Functions of Game Audio

From the earliest conception of computer games, audio has been used to perform many functions. In early games such as Pong very simple ‘beeps’ were used to give players feedback about events happening in the game. In modern games, as technology has improved, audio has become a multi-faceted tool used to perform a growing number of tasks.

The Taxonomy of Audio for Games (TAG) project aims to highlight the key areas where audio is used for specific effects in modern games. One of the areas outlined is the use of audio to promote ‘Mastery and Autonomy’ for the player within the game environment. These are split into six main functions:

•  Instruction
• Notification
•  Feedback
• Orientation
• Rhythm-Action
• Mechanic

In this post I will use an example within a modern game to demonstrate one of these functions further.

The video below shows a short clip from Deus Ex: Human Revolution. It demonstrates an example of Notification for the player. One of the key gameplay techniques of this game is stealth and completing many of the main missions rely on the player’s mastery of this method.

There are a few devices in the game to help a player remain unseen by the enemy. Vision cones can be added to the mini map and augmented vision allows the player to see through walls, highlighting any nearby enemies. However, the device I found most useful when playing was the verbosity of the enemy guards. The video shows an example of what happens when the player is seen in an area where enemies are overtly hostile, in this example, an enemy base.

Notice as I run into the field of view of the guard, he gives notification that he has seen me and begins to fire. As I hide behind the wall out of sight he stops firing for a moment until I reappear and he verbally confirms that he has seen me again. This is a clear example of audio being used to notify the player that the guard has changed state and is now hostile towards the player.

Throughout the game verbal cues are given by enemies to notify the player about their state. If the player were to sneak into a position where the guard could not see them and make enough noise to cause a disturbance, the guard would verbally notify them that he had heard the sound and would enter an increased state of alertness to future noise and movement. This prompts the player to either leave the area until the guard returns to his neutral state or be extra careful moving around the area.

This type of notification is incredibly useful for the player, especially when they are still learning the fundamental game mechanics. It allows the player to quickly develop skills that will aid them in mastery of the game and will decrease frustration at higher difficulty levels.