In this 2019 GDC talk, Alex Previty and Blake Johnson from Insomniac Games discuss the process of designing the bustling soundscape of New York City in 'Marvel's Spider-Man'. The talk covers the challenges they faced in creating a believable and lively audio experience for players, and the techniques they used to achieve this.
The speakers begin by discussing the importance of audio in creating an immersive gameplay experience, and how it can be used to enhance the sense of presence in the game world. They then go on to explain the challenges of designing an open-world soundscape, where players are free to explore a large, dynamic environment.
One of the key challenges they faced was creating a sense of verticality in the audio, as players can swing through the city at great heights. To achieve this, they used a combination of reverb and filtering effects to simulate the different sound reflections and frequencies at different heights. They also used a system of "audio occlusion" to simulate the way sound is blocked by buildings and other obstacles, creating a more realistic and believable environment.
Another challenge was creating a sense of variety in the audio, as players will spend many hours exploring the same environment. To achieve this, they used a combination of procedural and hand-crafted sound design, creating a large library of ambient sounds that could be randomly mixed and matched to create a sense of dynamic variation.
The speakers also discuss the importance of music in creating an emotional connection with the player, and how they worked with composer John Paesano to create a score that complemented the game's themes and narrative.
Overall, the talk provides a fascinating insight into the complex and nuanced process of designing a believable and immersive audio experience for an open-world game like 'Marvel's Spider-Man'. The speakers demonstrate a deep understanding of the technical and artistic aspects of audio design, and their passion for the subject is evident throughout the talk.
