AudioMedia - July 2008 - (Page 18)

Special Report The Develop Conference Audio Track 2008 Do you think sound for games is still bleeps and bloops? Then wake up – and welcome to a world of A-list talent, orchestras and 7.1. By jOHN BROOMHAll. A s videogames continue to steal ever more entertainment market share from records and movies, there’s a growing mainstream interest in the fascinating creative challenges and potentially lucrative business of providing top notch outsourced music, sound, and dialogue content for videogames. As he prepares to chair this year’s Develop Conference Audio Track, John Broomhall reflects on its overall theme of ‘inspirational sound design’ and why you should take advantage of an excellent opportunity to brush shoulders with some of the world’s leading game audio practitioners. “…our focus in game audio should rightly be on creativity rather than technology. We have computing horsepower, and increasingly we have the tools to harness it – but what will we do with it? ” This striking statement from Greg O’Connor-Read of music4games.net perfectly encapsulates the overall theme of the day-long Audio Track at this year’s Develop conference, now firmly established as Europe’s premier annual game audio gathering. The ‘Inspirational Sound Design’ thread running through the day is borne of a firm conviction by those who have shaped this year’s content; that our focus in game audio should “S ound Design Isn’t A S cience – I t ’s An Ar tform.” rightly be on creativity rather than technology. We have computing horsepower, and increasingly we have the tools to harness it – but what will we do with it? One of this year’s speakers, Adele Cutting (Senior Audio Director, Electronic Ar t s ) re m a r k e d to me some time ago, “So we can have all the sound we want? Now we have to go and figure what to leave out.” Historically, game audio technologies have pushed us towards a dense, literal description of the world, with carefully placed ‘sound emitters’ at x-y-z coordinates in 3D geometry spaces, spor ting scientifically accurate acoustic reflections and reverberation. Realism has been the watchword. We’ve enjoyed both the challenge and joy of bringing virtual worlds to life. But what of the use of subjectively chosen sound treatments purely to enhance and underscore drama and narrative? Music is often left to do the job – sometimes beleaguered by relatively clumsy attempts to shoehorn the functional grammar of film music into a relatively unpredicable interactive experience. Meanwhile, how many games have fully explored the immensely potent force of sound that tells a story, provides exposition and characterisation, by their movie soundtrack experiences. leads navigation, drives primal The Audio Track will start a dialogue as emotional responses (perhaps even we discuss the future of sound with a in juxtaposition to picture) – sound keynote panel of audio luminaries from that works beyond the literal using both games and movies. metaphor and suggestion? The planned programme features Of course, in games audio, our DICE’s Head of Audio David Mollerstedt, work is inextricably bound up with Sony’s Audio & Video Manager Dan technological considerations and that Bardino, Foley Editor/Sound Designer cannot be ignored. Nevertheless, it’s Alex Joseph, Sound Re-recording right that this year’s conference should Mixer Tom Johnson, Dolby’s Director, focus on the power of ideas when it Interactive Voice Technology, Paul comes to audio. The future craft and Boustead, SCEE Cambridge’s Audio artistry of sound design for video Manager Garry Taylor, Zoe Mode’s games is ours for the taking. Audio Director Ciaran Walsh, and a rare We have much to opportunity to hear learn from each other, RARE’s entire audio and the Audio Track team discuss their will feature some of ground-break ing our most respected work in this year’s practitioners, each ‘Welcome To Our explaining what World’ session – a Get down to the Develop Audio gets their boats Develop coup. The Track this year, especially for the floated and how list goes on. Audio Media/Develop key note they are bringing I f t h a t ’s n o t fresh, and in some enough, with the panel session, featuring the great cases, pioneering bulk of Europe’s and the good from film and game thinking, and also video games audio production. approaches to their industry represented forthcoming titles. a t t h i s y e a r ’s The Develop Conference and What’s more, in a first conference, there Expo 2008 will take place from 29-31 for Develop, we’ll be will be networking July, 2008, at the Hilton Brighton welcoming some of opportunities Metropole in Brighton. our respected peers a-plenty. If you’re from movies to involved with sound, www.develop-conference.com discuss how 80 years music and dialogue of film sound might for games, or would inform video games l i k e t o b e, t h e further as we now Develop conference struggle less with hardware constraints Audio Track really is the only place to and more with the challenge of be on 31 July. consumer expectations driven largely Come and be inspired. ∫ G e t D own Wi th I t 18 A UA UI D I O EM EI D I A N jOUVl E M 2B0E0R8 2 0 0 5 DOM DA y http://music4games.net http://www.develop-conference.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AudioMedia - July 2008

AudioMedia - July 2008 Contents Recording Post Broadcast What's Up UK Geofocus: France For the Record Special Report: Develop Preview SE Electronics 4400 Sennheiser MKH800 Twin Tubetech Club Final Cut: Wanted Smart AV Tango Doctor Who Made in America DSP Roundup Product Sampler: Summer Hits Edirol R44 Video Guide AMSR Fame - Le Musical Waves MaxxBCL Yamaha AD8HR Special Supplement

AudioMedia - July 2008

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