For the following task I had to analyse
the aspects of sound featured in a game level for two video games which featured
in my presentation, plus one scene from a movie. You can find my work
below.
Game examples:
Persona 4 (Inside the Velvet Room):
It
is hard to classify the Velvet Room as a level since the player cannot walk
around in it, however the player visits it on a regular basis and it is just as
important as any of the game's dungeons since it acts as a sort of store that
the player visits at certain points in order to progress in the story. Therefore
I choose it for my first example.
- Creating Atmosphere –
In the Velvet room the
track known as ‘Poem for everyone’s soul’ always plays whenever the player
visits it. However, I believe this track works perfectly for this scene and
others I asked agreed with me in thinking that its atmosphere immediately
represents a dream or magical location, with the themes of creation and
re-birth being mentioned. This is interesting considering the Velvet Room is
said to be a "place that exists between dreams and reality, mind and
matter" and that in this room the player can combine and form new personas
in order to deal with more powerful foes.
- Assigning meaning to an event –
The rest of the sounds used
in the Velvet Room are executed perfectly since there are only a few additional
ones, thus demonstrating that sometimes less is best. The only other sounds are
the confirmation noises you get for selecting options and the fusing sound
effects which play when you combine Personas. Voice acting also occurs at times,
but the original music always makes itself present whilst not distracting the
player.
- Appeal to a certain market –
The music used in the
Velvet Room is very different to the rest of the game’s sound track as it
consists mainly of good catchy JPOP. However, whenever the player visits this location
it is always accompanied by a beautiful piano piece which later blends into a
vocal which is a beautiful opera like voice. This is great as players don’t
generally hear a lot of this type of music in gaming, however it is very subtle
and builds up into something truly amazing when the music which starts off slowly
and peacefully before building into a louder and slightly quicker piece. Yet
still captures the beauty of the singer's rising voice and therefore appeals to
both fans of opera and those just wanting something new to listen to in video
games.
Plus it's composed by my
favourite video game composer Shōji Meguro, so what isn't there to like?
- Linked to a broader set of concepts –
Interestingly this music
can easily link to the creation of the Personas themselves in the Velvet Room.
I also believe that this relates to the singer herself as her voice is calm
even at its loudest level. I can imagine her voice representing a mother’s. I
think this because most children love their mothers especially when they are
very young and it is that sense of security and feeling that everything is going
to be ok which comes strongly from this music. In addition mothers often sing
to their children and I personally feel that this emotion is something the
player feels if they analyse the scene. The singing my also represent the
position of a mother figure for the player character since they are staying
with their uncle (father figure) and niece, but have no mother figure to
approach during their year away from their real parents. Thus the player
character returns to the room as often as they do to perhaps seek comfort in
the singing.
- Providing rhythm for gameplay –
No such rhythm for
gameplay exists during the player’s visit to the Velvet Room.
- Cueing gameplay events –
No cues are used during
the player’s visit to the Velvet Room.
You can listen to the
music featured in the player's first visit to the Velvet Room below.
Mass Effect 3 (Leaving Earth):
Although most gamers agree
that they hate the ending of 'Mass Effect 3' and therefore also don't like the
game, many people including myself still defend the fact that it had a great
opening which I shall write about below.
- Creating Atmosphere –
The sad track known
as ‘The end once and for all’ that I presented to the group recently also plays
at the end of the first mission in the game. In my view it does a great job of
establishing a sense of loss and fear. From just completing the very first mission the player gets a clear
understanding of the atmosphere the game is going with. As shown throughout the
whole mission and especially during its final stages the player must understand
that this is possibly the end of humanity and that many lives including
children's will be taken. This music does this.
- Assigning meaning to an event –
During the first mission
and throughout the game when the player reloads they hear a reassuring
reloading sound for their gun. Then when they interact with machines it makes a
number of futuristic sci-fi sounds and when the player character is hurt during
battle they will hear a groan and a negative sound indicating a loss of health.
Likewise, when they recover health they hear a charging up sound to inform them
that they are now ok.
- Appeal to a certain market –
As the game is meant
to be an action, sci-fi game plenty of music that matches these genres is used.
Therefore the soundtrack throughout the first level is very futuristic and
therefore likely to appeal to fans of sci-fi.
- Cueing gameplay events -
Throughout the mission
numerous sounds can be heard coming from numerous directions including gun
fire, explosions, fire crackling, glass breaking, buildings collapsing, aliens
screeching, futuristic machines working and of course the characters talking to
one another.
- Linked to a broader set of concepts –
Going
back to the sad track, not only was it used perfectly to establish the atmosphere of
foreboding and therefore the overall theme of the game, but I feel that the
scene the music accompanies was also a good choice. Not only does Commander
Shepard see first-hand that this may be humanity’s last fight but the Reapers
are so large and intimating that it’s like the Earth is literally fighting gods.
This is emphasised by the music booming when one of the Reapers appears in
front of Commander Shepard at the end of the first mission and easily takes
down a number of fleeing ships. Flying away the player then sees their ship fly
past the devastation left behind by the Reapers as they take over, seemingly without
even being hurt.
- Providing rhythm for gameplay -
No such rhythm for
gameplay exists during this first mission.
You can witness the scene
with the music included at the end of the prologue/tutorial mission below
Movie example:
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (Fight with the mechanic):
Unlike the last two choices which
contained the musical themes of creation and rebirth, and sadness and fear, for
my final choice I decided to go with a scene from one of my favourite adventure
movies.
Not wanting to choose the
movie’s classic 'running away from a boulder' scene I went with the 'fight
against the mechanic' scene as it has some great music, suspense and it is a
well done fight scene.
- Creating Atmosphere –
Tense music kicks in when more
enemies are approaching, spilt fuel is leaking towards fire and when Indy is
far too close to the spinning blades of the aircraft he is fighting around.
However, the music is quickly brought back to a more heroic tune when the
heroes overcome their odds and pull off some good punches. This is especially
apparent when the mechanic is caught by the spinning blades and Indy gets back
up to save the love interest from the resulting explosion. Whilst they run away
the music merges into the classic Indiana Jones theme I'm sure everyone has
heard at least once.
- Assigning meaning to an event –
Whenever any of the
characters interact with something in this scene someone from the Foley
department brings that sound to life with the appropriate sound effect. After
all, movies tend to film the actions and conversations of the actors and then
add the other sounds in later. This is so that in editing the volume of a scene
can be made louder or quieter without other background noises getting in the
way.
- Appeal to a certain market –
The music featured
throughout the Indiana Jones franchise is so iconic and easily recognisable to
fans of the movies that I had to choose it for my movie example. Composed by
the great John Williams who is able to make action packed tracks that get
audience’s blood pumping with excitement or fear, thus appealing to many fans
of action and adventure all over the world.
- Providing rhythm for the movie –
During the fight scenes
music is added in places to accompany each punch and kick, thus adding to the
overall impact of the sound effects which are included. Often these hits are
done in a rhythmic way so as to add to the overall tension of the scene.
- Cueing movie events -
You can hear in the
distance when the blades are nearing Indy or when enemy reinforcements are
arriving by truck.
- Linked to a broader set of concepts -
The
music is all one long track that is meant to hold the audience’s attention and
be heroic. Personally I feel that it is meant to make older audiences remember
a time when they weren't sure things were going to be ok. I refer to this
regardless of whether it’s someone watching the movie for the first time or re-watching
the scene out of nostalgia. After all, there was a time when we were younger
when we thought the hero may not survive and the bad guy may win, therefore the
music fits this perfectly as there are high moments for the audience rooting
for Indy, and low tension building parts for when the bad guys are winning.
Unable to find the scene online I watched it on my copy of the DVD. However, you can listen to the John Williams score of the fight below.
The time I refer to in the movie is 1 hour 13 minutes and 20 seconds – 1 hour 20 minutes and 32 seconds.
Harvard Referencing:
- Unknown. (2008) Persona 4 - Velvet Room. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMJ6jTqMtpw (Accessed:26/4/2013)
- Unknown. (2010) The Indiana Jones Trilogy - 05. Airplane Fight. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pujgH5eGG0E (Accessed:26/4/2013)
- Unknown. (2012) Mass Effect 3 Prologue - PC Demo. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIcDSzBktNQ (Accessed:26/4/2013)
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