The newest Dead Space developer diary is all about the sound and music. David Feise and Don Veca, the sound and audio designers on Dead Space, walk us through some the workings of audio and sound they’ve implemented into the game to heighten the atmosphere.
One thing that really separates the audio in Dead Space from other games is the fear emitter system. In other games, such as Resident Evil, there would be a dramatic score playing, but it would keep playing if you just stayed in one place. In Dead Space, the fear emitters control the audio and music based around what the player is doing, so the sounds are rarely ever the same, ensuring a suspenseful feel throughout the game.
One really cool detail that’s revealed at the end of the diary is that they’ve taken the sound the San Francisco BART train makes when it’s crossing the bay and used it in the game. I have to cross the bay every time I go into San Francisco, and this sound really is one of the worst things you’ll ever hear.
If you’re still itching for more info on the game, just head on over to the official Dead Space Web site. What do you all think about what Dead Space is doing with the sound and audio design: will it make for a more frightening gameplay experience?
