Sonic Design/ Final Project: Game Audio

29/06/2025 - 27/07/2025 / Week 10 - Week 14

Lim En Yu / 0354452

Sonic Design / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor’s University 

Final Project: Game Audio

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Instructions

2. Final Project: Game Audio

3. Feedback

4. Reflection

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Instructions

Fig 1.1 Module Information

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Final Project: Game Audio

For this project, we are required to choose one gameplay video from a selection of five and create our own original sound design to match the visuals. Every element shown in the video, whether part of the background or something interactive, must have a corresponding sound. All sounds must be self-produced and completely original, without using any existing or external audio sources.

Chosen Video: Ori and the Blind Forest

I have chosen this instead of 5 other videos as I like the overall vide and visuals in this game. I will have more ideas and passion when it comes to do something that I like.

Fig 2.1 Chosen Video: Ori and the Blind Forest

Audio Asset List

First, I've gone through the one-minute gameplay video and identified all the audio elements that need to be included. I’ve organized the sound effects based on the different characters and the various items in the environment to keep everything clear and structured.

Fig 2.2 Aduio Asset List

Audio Storyboard

Using the audio list, I pinpointed when each sound effect should appear by matching them to specific moments on the timeline. To make it easier to track, I used color coding, this helped me quickly see which sounds belong where and made it easier to spot if I had missed anything during the audio syncing process.

Fig 2.3 Audio Storyboard (PDF)

Fig 2.4  Audio Storyboard (Google Sheet)

Audio Recording

I have recorded all sound tracks at home instead of recording it at the studio because there are too many things for me to bring it there. I would rather record it all at home, turning off the fans and close the door. I have tried this way of recording before and after noise reduction process actually the sound track quality is quite good. I have recorded all sound using my phone.

Fig 2.5 Audio Recording using iphone

Props used for recording

Here are some snapshots of props that I have used for recording, all are things that can be found in my house. Every of them I have explored a lot of times and chosen the most suitable one.

Fig 2.6 Rafia glass for leaves ruslting

Fig 2.7 Cover of gift box for landing on woods

Fig 2.8 Coaster for running on woods

Fig 2.9 Stainless steel bowl for sfx Sunken Glades

Fig 2.10 Cups and spoon for sfx

Editing in Adobe Audition

After I have done recording the sound tracks according to the asset list, I then imported them all into Adobe Audition and also the game video as reference.

Reducing noise

First, I start with reducing thre noise of each sound track by capturing the noise first and apply noise reduction. Every sound track after reducing the noise has a very good quality already as I recorded in a silent room.

Fig 2.11 Noise reduction progress

Leaves rustling

For the rafia grass that used to record as leaves rustling ambience, it is already a very good sound that sounds like leaves ambience. Therefore, after reducing the noise, I only apply pitch shifter to it that slightly increase the semi tones so that it sound in a higher pitch.

Fig 2.12 Pitch shifter for leaves rustling

Hollow ambience

The hollow ambience is the whole ambience throughout the game video other than the leaves ambience. I want it to sound like we are in a very big space, and the sound is actually made by flute which provide a hollow voice. Firstly, I applied the parametric equalizer that decrease the high frequency part but increase the low frequency part to remove the sharpness and increase the power.

Also, reverb with preset "ethereal" has been applied to increase the echo-like voice in the soundtrack. Pitch shifter is applied as well to lower down the tone as the sound is still a bit high tone. Furthermore, chorus is also applied where 3 voices are duplicated at the same time.

Fig 2.13 Parametric equalizer for hollow ambience

Fig 2.14 Reverb for hollow ambience

Fig 2.15 Pitch shifter for hollow ambience

Fig 2.16 Chorus for hollow ambience

When the character is entering deeper part with more echo like the pond part, there is another layer duplicated but with lower tone of pitch shifter enhance the echo sound.

Fig 2.17 Deeper Pitch shifter for hollow ambience

Fig 2.18 Overview of sound tracks of hollow ambience

Tutorial UI

The overall tone of the notifications in the game I want it to be something sounds like bell or ting?, like something sounds soft and ringing. I have chosen stainless steel bowl knocking sound as the base of the tutotial UI sound, and shift up the tone so that it sound higher pitch. Other than that, I have also applied chorus at 2 voices so that it wouldn't sounds so plain.

Fig 2.19 Pitch shifter for tutorial UI

Fig 2.20 Chorus for tutorial UI

Exploring power ups sound

Actually for this part I have figured out how to do it for a long time, I havetried several props but still could not find the feeling that I wanted. Then I decided to go with the technique that Mr Razif has taught us, which is generate a tone. I have generate the tone that are going from lower tone to higher tone. After that, I habe applied pitch shifter to tone up a little bit, and also adjust the parametric equalizer until it sounds natural. Besides that, I have applied the most important effect that make it become the sound effect that I wanted, which is phaser with the preset "crystalline enmity" that emphasise tension, clarity, and high-frequency shimmer.

Fig 2.21 Generating tones track

Fig 2.22 Pitch shifter for tutorial UI

Fig 2.23 Parametric equalizer for tutorial UI

Fig 2.24 Phaser for tutorial UI

Fig 2.25 Overview for soundtracks for tutorial UI

Electric shock

I have tried quite a lot of way to obtain something sounds like electric shock, and I experimented that the sounds of flicking the ruler andsliding through the edge of table can obtain a high frequency sounds that sounds similar like electric shock. Although the raw sound track is already a high frequency sound track, but it still very loew tone, so I have increse the semi-tones to obtain hight pitch. Also, flanger with total sadness preset is applied as it provide a electric like sound effect.

Fig 2.26 Flanger for electric shock

Fig 2.27 Pitch shifter for electric shock

Game saved

So for game saved notification, I want it to be more stand out, so I decided to add a slight rhythm to it by using flute as the base oif the sound track. I have played a few scales on the flute and edit with some effects like reverb and phaser with crystalline enmity to make it sounds more ethereal and airy.

Moreover, there are also blue flame glowing on the character when the game is saved. For the flame part, there are actually 2 sound tracks, one is bigger sound of flame one is the subtle noise of the smaller flame.

Fig 2.28 Phaser for game saved

Fig 2.29 Studio reverb for game saved

Fig 2.30 Pitch shifter for game saved

Fig 2.31 Parametric equalizer for game saved

Fig 2.32 Overview of soundtracks for game saved

Explosion

Explosion is the sound effect that I thought was the hardest but actually it is not that hard. The edit is actually lesser than other sound tracks but it can achieve the impact that I wanted. The main sound track is made by punching a plastic bag as it comes with the small rocks falling sound which is the sound of plastic bag rubbing each other. For this layer, I lowered the high frequency to remove the sharpness and increase the low frequency part. The second layer will be mainly for increse the base, make it osund thicker and more impactful.

Fig 2.33 Parametric equalizer for explosion

Fig 2.34 Overview of soundtracks for explosion

Audio Editing and Manipulation Journal

Fig 2.35 Audio Editing and Manipulation Journal

Feedback after first version:

- The notifications sounds all should be lower down the volume.

- Sounds of collecting the power ups are too raw, need to edit to make it heard more echo-like.

- Overall audio is too soft, it should be increase around -12mb.

- Other than that, others are fine.

Final Project: Game Audio

Fig 2.36 Final Outcome for Final Project: Game Audio

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Feedback

The "ting ting ting" of collecting small power ups sounds too raw. It should be more echo-ish and not too sharp at the same time. All the notifications part could be soften so it would not be too stand out. The overall audio is too soft, it should be about -12mb. Other than that, overall is okay.

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Reflection

This final project was honestly the one I felt most connected to and required the most effort as we have to record all the raw sound tracks by ourselves. Choosing Ori and the Blind Forest is because there is something magical and peaceful about it, and I wanted to bring that same feeling into the audio I created. Even though it was challenging to come up with original sounds using only items from home, it actually became one of the most enjoyable parts of the process. 

I spent hours experimenting with random objects, just listening and trying again until something felt right. It was frustrating at times, especially when I couldn’t get the feeling I wanted, but when a sound finally clicked, it felt so satisfying. Getting feedback helped me see what could be better, and I actually enjoyed going back to tweak and improve. In the end, I’m proud of what I created. It really felt like I poured a part of myself into it.

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