Gamasutra - Sounds Of The Snow

[In this article, Finnish game sound designer Tapio Liukkonen (Broken Alliance) writes passionately about the need for authentic winter sound recording in games. While we're on the cusp of spring in North America, Western Europe and Asia, it's a good exercise to stop and think about how sound recording could be accomplished in games -- with field recording an invigorating technique.]

This article will focus on winter recording. You may ask why. I have lived almost all my life in Finland where we have four totally different seasons. Summer temperature can be as high as 104F (40C) and winter as low as -40F (-40C). Weather changes between these boundaries are huge. Snow, rain, slush, heat -- you name it.

To me, winter means a lot. I like winter and everything that you can do then. It also has extremely wide and specific soundscapes. Lots of things affect the soundscape, like temperature, quality of snow, location, etc.

I prefer the real sound of snow instead of Foley sounds, because you can't create as unique a sound with Foley as with real field recording. My goal is to explain why, and introduce general problems of winter field recording in this article.

Studio or Field?

There are two places to record sound effects -- the studio and the field. Both places have their own strengths. The studio is always quiet, easy to control and you can collect your Foley material near to you. Work can be done fast.

On the other hand, a studio can be too small, sometimes hard to control, and presents a lack of surprises. In the field you can try new things, and you always have space to do things -- but sometimes they can be too noisy, the location can be too remote, or work may happen too slowly.

Everybody talks a lot about Foley work. I feel that field recording is underestimated -- there are so many stories about the sound design of Hollywood blockbuster movies and how similar sounds have been created in big game studios.

Maybe it is more glamorous if you work in a nice, big studio -- but you can create quality sounds in the field, too. You can easily find realistic sounds and you don't have to find good material for the Foley. There is also something "extreme" about going to nature and recording things. It is more rewarding than just sitting in the studio with mic and recording.

Lots of games and movies try to be loudest product of the year. I have to admit that this is cool. You can crank your volume up and shoot those alien freaks back to space! But I also like soundtracks which have some kind of idea -- details in the sound, something unique. One way to create something unique is field recording. There are lots of sounds which wait for recording. They can be good as how they sound or something new when you edit them.

It is faster to work in a studio because everything is close and there aren't any unwanted noises. In the field things can go badly, and it can take time. But if you know how to record sounds and you are aware what you need, you can save time in the editing and mixing processes. Real sound can fit as it is -- but studio recordings probably need editing.

For example, if you record footsteps in 5F (-15C) weather, you can record it from the right distance, you get the right surface and quality of snow, and you'll have the natural ambience.

Creating the same sound in a studio environment can be tricky. You have to eliminate room tone, you have to have the right items to make a sound which sounds like snow, and you have to get the right ambience. By ambience I don't mean background noises and whatever -- I mean the ambience which characterizes the sound itself, so that it isn't too "dry".

So if you can't easily create it in the studio, or you can't find the sound in commercial sound effects libraries, then you have to go to field and record it! For that matter, why to bother to even check out libraries? Nobody can blame you repeating sounds or similarity to others' work, if you build your own sounds.

Of course there are money and timetable issues, but people should know that if they want something original and unique then they might have to be patient, and aware of the value of sounds.

Comments

Darius Kazemi

20 Mar 2008 at 7:54 am PST

I thought that Irrational Games did a great job with the Nuclear Winter levels Freedom Force. Snow is always better when it has its own theme song.

Jeroen Stout

21 Mar 2008 at 10:12 am PST

Very fresh article - I will not go outside to record sound just yet (even if it's just because it is now summer), but I found the dedication quite admirable.

chris charla

21 Mar 2008 at 1:35 pm PST

This article is awesome -- the sound design info is great, but it's also just great to see the level of passion Tapio brings to his craft. Makes me proud to work in games.

john prassas

22 Mar 2008 at 10:07 am PST

Great Article ! Having grown up in the country I have always wanted to do more on site recrod - but not use stock sounds.
John

Brandon Van Every

27 Mar 2008 at 8:00 pm PST

I like this article! So much better than writing debates. I like it because the author actually has something meaningful to say about his work, rather than throwing abstract stones. Nothing is created that way, it is all talk.

Leyland Rudholm

17 Apr 2008 at 10:06 pm PST

Good article. I grew up in a snowy place... so its nice to read an article similar to how I feel about sound design for snow.