Assignment Brief – QCF BTEC

Assignment Brief

Qualification Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production – Games Design

Unit number and title Unit 73 Sound for Computer GamesUnit 2 Communication Skills for Creative Media Industries

Assessor name Iain Goodyear

Date issued 5th October, 2015

Hand in deadline 22nd January, 2015

Assignment title IG1 Computer Game Music and Sound Effects ProductionPurpose of this assignment is to:

Unit 73 LO1: Understand the use of sound and music in games.

Unit 73 LO2: Understand methods and principles of sound design and production.

Unit 73 LO3: Be able to create sound assets for a computer game following industry practice.

Unit 73 LO4: Be able to apply sound assets to a computer game following industry practice.

Unit 2 LO1: Be able to extract information from written sources.

Unit 2 LO2: Be able to create a report in a media production context.

Unit 2 LO3: Be able to pitch a media production proposal using appropriate technology.

Scenario

Sound is an essential part of the computer game experience. Forming 50% of our sensory experience, and good game soundtrack can enhance our pleasure of a computer game and help bridge the ever decreasing gap between games and more traditional forms of storytelling such as films.

You have been commissioned by Sony Europe to produce music and sound effects that will be used in a series of planned mission expansion packs for key game franchises due for release in 2015/2016.

This assignment will introduce you to audio production and post-production technologies so that you will be able to produce technically competent and professional sound assets that will used in various game franchise mission expansion packs.

You will produce music and sound assets using post-production computer software VST instruments and effects. This newly acquired audio production knowledge will equip you with the skills needed to produce game soundtrack assets.

This assignment will do the following:

Require pitching a group idea for a computer game audio production. Introduce audio post production software and editing techniques.

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Require the application of computer audio synthesis to create game audio assets and music. Require the programming of sound assets into a computer game.

Task 1 – Methods and Principles of Sound Design and ProductionProduce a glossary of terms specific to the methods and principles of sound design and production. Using a provided template, you must research and gather definitions specific to provided glossary terms. Any definitions must be referenced with the URL link of the website you have obtained the definition.

As your practical audio production experience develops, by way of improving your initial report, you must also provide specific details of how researched definitions relate to your own production practice. This improved report must be uploaded in addition to your initial glossary research report.

Your completed glossary of terms and definitions must be uploaded to your Unit 73 IG1 assignment blog with the title Methods and Principles of Sound Design and Production

This provides evidence for unit 73 P2, M2, D2 & unit 2 P1/M1/D1 & P2/M2/D2 & P3/M3/D3

Task 2 - Computer Game Cut Sequence Sound Design AnalysisAnalyse the sound design of a range of computer game cut sequences. You must gather video examples and discuss how the sound design gives a sense of:

Setting Mood Game genre Narrative

In addition, your analysis must explain how you think specific soundtrack assets have been produced (with reference to production process):

VST instruments and effects Studio recording Use of traditional instruments Audio field recordings

Your analysis must contain clear reference to specific sections of your chosen examples. Your sequence analysis must be uploaded to a blog post on your IG1 blog using the title Computer Game Cut Sequence Sound Design Analysis

This provides evidence for unit 73 P1, M1, D1 & unit 2 P2/M2/D2

Task 3 - Pitching an Audio Cut Sequence Production IdeaPrepare a pitch

Finalise ideas for your media product Select a minimum of 3 existing pieces of game audio that have influenced your idea(s) Prepare a presentation including visual aids, delegate notes and presenter’s notes Give the presentation in the form of a pitch to the client

Your pitch materials and notes should be uploaded to your IG2 blog using the title Pitching an Audio Cut Sequence Production Idea

This provides evidence for unit 2 P4, M4, D4 & P5/M5/D5

Task 4 - VST Produced Sound EffectsUse Reaper post-production software to create game sound effects using VST sound generating

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plugins. You must produce sound effects that will be used in your computer game production.

This must be supported by annotated screen captures that show:

The sound generating plugins used. Clear explanations of what type of sound effects that you have created. Clear explanations of what this sound will be used to depict in your computer game audio cut

sequence.

Your VST produced sounds must be uploaded to your Soundcloud account profile page. Accompanying screen grab annotations and produced sounds must be embedded into a blog post with the title VST Produced Sound Effects

This provides evidence for unit 73 P3, M3, D3

Task 5 - VST Produced Computer Game MusicUse Reaper post-production software to create computer game music using VST sound generating plugins. You must produce music that will be used in your computer game production.

This must be supported by annotated screen captures that show:

The sound generating plugins used. The composition arrangement. Clear explanations of what the style of music is.

Your VST produced music must be uploaded to your Soundcloud account profile page. Accompanying screen grab annotations and produced sounds must be embedded into a blog post with the title VST Produced Computer Game Music

This provides evidence for unit 73 P3, M3, D3

Task 6 - Sounds I Will Programme Into a GameSelect sound effects and music that you have produced which you will programme into a game.

Each sound must be blogged on your Unit 73 IG1 blog as an embedded Soundcloud file. Each uploaded sound must be accompanied by a short explanation that describes what the sound will be used for within your game i.e. an explosion.

For this blog post you must use the title Sounds and Music I will Programme Into My Game

This provides evidence for unit 73 P4, M4, D4

Task 7 - Programming My Sounds Into my GameYou must produce a series of annotated print screens and a short desktop screen captured gameplay video that clearly describes the process you have followed to program sounds that you have produced into your computer game.

Your annotated process of programming sounds to your game must be uploaded to your Slide Share account and embedded into a blog post on your Unit 73 IG1 blog using the title Programming My Sounds Into My Game

This provides evidence for P1, M1, D1

Evidence checklist

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Task 1: 1 initial glossary of terms and 1 improved glossary of terms. [ ]

Task 2: A minimum of 4 examples of computer game cut sequence analysis and the matching video examples embedded above each piece of analysis.

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Task 3: 1 pitch presentation script. Minimum of 3 examples of existing audio that has influenced your ideas. 1 PowerPoint slideshow of visuals you will use in your pitch. 1 video recording of your pitch presentation.

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Task 4: A collection of game sound effects, embedded from Soundcloud. Visual annotations for EACH sound effect produced that detail plugin(s) used and plugin parameters adjusted.

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Task 5: A collection of game music compositions, embedded from Soundcloud. Visual annotations for EACH music composition produced that detail plugin(s) used and plugin parameters adjusted.

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Task 6: A list of music and sound effects, embedded via Soundcloud, with brief explanations of how each sound will be used in your game.

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Task 7: Annotated print screen that detail how you have programmed sound assets into your game. In addition, 1 desktop screen captured video, embedded via YouTube, that clearly allows the viewer to see and hear your game being played.

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Sources of information

www.youtube.com

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