I intend to create an ambient soundtrack for the game that emphasizes the differences between the two halves of the game and complements the style and setting of the game throughout. So I have started putting together a playlist of inspiring pieces that I think I could draw from to create an effective sound of my own for the game. I wanted to collect pieces with instrumentation and timbres that I think would be effective in my game’s soundtrack.
The muffled, breathy drones and repeating phrases from the titular track in Koyaanisquatsi I find particular appealing. I think the slow tempo accompanied with looping melodies really makes the song feel natural and powerful, mirroring the gradual pace of nature, like a slow-moving glacier. I noticed when looking around for this playlist that the songs that gave me the right kind of feeling all had a slow tempo and/or very drawn out chord changes. I was mostly drawn to minimalist composers during my research, so this gradual pace is no surprise. However, I think I think minimalist music is a great fit for my game as it is all a about a single moment of music stretched out and explored gradually and in depth. This suits the themes of exploration and gradual change in my game, with the character and the environment both changing over the course of the game. Additionally, minimalism is all about doing more with less and that suits the core premise of my game, which is to focus less on acquiring more and more.
I was also listening to some of Steve Reich’s Marimba pieces and I think I should definitely aim for a similar sound in my game. Marimbas are often used for underwater levels in games as I suppose people associated their muted, muffled sound with the way sounds are heard underwater. So I will be experimenting with using marimbas in the soundtrack for the game in future.
Sound Design
I intend for the game to be appealing to play in a simple physical sense. I want the movement and the collection of items to be satisfying and addictive. To do this I know I will need to work hard on perfecting the sound effects for the actions in the game. A good audio response to the player’s actions will make the game way more engaging and rewarding to play. This should increase the difficulty for the player to change their perspective at the mid-way point making it all the more powerful when they will have to. I will likely need sound effects for:
- Acquiring items
- Movement
- Character form transitions
- Environmental changes in response to player actions.
- Collision sounds
Sam Clay Games Design Year 3 