The importance of audio in immersive media and horror
Ekberg, Lukas (2024)
Ekberg, Lukas
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024061022720
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024061022720
Tiivistelmä
Music and sound are an essential part of media, be it movies, TV shows or video games. As computers have become more powerful and new technologies have been developed, the worlds created with sound have become ever more immersive. This immersion is vital in creating a believable and captivating world, especially when it comes to video games in the horror genre. There are many aspects to be aware of when it comes to creating experiences with sound, whether it be the story setting, the sub-genre, or simply limitations of the format.
The purpose of this thesis was to analyse the human fear reaction and how sound is used to create the feelings of anxiety and unease in horror video games. Having used evolutionary science, psychology and learning from professionals in the field, this thesis was a study into what makes a sound scary and to discover if there is a formula that can be used in the creation of these sounds.
This thesis serves as a starting point for those interested in making sounds for horror games. It covers the general importance of sound in media, as well as the why and how sounds are used to create fear. It also goes through in-depth technical information about video game sound and looks at examples of some of the most popular video games and their sound design. Also covered in the thesis is the author’s own practical project relating to the creation and implementation of sounds into a video game with Audiokinetic Wwise middleware.
In conclusion, there are many matters that have to be considered when creating sounds for a horror game. There is no one formula or processing technique that can be used for every sound. The best thing one can do is to become familiar with the basic concepts and learn what has and has not worked in the past.
The purpose of this thesis was to analyse the human fear reaction and how sound is used to create the feelings of anxiety and unease in horror video games. Having used evolutionary science, psychology and learning from professionals in the field, this thesis was a study into what makes a sound scary and to discover if there is a formula that can be used in the creation of these sounds.
This thesis serves as a starting point for those interested in making sounds for horror games. It covers the general importance of sound in media, as well as the why and how sounds are used to create fear. It also goes through in-depth technical information about video game sound and looks at examples of some of the most popular video games and their sound design. Also covered in the thesis is the author’s own practical project relating to the creation and implementation of sounds into a video game with Audiokinetic Wwise middleware.
In conclusion, there are many matters that have to be considered when creating sounds for a horror game. There is no one formula or processing technique that can be used for every sound. The best thing one can do is to become familiar with the basic concepts and learn what has and has not worked in the past.