Implementing Sound in Unity
Role
Programmer, sound designer
Assignment Brief
To propose both a linear & non-linear project that encapsulates the techniques used in Dolby 5.1 surround sound
YEAR
2022
Platform
Unity,Logic X
Limbo
A Walk Through Limbo
Once presented with the barren landscape of the Viking Village prefab in unity, I knew my purpose would be to develop more of the environment. I accomplished this with the audio for my story and other assets I obtained from the Unity Asset Store; creating a dreamy experience - a limbo between what is real and what is not.
My narrative focuses on a father attempting to return home to his village after being absent during an attack. The lack of a plane under the water creates the perfect opportunity for the main character to begin in a foggy setting, overlooking their township. Then hurrying home to see what had happened to their family; echoes of battles and fires from the destruction filled the landscape. The game's primary objective is to reach the town from the hilltop ruins and discover the possessed swords; each revealing a portion of the tale as a mother attempts to flee with her children and seek refuge with neighbours.
My tale was inspired by Peter Molyneux's "Fable," in which the protagonist's hamlet is attacked in the game's opening moments, and he discovers he has lost his entire family to bandits. In my game, I pay tribute to this by incorporating a sample of Danny Elfman's self-titled score "Fable" into the camera transitions used to preview the additional audio outside areas of the settlement. Mark J. Hadley's "Slenderman: Eight Pages" also served as a source of inspiration for the village-wide collection component. As the proposed objective for my own game, I wanted to implement a similar camera and audio distortion if the player strayed too far from the primary locations.
Phase One: - World Building
Initially, I identified areas of ambience by establishing snapshots, recognising the need for one that would envelop the village while integrating as it approached the sea. Beginning on the sea, I wanted the ambience to be empty of nearly all sounds other than your voice and distorted steps, thus I had to enhance the density to prioritise over competing zones. I proceeded to fill the landscape further by adding some woodlands outside the village, which required me to create several snapshots to maintain the entire region covered without excessively overlapping other zones. The final zone was added atop the hill at the game's primary beginning to manage several components. This then left me to plan what basic ambient sounds I wanted to use. I concluded that focusing on the relationship between several wind loops allowed me to utilise the light wind as a base sound across the whole scene and gave me the option to use more intense winds as the player came closer to the sea/village, ramping up the tension.
Phase Two: Extra Assets
I proceeded to go through the Unity Asset Store for extra components to employ. In retrospect, I imported more assets that I assumed were necessary for the story's advancement, but I discovered that portions of some were useful additions to already current assets.
I used:
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AllSky Free – 10 Sky / Skybox Set (rpgwhitelock)
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Altar Ruins Free (Ioan Stan)
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Cartoon FX Remaster Free (Jean Moreno)
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Custom Teleport Pad Script (Damaged Grounds)
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DETAILED – Medieval Wells & Props (Astrofish Games)
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Environmental Asset Pack (Joshua Pearson)
Phase Three: Recording & Application
Using the Foley techniques, I compiled a list of the sounds to imitate with everyday objects. For additional sounds, I utilised web recordings that I edited in Logic X. Using a programme created by Replica Studios with the same name, I discovered that it was possible to simulate many accents using AI-generated speech. Before post-production, this was crucial to ensuring that the characters' voices flowed better with the game's aesthetic, by adjusting the tempo of their speech in small increments. With Replica Studios, I discovered several voices that suit a more Celtic vibe, with the majority having a Scottish accent, as I deemed it to be the accent most closely connected with Viking settlements.
I knew that the scene required four distinct sorts of footsteps: wood for the planks within the village, dirt for the hills, stone when crossing the altar, and warped tracks while across the sea. To capture the sound of wooden footsteps, I enlisted the assistance of a family member to walk on an ottoman, since I found that the hollow wooden surface produced a deeper tone than the floor. For the dirt, I mic'd a large plant pot and used my shoe on my palm to replicate the sound of a person walking; this allowed me to retain each step distinct for subsequent modification. When recording my stone footsteps, I was confused about how to make the correct sound. I attempted to record footsteps in my courtyard late at night to limit noise pollution but found that their frequency was too high. I chose to add a rapid square wave with a low cut-off frequency as well as the wooden footsteps to give them a hollower sound. When it came time to record my edited water footsteps, I realised the easiest way to get the desired tone would be to record a basin full of water sloshing around; this was then significantly adjusted to provide a deeper and eerie tone.
I used two distinct ways to generate two separate tones for the fires: one lighter and crisper for the torches within the hamlet, and one heavier for the echoes of fires heard emanating from some of the structures. I was able to record a little wood-burning fireplace to provide accurate timing for the torches. I created seven loops with little EQ tweaks, as I discovered that the more, I altered the sound, the less it resembled a genuine fire. For the larger fires, I concentrated on creating the sound using foley; after investigating several approaches, I settled on a multi-layered recording of garments flapping about while I placed a wind cover on my Tascam to prevent distortion. I then spliced the five parts in various orders to provide the sound variety, then I added the cracking of bubble wrap to resemble crackling sounds. This was completed with a slight change in pitch for good measure.
At the entrance to the village on the right, you will notice that I have altered the town walls to prevent admission into the settlement. This is mostly intended to lead the player to a cutscene at the opposite doorway. Before entering the main town, I felt this concept was ideal for creating a soundscape of the unfolding raid in my novel. As I did not have an army of people to record, I located a sound on Freedsound called "Angry Mob" by unchaz that was recorded by an audience of approximately 40 people using a Sony HXR-MC50U Camcorder. I felt this was an appropriate call to arms after retelling the story multiple times to lengthen the audio. Then, several Logic X kick drum pre-sets were added to give the impression of war drums or a bombardment to break down the door. I discovered that layering numerous recordings I had made of kitchen utensils colliding was a good match for the sound of sword fighting as the village attempted to defend its gates. I added an additional speaker to play a third recording of the utensils from the pathway on the player's right to offer extra depth to the sound when I gave the audio a 3D effect to surrounding the player upon entering the trigger. All of this was subsequently improved using Logic X's "Digital Delay" and 14 Surround Sound.
As you leave the barricade of the gates and make your way to the village's entrance, you will come across a little well nestled in the woods. This is set as a 3D trigger to evoke the feeling of otherworldly spirits haunting the place and the player's reluctance to approach it out of fear of potential disaster. I modified the infamous "Hollywoodedge, Small Group Kids Laugh, Giggle PE143601" made by Skywalker Sound for "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" using a YouTube copy. Using delay and pitch modulation, I built a prolonged clip with multiple layers of delayed tones serving as panning tones to enhance the piece. The clip gradually rises to a sudden halt, keeping the listener on edge in anticipation of something approaching. I used the 3D sound settings to give the footage a gradual ascent before nearly reaching the top of the well to make the player feel uneasy as they got closer.
Upon approaching the village cutscene, I produced a heartbeat sound using a trial version of Serum to play in conjunction with the camera movement. This sequence was designed to lead the player to the first indication in the village regarding the fate of the character's family. During this moment, I automated the switch between first-person cameras to disable the sprint function in the village. This was previously activated during the teleportation to the altar's introductory cutscene. Before using the cutscene manager, I had trouble keeping various sounds contained within the screenshots or not playing at all, so it was a huge help to prevent solo elements from flowing through or getting lost in the mix. Here, I introduce the "Seagulls / Gaviotas clean wildtrack.WAV" by Soojay that I obtained from Freedsound. In slicing and layering the clip, I employed procedures identical to those used for the well. I also discovered that by adding the same inverted Logic X "space designer" and altering the mix, the eerie atmosphere of the village was accentuated.
From this point the player is given two options, to follow the cutscene to the first story clue or to find a hidden trigger in the village which triggers an early end to the game with a sinister twist. This alternative ending is created again with a cutscene manager and several voiceovers in both a 3D environment and 2D as the player comes into an interaction with a particular object highlighted by a glowing particle asset placed just below as can be seen at the end of my video. All the voices designed with Replica Studio's AI voices that are heard by the player are given a reversed reverb to set an unfamiliar tone to the world's acoustics as no other characters are seen within the build. These are set by triggers around the village, highlighted by varying particle effects to help keep a natural flow to the game, with each activating the assets of the next trigger to not miss the progression of the story. This is to lead you to the final trigger in the boatyard where we once again cut to a black screen whilst we hear the final 2D clip from the perspective of the character as a camera is turned on above the village showing the whereabouts of the alternate ending before cutting to black.
Phase Four: My Aim
With the opening part centred on the idea that you are walking through the opening credits, bringing the character to the altar on the hill, the audience is immediately immersed in the story. To better comprehend the character's feelings as he explores this lifeless terrain haunted by his concern for his family, I attempted to imbue the scene with a disconnected and alien atmosphere, while attempting to maintain the player's attention undistracted by the game's premise. Given that your character has arrived at the altar, you are not given scene-breaking instructions on what to do or where to go. You are surrounded by triggers that direct your attention to your next aim, while choral singers and a low humming emanate from the central column to immerse the gamer. With my audio implementation in this game, I aimed to create an atmosphere more akin to horror or thriller games whilst drawing inspiration from western style RPGs. Overall, I believe that this project has allowed me to begin investigating the relationship between the diegetic and non-diegetic, resulting in the creation of a more meta soundscape.
Used Sounds
"Seagulls / gaviotas clean wildtrack.WAV" Soojay, 2019
Available through: (https://freesound.org/people/Soojay/sounds/462462/)
"AudienceReactions » Angry _Mob" Unchaz, 2012
Available through: (https://freesound.org/people/unchaz/sounds/150954/)
"Small Group Kids Laug PE143601"
First Appearance: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1983
"Fable Original Theme by Danny Elfman" Label: SSumthing Else Music Works (2005)
Available at: (https://youtu.be/w4I23yxiJq4)