The Evolution of Sound Design

Took a sound design class this semester. Had to write a short paper so here it is. This is a really gigantic area so this is just a brief overview of some aspects. I’m not an expert but have done my best to synthesize various sources for accuracy. I wish I knew more about sound because the books and articles I came across in my research are fascinating, but I’m only able to understand about half of it because I am barely familiar with music, sound, and sound tech terminology.

The Evolution of Video Game Sound: Technology, Form, and Function

Video game sound has evolved dramatically since its inception in the 1970s. Early video game sound design was defined by the capabilities of available technology at the time. As advancements in sound technology were made sound designs for video games became more elaborate and refined. Early video game sounds were inspired by the bell and whistle sounds found in early pinball, bagatelle, machines and carnival games, but changed aesthetically over time in response to changes in technology, film, and a desire for realism. My goal in this paper is to examine the unique properties of sound design for video games, including the evolution of sound design since its inception.

Video Games were first introduced in the 1950s but remained silent until the premiere of Pong in 1972. Pong featured a single sound circuit capable of generating different analog tones used to create its now-infamous sonar-like beeps and blips. Gunfight, introduced in 1975, was “the first game to use a microprocessor (instead of hardwired circuits). A one-channel amplifier provides mono gunshot sounds” (McDonald). In 1977 the ATARI 2600 incorporated a computer chip featuring “two audio circuits that could be programmed independently (Weske) and so the race to output more realistic sound would begin. Advancements in sound technology seemed to be made with almost every new system and game released. Integrated circuits were replaced by microprocessors, computer-generated voices and voice synthesizers were introduced. In the 1980s dedicated sound chips were introduced that provided four separate channels and the ability to control the pitch, volume, and distortion value of each. Multiple chips were often used to expand sound capabilities; more advanced processors were introduced, and the era of 8-bit sound was born. 8-bit sound grew into 16-bit, CD-ROMS provided more sound capability, and in 1995 the Sony PlayStation was introduced with a “24-channel sound chip providing CD-quality stereo sound with built-in support for digital effects such as reverb and looping (McDonald). It’s important to note that these increases in sound output did not always do much to improve sound quality due to memory requirements and the capabilities of the hardware used for output. Modern game console hardware is now capable of outputting superb surround sound stereo sound, but sound limitations still exist for various platforms based on technology restrictions. For example, Facebook Games is a popular platform for game developers but Facebook severely restricts the size of sound files. Mobile devices such as smartphones are popular gaming devices but possess no real stereo sound capability. These technology restrictions often require sound designers to be more innovative and unique in their sound compositions.

Game Sound author Karen Collins points out that “sounds were not an aesthetic decision, but were a direct result of the limited capabilities of the technology of the time” (9). It is true that early game sound designers were limited by the restraints of technology but they were able to create memorable ditties, melodies, and sound effects despite these limitations. Many designers embraced the limited, and sometimes unique, tonal ranges of various platforms in order to create unique sounds that sometimes helped to brand a game just as much as the visuals (Collins, Beep). The “scratchy and primitive sound effects on the [Atari] VCS (later known as the 2600) are still unlike anything to ever come out of a TV set (McDonald). However, the desire for more realistic music and sound remained a driving force. Early sound output consisted of analog tones, but as technology evolved more sound channels were added allowing for greater output. Initially, most platforms possessed three to four sound channels, with one usually reserved for noise. These channels were still limited to generating various tones, but with the addition of more channels, including a noise channel, more elaborate tonal arrangements began to appear. Space Invaders is “a great example of simple, effective sound design, . . . owing a large part of its appeal to its menacing, paranoia-inducing soundtrack” (McDonald). Eventually, sound and voice samplers and synthesizers were introduced and digital audio capabilities made realistic sound a reality. These technological developments directly influenced the aesthetic direction of most sound design. Today many video games have musical scores indistinguishable from film.

As technology advanced the types of sound elements found in film: music, underscoring, ambient sounds, sound effects, and dialogue all became common sound elements for video games. Video game sound designs are often implemented for the same purposes as in film: to create and support strong themes that define characters, settings, and situations. To establish mood, and to alter emotional and mental states. Conceptually the function of sound in games and film is very similar but the form and implementation of sound are very different.

A film is a linear experience so when designing sound for film you create music, sound, and dialogue for exact moments and scenes. The experience will remain the same no matter how many times it’s revisited, unlike a video game which is a nonlinear experience. Video games require sound designs that continuously adapt to the actions of the player. Tom Salta notes that you’re scoring the emotion that you want the player to feel at that moment while he’s playing the game (Collins, 1:28). Video game music isn’t a passive experience, it’s an interactive experience with sounds often triggered by the player. To create sounds and music that are capable of adapting to the player’s actions sounds must be arranged and composed dynamically. Often this is done by layering several pieces of music that work well alone but also sound good together. Horizontal resequencing — designing music in chunks that can be rearranged, and vertical layering – adding and subtracting musical elements according to what’s needed are two techniques often employed (Collins, Beep).

Once an afterthought, music and sound design has become more important to game development and is an essential element in many. “Music is the way in which human beings communicate to each other without employing words or symbols. Musical underscore conveys emotion but that’s not the only role that music plays” (Phillips 97). Music and sound effects are used to immerse the player in the game and to cue the player into what is happening in order to aid responsiveness. Sounds are used not just to tell a story but to confirm actions and commands.

“The unique relationship in games posed by the fact that the audience is engaging directly in the sound playback process on-screen requires a new type of categorization of the sound-image relationship. Game sound can be categorized broadly as diegetic (sound whose source is visible or implied on screen, usually referred to as source music) or nondiegetic (sound whose source is not visible or implied on screen — underscoring), and then further separated into non-dynamic and dynamic sound, and then divided further into the types of dynamic activity . . .” (Collins 125). Game music, sound effects, and dialogue all serve many purposes. Music is generally used to “set the mood, heighten emotion, propel action, provide contextual clues, enhance the aesthetic, and contribute to structural unity” (Thomas 19). Sound effects and dialogue may serve the same functions as music but also serve as cues and feedback for the player. Music is also used to alter the state of mind of the player; it “has the potential to enhance the concentration of players and increase their enjoyment of the game” (Phillips 101). Types of music and sound cues vary greatly based on genre and aesthetic direction, but there is much similarity in sound design forms and functions within genres. Action games require music that reflects the pacing and energy level and the gameplay. Real-time strategy and puzzle games both require acute awareness of game details and the overall picture. Survival horror games rely on sound cues that trigger a hyper-alert mental state and communicate unseen threats and directional sounds (Phillips 99-105).

While many of these concepts can be applied to film the interactive requirements of game audio make designing sound for video games unique. The main differentiator is the need for a nonlinear sound structure. “Nonlinear music has the capability to change based on the state of the game and the choices of the player, creating variations that are determined by the player’s actions” (Phillips 158). Sounds must be composed and programmed to react to the actions of the player, and “to the general state of the game brought about by the player’s actions (Phillips 187). A successful video game sound design must be well written but also well implemented.

Works Cited

Collins, Karen, director. Beep: A Documentary History of Game Sound. Beep: A Documentary History of Game Sound, Ehtonal, 2016, www.gamesound.com.

Collins, Karen. Game sound: an introduction to the history, theory, and practice of video game music and sound design. MIT Press, 2008.

McDonald, Glenn. “A History of Video Game Music.” GameSpot, Gamespot, 28 Mar. 2005, www.gamespot.com/articles/a-history-of-video-game-music/1100-6092391/.

Phillips, Winifred. A Composer’s Guide to Game Music. The MIT Press, 2014.

Seabrook, Andrea. “The Evolution of Video Game Music.” NPR, NPR, 13 Apr. 2008, www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89565567.

The 8-Bit Guy. “How Oldschool Sound/Music worked.” YouTube, The 8-Bit Guy, 5 Oct. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_3d1x2VPxk.

Weske, Jörg. “Digital Sound and Music in Computer Games.” History – Digital Sound and Music in Computer Games, June 2011, 3daudio.info/gamesound/history.html.