Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538144
70 M PS E . O R G several years, from the pre-production stage through to release. In game audio, there are a lot of iterations and experimentation, especially in the early stages of developing the game audio engine and pipeline. This happens before most of the sound design is created, as it informs the process and paves the way for the design, how to budget and allocate the work internally, and what part of the work is best to outsource to external audio companies. How do film/TV sound designers feel about you asking for their FX to bring into a game for continuity? Caron: Most game companies will send a bunch of reference FX to replicate the style they are looking for. I haven't been in a position yet to need specific FX from film/TV sound designers for a game—unless they are also working on the game! For certain types of games that are based on licensed movie franchises, there is usually an agreement in place between the game developer and the company that created the original sounds to have limited access to certain sounds. For the Foley side, I do ask for Pro Tools sessions or any raw Foley files that the game audio team has already recorded, so I have that as reference when recording more Foley material. The game company Respawn, which developed the Star Wars Jedi series games, handled most of the in-game sound design in-house. Both Lucasfilm and Skywalker Sound guard their original iconic Star Wars sounds very closely (as they should). Ben Burtt himself even designed new sounds for the BD-1 droid for the Star Wars Jedi games! For instance, the Respawn sound design team, led by Nick von Kaenel, designed many different versions of lightsabers with various types of energy levels and intensities that react to gameplay parameters, as they needed each to sound unique. The lightsaber sounds need to have a lot more movement and pitch variation than The job roles in audio for film are also a lot more defined in terms of responsibilities—possibly due to more standardization through unions like IATSE for film/TV, which started many decades ago. Film/TV post work can also be somewhat streamlined and planned due to its linear nature. In games, it can be like the Wild West, and every company and project involve a different combination of audio roles. The team size varies a lot. AAA game projects like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor have teams of many hundreds of developers from all disciplines, with about 75 audio people coming on board at different points over a three-year period—from concept to shipping—with some of the in-house audio teams working on the game for Darrin Mann, Mixer and Caron Weidner, Foley Supervisor, Dead Space 3 Foley Recording 2012. Manipulator, for pitching and adding synth tones. Sound Toys Tremolator, great for movement and vibrato.