Unlock Audio Declassify Audio Design - Creating the Sounds of 'SPYGAMES'!

This article was written by Thomas Kresge and Jon Ruse of from Unlock Audio, who are ready to declassify how they created custom audio for the ‘SPYGAMES’ experience!

      Mission Recon: Acoustics

For sound designers, it's important to understand the conditions in which people will experience your audio.

Each of SPYGAMES' training games operates in its own dedicated room or "game zone."

These spaces were built and fitted with audio equipment before we rekindled our audio collaboration, so all we had to do was visit the exhibit and gather clear acoustic profiles of each zone with a flat-response microphone.

While fresh audio may sound great on our own audiophile equipment, there are so many factors that can dull the impact once it's competing with reverb, echoes from excited players, or bleed from sounds of activity outside the room.

      Operation: Original Sound Design

Based on the EQ findings from our sonic scouting, we knew we had to develop our audio with several key parameters in mind.

We learned that low-end sounds would muddle and bleed, which pointed us toward a brighter palette of sounds.

Since 'SPYGAMES' is geared towards team-based play, we also needed to make sure that our audio would cut through the excited chatter and ambient noise.

Given the gameshow-style interactivity of each game zone, we decided to build on sounds that don't require folks to be hardcore gamers to understand.

Our approach for ‘SPYGAMES’ incorporated positive reinforcement with easily perceptible whooshes and chimes.

Elements like the tangible clatter of scoreboards all lend a fun, gamified feel throughout the experience.

A subtle, digitised filter across all our sound effects helped to sell the consistent feel of a computerised training program throughout its many rooms.

      Operation: Signature Scores

While the 'SPYSCAPE' museum embraces both real-world espionage and legendary spies from popular fiction, the team wanted to make sure 'SPYGAMES' stood on its own with a distinct musical sound.

Since fun and energy were of utmost importance, we decided to explore a more electronic style of music reflective of the high-tech gaming and museum experience onsite.

From stealth tests to competitive codebreaking, each 'SPYGAMES' game zone offers players a unique challenge to overcome.

When preparing to write the music for each room, we were given key information about the challenge and the action pace.

While each room has its own characteristics, from laser dodging to platform-hopping, we still wanted to weave certain shared elements for cohesion across the many 'SPYGAMES' experiences.

Sharp-eared players might notice consistent sounds of drums and bass when moving from one game zone to the next.

      Audio Mission: Accomplished

'SPYGAMES' is open in NYC now on a beta-testing basis, but anyone can make a reservation!

If you find your way to the training site, let us know if our original audio helped make the experience feel real!

DEBRIEF: COMPLETE!

http://www.unlockaudio.com