Examiner
Sound is often one of the least discussed aspects of creating a video game but no less important. The right music can set the tone and get the adrenaline pumping while guns need to sound as realistic as impossible. That's even true in science-fiction games set in the future like Halo 4 where 343 Industries went out on the firing range to capture some of the sounds of battle for the upcoming Xbox 360 game.
Calling 343 Industries' vision of audio in Halo 4 "huge", 343 Community Manager Jessica Shea wrote on Halo Waypoint wrote, "With Halo 4, we are respecting the music philosophy of previous Halos while establishing a fresh, new direction for Halo 4’s music, employing our own distinctive style that still feels like Halo. The goal is to make the music of the story fit not only the gameplay, but also the player’s emotional circumstances."
The team even went out to military training grounds to shoot some big guns for what Shea calls the "glue for the rest of the sound ingredients for Halo 4’s arsenal." The sci-fi sound effects for the weapons in the game will go through a whole other process to integrate into the game.
Audio director Sotaro Tojima chimed in with his own thoughts for the Halo 4 audio calling the game the story of Master Chief and Cortana. He has three key ways of getting players excited about the story and gameplay with the game's audio.
- Provide a sense of reality with sophisticated sound design to bring you into a believable world.
- Achieve a memorable, dramatic experience with great music and sounds well synced with the story beat and your gameplay.
- Share a delightful memory with all fans providing an iconic melody.
You can check out 343 Industries trip to the firing range in our video gallery.
