Audio Experience Description:
Mecha Mayhem’s Sound Design will be focused on creating a digital soundscape within the constraints of 16 bits. Both the music and game will be constrained to this particular soundtype, however the fonts can be diverse when it comes to creating “pixelated music.” Although there is a major limitation in scope for what can be created for the sound, I do plan on bending the rules of “bit-music” and will be adjusting many of the sounds to sound more modern.
The nostalgic soundscape will bring players into an action packed but solemn world of fighting within futuristic machines. On the surface the music will be uplifting and positive, but that is done to the effect of shadowing the sense of the fear of the technology being used for war and how close the human body is to a mechanical and brutal end. The use of orchestral music will help bring in this feeling quite well as several classical pieces focus on the futility or fear of life itself.
Despite the deep feelings this music can convey, I also want to ensure that the sense of excitement will still be prevalent even during idle portions of the music. To keep excitement, I will try to keep the music at a higher beat to ensure that the rhythm of the game stays as fast-paced as possible.
The nostalgic soundscape will bring players into an action packed but solemn world of fighting within futuristic machines. On the surface the music will be uplifting and positive, but that is done to the effect of shadowing the sense of the fear of the technology being used for war and how close the human body is to a mechanical and brutal end. The use of orchestral music will help bring in this feeling quite well as several classical pieces focus on the futility or fear of life itself.
Despite the deep feelings this music can convey, I also want to ensure that the sense of excitement will still be prevalent even during idle portions of the music. To keep excitement, I will try to keep the music at a higher beat to ensure that the rhythm of the game stays as fast-paced as possible.
Music Concept:
Style/Genre: 16-bit (Sega Genesis), Orchestral, Classical Arabic
Instrumentation: Online Sound Fonts with the Specific Notes being based on Piano Music.
Production: I plan on using Reason 12 to create my tracks using my MIDI keyboard to compose the music. Within the program, I have plugged in a Sega Genesis VST created by “superbobjoe” named “GENNY.” This VST emulates the classic 16-bit chips of the Sega Genesis, “YM2612” and “SN76489” and allows for people to plug them into programs like Reason to alter the Sound Font of the instruments you’re using.
Implementation: I plan on having the music play in loops that will switch based on the Game State.
Spotify "Influences" Playlist: Mecha Madness Inspirations
Demo Track for a Title Screen OST:
Instrumentation: Online Sound Fonts with the Specific Notes being based on Piano Music.
Production: I plan on using Reason 12 to create my tracks using my MIDI keyboard to compose the music. Within the program, I have plugged in a Sega Genesis VST created by “superbobjoe” named “GENNY.” This VST emulates the classic 16-bit chips of the Sega Genesis, “YM2612” and “SN76489” and allows for people to plug them into programs like Reason to alter the Sound Font of the instruments you’re using.
Implementation: I plan on having the music play in loops that will switch based on the Game State.
Spotify "Influences" Playlist: Mecha Madness Inspirations
Demo Track for a Title Screen OST:
Musical Influences:
NERV - 鷺巣 詩郎 (Shirō Sagisu):
In regards to media relating to mechs, Neon Genesis Evangelion (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン) is likely one of the largest cultural milestones in the genre. Unlike many works within this genre, the use of military-style orchestration makes it sound different to other mecha-related shows/movies. I especially wanted to look at “NERV” as the instrumentation of the strings and the background elements of synths and simple beats gives it an upbeat feeling that can be considered somewhat patriotic.
妖魔夜行 (Youma Yakou) - 上海アリス幻樂団 (Team Shanghai Alice):
Upon learning that this game was going to be within the Bullet Hell genre, I had automatically thought of ZUN’s “Touhou Project/東方プロジェクト)” which in my opinion is one of the most influential pieces of media for the Bullet Hell genre and dōjin (同人) media. In spirit of the small team of this project, I felt that having elements of ZUN’s musical work would be fitting for our game, especially with his unique 90’s 16-bit sound font being the influence for our game’s instrumentation. “Youma Yakou” is a piece that I find to be a great example of showing this unique style of audio that I would want for this game to take influence from.
Laïla Djân - Jordi Savall:
I have always felt that the high pitch flutes of traditional music from Arabic and Persian cultures to be a great addition for games as I feel somewhat excited when I hear the use of the ney (نی) and the kāwālā (كاوالا) in Arabic songs. Although he usually produces music with Western instruments, Jordi Savall has done quite a few works based on Arabic traditions such as “Laïla Djân” in which I find the use of the ney to be quite superb. Although it would be a challenge to create a similar font in 16-bit, I feel like it can be done by creating an instrument within a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and “bit-crunching” it down to create this high pitch flute noise within the limited soundscape of 16 bit.
In regards to media relating to mechs, Neon Genesis Evangelion (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン) is likely one of the largest cultural milestones in the genre. Unlike many works within this genre, the use of military-style orchestration makes it sound different to other mecha-related shows/movies. I especially wanted to look at “NERV” as the instrumentation of the strings and the background elements of synths and simple beats gives it an upbeat feeling that can be considered somewhat patriotic.
妖魔夜行 (Youma Yakou) - 上海アリス幻樂団 (Team Shanghai Alice):
Upon learning that this game was going to be within the Bullet Hell genre, I had automatically thought of ZUN’s “Touhou Project/東方プロジェクト)” which in my opinion is one of the most influential pieces of media for the Bullet Hell genre and dōjin (同人) media. In spirit of the small team of this project, I felt that having elements of ZUN’s musical work would be fitting for our game, especially with his unique 90’s 16-bit sound font being the influence for our game’s instrumentation. “Youma Yakou” is a piece that I find to be a great example of showing this unique style of audio that I would want for this game to take influence from.
Laïla Djân - Jordi Savall:
I have always felt that the high pitch flutes of traditional music from Arabic and Persian cultures to be a great addition for games as I feel somewhat excited when I hear the use of the ney (نی) and the kāwālā (كاوالا) in Arabic songs. Although he usually produces music with Western instruments, Jordi Savall has done quite a few works based on Arabic traditions such as “Laïla Djân” in which I find the use of the ney to be quite superb. Although it would be a challenge to create a similar font in 16-bit, I feel like it can be done by creating an instrument within a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and “bit-crunching” it down to create this high pitch flute noise within the limited soundscape of 16 bit.
SFX:
Ambience: I believe that additional ambiance would not mesh well with the limited sound constraints of a 16-bit game. There will be long-lasting sound effects such as the “hovering” of enemy projectiles and the movement of the mech that would be the closest to an in-game “ambiance.”
Sound Palette: 16-bit Interpretations of Mechanical and Electrical Noises
SFX Design: The sounds will sort of be like “bit-crunched” variations of noises that we expect to hear from objects in our world.
My RAW "SFX" for our Game's Prototype:
Sound Palette: 16-bit Interpretations of Mechanical and Electrical Noises
SFX Design: The sounds will sort of be like “bit-crunched” variations of noises that we expect to hear from objects in our world.
My RAW "SFX" for our Game's Prototype:
SFX Influences:
Godzilla's Roar (Created by: Akira Ifukube/伊福部 昭):
Albeit this SFX is used for a “biological creature,” Godzilla’s roar was not created using any known animal or a combination of them, it was actually made by rubbing a glove over a double bass to create the iconic scream. It could be applied to many different things as well, as long as it is big and monstrous to which for “Mecha Madness” I feel it can easily be used for the screams of the enemies that the Players encounter.
Axiom Verge's SFX (Created by Thomas Happ):
In terms of modern games using “Bit Sound Fonts” I always think of the unique sound style of Thomas Happ’s “Axiom Verge.” Although they feel like they come from a classic Atari game, you don’t get the feedback noise that those original sounds produced which makes them sound quite clear to modern ears. Although this game will have a retro art-style, I feel like adapting the sound to be created with modern practices of SFX editing would be a better decision as modern Players would likely not want to hear the background noise that the older consoles had in its audio.
Albeit this SFX is used for a “biological creature,” Godzilla’s roar was not created using any known animal or a combination of them, it was actually made by rubbing a glove over a double bass to create the iconic scream. It could be applied to many different things as well, as long as it is big and monstrous to which for “Mecha Madness” I feel it can easily be used for the screams of the enemies that the Players encounter.
Axiom Verge's SFX (Created by Thomas Happ):
In terms of modern games using “Bit Sound Fonts” I always think of the unique sound style of Thomas Happ’s “Axiom Verge.” Although they feel like they come from a classic Atari game, you don’t get the feedback noise that those original sounds produced which makes them sound quite clear to modern ears. Although this game will have a retro art-style, I feel like adapting the sound to be created with modern practices of SFX editing would be a better decision as modern Players would likely not want to hear the background noise that the older consoles had in its audio.
Technology:
Game Engine: Unity
Audio Middleware: FMOD
File Format: .WAV (.MP3 when Sharing Progress with Team on Discord)
VSTs: GENNY, YM2612 16-bit Chip, SN76489 16-bit Chip
Platform: PC, Mac
File Naming Scheme: “AudioType_Functionality_NameOfFile_Number”
EX: “SFX_Hit_MechGetsHit_01”
Audio Middleware: FMOD
File Format: .WAV (.MP3 when Sharing Progress with Team on Discord)
VSTs: GENNY, YM2612 16-bit Chip, SN76489 16-bit Chip
Platform: PC, Mac
File Naming Scheme: “AudioType_Functionality_NameOfFile_Number”
EX: “SFX_Hit_MechGetsHit_01”