Swansongs: Fantasy Styled Sounds in Game Audio
A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Sound Design
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Master of Fine Arts in Sound Design
at
Savannah College of Art and Design
Dionysius P. Vlachos
Savannah, GA
© May 2015
Matthew Akers, Committee Chair
David Stone, Committee Member
Jack Mamais, Committee Member
Dedication
I would like to dedicate this to my parents, who have given me the drive to always strive for
greatness. Without the support of my family I would not be where I am today. To my mother
for giving me the ambition to always stay hungry. To my father for giving me the freedom to
figure out who I am. Thank you Mom and Dad.
Table of Contents
Dedication ............................................................................................................................ ii
List of Figures ...................................................................................................................... 1
Abstract................................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3
Sound Design of Spell Effects for Collaborative Projects ..................................................... 4
Materials Referenced for Grave Mistakes ............................................................................ 5
Video Game References for Grave Mistakes .................................................................................6
Movie References for Grave Mistakes ...........................................................................................6
Creative Approaches to Designing Spell Effects ................................................................... 7
Plugins, Design Techniques, and Processing for Spell Sounds ............................................. 8
Analyzing Spell Effect Sounds .............................................................................................. 8
Grave Chill ................................................................................................................................. 10
Crypt Swarm .............................................................................................................................. 11
Possession 1 ................................................................................................................................. 12
Possession Reference ................................................................................................................... 13
Possession 8 ................................................................................................................................. 14
Possession 12 ............................................................................................................................... 15
Possession Fizzle ......................................................................................................................... 16
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................... 17
Works Cited ....................................................................................................................... 19
Vlachos
List of Figures
Figure 1 Grave Chill
Page 10
Figure 2 Crypt Swarm
Page 11
Figure 3 Possession 1
Page 12
Figure 4 Possession Reference
Page 13
Figure 5 Possession 8
Page 14
Figure 6 Possession 12
Page 15
Figure 7 Possession Fizzle
Page 16
1
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Swansongs: Fantasy Styled Sounds in Game Audio
Dionysius P. Vlachos
May 2015
Abstract
This thesis is an exploration into the design process of fantasy styled sounds in game audio. This
exploration is a combination of a project and an analysis element. The project element consists
of the creation of sounds for two SCAD video games, Grave Mistakes and Spacefire: Robo
Response Team. The analytical element will be the examination of individual sound effects that
already exist in popular media. The goal of this thesis is to cultivate the aesthetic design of
fantasy styled sound effects.
Keywords: Spells, Game Audio, Fantasy Sounds, Sound Effects, Sound Design, Enchantment, MOBA
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Introduction
Most sound effects draw their inspiration from real world examples. There are certain
expectations of the sound a punch impact would make. Ben Burtt notes: “The idea of taking
real natural sounds and imposing them into the fantasy film gives the illusion that these things
are real because we kind of recognize them even though we can’t identify them specifically”
(Roberts). For example, the sound of an impacting punch can be exaggerated through the
layering of slaps, thuds, and imitated sounds of bones breaking. While the sound of a punch
impact can be exaggerated, the origins compiling the punch impact are reality based sounds with
little or no signal processing. Some sound effects, however, must be purely fabricated, as they
do not exist naturally in the real world. The sounds of lightsabers, magic spells, and strange
monsters must be designed through imagination, creativity. This process is often referred to as
audiation. When a sound needs to be designed that has never been heard before, the human brain
is capable of rendering the sound mentally (“Audiation”). Michel Chion describes the mental
fusion of visuals and sound merging together. His theory is that when sounds are synchronized
with visuals, the mind has a tendency to accept the experience. Chion named this process
“synchresis” (“Synchresis”). This thesis is an exploration into the design elements, signal
processing, and terminology of fantasy styled sounds in relation to game audio.
As a sound designer, I felt I had a strong command over physical and realistic styled
sounds effects. However, I did not feel comfortable designing magical and fantasy styled
sounds. The intimidation arose from the combination of not being comfortable with
experimental plugin applications, and unfamiliarity with base sound elements that may have
interesting properties when heavy manipulation is applied to them. I decided that for my thesis I
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would explore an area in sound design that I felt needed the most improvement by working on a
couple of independent games: Spacefire: Robo Response Team and Grave Mistakes. By
examining fantasy styled sound effects in video games and movies, I explored the design
elements, signal processing, and implementation of fantasy styled sounds in relation to game
audio.
Sound Design of Spell Effects for Collaborative Projects
Spacefire was the game I worked on during Global Game Jam, a 48 hour game design
challenge. In the Global Game Jam challenge, teams are given a theme and have 48 hours to
make a video game. The theme for 2015’s challenge was “and now what do we do?” The team
that I worked with came up with a game where players could control robots that attempt to fix a
city that is being destroyed. The robots use different tools to put out fires, destroy fungus turrets,
repair broken robots, and exterminate virus clouds. The visual style of the game originally was
going to be a darker, more realistic setting. However, as the game developed, the artistic style
transitioned to a more comedic tone. As the aesthetic design transitioned, I decided to draw
inspiration from the well known video game, Plants vs. Zombies.
Grave Mistakes is a SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) student action
adventure game. The game’s themes are dark, quirky, humorous, and macabre. The story is that
of a lost soul who can jump from body to body. The player controls the lost soul and is guided
by a spirit god through the level. At the end of the level, the player faces a final boss. I was
brought onto Grave Mistakes as a sound designer, and I used the opportunity to cultivate the
aesthetic design of my spell effects.
The main spell in Grave Mistakes was titled “Possession,” which the player uses to
control different characters throughout the level. My first iteration of the sound was “Possession
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1.” Afterwards I received some feedback from the audio lead who had envisioned the sound to
have more pleasant choir like properties. Upon receiving feedback, I created a more musical
type sound. For the next versions of “Possession,” I layered sampled vocalized notes using
MIDI. While this was aligned with the audio lead’s vision, I was not satisfied with the sound. It
should be noted that there is a difference between working as a sound designer for a client, and
working as a sound designer as a content creator. In this case, I felt that “Possession 8” was not
as effective or timbrally interesting enough to meet the needs of the gaming experience. When
this sound was implemented into the game, the attack of the sound was not distinct enough to
provide immediate auditory feedback that the spell had been cast. The more interesting
vocalization elements to the sound were contained in the decaying part of the envelope. When I
redesigned the sound, I gave it a stronger and more interesting attack, with the vocalization
elements occurring earlier in the sound envelope, on the sustain.
Materials Referenced for Grave Mistakes
For Grave Mistakes I met with the designers to understand the aesthetic style they wanted
to portray. The designers wanted to portray a world that was quirky, macabre, and occasionally
funny. When I first saw the art style of the game, it was apparent how much Tim Burton’s A
Nightmare Before Christmas was of an influence on the aesthetic style. The main character of
Grave Mistakes was originally a tall, lanky, pale skeleton in a suit. His appearance was a close
match to Burton’s Jack Skellington, and I recognized the inspiration immediately. While the
character shifted from a skeleton in a suit, as in A Nightmare Before Christmas, to the zombie
character model in Grave Mistakes, the aesthetic vision of the designers had not changed.
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Video Game References for Grave Mistakes
Several video games were referenced when preparing for Grave Mistakes. The art lead
told me that Defense of the Ancients 2 (Dota 2) influenced much of the design. I found
characters in Dota 2 that had similar aesthetic styles and spell effects to that of Grave Mistakes.
In addition to Dota 2, I examined the sounds in League of Legends and SMITE. While these
games are not action adventures, they have a plethora of characters and some will align with the
aesthetic design in Grave Mistakes.
Dota 2, League of Legends, and SMITE are multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)
games. In the MOBA genre, players usually control different heroes and work together to
destroy an enemy base. These games often have a large stable of heroes that players can choose
from, each one possessing unique attributes and aesthetic design. While this was not the same
genre as Grave Mistakes, I found that there was a plethora of material to reference due to each
hero having a unique design.
Movie References for Grave Mistakes
In preparation for Grave Mistakes, I watched several movies and TV shows to influence
my sound design. I referenced two Tim Burton projects, 9 and A Nightmare Before Christmas.
Tim Burton was mentioned several times as an influence when discussing aesthetic style with the
Grave Mistakes art team. I also studied Little Witch Academia, a Japanese animation about a
witch school. While I found some of the aesthetic themes of Little Witch Academia to be too
cartoony for Grave Mistakes, there were many spell sounds that I found inspiring.
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Creative Approaches to Designing Spell Effects
In an interview, Ben Burtt said: “I could kind of hear the sound in my head of the
lightsabers even though it was just a painting of a lightsaber,” (Ben Burtt Interview). When I
approached designing my sound effects, I took a similar approach. I would audiate the sound
that existed in my mind. In doing so, I would get a notion for either what the effect should sound
like, or what realistic elements would help shape the sound. This process facilitated an easier
process of searching for existing sounds that could be used. Randy Thom said: “The idea of
taking real natural sounds and imposing them into the fantasy film gives the illusion that these
things are real because we kind of recognize them even though we can’t identify them
specifically...” (Roberts). Randy Thom takes the approach of using real sounds rather than
synthesis. “Real sounds are really complex. It takes so much time to synthesize them that it's
still a lot quicker to just go out and record real-world sounds, then "sci-fi" or otherwise modify
them by using various kinds of processing,” (The Machinery Aimed At The Ear).
“The work of an artist in any artistic form is ultimately an amalgam of influences. The
wider the sphere of influences, the more interesting the work” (Gurkis). Often times I did not
have a sound in my mind that I could attempt to recreate. During those moments, I found that
referencing existing works was helpful. Listening to sounds that exist in video games, movies,
and TV shows was effective in rejuvenating my creative workflow. For that to work, it was
important to have a wide variety of content to draw reference from.
I was fortunate that I had an interest in media at a young age, and I had spent my life
voraciously consuming content from a wide spectrum of aesthetic styles and genres. When it
came to designing content for Grave Mistakes, my ear was attuned towards the fantastical sounds
that often exist in animation and video games. My interest in Japanese animation had left my
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creative palette sensitized to surreal and sensationalized sounds. Through my experiences
viewing media and playing video games, my creative palette had a solid foundation to build
from.
Plugins, Design Techniques, and Processing for Spell Sounds
When selecting base elements to build from, I often started with sounds that I found
pleasing to my ear. Some of the base elements that formed the foundation which I built my new
sounds such as a soda can opening, bubble wrap popping, the crack of a baseball bat, or a
pressure washer spraying water. I then experimented with layering the sounds, as stacking
several sounds over each other produced new sounds. After I was satisfied with my layering, I
then applied techniques and effects like reverb, delay, time compression and expansion (TCE),
and reversing. This process was the most time consuming, as I spent much of my time tweaking
the individual parameters until I felt the sound worked. Different versions of the same type of
plugin would often times produced vastly different results. Experimenting with the different
versions of the plugins brought out different elements in the sound. When I felt the sound was
ready, I would adjust volume levels, and then apply a limiter and a compressor to the summed
file. The final step was to trim the unneeded space from the head and tail of the audio file,
rename it, and then bounce the file with the right sample rate and bit depth.
Analyzing Spell Effect Sounds
To describe the sounds, I applied and sometimes repurposed several common sound
terms. A transient is a sudden and abrupt change in amplitude or voltage, which is often
represented by a sharp spike on the spectrogram. The envelope is a term used to describe the
temporal arc of a musical sound. There are many variations in the naming of an envelope's
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components. This paper will use the most common of these naming conventions, developed for
music synthesis, the ADSR envelope (“Envelope”).
For the purposes of this thesis, I will be using the terms attack and sustain to describe the
shapes of the sound. The attack being when the amplitude rises, not only at the start of the sound
as the ADSR envelope describes it. The sustain encompasses anytime a part of the sound is held.
Release will be for describing how the sound reaches silence. I will also be using the term sonic
identifier. I define this term as an auditory cue that informs the player that an event has
occurred. This ranges from a sound that lets a player know that a spell has been successfully
cast, to the sound of heartbeats informing a player their health is low. The sounds that I will be
examining in this thesis will be put through a spectrograph. This is a software that creates a
visual representation of the sound, called a spectrogram.
There are several sounds that were referenced when designing for Grave Mistakes. The
main spell, “Possession,” had all the basic properties of a standard spell cast. The spell needed a
unique sonic identifier to inform the player the spell had been cast. After the spell had been cast,
there was a travel time until the spell would impact. When I looked for inspiration for
“Possession” I searched for spells that had a similar functionality in addition to the aesthetic
theme.
Dota 2 was a game that was cited as an inspiration from the Grave Mistakes art team.
The art lead said he was designing the final boss, The Baron, after a Dota 2 character,
Shadowfiend. In addition to Shadowfiend, several heroes and spells from Dota 2 possess similar
properties and aesthetic themes to the Grave Mistakes “Possession” spell. I found that the heroes
Visage and Death Prophet to fulfill the aesthetic and functional needs of “Possession”.
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Grave Chill
Figure 1 Grave Chill
Visage’s “Grave Chill” (Visage Grave Chill) from Dota 2 was the first spell examined.
The spell effect had a dark aesthetic theme and similar visuals to “Possession.” The biggest
difference between the two spells was that “Grave Chill” hit instantly, while “Possession” had a
projectile attached to it. Upon spellcast, “Grave Chill” does damage and plays out the entirety of
the sound. There was no delayed impact sound that followed “Grave Chill,” as the impact sound
was the attack of the spellcast. “Grave Chill” had a fast attack that was used as a sonic identifier.
The attack was followed by a long and diffused tail. The attack could have been a stone hitting a
floor, or a cinder block being dropped a short distance. The sustain of the sound could have been
something similar to a scraping stone being drug along a stone floor. Added textures at the back
end of the sustain came from multiple moaning vocalizations with heavy processing, which then
slowly releases. The spectrogram shows a heavy low and mid presence, with little presence of
high end content. The fast attack is apparent and the attack exists in the entirety of the frequency
range. The streaking bands represent the presence of the harmonic content of the vocalizations.
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Crypt Swarm
Figure 2 Crypt Swarm
Death Prophet's “Crypt Swarm” (Death Prophet – Crypt Swarm (Creeps).wmv ) from
Dota 2 was the next spell that was examined. The attack appeared to be a fast transient that was
reversed. A second sound can be heard after the initial attack. This is sharp and fast, which
leads into the sustain. The sustain of this sound consists of a drone and fluttering wings. The
fluttering wings tie in with the visuals of the spell, which shows a swarm of bats projecting
outward from the caster. The low end element to this sound begins in the attack and persists
through the entirety of the spell. There is also a strong presence of harmonic content in the low
to mid sections of the frequency.
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Possession 1
Figure 3 Possession 1
For “Possession 1” I used the flexing of sheet metal, a pressure washer, electrical
sparking, and the sound of bubbles. For the attack I layered the wobbling of sheet metal and the
electrical sparking. I applied heavy processing to the sheet metal, using EQ, reverb, delay, and
time compression and expansion (TCE). The sustain of the sound is the combination of bubbles
and a pressure washer, all with heavy processing applied. The metallic sheen effect is the result
of the reverb and delay applied to the pressure washer. I also added on a fast flanger to give the
pressure washer movement and life. The diagonal bands show harmonic content being pitch
shifted downward during the attack, which is probably the wobble of the sheet metal. The
rectangular block of the sustain consists mostly of the processed pressure washer. After the
sustain, the sound has a long release.
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Possession Reference
Figure 4 Possession Reference
After I submitted “Possession 1,” the Audio Lead gave me feedback on the sound. He
said the sound appeared to be too metallic and sci-fi, and he envisioned a more organic sound.
He provided a sound for me to reference, which he felt fit more into the aesthetic themes of the
game. This sound has two vocalization elements to it. The first is an “ahh” and the second is a
higher pitched “uhh” that follows. Heavy reverb was applied to the vocalization, which gave the
sound a choir like feel with religious connotations. This sound had a slow attack and no
discernible transient. While it could make an interesting tail, I did not feel it would work without
additional effects.
The spectrogram shows this sound exists almost entirely of harmonic content, which is
most present in the lower and mid levels of the frequency spectrum. There is nothing within the
sound that differentiates the attack from the sustain of the sound. The sound appears to be a
sustain that is turned on and then abruptly cut off, instead of having a smooth release.
It is my belief that the Audio Lead felt this sound fit aesthetically because it had a
religious association. Before it was changed halfway through production, Grave Mistakes was
originally titled Bad Voodoo. While I was told any religious and cultural references had been
removed, some of the original design aesthetic influences could still have lingered. It is possible
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that the Audio Lead had the notion that action of possessing another creature had religious
connotations, which would explain why he felt comfortable with this sound.
Possession 8
Figure 5 Possession 8
When I redesigned “Possession,” I approached with the idea that it would have a
culturally religious undercurrent. I wanted to emulate the referenced sound that was given to me
and add a fast attack and an interesting sustain. I chose a church bell for the attack, which would
provide a fast attack and high transient that would act as a unique sonic identifier for the player.
For the base of the spell, I used two synthesized vocalizations of “ahh”. I applied heavy
reverberation and delay to the vocalization, giving it a mystical and choir like feel. I added in an
additional layer of a processed scream to smooth out the transition between the two synthesized
vocalizations. This added consistency to the duration of the sound. I felt these elements would
fit with the audio lead’s vision.
The spectrogram shows heavy harmonic content across the frequency spectrum. Part of
the bell’s harmonic content is visible in the higher frequency part of the spectrogram, which only
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lasts about halfway through the sound. The vocalization is visible at the bottom half of the
spectrogram, where it runs through the entirety of the spell.
Possession 12
Figure 6 Possession 12
While the audio lead was satisfied with “Possession 8,” I felt the sound did not have a
strong enough attack. For the attack, I layered several electrical zaps with a cork pop and a
camera flash. I applied reverb and a fast delay to the layered attack sounds. For the sustain and
release I took multiple screams and applied heavy reverberation, EQ, TCE, and pitch shifting. I
then took one of the screams and reversed it and played it immediately after the first scream.
This results in a sine wave shaped screaming sound.
The spectrogram of “Possession 12” shows a fast attack, which is present across the
frequency spectrum. The delay can be seen in the rectangular block that follows the initial
attack. The harmonic content of the vocal screaming can be seen starting during the delay, and
then remaining during the sustain and long release. The reversed scream is visually represented
in the visible harmonic bands. There is heavy harmonic content at the beginning of the sound,
reducing in amplitude in the middle, and then increasing in amplitude again before slowly fading
out.
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Possession Fizzle
Figure 7 Possession Fizzle
“Possession Fizzle” was a sound that I designed which did not end up in Grave Mistakes.
Originally, “Possession” could be freely fired, and if it did not impact after a certain time it
would play a fizzle sound. During development, the game design was changed so “Possession”
would not be castable unless it could auto-hit. When I designed Possession Fizzle I wanted a
sound where the tail fluttered and moved. I spent time thinking about what types of sounds
sputter and have a natural fade to the tail. For the base sound of the spell I layered the popping
of a cork and the opening of a soda can. I then followed it with the sound of a pressure washer
layered on soda fizzing. The flare had the fast attack and sharp transient to convey to the player
that the spell did not hit. I broke the sound into three sections, attack, sustain, and release. I
applied reverb and delay to each section, using different settings to add variation. After that I
applied a flanger to the pressure washer sound. The resulting sound can be heard with a fast
attack, and then a fluttering effect as it tails off. Visually, the spectrogram shows a heavy
presence in the higher end of the spectrum, which pitch shifts downward. The amplitude appears
to flutter as the attack is pitched downward.
Vlachos 17
Conclusion
When I originally approached this thesis I thought there must have been a formula that I
was missing in my sound design toolkit. During my exploration I discovered that there was no
set formula for designing the perfect spell effect. Much of what I did was informed
experimentation. I took the tools I had available and experimented with them until I found
combinations that sounded unique and interesting. Each time I created an interesting element, it
formed a foundation that helped me to develop future sounds.
“Mistakes, accidents, and the unexpected often provide the spark that leads to great
work” (On Being Creative). I found that knowing the general direction of where I wanted to
explore to be the most beneficial. I found that discovering sounds through informed
experimentation was more rewarding than attempting to recreate the sounds in my mind. The
sounds I would create accidentally felt more fresh, original, and fulfilling than the ones where I
would attempt to recreate what someone else had created. I would like to also mention that I
found describing sound using traditional words was more difficult than I had anticipated. I was
able to use onomatopoeia to vocalize a broad sense of the sound I wanted to hear, but often times
I could not convey what I was thinking until I had created it.
“One theory is that each of us is given a bag of creativity at birth, and that the bag doesn't
grow or shrink much for the rest of our lives. But even if our bag of creativity doesn't change in
size, our ability to dip into it varies constantly” (On Being Creative). I often question if I have
enough creativity to be successful in this field. I found the process of this thesis incredibly
rewarding and beneficial for my creative palette.
Vlachos 18
This thesis challenged my aesthetic in directions that it had not been challenged before.
The opportunity to take an analytical and theoretical approach to design helped me articulate
what I had been doing creatively. I felt that each sound I created broadened my creative skillset.
“The only way in which a human being can make some approach to knowing the whole
of a subject, is by hearing what can be said about it by persons of every variety of opinion, and
studying all modes in which it can be looked at by every character of mind. No wise man ever
acquired his wisdom in any mode but this; nor is it in the nature of human intellect to become
wise in any other manner” (“John Stuart Mills”). Collaborating with others on designing sounds
was helpful in the sense that it challenged me to evolve my sound effects. Not having the final
say on the design choices challenged me to articulate why I felt a sound worked and saw why
others thought it might not.. If I had not been challenged to reexamine my sounds, I would not
have had an opportunity to give thought to what was working and what was not. Not only was
the project portion of this thesis beneficial towards my personal growth, but the written portion
was as well. I discovered that the best artists in the industry have all faced similar challenges to
the ones I had. Understanding that the best of the sound design industry face the same
challenges as myself has given me a feeling of assurance as I move forward. This thesis has
enriched and enhanced my experience as an artist, and I am pleased to have gone on this journey.
Vlachos 19
Works Cited
"Audiation." GIML - The Gordon Institute for Music Learning. The Gordon Institute for Musical
Learning, 24 May 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <http://giml.org/mlt/audiation/>.
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Death Prophet – Crypt Swarm (Creeps).wmv. Valve Corporation, 2013. Youtube.com.
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Visage Grave Chill. Valve Corporation, 2013. Youtube.com. Dota2skills, 16 Nov. 2012. Web.
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