Sonic Design: Final Project - Game Audio

13.11.2023 - 15.12.2023 ( week 12 - week 16 )
Len Hoi Yee / 0353430
Sonic Design / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Final Project - Game Audio

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Final Project  

For our Final Project, we are tasked to choose one of the Game videos and create sound effects for each action or things that is going on in that game. 

Hence, I have chosen Battleblock Theatre as my video as I found it pretty interesting from the results of the seniors. I was thinking of creating a cute voice for this character as this type of game can be both masculine and cute. 

Audio Journal 

Audio storyboard 

Google Sheet link:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XqXpPgeGDbDDx6n9ksHLqvRavPGU7DYxmyWHIsApQqs/edit?usp=sharing

Progress 

Fig 1.1 Footsteps

By using my nails walking on the dictionary I own, I recorded that to use as footsteps as the character walks on wooden box. I found the dictionary has quite a similar sound so I chose it. First, I synced the footsteps according to the video. To elevate the quality of the sound, I also used Phaser, to make it sci-fi. Besides, to make the wooden empty sound, I have adjusted the Pitch Shifter and EQ. 

Fig 1.2 Main character's jump 

In this video the most repetitive and take notice sound would be the main character's jump. At first i got feedback about how my sound is pretty dull and boring, hence, i learnt from my friend that using the hanger sound would do the trick. I have adjusted the EQ to make the sound not too sharp. 

Fig 1.3 Punch 

I have recorded the punch voice and punch sound. I used a slightly harder bolster to make the punch sound. Then i reversed the sound and added EQ to it. By reversing it, makes it less realistic but more gaming sound. 

Fig 1.4  Small explosion 

Creating the explosion sound is really one of my weaknesses. I struggled a lot even when it's just a small explosion. The EQ is just chaotic. 

Feedback: Change the sound of jumping to a sound that is produced from an object instead of a voice. Make the explosion sound more like an explosion, right now it doesn't sound like it, you can try layering it with more explosion sound to create a larger impact sound, you can try the compressor setting. You can use chains or coins to create the sound for that special effect. Use autogate for the sliding.

After consultation

Fig 1.5 gate 

Since the gate is a metal gate, so i decided to give it some echo when it closes. 

Fig 1.6 Scene clear scene planning

For this scene that has a lot going on at the same time, I planned to use the hanger sound for the letter falling down and with a round of applause.  

Fig 1.7 Tunnel dash

I have used a comb and a nail filer to create this sound. I recorded it by picking on the comb teeth and using the nail filer and filing my fingernails to create friction. This sound is then later on elevated by adding in SFX which gives the sucking into the tunnel sound effect. 

Fig 1.8 Big explosion

This is really the part where i struggled the most, i just couldn't produce the perfect explosion sound in a short time. And since Mr.Raziif told me to use a compressor to compress the sound so the explosion has more compressed sound so i layered it with a brighter explosion sound and a sharper noise which is from the stapler for the ending of each explosion. I have also added Phaser to make it sound more sci-fi than realistic but still, i tried to keep the realistic bomb sound. 

Tone Generator

Fig 1.9 Creating tone for diamond collection 

All thanks to Mr.Razif for giving a short tutorial on how to use a tone generator during consultation. First, i create a monotone that sounded like an offline telephone,  and used Pitch Bender to bend the sound by adjusting the frequencies. Then I layered it with my recorded sound, keys and bell ring to give the screeching sound. 

Fig 1.10 Adjusting the tone after created 

After i have created a "boing" sound, i felt that it could be used on the tunnel dash scene as the character got sucked into the tunnel from one end and appear at the other end. After placing all the sfx and recorded sounds together, it does sound better than just a plain original recorded sound. 

Fig 1.11 Create tone for checkpoint

This sound is created in a way something pops up cutely. So I adjust the Pitch Bender frequency to the highest to make it sound sharper at the end. Then, i layered it with my voiceover, which I had already added Chorus to also make the voice more blurry and spread. 

Fig 1.12 Chorus for cheering 

After i have created a tone for the end scene where the character gets sucked into the tunnel again, I wanted to make it different from the previous one. I doubled the sfx layer to give the getting sucked into something kind of effect. I have also added echo here which has given a great result. For Chorus, I added it into the voiceover to give a crowd cheering sound. 

Fig 1.13 Sync audio to video in Premiere Pro

Final Outcome