Dynamic-emotional Soundtrack in HL2?

jimbones

jimbones

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Saw this at driverheaven.net:
Gabe Newell: Kelly has been developing the notion of soundscapes, which turn out to be pretty powerful. It's more in the direction of an AI foley artist than a synthesized score. I like what he's done a lot, as the effects seem to disappear in terms of your conscious awareness of sound, and instead you just get the emotional impact of them. That sounds
horrendously vague, so I'll try to give a concrete example. Let's say there's a hole in the ground. Let's say there's a basic set of 3D ambients playing (creaking, procedurally varying wind sounds). As you come up to the hole, there's an entity placed at the bottom of the hole, and when it can see you it fires and says "put the scary low rumbling tone into the mix" and it gets added in. Most of the time people won't be able to tell you "oh, that's when the sound showed up" but they will tell you that things got a lot scarier all of a sudden and they're not sure why. When they jump into a hole, there's a crescendo that gets added in that peaks as they hit the ground. There are blended transistions between ambient scapes, so as you move away from the scary things, the scary sounds become less prominent, and get replaced by more pastoral "let's go explore" sounds.
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And that's why I love Valve so much. Subtle, simple yet effective.
 
Yeah, I have heard about this before.


Its a really nice idea that I really really want to see (hear :p) in action!
 
Did anyone get the part w/ image-based rendering? What is that all about?
 
Image-based rendering is using photos to create (photo-realistic) output rather than just plain polys.
 
Originally posted by marksmanHL2 :)
Yeah, I have heard about this before.


Its a really nice idea that I really really want to see (hear :p) in action!
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I'm certainly looking forward to this, I'm gonna have way too much fun modding for the source engine, it'll be more like working on a studio set than a video game, thats just too cool :)

And I think I can probably speak for Pendragon in that I bet he's gonna love it for his Source films.
 
I cant wait to see the Machinma that's created with the Source engine. This is sorta getting off topic though. One thing that always bugged me about Halo, is that even when the action was heart pounding, it would still be playing the same old dumb score in a loop over and over. The game would of been much more immersive if the music was more in touch with what was going on at the moment.
 
I like the idea but I wish I never knew about it. Because now when I'm playing I'm going to be trying to pick out all the little subtle sound cues where as I wouldn't have cared before. Grrr, can't fool my mind!. please flash one of those light sticks they used in Men in Black, I want to remember nothing! :bounce:
 
A good mod team could take this technology and really make a scary as hell mod with it... I mean..... REALLY scary...
 
Originally posted by Adam
A good mod team could take this technology and really make a scary as hell mod with it... I mean..... REALLY scary...
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i plan to :D

heck if I can allegedly give people nightmares with just my avatar, I'm gonna have great fun with a mod ;)
 
Originally posted by Fenric1138
i plan to :D

heck if I can allegedly give people nightmares with just my avatar, I'm gonna have great fun with a mod ;)
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For the last time, your avatar isn't scary! lol

Anyhow, just read the driverheaven interview.. pretty cool

What mod are you planning, Fenric? Or do you just want to make one and have nothing really planned?
 
you know those light sticks in men n black aren't far fetched anymore?

they have light guns now that cuase temporary if not permanent memory loss and temporary (possibly weeks of) eye sight loss.

they used it till kill princess dianna.. a motorcycle came up in frount of them, shot it off then pulled away.
 
Originally posted by Shuzer
For the last time, your avatar isn't scary! lol
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then people quit crying about it and you quit trying to copy it :p

Anyhow, just read the driverheaven interview.. pretty cool
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its gonna be a very handy feature, if used properly

What mod are you planning, Fenric? Or do you just want to make one and have nothing really planned?
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It's all planned out, has been for some time, just this isn't the right thread to talk about it and I'm not much for giving away all my secrets anyway. I'll show it off when its done.
 
Originally posted by Quotidian---
you know those light sticks in men n black aren't far fetched anymore?

they have light guns now that cuase temporary if not permanent memory loss and temporary (possibly weeks of) eye sight loss.

they used it till kill princess dianna.. a motorcycle came up in frount of them, shot it off then pulled away.
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Wow. This is random and off-topic.. lol, plus, I hope this whole post is a joke :)

Originally posted by Fenric1138
then people quit crying about it and you quit trying to copy it :p
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I only copied it to show people the American side! lol, plus, I wanted a creepy avatar too.. I felt left out =(

Oh well, sounds like a cool mod which you devulged absolutely no details to! Nice! ;)
 
Originally posted by Shuzer
Wow. This is random and off-topic.. lol, plus, I hope this whole post is a joke :)



I only copied it to show people the American side! lol, plus, I wanted a creepy avatar too.. I felt left out =(

Oh well, sounds like a cool mod which you devulged absolutely no details to! Nice! ;)
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Shuzer, check your PM's

Guy's, keep it on topic, I don't see what the Royal Family has to do with Dynamic-Emotional Soundtracks.
 
Wow, dynamic soundtracks sound fun. I've experienced "emotional" soundtracks before, where there would be a certain mood of music playing as you did something, but nothing as dynamic as what this describes.
 
Asheron's Call 2 tried this out. I played beta and don't really remember the music being very "Dynamic". Basically if you attacked something new music would play. Hopefully Valve has created a better way of doing this, it would add a lot to the replay value.

Unscripted music + Unscripted gameplay = Ownage :)
 
1 word to describe the dynamic soundtrack: Bitchin'
As for the Princess Diana thing: Sounds like a good conspiracy theory :p
 
*sigh*

nice to see another game use this technology...

Though I still think that the music from ITF would have been better, hundereds of main themes, with thousands of transitional peices. Depending on the action, it would dynamically change the music, 100% seamlessly. I have about an hour of the music right now, all that is available. Nad even when you KNOW where will be a transition, you don't hear it.

Can't wait to see how HL2 handels this...
 
Originally posted by KamiKid
I like the idea but I wish I never knew about it. Because now when I'm playing I'm going to be trying to pick out all the little subtle sound cues where as I wouldn't have cared before. Grrr, can't fool my mind!. please flash one of those light sticks they used in Men in Black, I want to remember nothing! :bounce:
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I think the first time i play....im going to do my best to just enjoy the game ....and not worry about things like that.
 
yo A2597, what is ITF?
Into The Fade?
Intro To Firepower?
Interisiminim Tabahaganmamam Fnememshniggits?

please help =)
 
It doesn't have to be perfectly seamless, you won't notice it unless you are listening for it, because it is very sublime, as he said "You'll know it got scarier, but you won't know why".
 
i think they're trying to be a bit more subtle than mearly changing the music track. Has anyone heard "life forms" by the future sound of london? Abstract is the name of the game.

listening to some of the demos you have certain sounds for certain instances. in the trap town example with what seems to be light percussion of fluted sticks signifying many zombies on their way. this is all maybes though. walking into a fire fight brings on some break beat fading off as you come indoors. Its all very clever stuff. but only cleverly implimented. What happens when you get hit? in the original half-life there are walk-in points. these signify when something is about to happen. soldiers attack, the eax reverd would change, whatever. the music switching is an extension of this. the developers know which direction you are headed. they can judge what to expect.

Many games ppl are waking up to this now. sound has been overlooked in many ways for many years. q3a being a main nigler for me. Eax had been a staple for ages. Id brought nothing to the table in that outing. just point sounds that could be played once or repeated, spot sourced or global volumes. That was it!!
 
I wonder what this fuss is all about? Dynamic soundtracks has been around since ages. Even games which are not the most sophisticated like Jedi Academy offers this feature.
 
Actually I dont *think* they have been arround for ages mate.


Music tracks changeing in games depending on what the player is doing has been arround for ages, but this is different.

Different layers of music are added, different tonnes, tempos etc.
Its basically a more advanced version of what is in alot of games right now :)
 
Originally posted by marksmanHL2 :)
Its basically a more advanced version of what is in alot of games right now :)
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Like what you said: it's an more advanced version of what we have experienced since ages. Nothing really that new or ground-breaking...

BTW: Have you by any chance played Silent Hill 3 lately? Entering the
Hilltop center and hearing the steps of freaking creatures one floor above you is the most creeping effect I have ever experienced. Even Silent Hill 2 mastered dynamic "emotional" sound effects years ago...

I really doubt HL2 can top that even though HL2 sound system will certainly be more advanced than 98% of the games out there. There is no doubt about it.
 
Actually, i havent played any of the silent hill series. Sounds pretty cool though. And scary!! :)



Anyway, i guess we will have to wait and see what HL2 brings...


Damn it I want this game sooo bad!!!
 
can someone explain to em what "emocional whatever" are??

NEED...TO...LEARN:x
 
Originally posted by Tarkus
can someone explain to em what "emocional whatever" are??

NEED...TO...LEARN:x
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Same thing as infrasound being attributed to "haunted" places. You cannot hear infrasonic (looow) sounds but feel it with your diaphragm (spellt?) So you actually don't perceive it consciously. The subconscious element is what induces the fear. Something is wrong and you cannot pinpoint where it is coming from. That scares you. I've read somewhere else that infrasonic sounds are also emitted during earthquakes and thunderstorms. Natural reaction would be to get the hell out of there..

hl2 doesn't emit infrasonic sound tho. =)
just subtly changes the mood of the ambient sounds in connection with certain places/items, i reckon..
 
Originally posted by jimbones
Same thing as infrasound being attributed to "haunted" places. You cannot hear infrasonic (looow) sounds but feel it with your diaphragm (spellt?) So you actually don't perceive it consciously. The subconscious element is what induces the fear. Something is wrong and you cannot pinpoint where it is coming from. That scares you. I've read somewhere else that infrasonic sounds are also emitted during earthquakes and thunderstorms. Natural reaction would be to get the hell out of there..

hl2 doesn't emit infrasonic sound tho. =)
just subtly changes the mood of the ambient sounds in connection with certain places/items, i reckon..
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Well I plan on using it with certain types of brainwave frequencies.. induce a feeling of wanting to vomit when surrounded by a horde of zombies, and yeah they do work, did experiments with it last year for about six months, though I'll be avoiding the frequencies that induce sleepyness or headaches, they wouldn't do much to promote the game if you fall asleep half way through ;)

idea (c) all mine mine mine! :p lol
 
I might just use that magic frequency at around 14Hz then...

:naughty::naughty::naughty:

Cheers to anyone who knows what I mean...
 
Originally posted by Brian Damage
I might just use that magic frequency at around 14Hz then...

:naughty::naughty::naughty:

Cheers to anyone who knows what I mean...
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;)



..everyone else should use between 4hz and 8hz in their mods, trust me *grins*:angel:
 
i talk for me, but i don't think i wanna puke all over my keyboard or fill my pants because evrytime a zombie or ichty apperas some weirdo sound makes me do that... i think games are going WAAAAAAY to much realistic... can hardly wait for a game with the quality that we present in REAL LIFE... jesus, when that happens i'm gonna become the most anti-social guy out there..
 
Originally posted by Brian Damage
Your brain?

Joooooookiiiiiiiinnnnnnng!

All I can say is: B.N.

:E
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Doesn't ring a bell..

Light is on but nobody home.
 
Maybe I'll just have to get my mind out of the gutter (or deeper into it ?)..

i feel dumb..
 
LOL
plz pm me since my brain is starting to hurt (not native speaker,you know..)
 
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