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Game Audio in Audio Games Towards a Theory on the Roles and Functions of Sound in Audio Games

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Game Audio in Audio Games Towards a Theory on the Roles and Functions of Sound in Audio Games Dalarna University College Sound and Music Production 180 ECTS Credits Bachelor Programme Bachelor Degree Thesis Game Audio in Audio Games Towards a Theory on the Roles and Functions of Sound in Audio Games Written by Rickard Åsén Supervisor: Johnny Wingstedt Course coordinator: Toivo Burlin Examiner: Jacob Derkert Publishing year: 2013 B A C H E L O R D E G R E E T HESIS G A M E A U D I O I N A U D I O G AMES Abstract For the past few decades, researchers have increased our understanding of how sound functions within various audio–visual media formats. With a different focus in mind, this study aims to identify the roles and functions of sound in relation to the game form Audio Games, in order to explore the potential of sound when acting as an autonomous narrative form. Because this is still a relatively unexplored research field, the main purpose of this study is to help establish a theoretical ground and stimulate further research within the field of audio games. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach to the topic, this research relies on theoretical studies, examinations of audio games and contact with the audio game community. In order to reveal the roles of sound, the gathered data is analyzed according to both a contextual and a functional perspective. The research shows that a distinction between the terms ‘function’ and ‘role’ is important when analyzing sound in digital games. The analysis therefore results in the identification of two analytical levels that help define the functions and roles of an entity within a social context, named the Functional and the Interfunctional levels. In addition to successfully identifying three main roles of sound within audio games— each describing the relationship between sound and the entities game system, player and virtual environment—many other issues are also addressed. Consequently, and in accordance with its purpose, this study provides a broad foundation for further research of sound in both audio games and video games. Keywords: Audio game machinery, Sound analysis, Game studies, Roles of sound, Virtual environment, Accessibility, Sound perception, Auditory worlds, Sound functionalities, Transdiegetic communication D A L A R N A U N I V E R S I T Y C OLLEGE i R I C K A R D Å SÉN B A C H E L O R D E G R E E T HESIS G A M E A U D I O I N A U D I O G AMES Acknowledgements To my thesis supervisor Johnny Wingstedt for all your great guiding and many inspirational talks, To my dachshund Vid for reminding me to take long, thoughtful walks once in a while, And to my girlfriend and editor, my lovely linguist Lucija Antolković without whom this thesis could never have been written, …THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! – RICKARD ÅSÉN D A L A R N A U N I V E R S I T Y C OLLEGE ii R I C K A R D Å SÉN B A C H E L O R D E G R E E T HESIS G A M E A U D I O I N A U D I O G AMES Table of Content Abstract .............................................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... ii Table of Content ...............................................................................................................................iii 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Definition of Function and Role ............................................................................................ 1 1.2 Purpose of the Study .............................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Research Questions ................................................................................................................ 2 1.4 Demarcations .......................................................................................................................... 2 1.5 General Terminology Used in the Thesis .............................................................................. 2 1.5.1 Stipulations of the Digital Game Forms Used in This Thesis ............................................... 3 1.5.2 Stipulations of the Three Levels of Digital Game Development .......................................... 3 1.6 On My Perspective as a Writer ............................................................................................. 4 2 Method of Research .......................................................................................... 5 2.1 Information Gathering ........................................................................................................... 5 2.1.1 Literary Study of Related Research ...................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Contact with the Audio Game Community ........................................................................... 6 2.1.3 Examination of Various Audio Games ................................................................................. 6 2.1.4 Information Gathering From Various Internet Sources ........................................................ 7 3 Conditions of the Audio Game Machinery ..................................................... 8 3.1 Conditions of the Game System & the Development Scene ................................................ 8 3.1.1 Definition of the Game System............................................................................................. 8 3.1.2 Definition of Gameplay ........................................................................................................ 9 3.1.3 Developing Audio Games – A Scene under Development ................................................. 10 3.1.4 Turning Audio into Sound .................................................................................................. 13 3.1.5 Budget – Making Ends Meet .............................................................................................. 14 3.2 Conditions of the Player ....................................................................................................... 17 3.2.1 The Player–Avatar Relationship ......................................................................................... 17 3.2.2 The Difference Between Listening and Hearing ................................................................. 18 3.2.3 The Sound Stage of Audio Games ...................................................................................... 22 3.3 Conditions of Sound within the Virtual Environment ...................................................... 26 3.3.1 Sound as Events .................................................................................................................. 26 3.3.2 Balancing the Sounds.......................................................................................................... 28 3.3.3 Diegesis in Audio Games ................................................................................................... 31 3.3.4 Final Reflections on the Characteristics of Sound in Audio Games ................................... 33 D A L A R N A U N I V E R S I T Y C OLLEGE iii R I C K A R D Å SÉN B A C H E L O R D E G R E E T HESIS G A M E A U D I O I N A U D I O G AMES 4 The Various Functions of Sound in Audio Games ....................................... 35 4.1 Metafunctions of Communication ....................................................................................... 35 4.2 Functions of Sound in Digital Games .................................................................................. 39 4.2.1 The IEZA-model by Huiberts & van Tol ............................................................................ 39 4.2.2 Jørgensen’s Four Functions of Sound ................................................................................. 41 4.3 Virtual Environment Features in Audio Games ................................................................ 42 4.3.1 Assistive Navigational Features .......................................................................................... 42 4.3.2 Direct and Indirect Functional Usages ................................................................................ 45 4.4 Game System Features in Audio Games ............................................................................ 46 4.4.1 Gyroscope ........................................................................................................................... 46 4.4.2 Head-Tracking Headphones................................................................................................ 47 4.4.3 Full Ultra-Immersive Mask ................................................................................................ 47 5 Summary: The Role of Sound in Audio Games ........................................... 51 5.1 The Theatrical Interplay of the Game Machinery............................................................. 51 5.1.1 Modes of Expression .......................................................................................................... 51 5.2 The Characteristics and Affordances of Sound ................................................................. 53 5.2.1 The Affordances of the Game System in Audio Games ..................................................... 53 5.2.2 Sound as Audio and Sound as Sound ................................................................................. 54 5.2.3 Sound as Communication of Information and Meaning
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