Thesis Proposal

http://designingsound.org/2018/03/29/lets-test-3d-audio-spatialization-plugins/

8/28/19

Thesis Proposal Form + notes
Name: Dexter Stein

 

1.      What is your area of focus for your thesis research?

a.       How can audio cues provide equally or a more powerful game-to-player communication?

Audio can be used to communicate in effective ways to result in a holostic reaction from the audience/user

in comparison to visuals, haptic feedback,

“interaction“

uni-directional communication

  • Quote

  • Intro

    • End with thesis

  • Background

    • Defense if audio exceeds over visuals or visuals fail

      • Motivation for piece

      • Background of audio process

  • History of Call and Response

  • Examples of audio being the only way communication

  • Music/Foley effecting mood (Movie )

  • Videogame example (Hyperreal example)

  • Non-game example

  • Discuss Project

    • Decisions/direction of audio

    • No visuals

  • Conclusion

EXAMPLES

Pre-electronic

  • Foley

  • Lyrics

  • Emphasized words

  • Greek Chorus

    • Unison lyrics

    • Lyrical expression

  • call and response

  • Noise/Audio Based Indicators

    • Horns - trains, cars,

    • Sirens

    • Elevator dings

  • Amphitheaters -> immersive audio/amplification

  • Blind artists

    • Touch

    • Texture

    • Form

  • Audio-narrative Lego instructions

    • detail descriptive

visual indicators (animation and UI)

  • slow wind up animations

  • Lights/flashing

  • Markers

  • UI

  • Arrows

Auditory examples

  • 3D audio directional sounds in relation to simulated space

  • Anime like sounds (usually in conjunction with a visual)

  • Dialogue

    • In character guidance (quest direction or “take cover!“)

    • Poor examples: Kotor 1 and Zelda explained controls

http://www.game-feel.com/?page_id=2 ——— https://gamifique.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/2-game-feel.pdf

page 23 “tv speak“

“Real-time control of virtual objects in a simulated space, with interactions emphasized by polish.” (51)

Output (55)

Game Feel elements (104)

● Input—The physical construction of the device through which player intent is expressed to the system and how this changes game feel.

● Response—How the system processes, modulates and responds to player input in real time.

● Context—The effect of simulated space on game feel. How collision code and level design give meaning to real-time control.

● Polish—Effects that artificially enhance impression of a unique physical reality in the game.

● Metaphor—How the game’s representation and treatment change player expectations about the behavior, movement and interactions of game objects.

● Rules—How arbitrary relationships between abstracted variables in the game change player perception of game objects, define challenges and modify sensations of control.


2.      Please provide 3-5 artists whose work inspires you or that you plan to research as part of your thesis work.

a.       Michael Land (Monkey Island dynamic music)

b.      Janet Cardiff (Binaural walks)

c.       Mike Niederquell (God of War sound designer)

d.      The Owl Field 3D story telling


3.      What type of work is your thesis project? (Game, installation, ARG, etc.) AND What technology needs does it require? Will you be using your own technology or Becker’s resources?

a.       An interactive VR experience. Vive (currently no plan on using the controllers, but need headtracking) or blindfold with gyroscopic trackers, a microphone, preferred if it was Becker’s as I don’t own a VR headset.


4.      Describe your project idea and how it ties into your thesis research in 1-2 paragraphs.

a.       Sight is the most common use of sense interactive media uses for feedback to give the user. The idea is to make a narrative based situation where the participant does not have any sight. The game’s information to the player will be done exclusively through audio cues while the player’s input will be done through head movement and noise. 

b.      My original thoughts were to have the participant captured by a comical scheme gloating villain where the player’s input can interrupt and derail the monologuing and get his goons involved. The interactions are my main mission for this project. Depending on time and student interest multiple endings/outcomes could be implemented

5.      Describe your planned presentation method for your thesis project, (keeping in mind the gallery showcase at the end of the year).

a.       I could see the presentation of the participants space including props that could be in the villain’s space. I.e. captors chair, whiteboard with doodles of villainous plot, etc.


6.      Please list 4 major project milestones for your interactive work for this semester. (You may also want to list your milestones for next semester but clarify especially where you want your project to be at the end of this 3-month semester)

a.       First 3 month goals

                                                               i.      Script rough draft

                                                             ii.      Microphone input recognition

                                                           iii.      Working binaural emitters

                                                           iv.       FMod framework

                                                             v.      Interaction planning

b.      Second quarter

                                                               i.      Microphone input distortion

                                                             ii.      Finalized script with dialogue paths

                                                           iii.      Voice Actor recruitment + beginning of recordings

                                                           iv.      Sound emitter movement plan

                                                             v.      Finalized FMod Unity framework

                                                           vi.      Interaction framework

                                                         vii.      Physical prop planning

c.       Third Quarter

                                                               i.      Microphone functionality done

                                                             ii.      Finalizing VO work + cleaning and trimming

                                                           iii.      Dialogue flow in engine done

                                                           iv.       Sound emitter movement paths nearly done

                                                             v.      Physical prop prep

d.      Fourth Quarter

                                                               i.      All physical items acquired

                                                             ii.      Emitter paths done

                                                           iii.      Polish and testing

7.      What are your project needs as far studio teams (ex- 2 artists, 3 programmers)?

a.      1 - 2 Story writers/game designers, 3 - 4 programmers, 1 animator? (moving emitters to emulate movement), 1 – 2 audio designers, 1 producer.

Findings:

https://frost.ics.uci.edu/ics62/BasicsofSoundDesignforVideoGames-MichaelCullen.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u163wC6mP2A

https://www.soundguys.com/3d-sound-how-it-works-21733/

https://soundclass.weebly.com/6-spotting-for-sound-design.html

 

Sounds: Goon commentary, drill, clapping, insects?, fire/flare, sharp things on glass, pouring water, chewing, whooshing, subtle indicating dings(?) for items presentation, machinery,  

Deadline for script

Drop the villian -> audio playground