IG1 Unit 73 Assignment Brief


Assignment Brief

Qualification 
Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production – Games Design
Unit number and title
Unit 73 Sound for Computer Games
Unit 2 Communication Skills for Creative Media Industries
Assessor name
Iain Goodyear
Date issued
5th October, 2015
Hand in deadline
22nd January, 2015

Assignment title
IG1 Computer Game Music and Sound Effects Production
Purpose of this assignment is to:

Unit 73 LO1: Understand the use of sound and music in games.
Unit 73 LO2: Understand methods and principles of sound design and production.
Unit 73 LO3: Be able to create sound assets for a computer game following industry practice.
Unit 73 LO4: Be able to apply sound assets to a computer game following industry practice.
Unit 2 LO1: Be able to extract information from written sources.
Unit 2 LO2: Be able to create a report in a media production context.
Unit 2 LO3: Be able to pitch a media production proposal using appropriate technology.
Scenario

Sound is an essential part of the computer game experience. Forming 50% of our sensory experience, and good game soundtrack can enhance our pleasure of a computer game and help bridge the ever decreasing gap between games and more traditional forms of storytelling such as films.
You have been commissioned by Sony Europe to produce music and sound effects that will be used in a series of planned mission expansion packs for key game franchises due for release in 2015/2016.
This assignment will introduce you to audio production and post-production technologies so that you will be able to produce technically competent and professional sound assets that will used in various game franchise mission expansion packs.
You will produce music and sound assets using post-production computer software VST instruments and effects. This newly acquired audio production knowledge will equip you with the skills needed to produce game soundtrack assets.
This assignment will do the following:
·         Require pitching a group idea for a computer game audio production.
·         Introduce audio post production software and editing techniques.
·         Require the application of computer audio synthesis to create game audio assets and music.
·         Require the programming of sound assets into a computer game.
Task 1 – Methods and Principles of Sound Design and Production
Produce a glossary of terms specific to the methods and principles of sound design and production. Using a provided template, you must research and gather definitions specific to provided glossary terms. Any definitions must be referenced with the URL link of the website you have obtained the definition.
As your practical audio production experience develops, by way of improving your initial report, you must also provide specific details of how researched definitions relate to your own production practice. This improved report must be uploaded in addition to your initial glossary research report.
Your completed glossary of terms and definitions must be uploaded to your Unit 73 IG1 assignment blog with the title Methods and Principles of Sound Design and Production


This provides evidence for unit 73 P2, M2, D2 & unit 2 P1/M1/D1 & P2/M2/D2 & P3/M3/D3

Task 2 - Computer Game Cut Sequence Sound Design Analysis
Analyse the sound design of a range of computer game cut sequences. You must gather video examples and discuss how the sound design gives a sense of:
·         Setting
·         Mood
·         Game genre
·         Narrative

In addition, your analysis must explain how you think specific soundtrack assets have been produced (with reference to production process):
·         VST instruments and effects
·         Studio recording
·         Use of traditional instruments
·         Audio field recordings

Your analysis must contain clear reference to specific sections of your chosen examples.  Your sequence analysis must be uploaded to a blog post on your IG1 blog using the title Computer Game Cut Sequence Sound Design Analysis
This provides evidence for unit 73 P1, M1, D1 & unit 2 P2/M2/D2
Task 3 - Pitching an Audio Cut Sequence Production Idea
Prepare a pitch
·         Finalise ideas for your media product
·         Select a minimum of 3 existing  pieces of game audio that have influenced your idea(s)
·         Prepare a presentation including visual aids, delegate notes and presenter’s notes
·         Give the presentation in the form of a pitch to the client

Your pitch materials and notes should be uploaded to your IG2 blog using the title Pitching an Audio Cut Sequence Production Idea
This provides evidence for unit 2 P4, M4, D4 & P5/M5/D5
Task 4 - VST Produced Sound Effects
Use Reaper post-production software to create game sound effects using VST sound generating plugins. You must produce sound effects that will be used in your computer game production.
This must be supported by annotated screen captures that show:
·         The sound generating plugins used.
·         Clear explanations of what type of sound effects that you have created.
·         Clear explanations of what this sound will be used to depict in your computer game audio cut sequence.

Your VST produced sounds must be uploaded to your Soundcloud account profile page. Accompanying screen grab annotations and produced sounds must be embedded into a blog post with the title VST Produced Sound Effects                                                                                                                                                                                       
This provides evidence for unit 73 P3, M3, D3
Task 5 - VST Produced Computer Game Music
Use Reaper post-production software to create computer game music using VST sound generating plugins. You must produce music that will be used in your computer game production.
This must be supported by annotated screen captures that show:
·         The sound generating plugins used.
·         The composition arrangement.
·         Clear explanations of what the style of music is.

Your VST produced music must be uploaded to your Soundcloud account profile page. Accompanying screen grab annotations and produced sounds must be embedded into a blog post with the title VST Produced Computer Game Music
This provides evidence for unit 73 P3, M3, D3
Task 6 - Sounds I Will Programme Into a Game
Select sound effects and music that you have produced which you will programme into a game.
Each sound must be blogged on your Unit 73 IG1 blog as an embedded Soundcloud file. Each uploaded sound must be accompanied by a short explanation that describes what the sound will be used for within your game i.e. an explosion.         
For this blog post you must use the title Sounds and Music I will Programme Into My Game
This provides evidence for unit 73 P4, M4, D4
Task 7 - Programming My Sounds Into my Game
You must produce a series of annotated print screens and a short desktop screen captured gameplay video that clearly describes the process you have followed to program sounds that you have produced into your computer game.
Your annotated process of programming sounds to your game must be uploaded to your Slide Share account and embedded into a blog post on your Unit 73 IG1 blog using the title Programming My Sounds Into My Game                                                      
This provides evidence for P1, M1, D1