Bibliography

. Bridgett, Rob (20011) SUBTLETY AND SILENCE
An article about creating sound for games. Zero-G iFX Games sample library. Available from: <http://www.zero-g.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=722>
[Accessed 2 November 2011].

. Halo CE: Anniversary Walkthrough The Maw Part 5 the Ending - HD Gameplay.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wGuvzpmtAE

. Project Zero 2: Final Chapter ~ Crimson Butterfly (3/4)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujOSy1BSuwg&feature=related

Creating Coherent Worlds: My Presentation

My presentation will be about how Sound plays a vital role within creating coherent worlds in Video games. How sound is used to portray every other asset, such as characters, environments, narrative, lighting and other dynamic features, sound has it's ways of conveying personality to all those elements. Without sound, the story and overall concept would lack authenticity and believability. Without sound, there is no expression or emotion for the chain events that happen, it is the most important way to influence an emotion onto it's audience. With that, I want to look at how sound is used to create atmosphere between the narrative and environment. More specifically, How sound is used and how it is not.

Building atmosphere with explosive and subtly silenced sounds.

Sound is very clever within video games and can easily make an atmosphere with very little or a lot. Some video games use loud explosive soundtracks that demonstrate a rush against time or a heroic battle, every instrument is used to express the emotions towards the action and still include essences of the theme. For example, Red dead redemption big combats include loud and intense sounds, which encourages the character to act brave or strong, but with that adding emotion for the player, it also hosts all the traditional elements of a western type genre, such as using traditional instruments, like guitars, violins, bells and harmonicas. So the sound is creating a relative atmosphere that is engaging, emotional and authenticity to the genre.

On the other hand, sometimes less is more within sound and video games. Using very quiet or minimalistic sounds can also paint a very dynamic atmosphere within a game. The inclusions of subtle silences also adds to that atmosphere and begins creating an emotion for the player. This method is used in a variety of genres, but is most commonly seen within horror. Games of that theme use sound cleverly to keep their player's on their toes, not guiding them through the action with sounds, but leaving them to specaulate what could be hidden in those silences. Quiet and simplistic music is often used to mask danger, instead of hyping it with increased volume or inclusion of more sounds, the mood stays the same, suprising the player as they go. Making the game unpredictable and scary, matching perfectly to that of it's genre.

It is with both types of using sound that are subconsciously accepted within video games. You don't normally sit and wonder about the particular ambient sounds that are playing, because you're busy engaging with the story. However, it is subconsciously that the player listens to all those sounds and it is actually with that, that makes the story engaging. Without explosive music, the player wouldn't feel brave or excited to fight a foe, without subtle sounds and silences, the player would feel more incontrol of what to expect.

Sound acts as a mental guide through the story, inviting the player to experience different emotions within the game, without them even realizing it. It is with that, that sound makes a coherent world within video games. Adding authenticity and personality to the game that relates to it's subject, adds believability making the whole experience enjoyable.

TED Nancy Duarte Presentation 'That Resonates With Me'

Watching this presentation was very inspiring on every kind of basis when projecting your own ideas. Nancy conveyed how ideas change the world and it's with the those ideas that the future is written. To take a risk with your idea and get it heard, even though there maybe some resistance against it, use your passion for your idea to rope in loose ties. To keep trying no matter what and to not be put down by being turned away. Nancy showed examples of how to portray ideas without any chance of resistance, talking about what if and what could be. Being passionate about your idea will encourage your audience to feel engaged. Show that your idea is the best, make it personal to yourself and interact with your audience as if they were all close friends. With those methods of conveying your ideas, it is soon evident that your following will make you dream a reality.

Creating Coherent Worlds: Examples of using Silence

Here are some Video game examples that represent how Silence is manipulated within the ambiance. Each, both represent techniques of using silence to build tension within the environment. Within these genres, using silence subtly with other sounds really emphasizes that fear fact, keeping the atmosphere unpredictable and enforcing players to keep on their toes. Building sounds and mellowing them with silences adds that sense of unpredictability, making the game even more terrifying. 

In these two video examples you can see how they both use silences to enhance danger. With the first clip 'Silent Hill: Homecoming' the environment is represented with small haunting sounds, but sometimes often get distilled in certain areas, its in these areas that enemies often crop up to make you jump.

In this clip taken from 'Project Zero 2' it is actually the build up towards the final boss, but the whole time on that path is silent. It puts the player into a position that they're unaware of how to react to, without sound influencing the story, or acting as a guide, the player begins to speculate what could happen. it's with this that the silence is used to create a climax of action at the end, to make the unexpected occur. It's these wonderful techniques that bring out the best fearful emotions in us all.

Bibliography:

. http://www.youtube.com

. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujOSy1BSuwg [accessed Tues 22nd]

. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czmonaC3-7k [accessed Tues 22nd]

Creating Coherent Worlds: The Effect of Silence.

Sound is a very clever and dynamic way to deliver emotion to a story. The use of certain instruments, the ways in which they are played, the expression behind HOW they are played all can create such a huge variety of emotions depending on the story/scene they are trying to create an atmosphere for. Sound can be used in my many different ways to create the same sort of atmosphere. However, my focus is not so much how much sound is use to express feelings, but how minimalistic it's presented, even to the point of silence. Using silence within either movies or videos game have the largest impact on it's audience. For example, if we take a horror movie that uses high tremolos of violins, that gradually get louder, or softer can depict what could potentially happen in the action. If the sound gets louder, something could be approaching making the audience more alert and suspicious. If it's quieter, the audience begin to speculate there is minimal danger, at least for now. Using this method of sound guides the audience through the action and the story, preparing them for what to expect. It's a way to add a premature effect on it's consumer, making them scared before any action has even happened. This sets the atmosphere of either movie or video game, keeping the viewer/player engaged by getting them to depend on the sound as their guide.

In a lot games, music changes in a various ways. Whether entering a new building, fighting an enemy, being spotted by someone etc, sound is used to warn the players that something is about to happen to them, preparing them.  Sound is something that isn't really acknowledged within a game, it's a subconscious asset that draws the player in without them realizing it. This is mainly evident through ambiances instead of big soundtracks. The player subconsciously depends on the sounds within the environment as the play the game, it is their guide to inform them of how to feel or react. So, what if we take all sound away? and leave them with silences? Silence is used in many genres of television, movies and video games to grab the attention of it's audience. As previously mentioned, viewers subconsciously depend on sound as a guide, when that sound is taken away, it is then that they notice something is wrong, different or unusual. They feel thrown out of their comfort zone, making them pay attention, almost begging for the sound to come back and inform them on how to feel.

This method is often used within the Horror genre. Instead of making fearful audio to present the action within a scene, there is nothing but silence. Making the viewer feel on edge, there is nothing to tell them what could or could not happen, they're left with their own thoughts and emotions. Leaving them to speculate and get increasingly terrified. Anything could happen within silence and any moment, it will surprise you , making it such a good affect within the horror genre. It is similar to how light acts in darkness, we depend on light to guide us...but when it is taken away, and we're left in darkness, we begin to speculate where to go, what to do, what will guide you now? it is exactly the same with how silences are used in sound.

Aside from Horror, silences are used on television quite often. For example in advertisements, we as the public don't necessarily pay any attention to them. We are subconsciously aware those adverts make sounds, have themes and dialogue etc. But then if a silent advert comes on, you immediately notice something is different and you are drawn to the advert to figure out why there is silence. It's really amusing how we as people subconsciously react to sounds, but when it is taken from us, it is within an instant that we notice. Silence gives people the chance to think, deliberate and form their own emotions/opinions towards things, without sound guiding them or creating an atmosphere, we are left to make our own assumptions. No matter what genre of movie or video game, Silences are the most effective way to create coherence between the world and the narrative.

I looked at 'SUBTLETY AND SILENCE' An article about creating sound for games, by Rob Bridgett (creator of the Zero-G iFX Games sample library). It was interesting to see how he believe sound should be used very subtly and if not at all to create the most dynamic affect on your audience. His views on silences are very similar to mine in how they leave spaces for players to develop an emotion. How something is more terrifying in the horror game: Being in a room with sound acts as a guide to the current action, being in a room without sound very suddenly, takes away that guide. Resulting in the player to panic, what could happen next? nothing is telling you or giving you clues. 

'Cleverly constructed montage of silence potentially has more dramatic effect than the biggest and loudest sounds. The structuring of how silence works in conjunction with sound is similar in a way to the film editing practices espoused by Eisenstein nearly a hundred years ago: in that expressive power is only gained when these elements are edited together and deliberately played against one another'

Bibliography:

. SUBTLETY AND SILENCE' An article about creating sound for games, by Rob Bridgett (creator of the Zero-G iFX Games sample library)

. http://www.zero-g.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=722 [Accessed Tues 22nd]

Creating Coherent Worlds: Evidence of Sound relevance.

Although sound is vitally important to express emotions within Video games, it is crucial that it replicates the appropriate atmosphere. Using the right soundtracks or ambiances can make a scene or moment within a story, however, the emotion or expression can be dramatically changed if the sound isn't right for the emotion trying to be portrayed.

I have made 2 different examples to show how music can change the emotion of a scene, whether for bad or good. You can begin to understand the importance of audio within the development of creating coherent worlds. This particular extract is from the Video game 'Red Dead Redemption' where you first reach the country of Mexico, a new and foreign land far from home. The sound that accompanies this moment is so moving and powerful, you get that real sense of alienation and loneliness. You feel connected with the character, story and environment within this particular sequence, the whole tragic story behind the main character, how his emotions and personality are portrayed towards that and how the environment sews those feelings together. It is all with that one moment, traveling in a new world, far from your home, alone...that makes this sequence so compelling and beautiful.

Here is the original scene:

 

Now I will use the same scene, but this time add different audios tracks to on top. You will begin to dramatically rethink the emotions trying to be portrayed in the scene. It is with

this evidence that sound is vital to express not only the right sort of feelings, but to make the correct atmosphere for the story and environment. The genre of this particular game would not have these new soundtracks incorporated because it differs to much from the theme, it isn't believable any more, the authenticity of the concept has been lost and now develops a new meaning. In result the coherence between the world and the story has been lost and detached, therefore making the the experience confusing and irrelevant.

 Sound Change 1

  

Sound Change 2

Sound Change 3

It is evident with each sound change, how important it is to create music that relates to every asset of the game. The original scene corresponds to every aspect, the lyrics to the song, the instruments, tempo and mood all reflect what's happening in the seen. The characters emotions from his past, his present and where he wants to be in the future, through experience the previous parts of the story, that scene is so emotional and moving, you as the player feel so connected too EVERY element. It makes it one of the most immersive and moving experience within gaming history. However, from what I did by changing the sounds to the scene, everything is wrong. The emotion has been lost, it's disconnected to the theme and loses meaning, making the whole experience seem rather stupid. Irrelevant music really changes the emotions to a scene, it can really break the atmosphere it's trying to pull off. As easily noticed with my constructed examples above.

Bibliography:

. http://www.youtube.com

. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oWKCp102ic

Creating Coherent Worlds: Topic for Presentation - Sound

Within video games, there are many crucial elements that are used to make the world coherent to the story. These are primarily from graphic ability, characters, environments and my personal focus, Sound. Audio within video games is one of the most important assets to make all the other elements succeed. Without audio, every part of the game play would lack emotion and personality, it is with sound that certain parts of the narrative, character or environments can express themselves.


Both Movies and Video games use audio and sound effects to bring emotion to a particular scene or part of the story. It can build tension, fear, sadness, happiness, excitement  and so much more. It is with sound that the story can become coherent to the world, it adds authenticity, believability and personality. Without sound, particular moments within either media would lack any form of emotion, making them dull and lifeless.

Here is a scene taken from the move 'Forces of Nature', a film about a young man who is about to get married to his fiancee, but experiences complications with a plane crash. From that he seems to find himself getting more lost on his way and ends up speculating if there is a reason this is happening, that maybe he shouldn't get married. It is then he meets a new woman on his travels and begins developing a relationship with her instead, as an escape from the reality of marriage. He decides to return to the wedding to tell his fiancee he found someone else, but soon found himself falling in love with the original girl of his dreams.

In this scene you can feel how he falls in love again, how he decides what's right for the situation. The surrounding action in this scene is chaotic and explosive. A hurricane is destroying the wedding, glasses smashing and people screaming. But with the moment the pair are reunited, everything around them becomes silent and a subtle ambiance embraces the scene. You as the viewer begin to emotionally feel the connection between them and how the surrounding action doesn't matter anymore. You can feel their love detaching them from reality, placing them in their own protective bubble where nothing matters anymore, but each other. Aside from this part of the scene, you also have a sense of sadness for the other female role, who is left observing this moment, understanding that she must also continue with her life. You as the audience begin to notice the moral of the story, that you may have made bad choices, but in the end you have to go with what's right. With the sound in this scene you really feel every emotion, love and sadness. You feel alone in this bubble of emotions with each character, muted off by the real terror of the scene. Nothing matters but them and how they feel, the music and subtle ambiances really influence those emotions and without it, the whole essence of the scene, the entire movie would be lost.


For a video game example, I chose to look at the first 'Splinter Cell' title from the original Xbox. From personal experience, the Splinter Cell series always delivered incredible ambiances that connected you to the player to ever element of the game, especially within
the environments and interaction with characters. Being a stealth based game, audio is used clever to add that essence of being 'hidden', quiet and cautious. The entire atmosphere makes you as the player act carefully and tactically, using the audio to guide you through the missions within the environment. In this particular example of chosen, it is from the level 'Chinese Embassy'. In this level, you play a mission at night within the streets of China. Eliminating threats stealthily as you go, minimizing sudden movements and gun fire, using your entire environment to your advantage for everything from combat to escaping methods.

 

In this first sequence, you are immediately apposed with multiple enemies and difficulties, concentrating on clearing your path without being noticed. This within Splinter Cell takes a lot of focus for the player, but it's with the sound that really influences that need to be cautious/stealthy. This level influences a lot of traditional Chinese sounds, from cymbals, chanting to very light percussion, adding authenicity to the environment, making the player
really feel they are in a foreign environment. However, the ambiance itself is very subtle, and with the focus of the player it's practically like a subconscious asset the audience acknowledges. You don't really think about the sound too much, being so heavily focused on your mission, but it is most definitely with that the player reacts in the way they do. They subconsciously react to the different sounds with the ambiance as if it was guiding them through the environment. You can hear in this sequence when you get spotted, or engaged in combat, the sound changes dramatically. Still using traditional Chinese elements, the audio becomes loud, unnerving and intense, but can soon fade away the better you react to the situation. So you use sound as a way to predict danger, when it's calm and ambient you feel safe, hidden and stealthy. You begin to depend on every single sound, without even properly noticing it. It is with that, that sound is so vitally important to express not only action, but the objectives, authenticity of the environment, lighting and so many other assets. 

Sound is always depended on, whether it's subtle or obvious. It is cleverly used to express the emotion within a part of the story.  Without it, i severely doubt the narrative and world could properly be coherent with each other, sound brings emotion unlike another element within media design. It is something you don't really think you pay too much attention to, but when you as the player begin to react to certain parts of the story, it is primarily based on how the sound has changed, affecting the players emotions towards it subconsciously. Even with obvious audio, music is always used to enhance the action within both the narrative and environment. It sews them together, making the entire production believable, authentic and rich.

Bibliography:

. http://www.youtube.com

. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COD1Eft4i5k [Splinter Cell accessed Tues 22nd]

. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPmJEt4wDBs [Forces of Nature accessed Tues 22nd]

Relationship between Characters and Goals

In the previous tasked I looked into how worlds were created around the use of a character based structure. Creating the coherent world between narrative and environment with the use of characters. This time, I will be looking at how the characters are used to develop the story within games in more depth. How they relate to tasks/unfolding drama and how they react to actions. The way in which characters are used within different parts of the story, determines the outlook of the tale. Depending on how a figure reacts to something within the story, helps develop atmosphere and emotion. This creates a solid bond between narrative and the environment in which the story takes place, captivating the player into a believable and exciting world.

I was given to questions to describe this:

.What is the relationship between the character and the goal?

.Why does the character care? 

Understanding the connection between a character and an objective/goal tells a story within a game. There needs to be a strong bond between the two to show the importance of explaining narrative, without it action would be boring and lack emotional connection. I will use a real game example and use my current video game idea project to show how they compare.

Master Chief (Halo)

.What is the relationship between the character and the goal?

John 117 or known as the Master Chief is the last remaining Spartan hero to help defend earth against a hostile alien race. He is the only person who is skilled enough to help protect earth and therefore is the last remaining hope to save the universe. The Master chief is strong, agile and determined, it is with that in his nature that he is managed to survive and gain a reputation to be the savior of the world. However, with such burdens, John does not have a personality that matches to that standard. Although skilled, his attitude towards the fight is humorous and courageous. He is a daredevil and a joker, who takes risks that no others would, but in result show his stability within the story as a brave and lucky character. His particular attitude makes him more relative as a normal human being, that isn't just an outrageous super hero, he has attitude and a personality. He apposes questions to situations instead of just doing them, which makes John a believable and a more realistic character. It is with that personality you as the player feel more emotionally connected with the goals in the game. You begin thinking like John and start acting as if he would, approaching tasks with some level of sarcasm but in the back of your mind, taking it seriously with a courageous heart.

The Master Chief himself has a huge task to protect the world, with that the entire universe is in terror and ruin. John is the only character that brings the emotion of hope and happiness, even though it is approached with sarcasm or humour. He is passionate and determined to protect his people, but at the cost of taking risks as well. When you play as the Master Chief, you feel like an invincible and cocky super hero, with serious attitude and strength. His character is recognizable amongst all of us, unlike some heroes within films/video games. He isn't too far fetched or ridiculous, he is believable and likable making him one of the most iconic gaming figures to date.

.Why does the character care?

John cares because he has been trained to protect the universe. A military super machine that will defend earth and it's people at all costs. It is only with his help that earth will prevail, so his participation within the war is crucial. Also, within other parts of the Halo story, John had a squad with fellow Spartans that grew up and fought alongside him. But with the outcome of other battles related to the alien invasion, he lost all of his comrades, making him the last remaining super solider within the war. This affected his personality in different ways both negatively and positively. He became a stronger character and still kept true to his personality, but also suffered depression for the sake of being the only one left in existence. It is evident he yearns to save the universe for the sake of his fallen brothers, to be the one that prevailed, to do them proud. Although he generally does want to save the world, you can tell he is in it to prove his worth to his comrades. His missions have far more importance to him, to keep surviving and remaining victorious no matter what, to be himself and not lose courage. To be a Hero.

Zork (my own project)

.What is the relationship between the character and the goal?

Zork is a very isolated character within his world. His particularly eccentric personality and interests often detach him from reality, which encourages the outside world to avoid him, making him a rather lonely character. Depending on only his interests and imagination, Zork uses his mentally vibrant personality, to imagine worlds in which he is the most adored and famous being. The scenarios in which he imagines are to become the most renowned gaming legend of all time, where he will be a famous hero known by all. His goal is to obtain a priceless book known as 'The Games Master' said to make any gamer achieve 100% completion of every game ever made. This book is a well secured book that Zork daydreams over, in hopes that he will be the lucky guy to obtain it. With his imagination as his most useful asset, Zork warps himself into worlds in which help him get closer to the book of his dreams. In each world he goes into, he becomes a new hero, the one everyone loves and depends upon. He is his own master, and with that tool of his mind he can become anyone or anything he chooses to. He is not bounded by genre or art style, he becomes whoever who wishes to be. Making him invincible to anything that might stand in his way, he controls his mind and therefore he will always find ways to succeed. This relationship between the goal and the character adds a connection between who Zork really is and who he wishes he is, which is very relatable to a lot of gamers/people. Not in the sense of feeling 'alone', but having that feeling you were super, a Hero or something/someone with unimaginable skill. Zork is no real Hero, but he depends on his own strengths to feel comfortable about who he is, to be true to himself and not change to be something he is not. Having that personality to a character makes Zork believable and approachable to many players. You want him to prevail for the sake of himself and his emotions.

.Why does the character care? 


Zork's goal is important to him because he wants to be accepted for who he is, and not have to hide behind his interests in order to find acceptance. He believes being 'The Games Master' by obtaining that book, he will have all the attention he needs. Friends, fame, fortune and of course the girl. He has no limits, his mind is the important asset of his success, making him be any Hero/character he wants to be. Although we known of his true character in 'reality' we feel connected to him, to encourage him to become one with those imaginations. To have the feeling of bravery, invincibility and skill, to be a Hero. Not only does the character care, but we as the player do too.

• 
   
  
  

Vladimir Propp: Using methods for coherent story telling.

 For this contextual lecture, we looked into how Vladimir Propp studied the methods of story telling within folklore and fairy tales. It was interesting to note throught extracts of text from the presentation, how he came to the conclusion that most folk/fairy tales use similar methods of story telling, by sticking to a specific structure. In this case we are focused on how characters are used within the narrative to create the world around them. Characters are one of the most vital roles to tell narrative and also paint the picture of the world you are captivated within. Propp devised a popular method that used the characters of a story in a particular way that helped develop the world around them.

'Propp assigns letters as symbols to the functions that he identifies, and strings these symbols along lines to represent linear narratives in folktales. The resulting analysis gives a detailed picture of how folktales play out according to the fixed structures that he identifies.'

Here is an example of how characters are narrowed down into categories within the story, from this structure you can see how each role of a character can develop the world and narrative:

.The villain
.The donor 

.The helper 

.The princess, and her father 

.The dispatcher 

.The hero (seeker-hero, victim-hero) 

.The false hero

Although in present day describing environments or worlds within games are far more easier with the use of graphics. However, it is important to note how traditional book based tales, without the use of imagery depended on the roles of characters to visualize the world. This created a solid bond between the narrative and the world of the tale, which is a good way to show coherence with an older method of story telling. It is also interesting to figure out how Propp's strucutre is seen within many comics, video games and movies etc. It was actually difficult to not find this method used. It is very common in most fairy tale type games or movies. Disney is a prime example of these structures.

I decided to use the game 'Mario' to show how Propp's hypothesis works within creating a coherent world between narrative and story. Using this develops emotions and bonds between the characters and the world, that both develop the story very successfully.

The Villain:  Bowser

The Donor:  Boxes

 

The Helper:  Yoshi/Toad

 

The Princess and her Father:  Princess Peach, Toadsworth

 

 

The Dispatcher: Toad

The Hero:  Mario/Luigi

The False Hero:  Wario/Waluigi

Within Mario you can see how each character fits the role of Propp's method of story telling. Looking into how Mario is used with this structure, really shows how the story is primarily developed around them and not the graphics/imagery at all. With this method of character design, the narrative is already planned around those iconic figures. Their individual roles within the story help create the world around you within the game, what you as the player begin to imagine, experience or feel is primarily based around each character's role. It is evident that this method proves successful when creating the link between environment/world and narrative. Character's create that bond between the story and the world you play/experience. They invite the player to connect with their roles and guide them through different parts of the story, which as it develops, presents a bond between the world and the story. Making it believable, exciting and fun.

Within Mario itself, the basic principle is that a hero has to save the princess from evil in order for there to be a happy ending. As basic and boring as that sounds, the use of character's personalities, roles and attributes turns that concept into an exciting story. Even though it lacks realism, Mario has always captivated players with the way the characters are presented. Mario himself is a plumber that uses pipes to travel across a world filled with mushrooms! in fact the entire concept of Mario and what it entails is lunacy! but it is the way those characters are presented and used within the story/game play that brings believability to the tale, a likeness and interest. The way a story can be told and described better, is by the character's roles within it.

Bibliography:

. Google Images