Example of Good Sound Design

The short video below shows some footage recorded from the original Bioshock, this demonstrates what I think is an example of particularly good sound design. The video features an encounter with one of the main NPC characters in the game, the ‘Big Daddy’.  The ‘Big Daddy’ is a hulking, super-powered behemoth of a creature clad in a sturdy, steampunk styled deep-sea diving suit. If left alone, the ‘Big Daddy’ will calmly pursue their own agenda, but if antagonised they can quickly become a deadly force which can bring about a swift death for the player if they are caught off-guard.

The ‘Big Daddy’ can be found in levels by following it’s characteristic bellow, as heard in the video. This low, guttural moan is the first indicator to a player that they are in close proximity to one of these beasts and can either act as a warning or as a beckoning call to the kind of player that casually swigs Buckfast as they play.

The moan of the ‘Big Daddy’ serves many purposes and as a sound design device is tremendously effective. For a player new to the game hearing the moan of the ‘Big Daddy’ doesn't immediately conjure an image of this beast but rather implies that something large and powerful could possibly be lurking around the next corner. It creates suspense and adds to the feeling that the player is part of one big ecosystem which is constantly changing and adapting around them. For the more experienced player the moan is an effective way of tracking these giants. One bellow can give the player enough positional information to track these brutes down and, if necessary, get a bit shooty to reap the rewards of killing one.

This is a great example of how a simple device can be used to fulfil a number of different roles within a game environment, using acousmatic audio in order to pique a player’s curiosity or warn of a possible threat.