Task 2 - Computer Game Cut Sequence Sound Design Analysis

Game Title
Dead space 3 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUgrIBqFHY4  (start 3:45 stop 9:22)

Andy Rogers
Provide detailed descriptions from chosen examples of sounds that establish…
Clearly state what production technique(s) you think have been used to create specific soundtrack elements
Setting

The sounds that are produced in this game show different possibilities of what the setting could actually be. We can hear what sounds like a snowstorm in the beginning of the clip and deep footsteps that crunch upon when walking in the snow. This gives us a feeling of that the area is big, deserted and inhabitable considering of the extremely cold conditions and how the only sound that was heard was snow related. This could also be some type of warzone or battlefield considering how radios are used in the cut scene which also gives a sci-fi effect to the scene. Gunshots are also fired during the cut scene which also adds an aspect of war. Later on in the cut scene, the loud sounds of the snowstorm had completely disappeared, which most likely means that they went indoors where sounds are completely nulled into places such as an apartment or an abandoned cabin.
I think that the snowy weather and harsh gales was made with an audio feel recording in order to make the sounds of the game seem more effective and realistic.
I believe that the snowy footsteps were made using the process of Foley artistry as props could have been used to create realistic sounds that could be altered in different ways to get the right noise that would fit in perfectly with the game.

Mood

The mood mostly has a negative impact in this cut scene. The atmosphere cause a sad and emotional feeling as the voices seem less lively. It also creates a lonely feeling as the soldier is walking through a large snowy warzone by himself without any other soldier to accompany him. Feelings of anger and torture could be shown in this clip as the people were shouting loudly and it seemed that there was a hostage that was kept inside of the apartment or cabin as he said “What did you do with them” which implies that they are trying to used him to gain specific information that could be crucially important.
I think that music could have been produced using a VST as it seems as all the notes were timed perfectly and it also had a perfect rhythm.  It gives a traditional feel to the game and makes it seem a lot more emotional.
Dialogue also shows emotion throughout the scenes and I think that this was made using studio recordings.
Game genre

Different genres of this game are hinted quite clearly in this cut scene as many aspects are shown throughout.
·         FPS/War/Army
I think that this genre could be a clear game genre as throughout the clip, multiple gunshots were heard and the voices seemed more realistic as they spoke in a more serious tone towards one another.
·         Action
This genre could be hinted in multiple ways as the dialogue used seemed like it was built for an action game. The gunshots also imply this also.
·         Sci-fi
The crackling of the radio and the static noises played throughout the clip gave the cut scene a futuristic vibe and feeling.
Gunshots imply that the game will have something to do with guns and war. I think that this could have been produced in 2 different ways; it could have either been produced in an audio field recording or made in a VST.
The dialogue also implies this as it is very straight forward and war styled. I think this was made using studio recordings as the voices are very clear and professional as they fit in perfectly well to the cut scene.
The style of the radio used in the clip seems like a more futuristic feature of the game as it has different sounds that affect the radio such as interference or static.
Narrative

In the first scene, it seems as if a soldier is lost in a large snowy battlefield or city looking for somebody such as another soldier or someone special. The snowstorm is very harsh and heavy which makes it hard for him to walk through the snow. He uses a radio to get in contact with another soldier as he was on some sort of mission to find something. In one of the scenes, it seems as if there is a person who sounds like he is being threatened as family is involved as it seems that the military is tries to receive classified information off him. They need help from Issac Clarke he agrees to help them in order to help Eliie.
I believe that dialogue was produced using a studio as the voices seem extremely clear and easy to understand with a very professional effect. The military characters had an American strong accent that was very formal and very straight-forward. There was a female character whose accent was very different to the male character accents as it seemed more British. I think that all the dialogue was made with Studio recordings.
Paper was thrown in one of the scenes which I think was made by Foley artistry as it seemed very realistic and it also fit in well with the scene.


Game Title
Gears of War 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAuz7HeiOFE – (0:00 - 3:40)

Andy Rogers
Provide detailed descriptions from chosen examples of sounds that establish…
Clearly state what production technique(s) you think have been used to create specific soundtrack elements
Setting

At the start of the cut scene, we hear some electrical noises such as zaps and hisses. This could mean that the location of this clip could maybe be at a power plant or some type of area where electricity is generated. The loud squelching and squishing footsteps also indicate that the location is outside and it also shows that the area could a terrain that would be difficult to walk in. Also, the wind is very loud in the cut scene which implies that the location is outside and also that the surroundings are in a quiet area as the wind is the only sound heard. In the cut scene, it sounds like a river is flowing smoothly. After that, a loud mechanical sounding door opens which could hint that they are outside of some type of enemy base or friendly base.
I think that Foley artistry has been used to create realistic sounds of walking in the muddy type of ground as it sounds almost realistic and I think that it has been worked on to make it sound the way that they want it to fit in with how the game is used.
I think that audio field recordings have been used to create the sound effects of things such as the water as it sounds like a water flow such as a current or a river flowing. This is because
The wind in this cut scene seems as if it was created by using a VST as it seems slightly altered in order for it to fit in with the clip.
Mood

At first, the mood seems rather heroic as Dom calls out “Maria!” which sounds like some sort of reunion listens to the way he says it. The orchestral music hints how the scene sounds like it is heroic at first but as the clip progresses, the music turns into a lower pitch and brings more emotion out from the character. This shows that the orchestral music can show both signs of heroicness and sadness at the same time. The dialogue used in this cut scene is very realistic and it brings out emotion as the tone in Dom’s voice is very heartbroken and panicky which shows that “Maria” was an extremely close person to Dom . Dom was also crying and confused which shows that the sign of emotion was increased and he was also panicking a lot and didn’t know what to do as he was begging Marcus for help. Dom repeats himself a slot as the situation that he is in seems very unreal to him and very devastating.
I think that Studio recording has been used to create mixed emotions in this clip with the characters voices. This is because they seem as if the emotions are real and the audio is very clear and easy to listen to with a hint of heroicness and seriousness.
Orchestral music is used in this clip which I think has personally been made by using a VST as it helps to build up the scene and it also gives the cut scene emotional, mysterious and heroic vibes at the same time.
Game genre

I think that a clear game genre for this game is a shooter as the gunshot implies that they are at war or they could be fighting for survival. Another genre that this game could be is action as Dom seems like his choices that he makes are very clear and he wants revenge from the enemies as he says “I want to kill them all”.
Action could be a possible genre outcome as the vibes given off from the cut scene itself were serious considering the tones of the characters voices and the dialogue spoken hints that it is action as he Dom says “I want to kill them all”.
Drama is another outcome for this genre as the scene contained lots of emotional contain just from listening to it. In that scene, feelings were starting to develop for each character and it was mostly sad at the end of the clip how Dom had just lost someone that seemed to be really important to him.
I think that the gunshot used in the clip was created by using a VST as it gave off a loud banging noise with a somewhat realistic vibe but it didn’t sound extremely realistic.
I think that Studio recording has been used to create mixed emotions in this clip with the characters voices. This is because they seem as if the emotions are real and the audio is very clear and easy to listen to with a hint of heroicness and seriousness.

Narrative

There are 3 characters which are very different from each other heard throughout this clip.  Dom is the first character we hear throughout this scene who seems relieved at the first time as he cries out with happiness “Maria” which hints that he has been searching for her and he has finally found her. However, his character changes from overjoyed to devastate as he starts to cry out “no” repetitively. This shows that something has gone wrong or is not going right about the situation. Maria starts to make groans which hints that she is in pain and might be dying from some type of illness. Dom is confused and doesn’t know what to do as Marcus tells Dom that “It’s okay”. This shows that Marcus is a friend or companion of Dom who is supporting Dom through the scene. Dom says “I’m so sorry” and a loud gunshot is heard after that. This implies that Dom most likely shot Maria so she didn’t die in pain and had a more peaceful death. After this, Dom is heartbroken and says “I want to kill them all” which means that he wants’ revenge from the people that put Maria in that condition and he is going to carry out a mission for him.
I think that a studio recording was used for the voices used in this cut scene because they were very clear and the dialogue carried a lot of emotion and feelings as if this cut scene happened in real life.
I think that the gunshot used in the clip was created by using a VST as it gave off a loud banging noise with a somewhat realistic vibe but it didn’t sound extremely realistic.


 Game Title
inFamous Second Son - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv9fPvq0MmE  - (1:15 – 3:10)


Provide detailed descriptions from chosen examples of sounds that establish…
Clearly state what production technique(s) you think have been used to create specific soundtrack elements
Setting

The squealing noise that is heard after the first bit of dialogue implies that the door is probably fairly old which indicates that the location could be traditional or private.   The area seems somewhat lonely, quiet, calm and peaceful as no wildlife is heard which could also imply that this clip could have taken place indoors.
I think that the door squeal and slam was created by using audio field recording as the sounds are very realistic.
The wind was most likely created using VST as it seemed fairly realistic and altered as it quietly fit into the cut scene.
Mood

The mood in this cut scene is mostly shown by everything that is happening. Firstly, the background music that is very quietly played in the background of this clip creates tension for the clip which gives off emotions such as guilt, confusion and mystery. The dialogue heard in this cut scene also shows that the mood is impacted on the negative side as the two people seem to be very argumentative and full of frustration and guilt.
I think that the music that was played in the background of this scene was created using VST as there are many different noises and instruments playing which are hard to identify and it also indicates how it was edited to create the perfect type of music to fit in with the clip.
The voices were created using a studio recording as they were very realistic and showed lots of sign of emotion in them.
Game genre

Superhero / Power - This could be a possible genre as the male seems fairly confident as he says that “Without out me, everyone will die” that hints that he could easily take anyone out. The cut scene also starts with him saying “Local hero is back” which means that he considers himself as a hero. Also, the sound heard at the back is indicates some sort of power with fire.
Action is probably the most possible genre as he considers himself as a hero and he had also supposedly killed a lot of people.
Drama could be a possible drama outcome as it seems that the characters have some sort of relationship or past between each other. The mood that was hinted in this cut scene could also imply this genre.
The voices were created using a studio recording as they were very realistic and showed lots of sign of emotion in them.
I think that the door squeal and slam was created by using audio field recording as the sounds are very realistic.
I think that the fiery noise heard near the end of the clip is created using VST as it seems as if it is edited to fit the scene.
Narrative

In this cut scene, 2 characters are heard throughout. The first thing heard in this clip is a teenager saying “Local hero is back home”, this implies how he seems like he accomplished some sort of mission and saved people as he referred himself as a “hero”. As soon as he enters a wooden door, quiet music stats to build up and this implies a hint of mystery.  When he enters, he say’s “there’s my girl” which shows that she is obviously someone special to him in some sort of way such as family or friend. He goes through a large amount of guilt as she told him that she saw everything that happened and how he killed “dozens” of people which would reflect on his hero like status showing that he is more like a villain than a hero. He tries to defend himself by saying that he did it to “save everybody”, including the Akomish tribe. She says that he has “disgraced the memory of your brother” which hints some sort of betrayal or disrespect as he may not have carried out the right wish with angry tone that shows that she is deadly serious. She says “You are Akomish, no longer”, which shows that he has been abandoned or disowned.
I think that the dialogue was created using a studio recording as the voices are clear, easy to hear and contain sound very realistic with emotions.


Game Title
The Walking Dead - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBD7Ir04Sis (0:00 – 3:32)


Provide detailed descriptions from chosen examples of sounds that establish…
Clearly state what production technique(s) you think have been used to create specific soundtrack elements
Setting

As I listen to this cut scene, the setting is not made too obvious as through the majority of the cut scene, Zombies groans were implemented into the background which clearly implies that zombies are going to be involved which shows that this game is set in a zombie apocalypse. However, the weather in this clip is not heard very clearly which states that they could be in some sort of shelter where they are safe from the walkers such as an abandoned cabin or apartment as the zombie groans are also nulled and made quieter.
The zombie groans were probably made using both studio recording and VST as the groans would have been edited to sound more realistic and it would fit in better with a zombie.
Mood

The mood in this scene seems extremely sad and emotional as the characters are crying and dying which indicates that the 2 characters obviously have some sort of close relationship. Also, the music in the background also indicates that the cut scene is filled with emotional content as the tense music builds up. We can also see that Clem is very scared and confused about what’s going on as she sounds very young.
The music that is played in this scene is probably created by VST as it contains lots of emotion and sounds like it was created to fit into the scene.
The dialogue that is heard from Clem and Lee in this scene is most likely created using studio recording as it sounds very clear and emotional.
Game genre

This game hints different genres that relate to each other.
Fps could be a possible genre as the gunshot indicates that guns are included in the game and there are also zombies heard which means that they could use the guns as a weapon.
Zombies could be another game genre as zombie groans are heard constantly throughout this cut scene which means that zombies are obvious going to be a big part of the game.
The zombie groans were probably made using both studio recording and VST as the groans would have been edited to sound more realistic and it would fit in better with a zombie.
The gunshot was most likely created using VST because it seemed as if it was edited to fit in with the cut scene and the bullet was shot from close range.
Narrative

This cut scene starts off with Clem saying “I did it, I got him!”, This could refer to a zombie, animal or person as “I got him” could mean different things such as capture, defeat or kill. And straight after, Lee says “You can take care of yourself Clem” Which sounds like a last resort as he says this in a painful voice with lots of agony. Clem cries “My parents and now you?” which implies that her parents could have been killed by the zombies that are heard in the background and now Lee is infected. She also says “Please don’t be one of them!” which clearly states that he has got infected. Lee says “You have to shoot me honey” which shows that Lee cares about Clem and wants her to be safe as he would turn into a walker if Clem didn’t shoot him. He also tells Clem to find the other troop which shows that he had a backup plan to make sure that Clem would be safe. Lee says is final words of “I’ll miss you” and then Clem pulls the trigger.
The dialogue that is heard from Clem and Lee in this scene is most likely created using studio recording as it sounds very clear and emotional.
The gunshot was most likely created using VST because it seemed as if it was edited to fit in with the cut scene and the bullet was shot from close range.
The zombie groans were probably made using both studio recording and VST as the groans would have been edited to sound more realistic and it would fit in better with a zombie.