Of interest due to its reliance on audio to to enhance user experience.
Even before the game begins the developers have tried to set the scene and put the player in a specific mind set. Before the game can be played the player is instructed to adjust brightness levels, play in a dark room and to wear headphones to optimise playing experience. Finally it is added that "Amnesia should not be played to win. Instead, focus on immersing your self in the game world and story" (Frictional Games 2010).
Of these instructions, wearing headphones stands out as a significant factor to become immersed in the auditory world of the game. By excluding external sound sources the player can focus on game sounds which should be of importance for the honours project.
The game itself plays out in a dark environment with the player instructed to hide or run rather than fight. This also plays into the hands of audio as the player has to sneak around whilst trying to listen for aural clues. Just being a darkened environment alone encourages the player to rely more on auditory information. This should also be a key design aspect to include as part of the honours project.
The music plays a crucial role in this game mainly to set the scene and put the player in a frame of mind. the music conjures up preconceptions relating to the horror film genre and by making these connections the player then has an understanding of the kind of setting they should expect. Tension, fear and the unknown are all phrases that come to mind when listening to the music of Amnesia. Similarly the honours project may benefit from the use of genre specific music as a scene setting element which will help the narrative stand out.
A nice audio feature which helps with player attachment to the game character is breathing. The character can be heard breathing which works dynamically by being linked to player actions and game events such as being under threat. Something so simple as hearing the character breath (even though at times can repetitive) is very effective at conveying the mood of the character and results in the player behaving in a way which was envisioned by the developers. A strong player to character attachment was a personal highlight of this game where the breath effect helped bridge the gap. With the honours project having a similar first person approach then this idea or another mechanism which makes the player to character bond stronger will need to be devised.
One aspect of the games' audio which was distracting was due to extreme panning. Here certain sound sources pan from one ear to the other (on headphones) very abruptly depending on which direction the player faces. At points the sound could jump from one side to the other with a full 100% of the signal being perceived one only one side. This unnatural movement of sound is the games' biggest flaw and is an issue present on many other games. A solution to this problem and any others which result in acoustic inaccuracies will be devised in order for the honours project to be most effective.
It has to be said that the story and visual aspect of the game has a lot to do with the immersion factor. The big question is, can audio lead this kind of experience or will it always just be one part of the immersion process?
KEY NOTES:
The game itself plays out in a dark environment with the player instructed to hide or run rather than fight. This also plays into the hands of audio as the player has to sneak around whilst trying to listen for aural clues. Just being a darkened environment alone encourages the player to rely more on auditory information. This should also be a key design aspect to include as part of the honours project.
The music plays a crucial role in this game mainly to set the scene and put the player in a frame of mind. the music conjures up preconceptions relating to the horror film genre and by making these connections the player then has an understanding of the kind of setting they should expect. Tension, fear and the unknown are all phrases that come to mind when listening to the music of Amnesia. Similarly the honours project may benefit from the use of genre specific music as a scene setting element which will help the narrative stand out.
A nice audio feature which helps with player attachment to the game character is breathing. The character can be heard breathing which works dynamically by being linked to player actions and game events such as being under threat. Something so simple as hearing the character breath (even though at times can repetitive) is very effective at conveying the mood of the character and results in the player behaving in a way which was envisioned by the developers. A strong player to character attachment was a personal highlight of this game where the breath effect helped bridge the gap. With the honours project having a similar first person approach then this idea or another mechanism which makes the player to character bond stronger will need to be devised.
One aspect of the games' audio which was distracting was due to extreme panning. Here certain sound sources pan from one ear to the other (on headphones) very abruptly depending on which direction the player faces. At points the sound could jump from one side to the other with a full 100% of the signal being perceived one only one side. This unnatural movement of sound is the games' biggest flaw and is an issue present on many other games. A solution to this problem and any others which result in acoustic inaccuracies will be devised in order for the honours project to be most effective.
It has to be said that the story and visual aspect of the game has a lot to do with the immersion factor. The big question is, can audio lead this kind of experience or will it always just be one part of the immersion process?
KEY NOTES:
- Game directs you on how to play for immersion
- Use of headphones to block external distractions
- Dark environment to heighten aural engagement
- Genre specific music used to support narrative
- Important player to character bond mechanism
- Extreme panning leading to a break in immersion
No comments:
Post a Comment