Course Outline for Music Recording Technology 32B
Game Audio Design II

Effective: Fall 2016
SLO Rev: 12/09/2016
Catalog Description:

MURT 32B - Game Audio Design II

3.00 Units

Advanced creation of music and audio for video games, including implementation within a video game. Advanced music cue composition, Foley SFX recording and design, and functional implementation in a live game context.
Prerequisite: MURT 32A.
1005.00 - Commercial Music*
Letter Grade Only
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture 2.00 36.00 72.00 108.00
Laboratory 1.00 72.00 0.00 72.00
Total 3.00 108.00 72.00 180.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. create professional-quality audio assets and successfully integrate them into commercially viable video games;
  2. compose and implement music that changes dynamically in response to game events in a commercially viable video game;
  3. design, create and implement unique sound, dialog, and creature voices to bring a game to life;
  4. demonstrate and understanding of and successfully utilize an audio asset integration middleware, such as Audioinekt Wise;
  5. demonstrate professional behaviors required in the game audio industry.
Course Content:
  1. Lecture (Content)
    1. Technical Considerations
      1. Performance Issues and Space Limitations
      2. Downsampling/Bit Reduction and Compression
      3. Quality Assurance/Testing/Functionality
      4. Final Delivery and Archive
      5. Presenting Your Work
 
  1. Lab/Studio (Content)
    1. Advanced video game audio concepts
      1. Dynamic Elements in Ambient Sound Design
      2. Creating Sounds to Blend with Ambience
      3. Temp Scores
        1. Using Temp Scores to Explore the Effect of Music on Games
      4. Adaptive Music
        1. Parameters and Switches
        2. Adaptive Composition Strategies
        3. Transitions
      5. Stingers
      6. Dialogue and Vocal Performance Effects
        1. Spotting for Dialog
        2. Working With Actors
        3. Vocal Editing & Processing
    2. Implementation
      1. Fundamentals of Middleware (Wwise)
      2. File Management & Organization
      3. Wwise implementation techniques
      4. Finalizing the Project
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Lecture/Discussion
  2. Demonstration/Exercise
  3. Presentation of audio-visual materials
  4. Case Study
  5. Practice/Demonstration
  6. Presentation
  7. Problem Solving
  8. Guest speakers
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Analyze and critique advanced technical and aesthetic aspects of game audio design from a given case study.
  2. Record and/or synthesize, catalogue, and implement an asset list for a sample video game.
  3. Compose an adaptive soundscape for a changing video game environment.
  4. Implement various dynamic audio and music assets into a sample video game using an industry-standard audio implementation middleware.
  5. Work with a team to create, record, edit and implement all aspects of audio and music into a sample video game.
  6. Work collaboratively with vocal talent to record, edit and implement dialogue into a sample video game.
  1. Exams/Tests
  2. Projects
  3. Group Projects
  4. Final Examination or Project
  5. Peer student evaluation of student demonstrations
  6. Demonstration of practice and skills
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Construct a multitrack session.
  2. Demonstrate an appropriate implementation of basic techniques of audio signal flow through analog and digital signal chains.
  3. Develop a critical ear for aspects of individual tracks in a recording session.
  4. Explain the basic principles of acoustics and sound, including analog to digital audio conversion.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Sweet, Michael (2011). Writing Interactive Music for Video Games: A Composer's Guide (Game Design) (1st). Addison-Wesley Professional.
  2. Stevens, Richard (2011). The Game Audio Tutorial: A Practical Guide to Sound and Music for Interactive Games (1st). Focal Press.
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
Advanced creation of music and audio for video games, including implementation within a video game.
Prerequisite: MURT 32A.