In the survival MMO H1Z1, the developers also aim to engage players’ sense of hearing to immerse them in the atmospheric world of zombies and the post-apocalypse.
In this week’s dev blog, Gregg Spence introduces his work; he is the Technical Architect at SOE and is working on the sound effects and soundtrack of H1Z1. According to Spence, it is a job that goes unnoticed when done well, but it greatly disrupts immersion when it is not.
Players primarily envision atmospheric movement sounds, the sound of firearms, or background noises from nature as sound effects. Achieving this correctly requires a lot of work hours.
Inside sounds muffled compared to outside
As the first example of these subtleties that players pay attention to not only in H1Z1, Spence shows a video of firearms. They sound different depending on the environment. It is important that players can tell from the sound whether a weapon was fired indoors or outdoors. Even when a shot is fired inside a building, there should be a distinction made whether it is happening in a barn, a church, or a small room.
http://youtu.be/NqQCPUdZX4o
These subtleties also have practical benefits for the player: The proximity and direction of sounds reflect the “real” states. An attentive player can deduce from the sounds where the opponent is standing, how far away they are, and similar details.
Birdsong during the day, wolf howling at night: Ambience sounds adapt to the time of day
Another important focus is the “ambience sounds”: what is happening acoustically in the background. They have now graced the 24-hour day with four different soundtracks. During the day, one should hear birds, and at night maybe the chirping of crickets or occasionally the howling of a wolf.
Even when the weather changes, such as starting to rain or snow, players should be able to not only see but also hear it.
http://youtu.be/ZcvQrJRfmLE
The music in H1Z1 – like in a horror movie
And what would a true horror experience be without atmospheric music that makes you want to scream “Don’t go in there, you fool!” Here, Spence gives an example of a music track that plays as a player approaches a dilapidated town. The music clearly conveys: You are approaching something interesting, you are nearing a climax, but that could also be your doom.
http://youtu.be/yXSDo8cztO4
In H1Z1, it is the case that the more lucrative a location is, the more dangerous it is as well. While excellent items can spawn in a police station (see title image), this also attracts zombies and other players who are out looting. Thus, it becomes incredibly difficult to stay true to H1Z1’s motto “One Step Ahead of Zed”.
