The soundtrack for my game: including the in-game Combat Music “Ready To Fight” (0-1:44) and Upgrading Lazy Menu (1:44-2:32.
(made on Abelton Live)
Influenced from games like Cult of the Lamb
The music changes from major to minor from a cute animal farming sim to sacrificing followers and killing other cult members which that shift can be heard from the soundtrack which carry the dark comedy theme like The Behemoth games that I am looking to have in my game.
Cult Of The Lamb (2022)
I wanted to produce something that sounded happy yet mysterious with the Eerie and Atmospheric but also Catchy and Upbeat. The Arcade like art of my game led me to also want to add synths sounding from the 80s but also classical and vocals like a choir to create an eerie sensation behind the reality of the protagonist murdering people even though they are Nazis like you would hear in a burial or Church, which could also hint the protagonist’s possible demise in one of the endings. The low sounds in my soundtrack focus on a sound like from ‘Lazy’ Activation Orb, acting like a mysterious figure in my story.
My game’s sound effects
Dialogue sounds, (while captions are displayed on screen)
‘Lazy’
[]Melee attack:
[]Shooting:
The sounds in my game are meant to be fictional and convey that my protagonist is loosing his mind and the supernatural Activation Orb inside the Vacuum Cleaner to be some sort of a creature with a unique distorted voice which I mentioned in the Narrative Document.
Lecture notes; guest speaker Jessica Saunders Sound Designer and founder of Salix Games
The primary functions of sound in games
- Immersion and atmosphere, helps to create an environment to be more real, and allow the player to more easily be ‘inside’ the game. Examples:
- Ambient sound, like the props
- Background music,
- Environmental sounds (like wind, water, footsteps)
- Feedback and Interaction
- Sound provides feedback to the players about their actions or the game’s state. For example a sound effect when a player picks up an item, defeats an enemy, or completes a task. Positive or negative audio cues (like a chime for success or a failure sound when something goes wrong) help guide the player and indicate success or failure in gameplay.
- When my character is in low Health could have an audio sound specific.
- Navigation and Orientation
- Footsteps can signal the presence of a character nearby.
- Music or sound effects can guide the player toward objectives or signal hidden secrets.
- Sound effects may signal when a player is near danger, when an enemy is approaching, or when a special ability is ready to use.
- Music
- Music and sound effects are powerful tools for evoking emotions. For instance, dramatic music can heighten the tension in a boss fight, while a soft melody can enhance emotional moments in a story-driven game. Sound helps players connect emotionally to the game world and its characters.
- Character and Narrative Development
- Voice acting and character-specific sounds (like footsteps, grunts, or weapon noises) help develop the personalities of in-game characters. In my game instead of voice lines I could create a sound to mimic it, like in Hotline Miami / Undertale.
- Communication in Multiplayer Games
- In multiplayer games, sound plays a critical role in communication and team coordination. Players rely on voice chat, directional sounds (like footsteps or gunfire), and other audio cues to interact with teammates, understand enemy locations, and strategize during gameplay.