Lemma Soft Forums

Supporting creators of visual novels and story-based games since 2003.


Visit our new games list, blog aggregator, IRC, and wiki.
Activation problem? Email [email protected]
It is currently Fri May 24, 2013 4:49 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 3:37 pm 
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:33 am
Posts: 297
Projects: BloomingBlossoms
If I'm in the wrong section, feel free to move me. ^_^"

When I was writing, I wrote my sound effects.
But then I read them again and thought that they were awkward and weird.. ^_^"

So I was wondering, do you write your sound effects? or do you depend on the actual sound?

_________________
Sorry for my bad english ^_^''
Image My VN Website~


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 3:45 pm 
Arbiter of the Internets
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2003 4:37 am
Posts: 3345
Completed: Cute Knight, Fatal Hearts, Date Warp, Magical Diary, Long Live The Queen, The Royal Trap
Projects: Black Closet
Organization: Hanako Games
Depends on the effect and how important it is to understanding what's happening. Some players have their sound turned off. Some players are deaf. If a sound effect is important, then unless you've written a special subtitles mode, you'd better mention it in text.

If someone whips out a rubber banana and everyone onscreen recoils in shock and the banana makes a BOI-OI-OING noise, it's not strictly necessary to write out the sound because the player can tell what's happened even without hearing it. It doesn't carry any new information, it just makes it funnier.

On the other hand, if you're in a horror game and there's a creepy sound indicating something nasty happening in the dark behind you, and the character is supposed to react to that sound, it may be confusing to those who can't hear it.

Read the scene with sounds off and see if it makes sense. If not, describe the sound?

_________________
Hanako Games


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 3:50 pm 
Miko-Class Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:15 am
Posts: 609
Completed: The Loop
Projects: The Madness, In Orbit
Organization: Gliese Productions
I have to disagree with the above post. In certain types of horror, sound is a very important aspect of setting the mood. It's about making the player think: "What was that sound? Did I just image that?"
That tension is lost if the protagonist voices these feelings, or if you write them out plainly.

_________________
"Why would you even need so many characters?!!"
~Me. Just now. At you.
Gliese Productions
If anybody is interested in writing blog posts for Gliese, drop me a line. Website needs more traffic/content.
Bloggers will get free copies of Gliese VNs once we go commercial.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 3:56 pm 
Regular
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:09 am
Posts: 147
Location: USA
Projects: The Song of Owls
Organization: Unary Studio
It depends. I usually only write sounds if the character who hears it is describing it or if the scene is being told in third person narrative mode. Either way, I usually accompany it with the actual sound effect if it's available.

_________________
Visit my Colors! 3D Gallery for all my artwork. It is best viewed on a Nintendo 3DS, as some of my works are in 3D.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:02 pm 
Arbiter of the Internets
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2003 4:37 am
Posts: 3345
Completed: Cute Knight, Fatal Hearts, Date Warp, Magical Diary, Long Live The Queen, The Royal Trap
Projects: Black Closet
Organization: Hanako Games
Greeny wrote:
I have to disagree with the above post. In certain types of horror, sound is a very important aspect of setting the mood. It's about making the player think: "What was that sound? Did I just image that?"
That tension is lost if the protagonist voices these feelings, or if you write them out plainly.


If a *specific* sound is incredibly important to understanding what the characters are doing, it needs to be communicated. If it's just creepy atmosphere aimed at the player, then it doesn't.

Of course, you could just write an optional subtitles mode that describes sound effects. It wouldn't be that hard.

_________________
Hanako Games


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:21 pm 
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:52 am
Posts: 331
Location: Germany
Projects: 1plus3
Depends how you do it I guess?

I dislike stuff like "*crash*" as it breaks the flow in my opinion.
If you describe it, well... Something like "something crashed loudly" might fit in with the style, but it isn't as dynamic. Then again... it depends on your style. "I walked down the street. Crash! Just my luck, really." Might it with a less formal style or something.
You could even make your character say some soundwords if he's a dry commentator ("Crash." - "Could you please stop commenting everything with that monotonous voice? D:").

So you really have to decide for yourself.
While I agree with Gambit about the "am I just hearing things?"-sounds, there really are deaf players out there, so papillons idea with optional subtitles is brilliant.
(Sound files as sound effects are just the most elegant way, while papillons subtitles would make it possible without negative consequences~)

- R.

_________________
Image
Newest Update: "Interface preview + WIPs" (13. 9. 2012)


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:45 pm 
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:33 am
Posts: 297
Projects: BloomingBlossoms
After reading all your posts, I get the idea... : |
Thanks for all of your ideas. :)

_________________
Sorry for my bad english ^_^''
Image My VN Website~


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Protected by Anti-Spam ACP
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group