Next-Gen Sound Design in Infamous: Second Son - News

Tweet

When the new generation of console hardware was announced there was a lot talk regarding graphic capability. "How much better will it look?" and "How smoothly will it play?" were the most talked about questions. Infamous: Second Son hopes you'll pay attention to the graphical details but keep your ear tuned-in as well.

The Audio Director on Infamous: Second Son, Rev. Dr. Brad Meyer, wants to turn your attention to sound design before Sucker Punch's highly anticipated release on March 21st. "...there is so much focus on the graphics, where everything looks stunning; it's in 1080p which is incredible looking! And here we are in sound-land being like, 'hey, it's also going to sound a lot better too."

With the amount of memory in these next-gen systems, there is almost 10x the space that audio developers can work with. Gone are the days of endless soundloops. Here come the days of every individual pieces of metal hitting the sidewalk. 

"We created a language for each power set which we used as a palette to craft the design of each set. With smoke, it was charcoal, air, and extinguishing flames. For neon we strapped a contact mic on our Sly Cooper neon sign and also recorded fluorescent tubes, electromagnetic interference, and a very long induction coil."

Granted, sound design has been an important part of video games since the early days. It creates an authentic, immersive experience. Standout games featuring incredible sound design from last generation include: Grand Theft Auto V, God of War: Ascension, BioShock: Infinite, Portal 1 & 2, and Journey.

Source: [PlayStation.Blog]

More Articles