1. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
Game Title
Dark Souls
Provide detailed descriptions from chosen examples that establish…
Clearly state what production technique(s) you think have
been used to create specific soundtrack elements
Setting
In this cut sequence, part of the objective of the sound the design is to create a
sense of scale, as well as a focus onto the ‘boss monster’ that the sequence revolves
around. There are two major “sets” of sound in this sequence, the environmental
sounds (such as dripping/rushing water, and wind blowing through a hollow area)
and the sounds caused by the actions of the creature that appears in the sequence
(roaring, splashes).
The sounds are manipulated to create a sense of
focus for the player, and are adjusted to be
relative to the placement of the camera. As the
creature comes into focus the sounds of the
environment decrease in volume, while the
creatures’ becomes louder. A reverberation to the
roar of the creature is used to impact a sense of
scale into the player.
Mood
The sound design in this sequence is used to give a relatively neutral mood, though
it still applies a sense of loneliness and dread, due to the distinct lack of noise from
organic sources other than the massive creature introduced as an enemy which sets
up the player to focus on it at the end of the sequence.
There is no use of music or otherwise ‘meta’
sound that provides an emotion for the player to
feel prior to the end of the cut sequence, which
means that the mood of the player is more
influenced by their interpretation of the events
occurring within the sequence.
Game genre
Dark Souls, the game this cut sequence is taken from, is an Action Role-Playing
Game (Action RPG) in the third person perspective.
Narrative
In this cut sequence, the influence of the narrative is minimal, as the only purpose is
to introduce a minor antagonist, the creature who proceeds to be the ‘boss fight’ of
the game area.