Joe Hewitt @joehewittsound - Tumblr Blog

Joe Hewitt - Sound Design Showreel

#gameaudio #audio #sound #indiedev #sounddesign

Horizon Zero Dawn: Weapons Sound Redesign

In this project, I redesigned the sounds of three weapons found in the game Horizon: Zero Dawn. This was done to showcase an ability to look at the mechanics and physical design of an in-game object (in this case heavy weapons) and create appropriate sounds using household objects. My aim was to use foley and field recordings that I myself had done and not rely on sound libraries or synthesised elements. The exception to this rule was obviously that of the numerous effects used to alter certain sounds (making a good laser gun is tricky without a little modulation or FFT work here and there). However, I always made sure the sound source was used in this process, nothing was synthesised from scratch. Below you can find the breakdown of each weapons sounds in the form of short and snappy videos.

Deathbringer:

Firestriker:

Ravager Cannon:

#sound #gameaudio #audio #sounddesign

Joe Hewitt - Music Showreel

#composition #gameaudio #gamemusic #vgm #music

Masters Final Project - Reactive Game Music

For my Masters Final Project, I explored the relationships between a games in-game audio, such as ambience and player sounds, and its music. After a period of research, I settled upon creating a music system in **Pure Data **that would react to any audio fed into it and change its output accordingly. The result of this, when integrated into a game, would ideally be a musical accompaniment that would change depending on the players actions.

Due to a number of setbacks and complications I ran into while working on the project I was unable to integrate the system into Unity as planned. As such an alternative version was made that featured all the same functionality, but instead was simplified to only allow the user to load sounds straight into PD and hear the effects the system would have had in a game engine.

The setbacks and alterations to the project are regrettable, however given the time I had to make changes in the end I am happy with what I ultimately produced. I believe it to be a good starting point for a more complex system that I would one day like to make. The example videos comparing the systems output with an integrated musical accompaniment can be viewed below.

Game Level Walkthrough - With My Music System

Game Level Walkthrough - With Unity’s Existing Music

#music #gamemusic #composition

Game Music Implementation - Wwise, FMOD

This project was undertaken to showcase my aptitude for game music implementation using industry standard middleware. I’m presenting this in the form of two video showcases for each program used.

The first features my use of Wwise, demonstrating a composition created for a Stealth game using Tom Clancy’s: Splinter Cell Blacklist as example gameplay. This is also accompanied by a graphic created by me to illustrate how the music adapts to the state of the game, such as enemy numbers and hostility.

The second video showcases my use of Fmod. Unlike the first video, which featured music created from the ground up for Wwise, the music used here was a piece created at an earlier point which was then adapted for use within FMOD. The implementation here was basic and was designed to create a progression in the music that might be heard within a Sci-Fi Strategy game.

Wwise Video Showcase:

Fmod Video Showcase:

#composition #vgm #gamemusic #gameaudio

Cinematic Composition - Genre Study

The aim in this project was to demonstrate an ability to compose to a wide variety of genres. In this post I showcase two Fantasy style, and two Sci-Fi style pieces of music. This is presented in the form of four videos, accompanied by a series of concept art pieces that were used both for inspiration during the creation of these tracks, and to represent the themes and set pieces these pieces are intended to evoke.

Fantasy Music 1 - Concept Video:

Fantasy Music 2 - Concept Video:

Sci-Fi Music 1 - Concept Video:

Sci-Fi Music 2 - Concept Video

#composition #gameaudio #gamemusic #vgm

Strategy Game - Music Showcase

Strategy games, particularly that of the RTS variety, feature constantly changing elements and shifts in gameplay, forcing the player to pay close attention and micro-manage many things at once. The music in such a game can be an important tool in aiding this kind of gameplay. Whether that be changing in intensity depending on the size of a combat, or shifting in tone to translate whether the player is winning or losing. It was these elements I was attempting to explore in this project.

This is actually a back catalogue project from over a year ago and was in fact my first attempt at creating a musical accompaniment for a game, as well as my first use of Wwise. While I do feel that the quality of the work is lacking in places as a reflection of this, I am on the whole still happy with the outcome.

The video featured here was originally created for my masters course as a companion to an essay. This is why some of the explanatory text may seem strange in context. It should also be noted that the gameplay shown from Command and Conquer 3 was used only for demonstration purposes within the video, and is not in any way linked to the original Wwise project created by me.

#gameaudio #gamemusic #VGM #composition

Casino Royale - Rescore

In this project I created a new score for a scene in the James Bond film, Casino Royale. Here I put focus on characterisation through instrumentation. The scene focuses around a chase and eventual confrontation between Bond and a villain. To accentuate this I have the brass section signify Bonds actions, and the string section signify the villains, as well as a fair bit of synthesis to apply tension and movement.

I feel this approach was largely effective and was happy with the overall orchestration. However, I undertook this project prior to me acquiring any high quality samples such as the Kontakt libraries I use now and had to make do with the inbuilt Logic X instruments. As such, I do feel the overall timbre and quality of the piece could be improved, and may be an area I revisit at a later date.

#music #composition #filmscore #composer #filmsound

Drive - Sound Redesign

This clip represents a project I underwent for my Master course in which I was required to demonstrate a knowledge of film sound techniques and principles, and subsequently put them to action. For this I chose to redesign the sound for this clip in Drive. The techniques I showcase are primarily synchresis, characterisation and temporal impressions.

#filmsound #filmscore #compostion #sounddesign

Dr. Strange - Sound Redesign

For this project I demonstrate numerous sound design techniques and practices in an effort to redesign the clips original sound convincingly. Here I showcase techniques such as audio layering, time and pitch manipulation, modulation, FFT processing, synthesis, and granular synthesis. As well as this, I demonstrate a strong knowledge of editing to film.

#filmsound #foley #sounddesign #sound

Sound Design Demonstration - Audio Manipulation and Synthesis

The aim of this project was to demonstrate my knowledge of multiple sound design practices and techniques. This was done by redesigning the sound of four different film clips, and using a different technique for each. This post will feature the clips for Audio Manipulation (Layering, Time and Pitch, Modulation, etc), and Synthesis.

Audio Manipulation:

Synthesis:

#sounddesign #sound

Sound Design Demonstration - FFT and Granular Synthesis

The aim of this project was to demonstrate my knowledge of multiple sound design practices and techniques. This was done by redesigning the sound of four different film clips, and using a different technique for each. This post will feature the clips for FFT processing and Granular Synthesis.

FFT Processing:

Granular Synthesis:

#sounddesign #sound #audio

Game Audio Blog #5 – Inside: Creating Unease Within a Soundtrack

Inside is a game developed by Playdead (2017), a company known for their 2011 game Limbo. Inside’s audio direction, like its predecessor, was helmed by Martin Stig Andersen (2017). As a composer Andersen was trained in the techniques surrounding electroacoustic composition. This is the practice of drawing sounds from the real world, and using them in a musical context. Moreover, one main goal of soundscape and electroacoustic composition is to create a veil over the sounds you’ve recorded, hiding their original source material (Hugill, 2016). Andersen states that, during the production of Limbo these techniques were employed within the game to blend the soundtrack and the levels ambience together, stating that:

“...it has a much bigger psychological impact when you turn a naturalistic soundscape into abstraction by making your sound effects play as “music” rather than adding some traditional background music (Andersen, 2011).”

This psychological impact that Andersen speaks of is something that he looked at working on with Inside as well. Inside is a game that aims to make the player feel uneasy. It uses its dark minimal visuals and slowly emerging off-putting story as a means to creating a feeling of claustrophobia (Webber, 2016; Jones, 2017). In order to appropriately match this feeling with the soundtrack, Andersen says that he looked at how people perceive the sound of their own voice, and how they often dislike how different they sound when it is played back to them. He states:

“Things sound much softer in there, more full, in a way. This is because a large part of what you hear is your voice resonating inside your body, in your jawbone for example. Try blocking your ears while you speak or sing; that’s the sound I’m talking about (Andersen, 2016).”

The soundtrack itself was recorded mainly using synthesised sounds, and Andersen states that this didn’t express the right feeling for the game. In order to recreate the effect that our bodies have on the sounds we create that Andersen mentions he had the idea of playing the soundtrack back through a human skull.

He says that once he’d done this the sounds took on a different quality. He mentions that the unique acoustics of the skull created a bizarre familiarity to the music:

“Eventually all the teeth fell out of the skull because of the vibrations, but while they were still there they created this small vibrating sound that I think was unsettling but also strangely familiar to people. Because we all know it, in a way. (Andersen, 2016).”

Below are examples of an excerpt of music from the game, before and after being played through the skull.

https://soundcloud.com/seraph621/inside-original-track-before-skull

https://soundcloud.com/seraph621/inside-skull

Andersen says that this abstract method was used on every track, as it provided a cohesion and signature sound quality to the entire soundtrack, by acting as an overall filter. This signature sound that the process achieves is the embodiment of the uneasy and claustrophobic feeling that Inside (Playdead, 2017) aimed to achieve. Thanks for reading Joe (Owen)

Game Audio Blog #4 – Adaptive Music

The Civilization game series (Firaxis Games, 2017) allows the player to take control of numerous different cultures from throughout history. Because of this diversity, the games multiple iterations have featured themed pieces of music to accompany each civilization at certain points of the game (Firaxis Games, 2005). If a player were to play as the English civilization their theme will mirror what is known about that cultures history, and likewise playing as the Aztecs will feature a vastly different type of composition.

This extends to other elements of the games, such as the different eras of history that the player can enter. A civilization in the medieval era might hear a piece of music akin to that of Greensleeves, with more complex compositions. Whereas a player near the beginning of the game will more likely hear tribal style music, comprised of simpler instruments and arrangements.

The latest iteration of the series, Civilization VI (Firaxis Games, 2017) combines these ideas and features an adaptive score that changes depending on both the civ that the player is playing as, and the era in which they currently have progressed to (PC Gamer, 2016). As with the other games, each civ has its own theme, to make it distinctive. This will most often be comprised of a key melody line or motif which the whole composition is based around.

In the earlier stages of the game, the ancient era, this melody line will most likely sit alone in the composition, being played by a simple instrument such as a flute, or string instrument. This is to mirror the simplicity of the world at this point, and how small and basic the players civilization is during this era. However, as the player progresses through the eras, the composition will progress with them, taking on more layers and vibrancy. Each progression will act as a snapshot of that eras known elements. The industrial era may feature a busier arrangement with more powerful elements to signify a leap forward in technology and production. Whereas the modern era could begin to take on a futuristic feel, to hint at the advancements the players civ is about to make.

Below is a breakdown of this very system featured in Civ VI (PC Gamer, 2016). Time code: 2:04

As well as this, the Civilization series has featured a number of other adaptive elements in its run. Starting in Civilization III, when the player enters the diplomacy screen to talk to another world leader the music will change depending on the relationship between them (Firaxis Games, 2001). If for instance the player is in good standing the leader then the game will play a lighter theme, whereas if the two civs are on the cusp of war the theme will change to a more ominous composition.

These features are implemented in order to add to the games theme, and make the player feel as if the civilization they are building, is in fact progressing through the ages. In a game such as Civilization, which features very little in terms of action or dynamic gameplay, the soundtrack plays a key role in setting the scene and drawing the player in.

Game Audio Blog #3 - Physics Based Audio

Within game audio design its common practice to create a games soundscape with sampled, real world sounds. And while the intention and outcome of this succeeds in immersing the player and increasing realism, it does take up a lot of time and memory within the game engine. (Cook, 2015) For these reasons a lot of sound designers are turning to physics based audio within their games. This normally means creating computer based systems and algorithms that realistically and believably synthesise sound as they would be heard in the real world. (Cook, 2002)

The following video (Kry, 2016) demonstrates an older system developed in 2001 called JASS - Java Audio Synthesis System (K. van den Doel, P. G. Kry, and D. K. Pai, 2001).

JASS is an audio synthesis environment that looks at materials and shapes of objects that the user creates and interacts with. The program takes certain parameters such as contact force, resonance of the object and texture of the material to synthesise an appropriate sound. (K. van den Doel, P. G. Kry, and D. K. Pai, 2001). Using techniques such as these a sound designer can create realistic sounding audio to accompany the physical elements within a game. However, Timothy R. Langlois, Doug L. James (2014) argue that no matter how accurate and synchronised systems such as these are, there will always be a struggle with recreating the realism of natural objects.

In response to this, they present their method of sound design linked to rigid body animations called Inverse-Foley (2014). This looks at the standard practice of adding sounds to an animation after the fact, and explores instead synchronising the animation to key events within a foley sound clip. (While this technique is intended for use within animation for film rather than games, it is included here for its insight into physics based audio).

The following video demonstrates how Inverse-Foley (2014) looks at different “contact events” within a sound file of an object being interacted with in some way and then syncs an animation accordingly. In this case, an object being dropped.

Langlois, and James (2014) look at certain “contact events” within a sound clip and use these to sync the rigid bodies physics accordingly. They explain the difference between a “discreet” contact event, where the event is short such as a bounce, and a “continuous” event such as a roll or slide.

This, while not strictly connected to game animation in this example, is an example of a sound designer using techniques grounded within physics to achieve an element of realism. As is the intent of most physics based audio approaches. (Cook, 2002)

Thanks for reading Joe (Owen)

Game Audio Blog #2 - Procedural Audio

Unlike that of a film, which is linear and can be designed so the listener only hears one specific sound once, a game is fluid and can see the player triggering the sound from the same source more than once. Sound in the real world is always different; varied in its make up by any number of different factors, no matter how minute the change. Hearing the same object make the exact same sound more than once in a row is jarring and strange, and within a game is likely to bring a player out of any immersion they may have been experiencing. To get around this, sound designers will implement techniques based within procedural audio. This is the act of designing a sound within a game so that it sounds different or varied whenever the player hears it.

One of the ways this can be achieved is through a sequenced system within the games engine. By taking a long clip of similar sounds playing one after the other and cutting up the key parts at zero point crossings, its possible to randomise the order of these when implemented within the game. In the following examples the sounds used are electrical buzzes, that could be used for a light or computer.

The above examples features the sound in question cut up at appropriate points in a DAW. These are then exported as individual sound files and imported into a randomised sound cue, put together in Unreal Engine 4. (Authors own, 2017)

This is a simple technique to implement within a game, and gives the sound design an element of variability. However some sound designers have taken the approach to procedural game audio even further.

The application of generative sound design is one that can completely randomise the sound and music within a game. This is a technique that has been explored for a number of games, one of which is the game ‘No Mans Sky’ by Hello Games. Paul Weir (2016), a sound designer and composer who worked on the game, believes that as well as conventional sound design, music within a game can become repetitive if the game is open enough. “I didn't like that a lot of game music was really flat. ... The music can become repetitious, but with [generative music] you're already breaking that cycle. It's a way of finding systems where the music can remain effective over longer periods of time, and also feel more connected to what's happening in the game.” (Weir, 2016).

The system implemented within the game involves taking a soundtrack recorded by band ‘65daysofstatic’, and then applying a generative function to the game that would play the soundtrack back in different intensities and variations depending on the players actions within the game. As Weir explains: “The rules in the game are fairly varied. The intensity of the music changes [according to] a set of rules that's contextual. The challenge with No Man's Sky was having [65daysofstatic] write an album and then make a generative version of that album. ... I worked really closely with them to go back to the recording sessions and start identifying the parts I thought would work.” (Weir, 2016).

Paul Weir (2014) has stated in the past that this kind of approach to making music is often better referred to as “Adaptive Music” rather than generative. This he says is because generative music is better described as completely original music that is created from nothing, rather than preexisting “linear” music that is adapted and changed at random. Which ever term is used to describe this technique, both are examples of procedural audio, and their use within a game would eliminate repetition, and successfully vary the soundscape of the game.

Thanks for reading

Joe (Owen)

#music #gameaudio #sounddesign #masters #blog

Game Audio Blog #1 - Firewatch: Direction Within Solitude

Firewatch begins with the main character Henry going in search of solitude and escapism, and as a result placing the player in the middle of a wilderness. Naturally, this means that the game itself takes a very minimalist and stripped down stance. While this succeeds in plunging the player into complete immersion, the lack of a HUD or any substantial UI means there are no floating quest markers or glowing trails for the player to follow, and no objective menu to tell the player where to go next. All they are given is a compass and a basic paper map. Couple this with a semi-open world to explore and its easy for the player to lose direction within the game. Developer Campo Santo’s answer to this lies within immersion itself, and the application of clever sound direction.

Upon arriving in his lookout tower Henry is contacted by his supervisor Delilah via Walkie Talkie. And throughout the rest of the game the players only contact with another person is via this same radio. In this way the game uses the walkie talkie, and the ever developing relationship between Henry and Delilah, to direct and inform the player. For instance, near the beginning of the game the player will be told by Delilah to go and investigate some kids letting off fireworks down by a lake. She gives you some quick directions, tells you you’ll need to get some rope from a supply box, and gives you the code to unlock it. So from one minute of story driven dialogue the player has been told what they need to do, how to get there, what they’re going to need, and how to access it. As well as this, while the player is on their way to the destination, they can radio Delilah in regards to their current location and she will give directions on how to get there from where they are. All of which is worked in seamlessly to the back and forth conversation between the two. See the below play through for this example.

This approach isn't exactly anything new however, with lead designer Sean Vananman noting the original Bioshock game as a big influence. The radio contact from Atlas telling the protagonist Jack what to do in that game is very comparable. However Bioshock featured a relatively linear pathway throughout the game, as well as substantial HUD and UI system to help the players through. As previously mentioned, Firewatch gives you only a map and a compass, and allows the player to explore for themselves. The radio to Delilah is the players lifeline, and despite that they can still elect to mute her. With the games system around dialogue options, it is possible for the player to completely ignore Delilah, and as such your guide around the forest.

Regardless of the way the player interacts with Delilah, their directions, and objectives will always come by way of the radio. This approach to orientation and direction within a game is designed to keep the player on track all the while maintaining and even heightening the feeling of immersion and solitude that the game exudes. Combine this with some clever sound design (note the spatialisation of the fireworks in the example above), and some well timed and deliberate musical cues and you have a game that subtly yet effectively leads the player in the right direction without ever holding their hand.

Thanks for reading

Joe (Owen)

#Game sound #Sound Design #Blog #Firewatch

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