Player relationships as mediated through sound in immersive multi-player computer games

 Mark Grimshaw, Bolton (United Kingdom)

https://doi.org/10.3916/C34-2010-02-07

Keywords

Computer games, sound, engagement, diegesis, immersion, sonification, acoustic ecology

Abstract

This essay examines the relationship between player and diegetic sound FX in immersive computer game environments and how this relationship leads, in large part, to the contextualization of the player within the virtual world of the game. This contextualization presupposes a primarily sonically-based perception of objects and events in the world and, in a multi-player game, this ultimately leads to communication between players through the medium of diegetic sound. The players’ engagement with, and immersion in, the game’s acoustic environment is the result of a relationship with sound that is technologically mediated. The game engine, for example, produces a range of environmental or ambient sounds and almost every player action has a corresponding sound. A variety of relevant theories and disciplines are assessed for the methodological basis of the points raised, such as film sound theory and sonification, and, throughout, the First-Person Shooter sub-genre is used as an exemplar. Such games include the «Doom» and «Quake» series, the «Half-Life» series and derivatives and later games such as «Left 4 Dead». The combination of the acoustic environment, the interactive placement of the player – as embodied by his virtual, prosthetic arms – in the environment and the sonic relationships between players produces the acoustic ecology. An exposition of this multi-player communication and the resultant acoustic ecology and player immersion, is the main objective of the essay.

References

Back, M. & Des, D. (1996). Micro-narratives in sound design: Context and Caricature in Waveform Manipulation. (www.icad.org/websiteV2.0/Conferences/ICAD96/proc96/back5.htm) (07-01-08).

Link Google Scholar

Böhme, G. (2000). Acoustic Atmospheres: A Contribution to the Study of Ecological Acoustics. Soundscape, 1(1); 14-18.

Link Google Scholar

Chion, M. (1994). Audio-vision: Sound on Screen. New York: Columbia University Press.

Link Google Scholar

Corner, J. (1992). Presumption as Theory: 'Realism' in Television Studies. Screen, 33(1); 97-102.

Link Google Scholar

Ekman, I. & Kajastila, R. (2009). Localisation Cues Affect Emotional Judgements: Results from a User Study on Scary Sound. AES 35th International Conference.

Link Google Scholar

Fencott, C. (1999). Presence and the Content of Virtual Environments. (web.onyxnet.co.uk/Fencott-onyxnet.co.uk/pres99/pres99.htm) (04-08-05).

Link Google Scholar

Gaver, W.W. (1993). What in the World do we hear? An Ecological Approach to Auditory Perception. Ecological Psychology, 5 (1); 1-29.

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Grimshaw, M. & al. (2008). Sound and Immersion in the First-person Shooter: Mixed Measurement of the Player's Sonic Experience. Audio Mostly 2008.

Link Google Scholar

Grimshaw, M. & Schott, G. (2007). Situating Gaming as a Sonic Experience: The Acoustic Ecology of First Person Shooters. Situated Play.

Link Google Scholar

Grimshaw, M. (2007). Sound and Immersion in the First-person Shooter. 11th International Computer Games Conference. November 21-23.

Link Google Scholar

Grimshaw, M. (2008a). The Acoustic Ecology of the First-person Shooter: The Player Experience of Sound in the First-person Shooter Computer Game. Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag.

Link Google Scholar

Grimshaw, M. (2008b). Autopoiesis and Sonic Immersion: Modelling Sound-based Player Relationships as a Self-organizing System. Sixth Annual International Conference in Computer Game Design and Technology.

Link Google Scholar

Halpern, D. & al. (1986). Psychoacoustics of a Chilling Sound. Percept Psychophys, 39(2); 77-80.

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Kramer, G. & al. (n.d.). Sonification Report: Status of the Field and Research Agenda. (www.icad.org/websiteV2.0/References/nsf.html) (01-09-05).

Link Google Scholar

Kromand, D. (2008). Sound and the Diegesis in Survival-horror Games. Audio Mostly 2008.

Link Google Scholar

Lastra, J. (2000). Sound Technology and the American Cinema: Perception, Representation, Modernity. New York: Columbia University Press.

Link Google Scholar

Laurel, B. (1993). Computers as Theatre. New York: Addison-Wesley.

Link Google Scholar

McMahan, A. (2003). Immersion, Engagement, and Presence: A New Method for Analyzing 3-D Video Games, en Wolf M.J.P. & Perron B. (Eds.). The Video Game Theory Reader. New York: Routledge; 67-87.

Link Google Scholar

Owren, M.J. & Bachorowski, J.A. (2003). Reconsidering the evolution of nonlinguistic communication: The case of laughter. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 27(3); 183-200.

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Palmer, I.J. (2002). How Realistic is the Sound Design in the D-Day Landing Sequence in Saving Private Ryan? Master's Thesis, Bournemouth University.

Link Google Scholar

Plutchik, R. (1980). A General Psychoevolutionary Theory of Emotion, in Plutchik R. & Kellerman H. (Eds.). Emotion: Theory, Research and Experience: Volume 1. New York: Academic; 3-33.

Link Google Scholar

Schafer, R.M. (1994). The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment and the Tuning of the World. Rochester Vt: Destiny Books.

Link Google Scholar

Stockburger, A. (2003). The Game Environment from an Auditive Perspective. Level Up.

Link Google Scholar

Tinwell, A. & Grimshaw, M. (2009). Survival Horror Games. An uncanny Modality, Thinking after Dark.

Link Google Scholar

Truax, B. (2001). Acoustic Communication. Westport, Conn: Ablex.

Link Google Scholar

Fundref

This work has no financial support

Crossmark

Technical information

Metrics

Metrics of this article

Views: 32018

Abstract readings: 21829

PDF downloads: 10189

Full metrics of Comunicar 34

Views: 1038233

Abstract readings: 645320

PDF downloads: 392913

Cited by