Creating the Audio Environment
In terms of the next page its all about how the sound editor create the audio environment. Therefore, for the sound editor they use 3 type of sounds such as:-
- Foley
- Sound Effects (SFX)
- Background Music
FOLEY
The short explanation of Foley is, where all the sound effects that use inside the game are recorded at the Foley studio during the Post-Production. Where they create the sound by themselves by using any kind of objects such as shoes for the sound effects of footsteps where that they can recreate back the sound. For the Foley artist, before they start creating the sound that will be use, they first need to watch all the video game scenes. Where after that they breakdown all the sound such as what sound and the time when the sound are use. Furthermore, it might sound fun but Foley one will take long time in order to create the sound due to they need to know what materials that produce the sounds the developer wanted according to the theme of game. Example Mario, they use cartoonish sound, Call of Duty mostly use more realistic type of sound and more, which will take lots of time to identify the sound.
What the uses of Foley?
For the uses, basically the reason why most of game developer use Foley, first will be about the company don’t have the sound that suite to the scene such as running scene that they wanted, therefore led them to create the sound effect by themselves. The second one will be to avoid any copyright issues, this is the best way rather than use someone’s work that can cause copyright issues, they instead create they own. The third one in terms of uses of this Foley sound is, they can add or fill more the sound that they wanted inside the game to make it more interesting due to the scene don’t have enough sound.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF USING FOLEY SOUND
However, by using Foley also there’s several advantages and disadvantages in using Foley sound which are for the advantages will be:-
Creativity Skills - meaning by creativity skills, since Foley where someone create the sound effects therefore, they have freedom in creating the sound. This is mostly depends on they creativity which in the same time they can improve they creativity skills in terms of creating sound by using different materials.
More accurate - while meaning by this another advantages is where, the company will have more accurate sound effects like they wanted. This is because of they the one who create the sound, therefore the sound of the game can be more accurate like they wanted.
Avoid any Copyright issues - lastly will be about the copyright issues. If the company use Foley will have big advantages in terms of legal issues, which are in terms of copyright. The company will not worry about that issues due to they own the sound effects. Since they the one who create.
While the disadvantages of using Foley sound are:-
Take lot of time - by using Foley sound, in order to finish all the process which is they need to record it take lots of time. This is because of to create the sound they need to test the sound by using different materials until produce the sound that they wanted as planned. In big game company it took long hours in order to finish all the recording scenes.
Need more type of materials - like mention above, by using Foley the company will need more kind of materials. Where to produce the sound that they wanted, this is because of the more options of materials the more different sound effects they can produce.
More crew will involve - for this part of disadvantages, is not necessary happen in independent game company, but usually happen in big company. Where they want to create something new and different they will need more professional crew in terms of Foley sound or its called Foley artist. Which the company will spent more money to pay the crew.
In conclusion, even though Foley one of the best ways to create sound but sometimes it will be hard for some company to use Foley for whole the video game. Therefore, the reason why “Sound Effects” exists, that will be explain more below about sound effects.
SOUND EFFECTS
What is sound effects?
For the sound effects, the short definition of sound effects is where the sound that use for the effects of the video or in game, which that already made by someone’s else. In simple explanation sound that not belong to themselves, where they use for their video game. This kind of ways are much easier rather Foley because of since its already made, therefore the company can use the sound by buying or by credits the owner of the sound effects. Such as the example of Fig.8 below shows "Zapslat" one of the software that use to download the sound effects.
While, in terms the uses of the sound effects are can be relate to the advantages of using sound effects such as:-
Fast and less use of time - by using this sound effects that already made, will makes the company more faster in terms of the sound editing process. That also cause them only short of time on editing the sound of their video game.
Multi choices - meaning by this part is with the helps of technology nowadays people can easily get the sound effects from different software, that makes them to have lots of choices in terms of the sound. Therefore, some of the sound effects on the software are free to download which really give good impact to them. Example Fig 8.1 shows the examples of software that use to download sound effects such as from YouTube, AShamaluev Music, Bensound and more.
Less crew member need - unlike Foley, they will need more crew in order to create the sound. While if sound effects (SFX) only need few members due to they can research about the sound effects, inside the internet and download the sound for their video game according what kind of sound effects they wanted.
For Sound effects, it really sound easily rather than Foley. However, every advantages will have their own disadvantages also by using this sound effects (SFX) that consists of :-
Need to face Copyright issues - since the company or someone use other people sound effects, automatically they need to think about the copyright issues of the sound effects that used. By double check the description of the sound effects or else if the company not follow the roles the company can face the Copyright action, which can be sue by the owner that cause lot of money.
Not accurate - its not that accurate like what the company wanted, because of since the sound already made. Therefore, the sound not that accurate with the video game scenes. Which led them to use Foley instead.
Expensive - meaning by expensive, this is mostly focus on the independent company which they will need to spent some money, in order to use the sound that for them suitable for their video game. Due to the music are on sell online which they need to buy the sound effects or else they can download the sound. Fug. 8 .2 shows the example of sound effects that sell on internet.
In conclusion, Foley and Sound Effects might sound the same but the way to identify both of them is Foley where the sound artist create the sound for the video game while Sound Effects (SFX) sound that already made by someone’s else.
BACKGROUND MUSIC
For the background, in the general definition of background where the music that use as the background in every scenes inside the video game. Background music usually use in the intro scenes and the outro scenes. However, background also used if the scene are in silent environment example empty hallway, therefore the sound editor add more background music to add something on the scene instead of silent scenes. But if their another sound effects inside the scene, usually background music volume will be low because to led the audience to hear the sound effects as well. Therefore, in background music have to ways to create it which are the background music that played by the artist where the company pay the artist to create the specific music for the video game and another one will be background that already have or another people music. Example Fig.9 below shows the group of orchestra record the background music for the video game.
What the uses of Background Music?
Talk about the uses, of background music usually used like mention above to fill the empty scenes such as the environment of the scenes example of the space scenes, where they add background music to make it more interesting. Like shows below the example of the background music use in the outro of "Metal Gear" video game that shows on Video 8.
Video 8
Same like Foley and sound Effects, background music also have there advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, for the first one will be about the advantage of using this background music that are:-
Can improve the player concentration - by using background music inside the video game it also can led the player to focus on playing the video game for the long period of times. Example the music that use inside the game encourage the player to play more.
Increase the quality of game - just imagine if there no background music inside the game, the player will feels nothing of the game. This is because using background also increase the quality of the game to make the game more interesting. As a result it also can attract more people to play the game.
Can reduce stress of the audience - people always said that game can reduce stress, therefore, one of the reason that playing game can reduce stress of the player because of the music background. For example the relax music used for the scenes that give good impact to the player which can relief their stress. However, if the company use different background music such as horror , suspend and much more it give different impact to the player, which one of it will be the audience will feels afraid due to they using the horror background music.
For the disadvantages will be:-
Expensive - its not for all game company but, like that mention above, some game company example big company want to have own music background that they need to hire the orchestra that also spent lots amount of money.
Lost concentration - like on advantages mention using background can led the player to be more concentration on playing game. However, if the game use too much in music background that makes the player hard to hear what the mission of the game need to be done. Example, the music background played during the conversation of the character that led to the player hard to understand the story of the game as well.
Source of sound and Associated legal issues
For the source of sound and Associated of legal issues, will be talking about the short definition of Copyright and how to avoid from the copyright issues in video game.
Copyright issues
The short meaning by copyright is the legal rights of the creator of the sound or music. Which where only the creator and the one that given rights such as license or permission of using the sound only can use the sound. If they use without any permission that given by the owner, can cause issues between the user and the owner where the owner can sue the user due to the Copyright law. As a result, in order to avoid these things are by:-
Credit the owner - for the first way in order to avoid any copyright issues, by credit the owner of the sound or the music that use in the video game. The example is from YouTube, they tell the user to copy & paste the description of the video like shows on Fig.10. This is to shows that the sound or music are not belong to the company and also as appreciation due to the creator, create the useful products for them.
Ask for permission - the another one will be by asking permission, for example in YouTube, by write down the comment that asking the owner for permission. Which can helps others people as well to know that the sound can be use according to the owner answers. Such as they need to copy the description or its free to use without any regulation. For example on Fig.11 shows someone ask the owner for permission to use the music.
Figure 11
Free source - for the last way will be about free source, this now are common most of the website now provide free sound effects that people can use as they advantages especially for the video games. Mostly people can found this free source by the owner mention on the description inside such as in YouTube where mention the sound are “Non-copyright” and also mention on the description can be download from the link given which shows on Fig.13 below. This is much easier than others ways but the sound will be common use for more people because of since its free therefore, more people use inside the video game. That cause it people to feel boring due to hear the same sound all over again.
