A Conversation with… Jeff Giasson, Executive Producer, Meridian4 (more…)
Creating a Core Gaming Experience on Touch
We spoke with Stephen Sherman, Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder at Super Evil MegaCorp, to learn more about the thinking behind Vainglory, a mega-hit MOBA and first-ever hardcore mobile game. (more…)
By Jennifer Walden, Post Magazine, May 2015
Most new Android devices are already equipped with Dolby Audio (www.dolby.com) (supporting Dolby Digital Plus), and Android game developers can take advantage of those built-in Dolby audio-processing components to noticeably improve their game’s sound experience. And best of all, they can do it for free with Dolby Audio API for Android. To help explain how game developers and audio pros can use and benefit from Dolby Audio, Somatone Interactive’s (www.somatone.com) chief operating officer Adam Levenson sheds some light on mobile game audio and answers key questions about Dolby Audio.
As published recently in Audio Pro International
Sci-fi weapon sound design is the subject for the next installment of our Game Audio column, in partnership with Somatone Interactive.
This month, executive director Michael Bross and senior sound designer Eric Van Amerongen team up to share their insights into the creative process for this particular gaming genre from their respective positions. (more…)
One of the most daunting stages in the collaborative process relates to how and where to start with the creative and logistical partnership with a game developer or publisher.
Approaching a new game or, even more so, jumping in on a live product, can sometimes be an overwhelming experience. We have participated in more than a few meetings with game developers, producers, game designers, programmers, and creative directors wherein time was spent in discussions, but at the end of the call, we are no closer to understanding what is needed, or what the vision for the game is. This phenomenon birthed an approach for us that works well for all stakeholders in the project. (more…)
1. What have you been working on for Rumble’s KingsRoad game over the past 18+ months?
We’ve been working on all audio aspects of the game, including the full range of sound design and music as well as character voices. In the early stages, we were also doing implementation (both remote and onsite). (more…)
June marks the first anniversary of the public release of Marvel Heroes, so what better time to recount the time I’ve put into the game? It has been nearly 2 years since I first set foot in the Gazillion building, so here it goes… (more…)
The Circle of Development Trends
Casual and mobile game development tends to be cyclical, with a big hit game leading developers to create games with similar themes and gameplay. In the early and mid-2000′s, we worked on a lot of Match-3 style games that followed in the wake of the success of titles like Bejeweled and Zuma. (more…)
Skeleton Hand is a Chicago-based company that is currently in the process of creating their first game titled Incarnate: Body Mind and Soul. With their unique game concept, Skeleton Hand will redefine how both turn-based strategy and living-card games are played. (more…)
As an audio director, I’m always interested in ways to create the most amazing audio experiences possible in a game. In the last 10 years, we’ve seen valuable developments in game-side audio tools that have aided in these efforts. Once such software tool / engine is Wwise.
Wwise is a powerful interactive sound engine for games that has traditionally only been accessible by AAA / big budget games, but in the last couple of years, it also began supporting iOS and Android. This is a great benefit for mobile game devs, as it gives them access to tools that pave the way for an impactful audio contribution to the overall experience.
Here are 7 reasons why mobile developers should seriously look at using Wwise:
1. It’s free. For games that use under 200 audio assets, Wwise is free. This is great news for mobile game developers, since most mobile titles require less than that.
2. Lowers development costs. Instead of devoting precious engineering time to create an audio engine for your game, a powerful solution is available that requires little time to get up and running.
3. Reduces burden on developer. Wwise allows your audio team (whether internal or external) to effectively manage and integrate the audio content. This frees the rest of your team to focus on other tasks.
4. Proven tools. Wwise has been used on a ton of games, from Assassin’s Creed to Zoo Tycoon to hundreds of other titles. We’ve used it here at SomaTone for games like Marvel Heroes and Oddworld, as well as a number of other titles.
5. Exceeds Unity / Unreal audio tools. Audio features in Unity and Unreal are basic and don’t allow your team to harness the emotional power that great music and sound design can bring to the table. Wwise really blows away audio tools in these engines.
6. Unity / Unreal Integration. It’s already supported by the makers of these game engines, so that means less hassle for your developers to integrate into your game engine.
7. Better audio. Last but not least, it will allow your sound designers and composer to create a better audio experience in your game because it gives them access to a slew of powerful audio-oriented features from audio behavior settings to integration.
With all these benefits, there’s no reason why mobile game devs should not look at Wwise. For information on Wwise:
https://www.audiokinetic.com/products/wwise/
For more information on the free license:
https://www.audiokinetic.com/licensing/free-limited-commercial/
Watch for more in-depth coverage of this topic coming soon in our blog.
