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 Features
Creating an Interactive
Audio Environment
Character
Development
The nature
of a game object must be relayed in the character of its "voice." It's
very easy to screw up the integrity of a character by giving different
visual and aural personalities. However, giving the right "voice" can
greatly enhance a character's personality. A weak character may be depicted
through the use of a humorous voice. A stronger character's dramatic personae
can be highlighted through the use of a deeper and more resonant voice,
as well as a script that relates without question his or her authority.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES.
- Always
use professional voice actors. Trained voice actors are professionals
who specialize in giving your character the voice it deserves. Whether
it is a cartoony or a deep resonant voice, a single talented actor may
help develop your ideas for multiple characters and realize them in
ways that you haven't conceived. When in doubt of how to find a good
voice actor, look to talent agencies and talent search services for
help. Moreover, making a trained voice work with the rest of your mix
is quite a bit easier than trying to amplify or equalize a weak voice.
All sound engineers can attest to this.
- Spend
a little more time in sound design. As in all cases, don't just pull
sound effects off of a CD. Create sound effects from your own sampled
sounds as much as possible. A portable DAT recorder and a good microphone
in the field will take you much further than a commercial CD sound library
ever could. Nothing kills a unique audio environment more quickly than
the phrase, "I've heard that somewhere else before...."
- Collaborate
with professional scriptwriters. Writers would jump at the opportunity
to write a couple of hundred lines of dialogue for some game characters.
The results will definitely be worth the investment.
- Don't
be afraid to inflate the vocabulary. Minimize silent time. If you have
the space for audio, use it. Set the limit with the programmers and
designers early as to your memory budget for audio, and use it wisely.
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 Ambient
Sound
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