Game Audio GDC 2019 Asbjoern Andersen


Did you miss GDC 2018 (or do you just want to relive it)? Good news: Colin Andrew Grant shares his detailed insights and experiences from this year's major game audio event right here:
Written by Colin Andrew Grant
Please share:
 

This year marked both my second GDC and my second year working in the game industry. Quite a bit has changed since I first walked the halls of Moscone: I graduated from a postgraduate program, moved to L.A, and tentatively began my career as a freelancer. Though still nervous about attending such a massive convention meant for interacting with others after a year of mostly talking (yelling) at my DAW, I was excited to make new connections, meet up with old friends, and reflect upon what has changed and what has stayed the same for both myself and the industry at large.

SUNDAY

Though the conference did not officially begin, Designing Sound hosted a meetup the night before. Meeting at the Broken Rack Bar, it was a low key hang to slide everyone into GDC mode. What was special about this meetup was that Designing Sound and UVI prepared tours of the Vintage Synth Museum. Being able to play around with a Wurlitzer 200A and Roland TR-808 among other synths, I can see why synthheads consider them addicting to collect. It was a fun time of making bleeps and bloops that ended fairly early. We all needed our rest for the lengthy week ahead.

MONDAY

Damian and Anton stand in a crowded coffee shop hosting their podcast.Bright and early Monday morning at 7AM, Game Audio descended on Sightglass Coffee for the Game Audio Podcast led by Anton Woldhek and Damian Kastbauer. From Monday to Saturday we all (tried) to wake up and talk about what we learned the previous days, what we wanted to learn the day of, and any other topic that crossed our minds. I then attended a small round table led by Power Up Audio. There they shared tips for how to work with a partner, interact with potential clients, and how to pitch a reel for a bid. You’ll notice a common thread here of members of the game audio community sharing information and their time for free. I then relaxed on the second floor of Moscone Center West, playing games at The Mild Rumpus. One game that really stood out was Small Talk by Pale Room. With stunning art and gentle music, It’s the kind of intimate game that made me want to explore the characters and their thoughts forever. Later that night, we met up at the Terroir Wine Bar for an informal game audio meet up. The bar was a quiet reprieve from the noise of GDC, though it was filled to the brim with bodies and overflowed into the cool streets of San Francisco. It was a relaxing way to start off GDC since the conference floor was yet to be open and there were no audio talks that day. Tuesday would mark the beginning of rooms packed with conference attendees, raring to learn more about how sound works in games.

TUESDAY

This year, I made the decision to expand the scope of the talks that I attended beyond just audio. Though last year it was great to get acquainted with the community, I was told by multiple GDC veterans that there’s more to life than just audio. Since we have to interact with other elements of the industry at work, it only makes sense to do the same with education. The first talk I attended on Tuesday was “Intensely Practical Tips for Growing an Indie Studio”. There were two main reasons for me attending this:

1. Understanding what it takes to run an indie house will help me understand what many of my clients are going through when we’re not talking about sound.

2. I would love to one day run my own audio service studio, so the lessons being taught were incredibly applicable to my long-term career plans.

Given by Alexis Kennedy of FailBetter Games and Weather Factory, he detailed the need for studios to write down mission statements and the core pillars that define them. Whether it’s making money, being heavily narrative, or relying on a core set of beliefs, knowing what you want to focus on and understanding that those pillars may shift as the company grows can give an aimless studio direction.

After that incredibly enlightening talk I strapped up my boots and attended Audio Bootcamp XVII. The first session that I attended was “Programming Composers and Composing Programmers” headed by Victoria Dorn of Sony Interactive Entertainment and “Adding Punch to Your Sounds” by Gina Zdanowicz of Serial Lab Studios. Like many of us, though I’ve dipped my toe into programming, the vast ocean of code that exists has the ability to fill me with existential dread. Dorn’s talk was incredibly informative and broke the basic building blocks into very digestible parts. The second half of her talk was geared towards programmers interested in working with music and sound. Though obvious in hindsight, it’s easy to forget that words such as transient and downbeat aren’t part of most people’s lexicon. It’s refreshing to see an effort made to have talks be interdisciplinary and bridge the gap in vocabulary.

Gina Zdanowicz’s talk was focused giving impact to our sounds, allowing them to cut through the mix. In this talk, Zdanowicz gave many tips and plugin suggestions such as making the transient sharper while lowering the rest of the sound in order to give impact while not raising the levels. Giving the sounds movement with tools such as Tremolator and UHBIK’s frequency shifting tool can give the sounds character and keep them interesting over time.


Popular on A Sound Effect right now - article continues below:


Trending right now:

  • Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects Abandoned Oil Tank Play Track 327 sounds included $40

    On a recording trip to the smaller Danish port town Struer, I came across an abandoned empty oil tank. Inside I found two giant wires attached to the floor and the ceiling of the tank, almost like a huge 2 stringed double bass. I’m telling you the reverb in there was longer than the Eiffel Tower on a cloudless day !

    On the outside this was just an empty abandoned building, but it turned out it was not empty at all because it was full of sound and a few dead birds. I’m glad I was curious enough to go inside for a closer investigation and not just pass by.

    After several hours of concentrated recording, it was nice to get my ears back out in dry air. I’m happy there are no open sends to Valhalla in real life but experiencing the eternal resonance on the low frequencies from the wires was absolutely amazing.

    Abandoned Oil Tank was recorded with a LOM basic Ucho stereo pair, a Zoom H6 and the LOM Geofon. All files are in 96 kHz/24 bit and contain the original recordings.

    The result is a unique sound effect library including balloon pop impulse responses from a truly unique location that very recently became even more unique since word says that the oil tank is no more and has abandoned this world.

    327 individual sounds – all tagged with Universal Category System (UCS) metadata.

    www.katrineamsler.com

    20 %
    OFF
    Ends 1713131999
  • Electricity Sound Effects Polarity Play Track 975 sounds included $72

    Polarity delivers more than 950 sounds of electricity, science and technology – captured in several locations around the world, from electricity museums to science labs. About 50% of the library is all about electricity, with various types of Jacob’s Ladders, Tesla Coils, Ruhmkorff lamp and all sorts of impactful bursts of energy.

    Then we go through welders, plasma spheres, 3D printers, starting to cover a more broad technology theme – like old phones, telegraphs, dynamo wheels, rotary dials, whirling watchers, alarm, lab centrifuges, something scientists call a roller and a rocker, servo sounds, neon lights, a wimshurst machine and sparklers.

    Many sounds in this section were captured from vintage equipment, from a 1928’s tram to old telephone switchboards, high voltage levers and control surfaces.

    All content was recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, a couple of Sennheiser 8040 and a Neumann 81i, translating into final assets that have plenty of ultrasonic content, ready for the most extreme manipulation.

    Bonus: Two extra libraries included for free:
    This library also includes two additional releases from Mattia Cellotto - for free: Crunch Mode delivers 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust and a selection of frozen goods. The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy and gooey sounds.
    20 %
    OFF
  • Door Sound Effects Noisy Doors Play Track 44 sounds included $10

    This library contains recordings of eleven different types of doors specifically chosen for their interesting sound. I performed all actions with a lot of detail covering “open/close”, “knocks”, “bangs and thuds”, “handle grab and rattle” and when possible also “crackles and squeaks” (all recorded at various intensities)

    50 %
    OFF
    Ends 1711666799
  • Foley Sound Effects Skate Play Track 114+ sounds included $15

    A little skateboard recording session of some rolling on surfaces such as Wood, Metal, Concrete and Asphalt. Board manipulations like Wheels spinning, Board impact on the floor, Grinding metal and concrete – and more.

    The library contains 114 files of skateboarding sounds.

    Each sound has been meticulously edited individually. All files were recorded and are delivered in 24bit 96kHz. Broadcast Wave files, all embedded with metadata information for easy import and to ensure a fast and easy workflow.


Latest releases:

  • Trench Rammers is a one-of-a-kind sound library, created by sound designer Barney Oram. It features recordings of two 20th century Trench Rammers, some of the last operating machines of their kind in the world. The library features 48 files in total, capturing the Trench Rammers using a variety of microphones and perspectives, supplied in 192kHz 24bit WAV file format.

    This library contains multiple recordings of two antique Trench Rammers, the Pegson ER5 and the Warsop Benjo, and also features additional recordings of four antique stationary engines, the Amanco Hired Man (1920s), the JAP 1947, the Lister D (1940s) and the Norman T3000.

    Recorded in Leeds, UK, this library features multi-mic coverage and a range of distance positions captured on all included source content. Microphones used include; Sanken, Sennheiser, Neumann and DPA, captured with Sound Devices and Tascam recorders.

    This library includes detailed SoundMiner metadata and utilizes the UCS system for ease of integration into your library.

    Behind the Scenes Video:


    Trench Rammer


  • The cozy natural rhythms of hums, scrapes, splashes and thuds soundtrack the pottery workshop where the earth meets art. Find the true sound of it with Vadi Sound Library.

     

    About Pottery Workshop

     

    84 sounds that are clean, subtle and capture pretty much every object and action of the magic of fire and earth.

    From the rhythmic hum of the spinning potter’s wheel, to the splash of water, the scrape of clay with the tools shaping and smoothing surfaces, listen up for the symphony of creation.

    You will hear the tapping and thud of ceramic pottery, wooden ribs, wire cutters, loop tools, and sponges, all kinds of rummage, and mud actions on the potter’s wheel. The clicking and whirring of mechanisms during firing cycles add a mechanical counterpoint to the workshop’s natural rhythms.

    You will get variations of sounds in different proximity, size, and style of action. This collection is handy due to the clarity and diversity of the raw sounds. They have both Foley and practical usability and room for further sound design.

    You will get intuitive, detailed naming, UCS compatibility and the usual Vadi Sound craft and attention to detail in 84 pristine sounds. Recorded in 24bit-96kHz.WAV format on our favorite Sennheiser MKH 8040 stereo pair and Zoom F6.

     

    Keywords

    Pottery, workshop, electric potter’s wheel, wheel, oven, heat gun, mud, clay, ceramic, glass, wooden, metal, cup, handle, push, pull, move, remove, shape, tap, shake, clank, level, lid, tool, organizer, toolbox, rummage, fiberboard, button, bucket, sponge, plate, Dremel.

     

    What else you may need

    You may also want to check out Drag & Slide for 477 sound files of dragging, sliding, scraping and friction sounds of different objects made of wood, plastic, metal on various surfaces. Our bestseller Crafting & Survival is another good choice to get access to 1000+ survival, gathering, movement and crafting sounds.

  • All files are recorded 32bit, 192 kHz, with Shure KSM 137, Line Audio Omni1, FEL Clippy XLR EM272, Sonorous Objects SO.3 and JrF C-Series Pro+ microphones, Sound Devices MixPre-6 II & Zoom F3 recorders. Library contains wav files of driving, interior and exterior foley, mechanical and electrical sounds. It is also available in UCS.

  • Introducing Devils Bane Trailer, a chilling symphony of horror encapsulated in 533 meticulously crafted sound files, ready to unleash terror upon your audience. Dive into a nightmare realm where every creak, whisper, and shriek is meticulously designed to send shivers down your spine.

    • 533 files
    • 3.5 GB of game audio assets
    • All in 96k 24bit .wav
    • Dark Horror Movie Trailer Sound Effects Library
    17 %
    OFF
  • Birdsong from the countryside of the Swedish rural region of Värmland.

Need specific sound effects? Try a search below:


Thanks to everyone who set up the GDC ’18 Game Audio Mentoring, I along with many others, had the ability to meet with a veteran in game audio who donated their time at GDC for newer members to ask them questions. During lunch, I was able to meet with Adam Gubman of MoonWalk Audio to discuss topics such as branding, balancing multiple interests as a freelancer, and the importance of knowing oneself outside of their career.

After that insightful talk I jumped right back into the Bootcamp with Reel Talk talking about…well, reels! Matthew Marteinsson of Klei Entertainment and Kevin Regamey of Power Up Audio gave a hilarious yet insightful look into how and how not to make an appealing reel and website. Some specific takeaways: Label what you’ve done, showing some implementation work is now the standard, and make sure you’re spelling implementation correctly. After this talk was “Talking about Talking: Recording and Producing Well Crafted Dialogue” by Amanda Rose Smith. I’ve been doing increasingly more dialogue editorial so I was interested in hearing someone who’s involved in the whole dialogue pipeline. From file labeling techniques to warning us about the dangers of relying too much on LUFS (loudness units relative to full scale) in dialogue mastering, Smith gave a very concise talk about the recording and editorial process. This was the last presentation I was able to attend on Tuesday, since I had to prepare to table for a few games I worked on at the IDGA mixer. A frequent collaborator of mine, River Liu, was an IDGA scholar. Since we first met two Global Game Jams ago, I’ve always answered her call for more music and sound in her games. It was a fun event that focused on interacting with others, rather than loud music in dark places. I then headed over to the Game Audio Denizen Facebook group California Pizza Kitchen dinner, coordinated by the fabulous DB Cooper. After ending the night with Denny’s, it was time to call it night.

An 8-bit stylized map shows that attendees have traveled from around the world.

WEDNESDAY

One of my busiest days by far was Wednesday. I was able to attend part of the “What’s Next? A Game Audio MicroTalk Series”, a collection of ten short talks about varying experiences in the industry. Unfortunately, I had to leave for a meeting. I was actually able to attend GDC on a Conference and Summit pass thanks to XBox’s Jerry Lawson Grant for Career Development. Part of that grant included meeting other grant winners and members of the XBox team. I then went to the expo floor for a few minutes before it was time for the first day of CarouselCon! Organized by Matthew Marteinsson during lunch behind the Carousel, there are two mini-talks and then the floor is opened to anybody that wishes to talk. It’s a great time to learn about other points of view and maximize our learning during GDC.

The rest of the day was meetings until I attended the XBox Blacks in Gaming mixer. It’s important to build a community that fosters diversity in the game industry as well as spaces that allow those underrepresented to discuss successes and common problems. Following the BiG mixer, I went to the Unity Party. While incredibly impressive, it was also incredibly loud. I found that some of the most meaningful talks that I had there was outside the venue. With all of the parties and events happening, it can be difficult to remember that bigger and louder doesn’t always equal better.

THURSDAY

Thursday was an especially action-packed day for the game audio community. On top of the G.A.N.G (Game Audio Network Guild) Awards, an award show in which members of the community vote for the music, sound, and articles in game audio, A Shell in the Pit coordinated the second annual Game Audio Karaoke! But I’m getting ahead of myself. Thursday was another day on the expo floor for me. One of the first booths that I attended was Wwise’s. With the announcement of the Wwise 251 certification and the Wwise Adventure Game, there was quite a bit to learn about.

This year I was given the opportunity to volunteer at the G.A.N.G Awards. I wanted to be able to somehow give back to the community that offers so much, so I jumped at the chance to make the officers jobs a little easier. If you saw two people running up to Becky Allen and Bonnie Bogovich before the winners were announced and then scurrying away, then you probably caught a peak of me and Emily Pitts, a student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (my alma mater). A highlight of the night was when Bonny and Becky lead the audience in arpeggiating on the word GANG, lead by a kazoo. The standout winner was Will Roget, the composer of Call of Duty, who won 5 awards.

I had already lost my voice twice in two weeks, so I decided to opt out of karaoke and just mingle with others who stayed after the show.

FRIDAY

People sit around the Day of the Devs boothFriday was a bit more subdued compared to the last few days. Much of the same happened. Sightglass in the morning, CarouselCon in the afternoon. I chose to spend most of the day walking the expo floor, since it closed at 3PM. I spent quite a bit of time at the Day of the Devs showcase. Some games that really stood out to me were Harold Handibut: A Handmade Adventure Tale by Slow Games, Mosaic by Krillbite Studio, Knights and Bikes by Foam Sword, and Dead Static Drive by Team Fanclub. Friday night was the School of Video Game Audio meetup at the California Pizza Kitchen. With the convention fading away, it was a night of goodbyes.

SATURDAY MORNING

While everyone else was sleeping in or catching flights, members of the audio community dutifully met up at Sightglass Coffee one more time to reflect upon the week and set goals for the year ahead. This was a bit different than the past few days though. We expanded the conversation to topics such as unionization, inclusivity, privilege, and how we as a community can always do better to respect each other. While it’s easy to talk about how everything is fantastic and ride the GDC high, it’s sobering to remember that there’s always room for improvement and acknowledge toxic elements that still persevere. To quote Damian Kastbauer himself from a must-read Twitter chain: “We need each other to foster an environment of continuous improvement in order to change the culture. It is bigger than #GameAudio but it’s where we live and can affect change.”

We have a habit of marking our development as human beings with large, annual events: Birthdays, Holidays, and for those fortunate enough to attend consecutive years, GDC. The ability to honestly reflect upon growth while surrounded by colleagues and friends is a special thing that I try not to take for granted. Though GDC may be over and I’m drowning in business cards, I think I can officially call my second GDC a success as I prepare to make my third one even better.

The busy entrance of the Moscone Center North Hall.

 

A big thanks to Colin Andrew Grant for sharing his insights and experiences from GDC! We hope to see you there next year!

 

Please share this:


 



 
 
THE WORLD’S EASIEST WAY TO GET INDEPENDENT SOUND EFFECTS:
 
A Sound Effect gives you easy access to an absolutely huge sound effects catalog from a myriad of independent sound creators, all covered by one license agreement - a few highlights:

  • Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects Abandoned Oil Tank Play Track 327 sounds included $40

    On a recording trip to the smaller Danish port town Struer, I came across an abandoned empty oil tank. Inside I found two giant wires attached to the floor and the ceiling of the tank, almost like a huge 2 stringed double bass. I’m telling you the reverb in there was longer than the Eiffel Tower on a cloudless day !

    On the outside this was just an empty abandoned building, but it turned out it was not empty at all because it was full of sound and a few dead birds. I’m glad I was curious enough to go inside for a closer investigation and not just pass by.

    After several hours of concentrated recording, it was nice to get my ears back out in dry air. I’m happy there are no open sends to Valhalla in real life but experiencing the eternal resonance on the low frequencies from the wires was absolutely amazing.

    Abandoned Oil Tank was recorded with a LOM basic Ucho stereo pair, a Zoom H6 and the LOM Geofon. All files are in 96 kHz/24 bit and contain the original recordings.

    The result is a unique sound effect library including balloon pop impulse responses from a truly unique location that very recently became even more unique since word says that the oil tank is no more and has abandoned this world.

    327 individual sounds – all tagged with Universal Category System (UCS) metadata.

    www.katrineamsler.com

    20 %
    OFF
    Ends 1713131999
  • Electricity Sound Effects Polarity Play Track 975 sounds included $72

    Polarity delivers more than 950 sounds of electricity, science and technology – captured in several locations around the world, from electricity museums to science labs. About 50% of the library is all about electricity, with various types of Jacob’s Ladders, Tesla Coils, Ruhmkorff lamp and all sorts of impactful bursts of energy.

    Then we go through welders, plasma spheres, 3D printers, starting to cover a more broad technology theme – like old phones, telegraphs, dynamo wheels, rotary dials, whirling watchers, alarm, lab centrifuges, something scientists call a roller and a rocker, servo sounds, neon lights, a wimshurst machine and sparklers.

    Many sounds in this section were captured from vintage equipment, from a 1928’s tram to old telephone switchboards, high voltage levers and control surfaces.

    All content was recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, a couple of Sennheiser 8040 and a Neumann 81i, translating into final assets that have plenty of ultrasonic content, ready for the most extreme manipulation.

    Bonus: Two extra libraries included for free:
    This library also includes two additional releases from Mattia Cellotto - for free: Crunch Mode delivers 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust and a selection of frozen goods. The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy and gooey sounds.
    20 %
    OFF
  • Door Sound Effects Noisy Doors Play Track 44 sounds included $10

    This library contains recordings of eleven different types of doors specifically chosen for their interesting sound. I performed all actions with a lot of detail covering “open/close”, “knocks”, “bangs and thuds”, “handle grab and rattle” and when possible also “crackles and squeaks” (all recorded at various intensities)

    50 %
    OFF
    Ends 1711666799
Explore the full, unique collection here

Latest sound effects libraries:
 
  • Trench Rammers is a one-of-a-kind sound library, created by sound designer Barney Oram. It features recordings of two 20th century Trench Rammers, some of the last operating machines of their kind in the world. The library features 48 files in total, capturing the Trench Rammers using a variety of microphones and perspectives, supplied in 192kHz 24bit WAV file format.

    This library contains multiple recordings of two antique Trench Rammers, the Pegson ER5 and the Warsop Benjo, and also features additional recordings of four antique stationary engines, the Amanco Hired Man (1920s), the JAP 1947, the Lister D (1940s) and the Norman T3000.

    Recorded in Leeds, UK, this library features multi-mic coverage and a range of distance positions captured on all included source content. Microphones used include; Sanken, Sennheiser, Neumann and DPA, captured with Sound Devices and Tascam recorders.

    This library includes detailed SoundMiner metadata and utilizes the UCS system for ease of integration into your library.

    Behind the Scenes Video:


    Trench Rammer


  • The cozy natural rhythms of hums, scrapes, splashes and thuds soundtrack the pottery workshop where the earth meets art. Find the true sound of it with Vadi Sound Library.

     

    About Pottery Workshop

     

    84 sounds that are clean, subtle and capture pretty much every object and action of the magic of fire and earth.

    From the rhythmic hum of the spinning potter’s wheel, to the splash of water, the scrape of clay with the tools shaping and smoothing surfaces, listen up for the symphony of creation.

    You will hear the tapping and thud of ceramic pottery, wooden ribs, wire cutters, loop tools, and sponges, all kinds of rummage, and mud actions on the potter’s wheel. The clicking and whirring of mechanisms during firing cycles add a mechanical counterpoint to the workshop’s natural rhythms.

    You will get variations of sounds in different proximity, size, and style of action. This collection is handy due to the clarity and diversity of the raw sounds. They have both Foley and practical usability and room for further sound design.

    You will get intuitive, detailed naming, UCS compatibility and the usual Vadi Sound craft and attention to detail in 84 pristine sounds. Recorded in 24bit-96kHz.WAV format on our favorite Sennheiser MKH 8040 stereo pair and Zoom F6.

     

    Keywords

    Pottery, workshop, electric potter’s wheel, wheel, oven, heat gun, mud, clay, ceramic, glass, wooden, metal, cup, handle, push, pull, move, remove, shape, tap, shake, clank, level, lid, tool, organizer, toolbox, rummage, fiberboard, button, bucket, sponge, plate, Dremel.

     

    What else you may need

    You may also want to check out Drag & Slide for 477 sound files of dragging, sliding, scraping and friction sounds of different objects made of wood, plastic, metal on various surfaces. Our bestseller Crafting & Survival is another good choice to get access to 1000+ survival, gathering, movement and crafting sounds.

  • All files are recorded 32bit, 192 kHz, with Shure KSM 137, Line Audio Omni1, FEL Clippy XLR EM272, Sonorous Objects SO.3 and JrF C-Series Pro+ microphones, Sound Devices MixPre-6 II & Zoom F3 recorders. Library contains wav files of driving, interior and exterior foley, mechanical and electrical sounds. It is also available in UCS.

  • Introducing Devils Bane Trailer, a chilling symphony of horror encapsulated in 533 meticulously crafted sound files, ready to unleash terror upon your audience. Dive into a nightmare realm where every creak, whisper, and shriek is meticulously designed to send shivers down your spine.

    • 533 files
    • 3.5 GB of game audio assets
    • All in 96k 24bit .wav
    • Dark Horror Movie Trailer Sound Effects Library
    17 %
    OFF
  • Birdsong from the countryside of the Swedish rural region of Värmland.


   

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