Game Sound: An Introduction to the History, Theory, and Practice of Video Game Music and Sound Design [Hardcover]

Karen Collins (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 026203378X | ISBN-13: 978-0262033787 | Publication Date: August 8, 2008 | Edition: 1

An examination of the many complex aspects of game audio, from the perspectives of both sound design and music composition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Collins has written a truly encyclopedic work that wonderfully complements books on sound design in film, helping anyone in the audiovisual industry who desires to expand more confidently into teaching, designing, and producing audio in the gaming world. This book provides fascinating insights about how game audio can enhance player involvement in story, environment, and character, with specific examples on creating a more immersive, interactive experience. A monumental contribution!"--David Sonnenschein, author Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects in Cinema

A distinguishing feature of video games is their interactivity, and sound plays an important role in this: a player's actions can trigger dialogue, sound effects, ambient sound, and music. And yet game sound has been neglected in the growing literature on game studies. This book fills that gap, introducing readers to the many complex aspects of game audio, from its development in early games to theoretical discussions of immersion and realism. In Game Sound, Karen Collins draws on a range of sources--including composers, sound designers, voice-over actors and other industry professionals, Internet articles, fan sites, industry conferences, magazines, patent documents, and, of course, the games themselves--to offer a broad overview of the history, theory, and production practice of video game audio. Game Sound has two underlying themes: how and why games are different from or similar to film or other linear audiovisual media; and technology and the constraints it has placed on the production of game audio. Collins focuses first on the historical development of game audio, from penny arcades through the rise of home games and the recent rapid developments in the industry. She then examines the production process for a contemporary game at a large game company, discussing the roles of composers, sound designers, voice talent, and audio programmers; considers the growing presence of licensed intellectual property (particularly popular music and films) in games; and explores the function of audio in games in theoretical terms. Finally, she discusses the difficulties posed by nonlinearity and interactivity for the composer of game music.

"Game Audio may sound to the uninitiated to be a frivolous pursuit, but it is neither simple or trivial. Game Sound shows that this art/craft/business has an elegance and a freshly blossoming history that allow it to stand with dignity and legitimacy alongside any other human endeavor worthy of academic attention."--The Fat Man, George Alistair Sanger, Legendary Game Audio Guru

(George Sanger )

About the Author

Karen Collins is Canada Research Chair at the Canadian Centre of Arts and Technology, University of Waterloo.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press; 1 edition (August 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 026203378X
• ISBN-13: 978-0262033787
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #61 in Books > Computers & Technology > Business & Culture > History
  • #88 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Game Programming

More About the Author

Karen Collins is Canada Research Chair in Interactive Audio at the Canadian Centre of Arts and Technology, the University of Waterloo, Ontario. She is also Chair of the Advisory Board of the new Games Institute at the University of Waterloo. Her work focuses primarily on sound and music in games, and explores how new technologies impact our audio experience. This research has included studies of sound on smart tables (horizontal computers), mobile phones, video games, and how sound is used in slot machines to manipulate players. Her book Game Sound (MIT Press 2008) was named in the Top 10 Big Ideas in Gaming at the Game Developers' Conference in 2009 and won the International Association for the Study of Popular Music's Best Book Award in English in 2009.
She has also published an edited collection, From Pac-Man to Pop Music (Ashgate 2008). She is currently co-editing a volume on interactive sound for Oxford University Press, working on her second book, and developing audio applications for Android phones, sponsored by Google.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read This First, July 25, 2010

By 

Stephen Harwood Jr - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Game Sound: An Introduction to the History, Theory, and Practice of Video Game Music and Sound Design (Hardcover)

Excellent writing. Very thorough research and insightful discussion. This book is appropriate to working game audio professionals and students alike. Also, if you are a game designer/producer and want to understand more about how to best leverage the power of music and sound design to improve the quality of your product - or are interested in learning more about how your audio contractors think, and how to communicate with them more effectively - insert quarter, press start, and prepare yourself for a powerful learning experience!

Read this first!