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Defining Game Characters
Article George Spanos
Article George Spanos
© 2009, 2010 gamesounddesign.com
We as game sound designers can learn a lot from film. Quite often we are asked to design sounds based around very specific
characters.This task often carries a lot of importance, and if done right will help to immerse the player in the world we are trying
to create.
All of the above examples have a very specific feel and mood that needs
to be reflected in their characters. It's helpful to think in terms of size and
weight of your character. Is the character a heavy, armor-suited beast
that requires the user to feel every step and evoke fear whenever it's
nearby? Is the character a small, light happy-go-lucky type that needs to
communicate playfullness? Once you have answered that question then
you must think about specifics - what would this character sound like if it
existed in the real world? What type of clothing or material is the character
made out of? Does the character move clumsily (lots of foley movements)
or is he super-stealthy (soft, clean foley)? Thinking about the specifics
while designing the footsteps and foley will help to convey the intent of
the character. Experiment with different footstep sounds for the various
surfaces in the world. This adds a whole other dimension of believability
that may not be immediately obvious to the player but will definitely assist
in providing the necessary immersion into the game world.
Footsteps and Foley
First determine which characters will need to actually speak. By this I mean that if there are characters in the game that
communicate to the player through gutteral or other non-traditional speaking means then you must come up with their own
language. For example, if you've got a big threatening beast-like character that the player must battle you will have to develop
a way for the monster to communicate to the player. But just because the creature doesn't actually "speak" it doesn't mean
you can't develop a language for it. Think in terms of mood... how would the creature sound when angry and attacking, how
would it sound if it was hurt? People are very sensitive to frequency ranges that the human voice falls into, so keep this in
mind when designing your sounds.
Don't be afraid to experiment with vocoders, pitching shifting the voices, and even morphing sounds. You might be pleasantly
surprised at the outcome. Starting from scratch should also be in your vocabulary, don't get too attached to "your sounds". You
want to serve the message that is coming across in the medium you are working in, always keep that in the back of your mind.
Sometimes you'll "fall in love" with a voice you've created, but always be sure that it works in the context of the story.
George Spanos is a sound designer at Digital Extremes. In addition to working in the games industry he has also worked
in film, television, and radio.
In Conclusion
We might be quick to answer this problem with simple footstep foley and a few lines of dialog shouted out during moments of
intense action. But to really help define your character you must develop a voice for him/her. A good place to start is to ask
yourself a few basic questions: What type of environment does the game take place in? Is it a dark, brooding type of atmosphere
or a bright, and care free world?
There are many examples of worlds that are polar opposites. The dark undersea world of Rapture in Bioshock and the
user-created worlds of Little Big Planet. The deserted world of Gears of War and the populated world of Assassin's Creed.
Voice
This is probably the area that will impact the feel and intent of your characters the most. Providing the player with the proper
voice cues will not only inform them when danger is present but will also help to move the story along. Character voice
selection/implementation is a very lengthy subject but I will outline some of the basic concepts to keep in mind when designing
voices for your characters.
If your character does actually speak a language then you need to determine what sort of voice he/she will be using. Is the
character the strong, stoic type that says few words but when he does speak he is to the point? Or is the character the type
that jokes around and always has a lot to say? It does help to think in stereotypes sometimes, don't be afraid to go over board
and then pull the voice actor back to get the desired performance.
Another extremely important thing when designing sounds is experimentation. That goes for ambiences, monsters, people, and
everything in between. Mess around with objects that you wouldn't normally use to get a sound. You'll be surprised at how many
times I've just picked up a random object and found a use for the noise that it produces. Don't be afraid to bend and mould your
raw sounds either. If the character calls for some otherworldy sound that no one has heard before, then by all means, throw as
much paint on the proverbial canvas as you can. Discovering new sounds is what keeps your eyes and creative mind fresh.