Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1524863
106 M PS E . O R G happening around you, which was super important for a hectic action- packed game like this. Another thing leveraged heavily across the game and game audio in general is modularity, designing assets in modular layers with variations. For example, a Stratagem Orbital Strike coming down from the sky could have launch, pre-explosion/ incoming and explosion assets with multiple variations, and actually the explosions themselves would also be divided similarly into, for example, pre-hit, attack, body, and tail layers. HS: In terms of linear sound editing in the context of asset design, I think every sound designer will have their different set of techniques and styles, depending on their area of focus. For example, something to consider when designing weapon fire is the rate of fire and how to manage and design against that in a DAW environment, particularly if there is a variability to the rate. Some sound designers might choose to edit to a grid, with the session tempo reflecting the fire rate of the weapon. Similarly, others choose to lean on the use of samplers for a midi-controlled approach, allowing for potentially faster workflows to help trial out aesthetics at different fire rates. Once it is implemented in games, you can begin to test those rendered assets against variable fire-rate in real time, but being able to approximate that testing in DAW gives you the greatest flexibility to rapidly edit prior to committing assets into the game engine tool sets. Are there any game audio techniques you think linear productions could utilize more to improve their sonic quality? JT: What a lot of people seemed to like about Helldivers 2 was how punchy and visceral the weapons and explosions felt. I think quite often films utilize sub/LFE content for that kind of sensation of power on the big screen. While this sounds massive in the theater, it doesn't always necessarily translate that well into the living room, so I'd like to hear a little more punchy, low-mid range designs in films as well. HS: Great question. I think something that springs to mind is having different dynamic range mixes available for film and TV, presented in a similar way that games handle it. If you're listening to a game at a moderate volume in a high noise floor environment, you L-R: Helldivers 2 features a diverse range of environments, enemies, and weapons, which naturally presented many opportunities for attention-grabbing sound design treatment. INTERVIEW WITH: PLAYSTATION STUDIOS - CREATIVE ARTS SOUND: Blake Collins (BC) Senior Foley Mixer Dan Ramos (DR) Sound Designer II ARROWHEAD GAME STUDIOS: Olliver Andersson (OA) Sound Designer