Development of Ideas
At the start of the honours year there were a number of different subject areas which were of interest, of these the most appealing was game audio and specifically the topic of audio implementation. This was a broad area however and further investigation was carried out as to what angle would be taken to direct an honours project. The core idea of the practical element was to create and implement audio assets into a game level with the use of a game engine, some initial research paths were covered to envision an approach to this and then further expanded upon with some clearer ideas.
An idea that was pursued involved an investigation into game audio fidelity where it was hoped that an argument could be made around the need for high fidelity audio in games. The idea consisted of creating multiple versions of the same game but each with a different audio fidelity. The questions centered around whether a player could tell the difference between each version and how audio fidelity affected their enjoyment of the level. In the first project presentation meeting this idea was discussed with staff and although the idea to design and implement audio using a game engine was seen as good starting point, the audio fidelity element was flawed, as discussed in the meeting.
Change of Direction
A new direction for the project was formulated based around the subject of player enjoyment. Some questions in mind that surrounded the topic were, why are games addictive by nature and what is it about games that draws the player in to the point of blocking out awareness of surroundings. More importantly what role does audio have in this element of games.
After some initial searching on this subject area terms describing the process of game engagement were found such as 'immersion', 'flow' and 'presence' to name a few. From here a basic statement of intent was drawn up for the honours project which tries to capture the basic direction of research. This was followed by a list which maps out the specifics of the project by highlighting possible objectives and tasks.A project timeline has also been drawn up in relation to the objectives, tasks and deliverables of the honours project for the remainder of the academic year. The latest update on the project direction takes the shape of an updated statement of intent however more work is to be done to finalise a specific research question which encapsulated the idea and aim as a whole.
Research
Initial research was centered around the idea of game audio implementation and primarily how this could been done given a lack of knowledge in this area. A few books were purchased which would be of use to fill in skill gaps, such as The Game Audio Tutorial (an interactive guide to audio implementation using UDK), The Essential Guide to Game Audio and The Master Handbook of Acoustics. The aim of these books was to try and understand some of the processes involved with game audio implementation and how sound behaves spatially as to better direct a more focused line of research.
After much consideration the project directed focus on player immersion in games and specifically what role audio played in the process. One of the main tasks involved with this route was to firstly try and identify what immersion is within the context of games and secondly could it be measured? Initial online searches provided some good peer reviewed papers on game immersion that also included a wealth of other peer reviewed references, some of which were added to the reading list.
Once a working definition had been established further reading provided some insight into immersion as a process. An analysis of a study by Brown & Cairns (2004) introduced the idea of structuring immersion into a framework as well as the idea of stages of immersion, happening over a period of game play time.
Another key aspect of research was to determine whether immersion can be tested and measured. Two study papers were analysed which appear to have successfully tested different aspects of immersion. The SCI-model developed by Ermi & Mäyrä (2005) provided a useful insight into game design aspects whilst showing their impact on immersion. The main similarity between the two studies was their use of questionnaires to assess test participants, although the study by Jannett et al (2008) included additional objective testing methods such as eye tracking. Neither specifically set out to test what role audio is playing but a lot can still be taken from the questions listed by Jannnett et al (2008) and perhaps they could be adapted to suite the honours project.
The most significant find throughout the reading list was a thesis written by Sander Huiberts (2010) which introduces the IZEA-model. The IZEA model is proposed as a framework to analyse the functioning of game audio during gameplay, which is then used to illustrate audio in relation to the immersion process. Huiberts uses the IZEA model in conjunction with existing theories on game immersion such as those from Ermi & Mäyrä (2005) and Brown & Cairns (2004) to highlight the role of audio (from a design perspective) in the process of player immersion. It is hoped that the use of the IZEA-model as a conceptual design tool will help direct key aspects of game audio design to create an immersive experience. Further critical analysis of the IZEA model and extensive thesis by Huiberts will be carried out to justify the reasoning for specific design aspects of the honours project.
Skills Development - Pre-Production Work
The bulk of practical work carried out thus far has been specifically targeting skills gaps, primarily aimed at the practical implementation of audio assets using a game engine. The UDK (Unreal Development Kit) game engine was chosen for the purposes of the honours project due to its visual based coding system (kismet) and advanced on-board (in comparrison to other engines such as Unity) audio system. With a lack of coding knowledge the visual format of the UDK kismet presents an easier learning curve which should allow for more time to focus on the project as a whole. The Game Audio Tutorial book has been utilised to help fill in the skills gap relating to implementation and using a game engine. The book contains a chapter by chapter practical walk through guide of audio implementation using UDK, as well as being packed with useful tips and tricks relating to game audio in general.
An in depth reflection on the exercises completed thus far which includes screenshots and video evidence as part of the documentation can be analysed HERE.
Level Concept
Originally the level was going to be fully designed and constructed for the purposes of the honours project, however this idea was dropped given the additional time required to gain enough skill in this area of development. Instead the idea to source an existing level which could be adapted for the project was viewed as the most logical step forward. Although the UDK engine ships with pre designed levels the search was broadened for independently created content which would be more suited to the project. From a personal point of view, games which have appeared to be more immersive than others, from a sound design position, have been in the genre of survival horror. Although some more research is required to back up this theory it was general starting point in the conception of the level design. A main characteristic of survival horror games is a darkened environment, so for the intentions of directing the focus of the player on audio this design aspect was a logical step. This observation has led to drawing up a list of games in this category for review and critical analysis, one of which has been completed thus far (Amnesia - The Dark Descent). The aim of these reviews is to provide some insight into what makes these games immersive from a design perspective, also importantly what practices can gained for the purpose of the honours project.
A pre-made level was sourced from an independent developer which ties in with the darkened style mentioned above. This level will be used for the implementation of audio within UDK. The level was created by Chris Holden who was contacted and has since given approval to use his level for this project. The level is set in a dungeon where the player has to navigate through various rooms and chambers to find keys and unlock chests of treasure with an aim to escape the dungeon. The gameplay encoded into the level is a good starting point, however the way the game plays out may be developed further once a full analysis of the level and coding behind it is complete.
Onwards
The next phase will involve developing the level in a manner which audio plays an important part of the gameplay experience. This will be influenced by further research as suggested in the reading list regarding specific design elements relating to immersion. The implementation will be realised and mapped out using skills gained from The Game Audio Tutorial book. Testing method will also be developed by using existing methods as a starting point.
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