Essay Plan

Title: The New VR Game Audio Experience. Resident Evil 7: A Case Study

Question: How has the introduction of virtual reality (VR) altered the creation, application and effects of game audio? A case study on Resident Evil 7.

1: Introduction

Will:

• Explain how the essay will compare virtual reality (VR) and non VR game audio to establish whether there are substantial differences between the two, what these are, why they occur and what effects they have through looking into the approach to audio production, the techniques and technology used and effects on the player.
• Define the key terms, for example what a VR game is, more than simply consisting of an interactive, 3D digital environment, and state that VR is becoming more popular, including data to prove this is a current topic for research.
• Pose the main research question and suggest further questions that could be answered, as discussed in my previous post here.

2: Background/Lit Review

Will include:

• Current VR game field: to give context for the case study.
• Audio-visual combination importance to create good player experience: discussing audio visual combination and immersion. I will comment on this in all forms of media but then specifically to gaming.
• How this audio-visual experience is created in games: background on traditional game audio technology.
• Horror game audio like Resident Evil 7 (RE7) to give context for the case study: background on audio production for horror games and its effects, to later lead to how the use of VR sound for RE7 creates a scarier experience than non VR.

3: Research/Case Study

Will include:

• Introduction to the research being carried out: Comparative analysis through case study of RE7 will be used as primary research method, basing results on theoretical effects and experience. I have considered carrying out a survey and using my own experiences as additional research methods to back up my case study if suitable and necessary.
• Background information about RE7 and why it is relevant: Give information about the game to make the following case study understandable and show that this is a contemporary area of research because of the dual release of the game only last year (previously mentioned here).
• Particular differences in the creation of the VR and non VR version of RE7: If any, how have these differences been achieved? Through researching reviews of the sound and interviews with the sound team I will be able to discuss this. Comparing the two versions against each other in this section.
• New approaches to audio, having VR and non VR version of a game: Has the audio production of the dual release of VR and non VR of the same game with RE7 been approached differently to a title with only one version? Comparing the production of this game (both releases as a whole), to traditional single version releases mentioned in the lit review.
• Player experience of sound: How do these differences mentioned emerge to the player? Is it more immersive and scarier? Does it change between versions or is it just the production side that differs to create the same final audio experience for the player?

4: Conclusion

• I will conclude that the audio techniques are either the same/different as traditional techniques, how RE7’s dual version audio has been approached differently than single version games and further link the case study to the lit review.
• Add any further conclusions that have been made.
• Critical evaluation of my research.
• Further research: If VR advances to the next step will more changes have to be made to audio?

References:

For looking into differences between VR and non VR audio:

Candusso, D., 2017, July. Designing Spatial Sound: Adapting Contemporary Screen Sound Design Practices for Virtual Reality. In SMPTE17: Embracing Connective Media (pp. 1-10). SMPTE.

Meyer, B. D, 2017, January. Using VR Design Strategies in Non-VR Projects. Designing Sound. Available at: http://designingsound.org/2017/01/25/using-vr-design-strategies-in-non-vr-projects/. Accessed 20 October 2018.

For looking into immersion and player experience due to audio in VR games:

Rogers, K., Ribeiro, G., Wehbe, R.R., Weber, M. and Nacke, L.E., 2018, April. Vanishing Importance: Studying Immersive Effects of Game Audio Perception on Player Experiences in Virtual Reality. In Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (p. 328). ACM.

For arguing it is important to research this as sound in VR is very important:

Duncan, T., 2017, July. The Importance of Sound in Virtual Reality. Cogswell College. Available at: https://cogswell.edu/blog/virtual-reality-vr-sound-importance/. Accessed 20 October 2018.

For history of game sound (may be partly outdated but still useful):

Collins, K., 2008. Game sound: an introduction to the history, theory, and practice of video game music and sound design. MIT Press: Cambridge.

For looking into player experience specifically in regards to sound:

Collins, K., 2013. Playing with sound: a theory of interacting with sound and music in video games. MIT Press: Cambridge.

Primary source – interview with sound team, to find more things like this including written pieces with the sound team:

SoundWorks, 2018. The Sound and Music of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. SoundWorks Collection. Available at: http://soundworkscollection.com/videos/the-sound-and-music-of-resident-evil-7. Accessed 20 October 2018.

For horror game sound and effect on the player, relevant to show intended effects of Resident Evil 7 sound and show how/if these are achieved in both versions and if his changes through the versions:

Roux-Girard, G., 2011. Listening to fear: A study of sound in horror computer games. In Game sound technology and player interaction: concepts and developments (pp. 192-212). IGI Global.

A similar case study to the one I’m conducting but comparing the film and game audio of a horror, could be good as a reference to show differences in other versions of things that are similar:

Whalen, Z., 2007. Case study: Film music vs. video-game music: The case of Silent Hill. Music, sound and multimedia: from the live to the virtual, pp.68-81.

Information about link between audio and visual components and their combined effects (not game specific but still useful):

Chion, M., 1994. Audio-vision: sound on screen. Columbia University Press.

For defining virtual reality:

Steuer, J., 1992. Defining virtual reality: Dimensions determining telepresence. Journal of communication, 42(4), pp.73-93.

To show that this is a currently relevant research topic and shows further growth:

Statista, 2018. Virtual Reality (VR) – Statistics and Facts. The Statistics Portal. Available at: https://www.statista.com/topics/2532/virtual-reality-vr/. Accessed 20 October 2018.

 

Further possible research methods

As previously stated, my main essay research will consist of a case study on the audio within Resident Evil 7. Doing a comparative analysis of the VR and non VR versions of this game and seeing how their sound differs. I will also see how this dual version release has differed from single version releases and if this is a new pathway that games are taking. The case study will consist of research through interviews with the sound team who produced the game, reviews of the game’s sound by trustworthy people and any other methods I find.

Along with the case study I am considering carrying out a survey. Asking people to play both versions of the game and gathering data to compare the players experience of the audio in both. This method will be time consuming and could be difficult to orchestrate getting multiple people to play the two versions as getting access to the VR equipment could be difficult. This research could back up the main case study though so if it is possible and there is time I may carry this out.

Further, I could incorporate my own experiences of the two versions of the game to give a first hand player experience. This would be highly subjective and conclusions made could not be taken as being absolute as these would be opinion based although my studies in this field would make the conclusions somewhat trustworthy. This method could just be used to back up the case study findings.

Research Question

While deciding on my main essay topic I have been trying to pinpoint the main research question that will be posed in the essay, this is a work in progress here:

• Does the creation and application of VR and non VR game audio differ and does this effect player experience when looking at Resident Evil 7
• How does the creation, application and effect of VR and non VR game audio differ? A case study on Resident Evil 7.
• How has the introduction of virtual reality (VR) altered the creation, application and effects of game audio? A case study on Resident Evil 7.

I have also been considering further research questions that may arise through the research and potentially be answered:

• Has the advancement of VR really meant that audio design has had to change significantly?
• By looking at Resident Evil 7 (RE7) as a specific example, as its latest release has VR and non VR versions, it is possible to compare the two, and show that perhaps, as it has both versions of the same game, it has its own niche techniques entirely.

Sources

SMPTE Conference – Designing Spatial Sound: Adapting Contemporary Screen Sound Design Practices for Virtual Reality

Using VR design strategies in non-VR projects

• Useful for looking into differences between VR and non VR audio

Vanishing Importance: Studying Immersive Effects of Game Audio Perception on Player Experiences in Virtual Reality

• Useful for looking into immersion and player experience due to audio in VR games

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOUND IN VIRTUAL REALITY

• Useful for making a point as to why it is important to research this as sound in VR is very important

Karen Collins: Game Sound

• For history of game sound
• was written in 2008 so possibly outdated but good for non VR sound

Karen Collins: Playing with Sound

• Looking into player experience specifically in regards to sound

Sound of Resident Evil 7

• Primary source – interview with sound team
• Find more things like this including written pieces with the sound team

Listening to fear: A study of sound in horror computer games

• Horror game sound and effect on the player
• Relevant to show intended effects of Resident Evil 7 sound and show how/if these are achieved in both versions and if his changes through the versions

Case study: Film music vs. video-game music: The case of Silent Hill

• A similar case study to the one I’m conducting but comparing the film and game audio of a horror
• Could be good as a reference to show differences in other versions of things that are similar

Chion – Audiovision

• Information about link between audio and visual components and their combined effects
• not game specific but still useful

Defining Virtual Reality: Dimensions Determining Telepresence

• For defining virtual reality

Stats on vr usage

• To show that this is a currently relevant research topic and shows further growth

tbc…

 

Essay Topic Decision

Through looking into various topics I have decided to write the research paper on virtual reality video game audio. Specifically the horror/action game Resident Evil. I’ll be looking at how sound design in games has changed with the introduction of VR, how it’s created, integrated and the effects it has on players.

As I’m looking at this specific game to research this field this paper will contain a case study as previously discussed. Resident evil 7 is a good case study due to its non VR and VR versions of the same game, has won awards for it VR audio, is well known and contemporary (released in 2017).

I’ll be doing more research into this before I write my essay plan and then further in depth research in the process of writing the completed essay.

Some things I’m going to be looking into writing about in the essay are:

• The audiovisual combination
  – player immersion and experience
  – better audiovisual combination=more effective game?
• Background of game audio
  – stereo to spatial/surround to 3D
  – how this is created/implemented
  – how VR sound works
  – specific differences/improvements from non VR to VR game audio
• Player experience pre and post VR and how it’s changed
• Horror games specifically. If their purpose is to thrill/scare, how does the sound do this?
• Look further into differences between non VR and VR Resident evils

 

Case Studies

What is a case study? (According to Google)
– A particular instance of something used or analysed in order to illustrate a thesis or principle
– A process or record of research into the development of a particular person, group, or situation over a period of time

So using one specific example to prove a point.

Readings:
Cook, Squeezevox Maggie (2009)
– This is overall looking at NIME redesign with a case study on the Squeezevox Maggie.
– Has added new principles to designing NIMEs through redesigning one specific one and trying to improve it
– These conclusions may not be the case for all NIME redesign but they’ve been made fairly transferable (wires, batteries, diagnostics
– Seems to have less references than other types of papers. This is more practical, subjective and opinion based.
– A possible issue with using one single case study is that there may be more/different conclusions drawn through multiple or different examples so perhaps the conclusion is not the whole or only possible one.

Hemondhalgh, The British Dance Music Industry (1998)
– A case study of independent cultural production
– How the British dance music industry is a powerful alternative to the mainstream music industry
– Looking specifically at 80s acid house
– (a good section about bedroom studios on p.4, for possible essay topic)

 

Through looking into various instances where a case study has been used, I think they are a great way to do research to come to a particular conclusion. I don’t think they will always give all the answers and with further research more conclusions could be drawn, even if they just back up the original point from the case study and make this more sound.

Inductive Reasoning

• Is a good/educated guess based on some evidence but can’t be conclusive and absolute because you cant look into all the evidence ever created.

Essay Composition

These are some things I picked up learning about Essay writing and structure.

Sections of an essay:
1. Describe
2. Analyse
3. Evaluate

• As music technology is an ever changing area it is very easy for journals and research to become outdated quickly. These things can still be useful to look into things like if what they’re saying will happen has and why.
• Primary vs Secondary Texts
  – Primary: factual accounts, data, interviews, actual things.
  – Secondary: reviews of primaries, opinions, interpretive, writing about things.

Literature Reviews

• Used to establish and give overview of what the current state of the art is
• Can create a narrative in a lit review (essay should have a narrative)
• Shows authority (very important in research) – this shows readers that you know what you’re talking about, that you’ve done your background research
• Gives background and context of what you’re talking about
• Contains the theory you’ll build your analysis off of
• Important not to miss out key papers/authors in the field
• Lit review can be in the introduction section
• Related work can be part of lit review

Possible Essay Topics

Throughout the first few weeks of term I have considered writing my final essay on some of the following topics:

• Gender inequality in the music industry. Particularly in tech roles such as sound design and engineering. Touching upon why there are less females in these roles and a potential advantage to non being a male trying to get into this line of work at the moment.
• Game audio/VR/Spatial audio progression in some way. Player experience/effectiveness of game with advanced audio.
• Unwanted sound from the creation of new tech still being useful and creating a kind of background soundscape. Things like Electromagnetic Fields and machinery noises.
• Relation between studio and live engineering. In regards to techniques and technology.

Each of these topics need researching further but each one is something I am interested in so I am eager to do so.

Research Methods

Throughout this first half of the term studying this module, I have explored various ways of carrying out research, some new and some I’ve used before.

Google Scholar is usually the go to for any research and this is still usually my first point of call. From here, for this particular subject of music technology, I have learned that looking for journals and conference proceedings and very useful sources as these are peer reviewed and often up to date with current technology (unlike books which can easily go out of date, but are still useful!).

There are also various academic social networks on which research is posted. These posts are also here pre print and pre peer review. Through making an account on one of these sites myself, researchgate.net , I have found that this is also a good place to find related people to a topic you’re researching that helps when looking for more sources and information. These sites are where the most up to date research can be found but these are journals that have not yet been peer reviewed so may not be as trustworthy as others that have. Arxiv.org and academia.edu are other sources for this pre peer review research.

 

These ways of finding relevant research are helping me do my own research into possible essay topics to narrow down my final question.

Introduction

I’m Sarah, a third year Music Technology BA student at the University of Sussex.

This blog is intended to document the research I am undertaking and capture my thoughts on it on the way to completing a 4500 word research paper. This essay is for the module ‘Advanced Music Technology Studies’, for which we have to decide upon a research question for the final essay through individual research. This blog is where I will document my progress in deciding upon this question.

My main areas of interest within Music Technology are music production, sound design and sound engineering. These are areas I am currently considering researching within to later find a point of interest to form a research question upon.