Prototype (Interactive)
Primary Research
Ritz-Released January 28th 2020 by ninjamuffin99
itch.io. 2021. Ritz By Ninjamuffin99. [online] Available at: <https://ninja-muffin24.itch.io/ritz> [Accessed 11 January 2021].
The games mechanics were as follows: checkpoints, collectables, jumping, a double jump, movement(left and right),moving platforms and deadly spikes. Ritz was surprisingly fun to play and the theme was quite unique and I liked it, the movement felt weird at first but after a few minutes I got used to it and trying to collect all the cheese was a very enjoyable experience. The games difficulty was a clear curve as it was quite easy at the start(once I had gotten use to the movement) however the further into the game I got the harder things became which is a good thing and at the end I was finding certain parts quite hard to do(which could of been due to me not being particularly good at 2D platformers) however it never seemed impossible or frustrating and collecting the cheese and then turning it in at a checkpoint felt very rewarding. The game had a lot of interesting aspects to it ranging from its unique theme and story of a rat collecting cheese to its interesting choice in dialogue but one thing that stuck out to me was the sound design which really helped tie everything together. Overall there wasn’t really anything I didn’t like about the game minus the movement feeling weird but as I mentioned I got used to it and eventually it didn’t even bother me.
Shelled Shinobi-Released June 28 2020 by magu
itch.io. 2021. Shelled Shinobi By Magu. [online] Available at: <https://magu.itch.io/shelled-shinobi> [Accessed 11 January 2021].
The mechanics were: movement(left and right), jumping, shell form, bouncy springs, slowing water and collectables. I went into Shelled Shinobi with high hopes since it looked pretty good and I was not disappointed as the game was so much fun, the controls once again took a bit to get used to but they worked quite well and the movement feels so amazing especially when in shell mode. I had so much fun with the game that I ended up completing it(image bellow) and I only wish there was more of it since it was such a blast to play. Once again them game had a difficulty curve as at the start it was very simple and the closer you got the the end the jumps got harder and required more advanced movement which was very enjoyable. I found the whole game to be interesting and don’t dislike anything about it but the main focuses for me were the sound design which once again was amazing, the sounds all worked together perfectly to create a great environment and the other thing that I found interesting was the concept and execution of the shell mechanics which was pulled off so incredibly well and left me wanting more of it.
A Hat On Time-Released on August 24th 2018 by eggnog
itch.io. 2021. A Hat On Time By Eggnog. [online] Available at: <https://eggnog.itch.io/a-hat-on-time> [Accessed 11 January 2021].
The mechanics are movement(left and right), jumping, hookshot and collectables. The game was quite fun and once again the controllers were a bit odd but I got used to it and they were alright, The game is based of A Hat In Time which Is a game I really like so this caught my attention and the game didn’t disappoint me but it didn’t really surprise me either it was just what I was expecting. The game was very difficult once you got into it as it had a pretty steep difficulty curve and by the end of it I had 154 deaths(image below) granted I was going for all the collectables however at times the game can be surprisingly difficult. I found games visuals to be quite interesting as while it looked so simple and basic it also felt quite detailed at the same time and character representation to be interesting as they captured characters personalities pretty good especially with the mafia and how characters were used to explain mechanics. The only thing I didn’t like about the game was how it wasn’t really that satisfying in the end for me.
Kirby’s Adventure-Released 1993 by Nintendo/Hal
Originally found on the NES, I played it via Nintendo Switch Online
The games mechanics are movement(left and right), jumping, flying, inhaling, copying abilities, health and collectables. The game is incredibly fun to play(which might be because I really like Kirby games) and very easy since if you want you can just avoid all enemy’s by flying straight to the end of the stage granted its less fun that way but its an option but despite this it is still an enjoyable experience. I found the games art style interesting as it looks really nice and everything goes so well with each other and it still looks good to this day which is impressive since it is an nes game. Another thing I found interesting was the sound design because sound can really help make an experience so much better which Kirby’s Adventure does so well as each stages theme fits so well and sounds so good and the sound effects fit the style of the game which once again for a nes game the sound is fantastic. When it comes to things I don’t like there isn’t really anything, I suppose the lack of a challenge could be seen as a downside but since it was designed for young children it makes sense why that is the case.
Super Mario Bros-Released in 1985 by Nintendo
Originally found on the NES, I played it via Nintendo Switch Online
The mechanics are movement(left and right), jumping and powerups, The game is a well know classic due to it being one of the earliest platformers and it still holds up to this day as a great game that was a lot of fun to play again. The game isn’t really all that difficult however the difficult can be seen increasing throughout the game as each level is harder than the last but since it was designed for children even the Hight of the difficulty curve isn’t too tough. Like many other games I have played for my research the sound again was interesting to me as the sound design was really good for the time as everything was of good quality and didn’t seem out of place especially and the visuals were also interesting due to the fact of the nes had a limited number of colours and the game still looks so bright and colourful. Considering that it was one of the earliest platforms I cant really say I didn’t like any of it as aside from the movement feeling a bit odd at first it is something you adapt to.
Kid Icarus-Released in 1986 by Nintendo/TOSE
Originally found on the NES, I played it via Nintendo Switch Online
The mechanics are movement(left and right),jumping, shooting and crouching. The game is really fun despite its difficulty at times and for its time it was pretty unique with a lot of its aspects which its uniqueness is still present today, while the visuals are nothing particularly special they aren’t bad and get the job done. The games difficulty is odd as the lack of powerups at the start make it a lot harder than the later stages of the game which gives it an opposite difficulty curve in relation to other platformers which is an odd design choice. The game has a lot of interesting areas but for me it was the sound as the games soundtrack is great, another thing I found interesting was how fun the bow was to use as defeating enemies is surprisingly satisfying for something so common .The only negative I can think of are the visuals which granted its age makes sense.
Questionnaire
To assist me in creating an idea for my game I created a questionnaire so that I could see what people liked and didn’t like for a 2D platformer so that I can make a game the people will like. A link to the questionnaire is below.
For my first question my responses are semi mixed as while I have more responses for lives it is only by 2 but in relation to my total precipitants that is a decent amount and so I will consider both sides when developing my game and check back at a later point to see if more people have answered and a preferred option is more clearly defined.
For my second question it seems that people prefer it when a story is present by a sizable amount as only one person outright said no and so I will consider the idea of putting a story in my game during its development as its what people seem to like.
For my third question I once again received an answer that is similar between a lot of people that the movement is the most important part and so I shall take great care in designing a fun movement system for my game.
For my fourth question the answers were sort of a mixed bag however I did notice a common factor between most of them was movement being negatively affected and so I will try not do that in my game since it in an unpopular thing.
For my fifth question the preferred control method is keyboard so I will make my game use a keyboard however since some did answer controller I may implement controller options for my game so that it is more easily accessible.
For my sixth question I got a very mixed response so I will just try to take all the reasons into account when designing my game.
For my seventh question I again got a bit of a mixed bag but a cartoon and stylised art style were mentioned the most and so I will consider using that for my game.
For my eighth question I got a lot of suggestions and they all seem like a good idea, based on those suggested currently the pirate or cowboys theme seems the most interesting idea to work with but I still need to think about it.
For my ninth question the majority response was addition mechanics are good and so I will add additional movement options into my game since it is what players would enjoy.
Secondary Research
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-k6j9g5Hzk> [Accessed 26 January 2021].
From the source I have learnt that creating a game on your own is very difficult to do since most games have multiple people working on them especially a game that has as much content as stardew valley however while it can be very tough it is rewarding when you see something that you have been working on for ages be completed and working alone means that you can add whatever content you want. The fact the game was made by a single person surprised me since given the detail and depth of the game I would have expected quite a large team to have made it. When he added the ability to kill your farm animals due to fans requests, he eventually removed it as he found it didn’t fit in with the other elements of the game. I can apply this to my own work as while people may request a feature if it doesn’t fit with the rest of the game then I don’t have to include it and I will listen to player feedback as it is important to understand what the player likes and dislikes about my game.
History Of Platformers
Gaming, N., 2017. History Of Platform Games: 9 Steps Of Genre Evolution. [online] Redbull.com. Available at: <https://www.redbull.com/in-en/evolution-of-platformers> [Accessed 12 January 2021].​
This source shows the development of platformers from their simple beginnings to the present colour, the single screen era, the side scrolling era, next generation side scrollers, 16 bit era, early 3D, The 3D platforming era and the next generation 3D platformers. From the source I have learnt that platformers were heavily limited by the hardware capabilities in the past and so had to work around those limitations and later down the line when hardware became more powerful developers could make larger levels with more detailed sprites and around that time the first pc platformer called commander keen was released which later inspired other games for the pc. I have also learnt in the 16 bit era some really icon games released within the genre and some 2.5D games which were very impressive for the time however the concept of a 3D game was approaching and so the next stage was the early 3D era which I have learned that some developers tried a 3D perspective with 2D sprites. Then came the 3D platforming era which I have learnt that allowed for more open ended platforming due to not being limited to 2D, Lastly there is the next generation 3D platformers which just enhanced things from the 3D platforming era due to more powerful hardware. This information is useful as I now know a bit about each platforming era and I can use this information to inspire me and learn what not to do when creating my game. This source raises the question of what happened to 2D platformers after so rise of 3D platformers so that is what I will try and research next.
Electronic Platform Game | History & Examples. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/topic/electronic-platform-game> [Accessed 12 January 2021].
From this source I have learnt that while 2D platformers were very popular in the past when this was the only option, that this popularity began to fade as more powerful systems were produced as it allowed for my possibilities than ever before since games were no longer limited to 2D and since 3D was seen as the future 2D platformers saw a big loss in their popularity however they are far from unpopular as 2D platformers are still being released and played by lots of people but they will likely never reach the height of popularity that they did in the past. This source is useful as I can use this information to look at 2D platformers when they were in their prime to help me come up with ideas for my own 2D platformer. This source raises the question of how are modern 2D platformers doing and so I will try to research this.
Faber, T., 2021. Why Platform Games Such As Crash Bandicoot Are As Popular As Ever. [online] Ft.com. Available at: <https://www.ft.com/content/5ddd3c7a-929d-4fd2-ab8f-32942e2e6460> [Accessed 12 January 2021].
Current Platformers
From the source I have learnt that current platformers can be a new entry into an older series that is well know within the genre such as the newly released crash bandicoot 4 which while very similar to the older games in some ways is also quite different and modern such as the addition of being able to remove lives and new mechanics being introduced such as new masks and other playable characters that have different abilities. I have also learnt that modern platforms that are original ideas have interesting new takes on the genre with many new additions that are not seen in older platforms such as celeste which is designed to be difficult and has a complex narrative which wasn’t really present in older games as they usually had a simple story, another example is ori and the blind forest which used an unique and memorable art style all of this is because the limitation for developing a 2D platformer are so much slimmer than they used to be which allow for so many more creative ideas to be made. This source is useful as it shows what platformers have become in the present day. This sources raises the question of how else have platformers changed since there has to be than what is mentioned.
Wright, S., 2021. The Best Platform Games On PC. [online] PCGamesN. Available at: <https://www.pcgamesn.com/best-platform-games> [Accessed 12 January 2021].
From the source I have learnt that modern platform games are usually made in 2D if its an indie game and 3D when made by an AAA company, examples of this are Mario odyssey and crash bandicoot 4 both made by AAA companies and for the indie side we have celeste and Hollow Knight however this is few indie 3D platformer such as a hat in time. Since most 2D platformers are developed by indie studios they have to innovate to stand out and be successful hence why they have interesting and creative concepts in them. This source is useful as it helps explain why so many modern 2D platformers are so unique and different to those of the past, this raises the question of why AAA companies don’t tend to produce 2D platformers?
Level Design
GamemakersToolkit, 2015. Super Mario 3D World’s 4 Step Level Design | Platformer Level Design. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBmIkEvEBtA> [Accessed 12 January 2021].​
From this source I have learnt that Nintendo made levels for super Mario 3D world using a design that allows for a new temporary mechanic to be introduced at the start of each level then the player can slowly develop the skill of using the new mechanic more and in more dangerous situations throughout the level so they get familiar with it and then the mechanics is thrown away at the end of a level after the player has to use it one last time. This source is useful as it shows how you can introduce new mechanics into your levels without confusing players, this source raises the question of how to design a nice environment in the level?
Youtube.com. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90KTAeF0Pbo&list=PLfMn-HSgGuHOiIw0p9nIvogZckIX13Hqf&index=14> [Accessed 12 January 2021].
From this source I have learnt that super meat boy’s level design for the final chapter incorporates aspects from previous parts of the game and acts like a test of everything the player has learned on their journey and will show the player how far they have come from the start of the game. This source is interesting because it shows how you can link the ending to the start to create a sense of development, this raises the question of how can the level design reflect the story?
Youtube.com. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwlnCn2EB9o&list=PLc38fcMFcV_t6cVUpPXYnooVe1r_C0_4f&index=2>> [Accessed 12 January 2021].
From this source I have learnt that level design can be used to reflect the story by including hints to what’s going on around the player or what has occurred in where the player is which is a completely optional form of story telling and so those who care not for the story can simply choose to ignore it, this method can also be used to give hints towards gameplay such as the image above of a saw cutting a head crab zombie in half which hints that you can use the saws to do the same or in the sense of story impacts to the environment depending on what part of the story you are in. This source is useful as it shows how you can intertwine story and the level design, this source raises the question of do people care enough about a game story for this level of detail to be worth it?
Tadeas Salvatore Jun, T., 2021. How To Design Breathtaking 2D Platformer Levels. [online] Medium. Available at: <https://medium.com/swlh/how-to-design-breathtaking-2d-platformer-levels-e8a261cdac93> [Accessed 12 January 2021].
From this source I have learnt that similarly to super Mario 3D world celeste introduces new additional mechanics very well by showing the player how they work then slowly using the mechanics more until the player gets used to them and then other mechanics can be introduced alongside them to add more depth to the gameplay, possibly by combine two mechanics. I also learnt that the developers added in shortcuts for experienced players to help the speed running community. This source is useful as it shows how a game can have lots of mechanics without confusing the player. This source raises the question of how can different playstyles affect level design?
Graphics (Visuals)
Primary Research
Moodboard
This is the mood board for my platformer, due to my game being noir themed the moodboard greatly reflects this and I think it does this very well as it captures the theme I am going for in my game quite well. This moodboard will help me when creating assets for my game as I can use it as a reference. I found this really fun and easy so if I were to do this again in the future there is not anything I would change.
Secondary Research
Anhut, A., 2021. Color Theory For Game Design 1 Of 4 – Fundamentals – Howtonotsuckatgamedesign. [online] Howtonotsuckatgamedesign. Available at: <http://howtonotsuckatgamedesign.com/2014/11/color-theory-game-design-1-fundamentals/> [Accessed 11 January 2021].
The information I have learnt from the source is that in games colour can be used to distinguish team affiliations( as seen in the image below) and labelling game entities in relation to their function in the game rules and mechanics. Generating spatial awareness and enabling navigation in virtual environments, generating physical awareness for objects. Instant emotional feedback, such as the symbolizing of pain.
Layout is when you put contrasting colours near each other. When you have two colours in contrast with each other, we still miss information about which colour is providing the context for the other and that’s where weight helps solve this. Weight is giving significantly more space to one colour than to the other. A great example of colour layout is a crosshair changing colour to something that contrasts what its in front of to show that you would hit a target.
I feel that the source is very useful as it will help me when choosing the colours to use for game and I can use colour layout in my game to help show dark and bright objects which may be helpful information. The source raises the question of how effectively can colour portray emotions in games? I shall conduct more research into colour portraying emotions or the use contrasting colours.
Tulleken, H., 2021. Color In Games: An In-Depth Look At One Of Game Design’s Most Useful Tools. [online] Gamasutra.com. Available at: <https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/HermanTulleken/20150729/249761/Color_in_games_An_indepth_look_at_one_of_game_designs_most_useful_tools.php#:~:text=The%20Function%20of%20Color%20in,them%20easier%20in%20the%20game.> [Accessed 11 January 2021].
From this article I have learnt that colours can help portray the mood and atmosphere of a scene which can really help with world building and making a world/story that players love, since colours affect how we think/feel it can be used to further develop a players connection to the environment their in. This information is very useful because It will help me when designing my levels for my games.
In Subnautica colours are used a lot to help the give the desired mood but my favourite is the Lost River, The contrasting colours mixed with the green fog and blue fauna create a mysterious mood for the area and gives a sense of danger. The light blue mist really helps make the player feel like they are alone and further amplifies the mysteries mood of the area as you feel so alone but also that you are not alone which is a theme present throughout the game. The mix of colours also makes it a very memorable location within the game.
Kongregate Developers. 2021. Color In Video Games: How To Choose A Palette. [online] Available at: <https://blog.kongregate.com/color-in-video-games-how-to-choose-a-palette/> [Accessed 11 January 2021].
From this source I have further learnt about the connotations of each colour granted in different cultures it can be different, this is helpful as I can refer back to it when choosing what colour to make things in my game if I want it to reflect something. An example of this in use would be when a mysterious character in a game wears black since that we link that to mystery such as in Sea Of Thieves due to the mysterious stranger npc wearing a full black outfit and to help consolidate this he stands in the taverns corner covered by the shadows to further emphasise the mysterious nature of the character which is all achieved by the use of the colour black.
Noir is all about the high contrast of deep shadows and bright highlights. It’s specifically about the texture and colour of light, about using it to highlight important information for your players in a dark and dangerous world. This is important as I am thinking about doing a noir themed game and so this will help me when designing my assets, if I go down that path later on.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXm5VjZA4Ys> [Accessed 26 January 2021].
From this source I have furthered my understanding of creating a pixel art character this will help me when designing the characters for my game, Using the source I know now that when creating my pixel art that I should start by doing the outline/silhouette of the character and then fill it in with colour and add detail later on. Another thing the source recommends is using reference images so you have a good understanding of what the thing you are trying to create looks like. This source is useful as since I have little to no experience in creating a pixel art character the information I have learned will help me design my characters using a simple and easy method.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RPl6OZLdqs> [Accessed 26 January 2021].
This source demonstrates how to create a simple good looking walk cycle for a character using piskel which I will come back to when creating the walk cycle for my characters as it will help me in creating them and since I will be using piskel it is even better. The source also briefly covers shading which I may use in my game but currently I have not decided if I will. Since I have never created or animated a humanoid character before this will be a very helpful reference for me to use.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdoWiJANr_U> [Accessed 26 January 2021].
The source above covers a wide range of information for helping create pixel art, one piece of information the source gives is that its important to look at images before starting to make something to help inspire you when create your art and allows you to find a style that you like but make sure not to blatantly copy the idea that you have looked at which is similar to how one of my previous sources mentioned looking at references is important. Another thing the source mentions is that maintaining a style is important as if only some objects have an outline/shading and others don’t then the graphics don’t look good due to some parts being so different to others. Another thing the source says is that if you don’t like a certain part of creating art such as doing the backgrounds for example then you should not neglect those areas or else you will have really good looking assets for everything else in comparison to the areas you neglected to practise and get good at and even if your not good at making that area yet eventually you will see improvement. This source covers a lot of information as seen above and because of this is very useful for wanting to create good pixel art which will help me when I create the art for my platformer.
Keddy, S., 2021. Pixel Art: Where To Start – Lospec. [online] Lospec.com. Available at: <https://lospec.com/articles/pixel-art-where-to-start/> [Accessed 26 January 2021].
This source has taught me that in order to improve when it comes to pixel art there are four vital aspects which are seen above to be practice, learn, critique and study. Practice is the most important because it the main way to improve and is the only way you will be able to see your improvement, next is learn which is also important as since there is so much information about how to make good art you may as well use it to help improve your art, next is critique as when you look at your own work you tend not to notice issues with it or you view it to harsh or kindly so getting somebody else to critique your work is a great way to see what you need to do to get better and lastly is study because looking at somebody else’s artwork to see what they did is a great way to figure out what you could add into your own work. This source is very useful as it is very detailed into how to get better at pixel art which will assist me in creating my artwork for my game.
Caoili, E., 2021. 5 Tips For Making Great Animations For 2D Games. [online] Gamasutra.com. Available at: <https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/176663/5_tips_for_making_great_animations_for_2D_games.php>> [Accessed 26 January 2021].
I have learnt from this source that when animating my sprites its important to make the keyframes look strong so that the animation doesn’t look terrible as keyframes are the most important part of animating a sprite, I have also learnt that it is important not to add too many frames to my animation as it can make it look over flourished. Another thing I have learnt from the source is that its important that your characters feel alive and don’t look robotic and stiff in their movement. This source will be quite helpful as I will take into consideration what I have learned when I create the animations I need for my game.
Reference Images
The images above will help inspire me to design my assets for game, since it is a noir themed it will take place in a city during the night hence the nigh time city reference images and part of my level will contain a billboard hence why I have a reference image of one, part of my background will contain a background so I needed a reference for that and I got references of noir characters since my character should look similar to them.
Sound (Audio)
Primary Research
References
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6G0EuPAoKQ> [Accessed 23 February 2021].
This is a reference for the ambience for my game since it is raining so it makes sense for it to be heard, when I implement the rain sound into my game I may make it slower or faster so that its fits the amount of rain seen in my game but besides that it should be pretty much the same as my reference.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WfqIF4k0Yk> [Accessed 24 February 2021].
This running reference will help me when coming up with a running effect for my game as it would be quite similar however their are some changes I would make such as changing to speed to better match the speed of my running animation and adjusting the volume since I would want it to quieter.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZqJy_j4S-8> [Accessed 24 February 2021].
This reference will assist me in adding a jumping sound effect to my game as it would be quite similar to the reference, The effect I would implement would have its volume changed accordingly as to not overshadow over sounds and I would make it sound a little less energetic but not so much that it becomes dull. It will also help me make my enemy death effect as it will be somewhat similar to this however I will have to make changes such as changing the pitch of the sound for example so that it is distinctly different to the jump sound so that it doesn’t confuse the player.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQSmVZU5EL4> [Accessed 1 March 2021].
This reference will help me produce my collectable sound will be similar to this however I will probably make it quieter but make sure to keep it distinct so that its easy to know what the sound means.
Secondary Research
Foley
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfwDLONo7nI> [Accessed 22 February 2021].
From this source I have learnt that you can use items/props to create unique and distinct sounds and you can even mix random items together to create an even more distinct sound. Using real props helps make a sound more authentic which is really useful when going for a realistic sound design however even if you are not trying to make realistic sounds you can still do so using items and you could even using audio editing to add further enhance the sound.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZbCY-PrH5Q> [Accessed 22 February 2021].
From this source I have learnt that when creating foley sounds its important to do it one sound at a time when trying to put sound over a scene as if you dont it will become overwhelming, its also important you attempt to create the sound multiple times as you wont always get the best sound on your first attempt. Its also important to consider what sound you want to create as it will help you create it more easily than just trying lots of different things until you find something that works.
Examples
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5yqXTh1IUw> [Accessed 22 February 2021].
The game includes several sound effects such as background music, movement sounds, collectable sounds, enemies and many more. The sound effects used are very distinct and give of a positive atmosphere which matches the graphics and games style. The collectable and power up sound effect is distinct and sounds positive which signifies that the player did good, the movement sound such as jumping sound like they are from a cartoon which helps the games aesthetic as it isnt going for realism.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T47eM6k4YMc> [Accessed 22 February 2021].
Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze once again has the common uses sound such as background music, movement sounds, enemies and collectables. The games uses an upbeat and positive sounds as the game uses a bright and cartoon like graphic style, each sound used mimics this style and so fits into the games jungle aesthetic and positive mood really well. Sound is incorporated into the levels sometimes such as the owl enemies that blow into trumpets that play into the levels music. The sounds help further explain what’s going on in the level as each sounds clearly defines what has happened such as when jumping on an enemy or getting a collectable.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV0yJ2cae9Q> [Accessed 22 February 2021].
In celeste the sounds used are the usual background music, movement and collectables. The games sound design also matches its art style with a 16-bit style of sound effects. Each sound is distinct from each other and so they help signify what’s going on such as the distinct death sound or the boing of the springs clearly showing what actions are happening. The music also helps convey the games message about anxiety and depression.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta7ufW0Prws> [Accessed 22 February 2021].
The game uses traditional sounds such as music, movement, enemies and collectables, each sound is distinct and can be easily identified while still fitting the theme of the game very well. The sounds help convey the players actions really well especially the collectable noise as when getting a coin the high pitch noise is hard to miss despite everything else going on which is good. The music also really fits the games bright colours and art style due to its upbeat style and simplicity.
Good Sound Design
From the source above I have learnt that good sound design in first person shooters can greatly improve the gameplay itself, sound can be used to allow players to gain vital information about their current situation such as when an enemy is shooting or other important things. Another way good sound design can enhance a shooter is by having satisfying to shoot weapons that feel like they have power upon being shot for example if shooting a rifle sounded like blowing bubbles it wouldn’t be very satisfying to use so its important that the sounds used for weapons sounds good.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkndjIA-WVY> [Accessed 23 February 2021].
From this source I have learnt that good sound design can be achieved by using logical sound effects based on the games itself such as something that fits with the games genre or theme, having a soundtrack that fits with the gameplay is important or else it can drastically ruin the mood you are trying to create, for example an action packed game using fast and dramatic music would work however if you were to swap that for a more calming and chill piece of music it wouldn’t work and would be more of a hinderance making it arguably worse than no music at all. This source is useful as it will help when creating my the sounds for my game so that they fit with the intended style, this source raises the question of the uses of sound in games which I shall conduct research into.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcorIwJscFA> [Accessed 23 February 2021].
From the source I have learnt that there are three main aspects of what good sound design does which is gameplay cues, feedback and driving emotion. Sound can be used as gameplay cues to help inform the player of certain things for example when you hit an enemy a sound is played to show you got a successful hit, feedback is when sound is used to convey a positive or negative action such as upon beating a level a sound may play which is positive feedback however in contrast when you due a sound may be played which would be negative feedback and lastly driving emotion which is where sound or the lack of it are used to make the player feel a certain way such as in subnautica in which when the player submarine is destroyed a frantic and energetic piece of music is played to panic the player and give a sense of emergency. This source is very useful as it explains how sound can be used in games to enhance the experience, the source raises the question of the uses of sound in a specific genre so that is the next thing I shall research.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yTIhtfgDwY> [Accessed 23 February 2021].
I have conducted research into good sound design and using the source above I have learnt how sound can be used to enhance a horror experience as in the given examples of five nights at freddy’s the source explains how different sounds are used to further the feeling of the unknown and stress that the game instils in the player, each sound used comes from something familiar such as the animatronics voices being human however they are distorted so heavily that you feel like there’s something you can understand from it and it seems familiar but due to the distortion you cant understand it and it has an uncanny feel to it. I have also learnt that sound can be used as indicators as whenever Freddy moves you can hear him laughing which can be used as a way to track when he moves however some indicators can be red hearing such as Foxy’s singing which doesn’t signify anything and is there to confuse and instil fear into the player. Another way to help use sound in a horror game is to used background audio to muffle other audio such as the office fan or camera static seen in the above example which makes more important sounds harder to pick up on. This source is useful as it explains the use of sound specifically in the use of horror and provides a great example however the source raises the question of how sound can be used in another genre and so that’s the next thing I shall look into.
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT01E5LnlYk> [Accessed 23 February 2021].
From the source above I have learnt that good sound design in first person shooters can greatly improve the gameplay itself, sound can be used to allow players to gain vital information about their current situation such as when an enemy is shooting or other important things. Another way good sound design can enhance a shooter is by having satisfying to shoot weapons that feel like they have power upon being shot for example if shooting a rifle sounded like blowing bubbles it wouldn’t be very satisfying to use so its important that the sounds used for weapons sounds good. This source is useful as it explains the use and importance of sound in first person shooters and gives an example.
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