- And Guitar Cab (allows you to change or adjust a sound to use a variation of model guitars).
These two new sound effects would help boost the frequency and pitch of the groans heard for this sound effect. Whilst also adjust the distortions tone to have a slightly adjusted pitching.
Creating the sounds - early menu theme:
At this stage, the Grey Boxing for the project was well underway. However, the project needed a functioning main menu that the player could interact with to load into the game or close it. So, creating a loop-able track that would play during the menu for this project was the nest sound designed.
Menu/Lobby music: https://www.bandlab.com/revisions/a5701846-4eb2-ef11-88cd-6045bd345b20?sharedKey=cbx5wIQMaEuRha1cc2aUtg
The menu was to stay simple, to build a anonymity and ominous feeling for the player. This was to help further build on the unknown factor or not knowing what to expect to happen next. This approach for the game felt best suited for the direction of the mechanics and gameplay, that was hoped to be achieved with the project.
This track specifically did not take too much editing, besides;
- Some basic trimming,
- Denoising interference,
- and adding a BL Driver to boost the grit for the sound.
Creating the sounds - Ghost Tension version 1:
A key part of what to achieve for this project, was to try and implement a feature that allowed specific sounds to change based on what event was occurring within the game. For this, creating new tracks to signalize danger to the player would be explored.
This iteration specifically sounded more dramatic as I wanted to achieve a similar design that the games that apply this approached this. Making the track feel subtly aggressive, yet serious.
Ghost tension 1: https://www.bandlab.com/revisions/8af87a6e-b2a5-ef11-88cd-6045bd345b20?sharedKey=9I8c3m7jtEq5iOwUWgjTpw
The first tension would include various special effects used previously, including a lot of fine tweaking such as shortening certain sounds. This was so that it could transition from each sound clearly and be loop-able. This track was made by looking at game examples such as Outlast, Amnesia (specifically the water monster section) and Alien Isolation. These games perfected where when you was close to an enemy, the more dramatic the sound cue would get, signaling danger to the player.
These games helped inspire the choice to design the track the way it was made, which helped improve the knowledge of what was expected as a Sound Designer.
Tension is important as it does not just allow the player to understand that there is danger nearby, but it immediately sends them into a fight or flight styled mode. Essentially adding a risk factor or challenge through sound.
Creating the sounds - Ghost tension version 2:
It was good practice to create a couple examples for the tension. This is so there were more options the could be used for the project, whilst further improving skills as a Sound Designer.
Ghost tension version 2: https://www.bandlab.com/revisions/c2178128-b6a5-ef11-88cd-6045bd345b20?sharedKey=JE44uJ2oKEuEK0BgAsEYsA
Wanting the second iteration designed, to feel more ominous compared to the first. This is because anonymity can be a great tool in confusing the player on whether they can trust their instincts or decision making. Tension in games can be designed in multiple different ways but having these two examples of tension, would allow more ways to explore alternate paths for Sound Design in games.
This was made by using very simple special effects, such as;
- The BL Driver (adding grit to the sound),
- ST Tremolo (allows the volumes base signal to be adjusted),
- And a Studio Reverb (so it can have a natural echo styled distortion).
Creating the sounds - Chase theme:
The next piece of audio worked on was for a chase theme. Looking at various examples of games like; Dead Space, Song of Horror, as well as horror films like Scream for inspiration. Another mood board was created so that these various games and film could be examined to refresh further upon this approach.
Now that the chase theme design could be visually interpreted, how to achieve designing the actual sound was the next objective. Exploring inside of the Digital Audio Workstation to try and create the one that could be used within the main project.
Ghost Chase: https://www.bandlab.com/revisions/686275d0-baa5-ef11-88cd-6045bd345b20?sharedKey=wh47SaCqu0ebBzGsN-BzaQ
After the basic edits and some experimentation, this was the final result. To make this track stand out, natural distortion was looked at for how horror games use this method. This was done by adjusting an individual track by shifting the sounds position when a certain track was played. Meaning, a piece of sound could be played backwards whilst also increasing/decreasing it's speed and semitone to make the track feel more abnormal.
Applying this to the piano sections so that they could grow more intense and slower as the theme was playing. Additionally, adding;
- The BL Driver (to add more grit to specific sounds),
- Spring Reverb (creates an emulated reverb by putting it through a series of spring like effects),
- ST Tremolo (adjusting the base signals volume),
- VibeToo (allows the pitch to be increased/decreased rapidly and subtly),
- Guitar Cab (can adjust a tone to replicate a sound of a type of guitar),
- And ST Chorus (allows a sound to have a shimmer type effect).
Creating the sounds - Locker sound effect:
For some of the mechanics that was to be added to the game (such as in the Unreal project), having sound effects designed for items the player interacted with were designed. The first example was for the Locker sound.
Locker sound effect: https://www.bandlab.com/revisions/aafcda13-4cbd-ef11-88cd-6045bd345b20?sharedKey=oks9xWJr0UWRHn5AkCwKuQ
Creating the sound effect for the locker was pretty straight forward. This was because a recording for opening and closing a locker could be created and then taken into the editor. From here, some special effects were added such as;
- Graphic EQ (lets me cut and boost the frequency of the sounds signal),
- Bitcrusher (gave a nice classic crunch effect, seen in old arcade games),
- Univerb (allows the sound to have a natural echo based on a location you can choose on the effect).
As the project was supposed to be set inside of an abandoned building, the classroom option for the Univerb gave it the best echo styled effect for the location.
Creating the sounds - Throwing rock sound effect:
Being inspired by an idea that was suggested by a peer, creating a functioning mechanic where the Ai could get distracted if the player threw a basic object sounded like an appropriate feature for the game. In this case, the object used to test this was a rock as it came free as a standard asset within Unreal. This style of stealth mechanic is notorious in game series such as Metal Gear Solid and Far Cry.
Rock sound effect: https://www.bandlab.com/revisions/1fa63c5c-5fbd-ef11-88cd-6045bd345b20?sharedKey=Yy8niTDF1k6HFOoqNh0oUA
Like the locker, most of the sound was already made by getting a sample recording. All that was needed was adjust the sounds length and add some basic special effects so that it worked with the games atmosphere. This was done by adding;
- The BL Driver (to add some grit),
- Univerb (so it had the natural echo reverb).
With this sound designed, when the mechanic would be implemented and working, it would create the sound of when the rock is thrown and hits an object.
Creating the sounds - Door sound effects:
Initially, the game was to be focused on escaping the location the player was set in, so needing basic sounds made for when the doors were used would be a requirement. One sound to establish that the door you interact with was locked and another sound for when the door was opened.
Locked door: https://www.bandlab.com/revisions/5c51ce9e-bdbb-ef11-88cd-6045bd345b20?sharedKey=2ftyVPbJ-U-9FLRHhLflCQ
Originally, 3 special effects were used which felt accurate to the sound to be achieved. However, the BL Drivers grit was causing interference towards the adjustments that were made, so this was disabled to see if it made a difference. In the end, the only effects used were;
- Univerb (for the natural echo),
- EQ3-M (an equalizer that allows the pitch's high's, mid and lows to be tweaked).
Once the locked door sound was made, the next door sound effect was designed.
As the project was meant to be set in an abandoned old house, having a squeaky, creaking door sound when it opened felt the most relevant to create. For this, effects used were;
- The EQ3-M (to adjust the high, mid and low frequencies),
- Guitar Cab (adds a guitar like sound which helped gave more of the squeak heard),
- BL Driver (added the grit and intensify the sound).
Creating the sounds - Next step:
These sounds were the ones designed for the project. Which despite some being more basic than others, some of them were also not used within the project. As Sound Design was a key role that was to be specialized in for potential career goals, understanding how different sounds can be used for different genres of games/projects would be an essential process to becoming a good Sound Designer.
Although still learning the principles of what it is to be a Sound Designer, these projects helped further improve what was to be expected for this role as not just a career but it's significance within the games industry.
Furthermore, the layout of the sounds that are in this section, are based on when they were made. Meaning the progress of the project (such as the work from Unity, RPG Maker to Unreal) had changed drastically, these sounds were still required for the project regardless of the outcome. Meaning, even if the outlook of the project was not the way that was initially interpreted, there were still sounds that could be used for the project and re-create new ones as and when appropriate.
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