I'm surprised you still remember that. Thank you. That sound was absolutely disgusting in context. I wonder if I still have it lying around somewhere.
-----Original Message----- From: Gamers [mailto:gamers-boun...@audyssey.org] On Behalf Of dark Sent: Sunday, October 06, 2013 12:25 PM To: Gamers Discussion list Subject: [Audyssey] audio limitations was: Re: More Halloween type games. Hi Tom. To be honest, the problem does not just seem lack of finances. AFter all, indi developers, while not having the cash for huge, fullmotion 3D graphics have created some amazingly atmospheric and workable games, (just go check out the charts on a site like gamehippo and you'll see what I mean). The problem seems more one of the limitations of audio. If your an indi developer and you want a wall dripping blood in your game, well you find a pixel artist to draw you one, then animate it, ----- indeed many indi companies are a pixel artist plus a coder. With the sort of animation software freely available to handle sprites, it's quite possible to get a game that looks as good as anything produced in the mainstream 10 years ago, and of course since your artist can just draw you stuff from scratch, well you pretty much have no content limits. Want a slavering monster? fine! want a wall dripping blood? also fine! want an undead zombie cammel spitting clouds of poisonous gas, ---- well that might take a little creative drawing, but still the right person and the right animation software and there you go! This is just not possible in audio simply because you can't create sound effects from scratch. However one thing I've always wondered is why don't audio sound designers, instead of perchicing expensive libraries turn to the sorts of techniques people like the Bbc used to use 50 or 60 years ago. For example, you want a sticky sound of footstpes in blood? Well if you can't find an expensive library, why not just fill a small bole with mud, position your mike (probably in a waterproof container), next to it and dabble your hand forceably up and down. Since the vast majority of noises the human ear detects are essentially identified more by context than by absolute, instant identification such as images, then the context will fill in the blanks, ---- I know some devs have done this, such as Ryan strunk and his use of splitting raw onion to simulate bone cracks. Lastly, regarding actors, well I've heard far too much good quality internet indi produced audio drama to convince me that you need to pay massive prices, not to mention having met several amazing ameter actors myself, ---- heck, I'll admit I'm myself working on a voice acting project at the moment, (though admitedly it's not precisely for an audio game). If a person's acting skills aren't up to the task, well that is why you hold auditions, and also your responsability as director, ---- heck I learnt more about acting myself by stage directors just telling me "I want it done like that" before I even had one class in performance, and even though I have studdied performance a little, I'd still considder myself primarily a singer. That however doesn't stop me voice acting. While I am quite aware just how expensive things like sound libraries are (I've checked myself), at the same time, since there is no way in Hell an audio game developer is ever going to get their hands on a free million or so for development we, and that's as much the community as the developers should really start thinking a little more creatively, --- -and not just with writing code. As I said, I've voice acted myself and would be happy to do it again. I also wouldn't mind doing monster or animal sfx. While I don't personally have skills in sound editing or really any recording devices that would do well with anything bar voice, such is not true of others, look at all the topics in the offtopic room of audiogames.net about sound editing and sound creation. So if we have some people who act, and some people who sound edit and some people who write code, ---- well isn't it a little stupid not! to make use of all of these people's tallents? And lastly it goes without saying that tools like Philip's new music creator will be great aides to anyone in such endeavours. I know this point has been made before, but sometimes I just feel a little frustrated with a discussion yet again ending with "if we only had the cash and there's nothing we can do about it" Well we're not going to get the cash, but maybe we, as a community could! do something about it. All the best, Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
