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Assignment brief

Qualification Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production – GAMES DESIGN Y1

Unit number and title L3 Unit 73 Sound for Computer Games - Partial

Start date Monday 16/09/2013

Deadline Friday 17/01/2014

Assessor name Iain Goodyear

Assignment title Unit 73 IG1 – GTA 5 Cut Sequence Audio Production

The purpose of this assignment is to: Learning Outcome 1 – Understand the use of sound and music in games. Learning Outcome 3 – Be able to create sound assets for a computer game following industry practice.

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 Rockstar North to produce the audio soundtracks for cut sequences that will be used in a planned mission expansion pack due for release in 2014. Modern computer games such as Grand Theft Auto 5 feature complex narrative cut sequences which help to drive the game’s story forward. As the quality of computer games have advanced, so too has the quality and complexity of the audio produced for these products. 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 the planned GTA 5 mission expansion pack. You will produce voice recordings and sound assets using portable audio recording hardware, studio based production hardware and post-production computer software using VST instruments and effects. This newly acquired audio production knowledge will equip you with the skills needed to produce a two minute soundtrack for a new GTA 5 computer game cut sequence. This assignment will do the following:

Introduce portable audio field recording technology.

Require the use audio field recording techniques to capture sound assets.

Introduce studio dialogue recording technologies and techniques.

Require the use studio recording technologies to produce clear voice recordings.

Introduce audio post production software and editing techniques.

Require the application of field recording and computer audio synthesis to create a computer game audio cut sequence.

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Tasks Grading Criteria Mapping

1. Use portable audio filed recorders to record 6 location ambient sounds and 6 focused directional sounds in a range of environments. Recorded sounds must feature altered file names that are specific to the location they were recorded. You must also produce photographic evidence that clearly shows each person in your group using the portable sound recorders on location to capture ambient and directional sounds. These pictures can be taken using your mobile phone. Recorded sounds must firstly be uploaded to your SoundCloud account profile page and embedded into a blog post with accompanying photographic evidence using the title Ambient & Directional Sound Recording Production.

Unit 73 P3/M3/D3

2. Analyse 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.

Unit 73 P1/M1/D1 Unit 2 P2/M2/D2

3. Use Celtx software to produce a 2 page script featuring two characters. This will form the narrative basis for your audio cut sequence production for the GTA 5 mission expansion pack release. Your script pages must include correctly formatted character names, character dialogue and action description that clearly indicates reference to sounds that will feature in your audio cut sequence. Your 2 page script must be uploaded to a blog post on your IG1 blog using the title Audio Cut Sequence Script.

Unit 73 P1/M1/D1 Unit 1 P2/M2/D2

4. Record your audio cut sequence script in a recording studio environment. You must ensure that your dialogue is clearly recorded to a good technical standard. You are free to record yourselves and/or others when recording script dialogue. All audio recordings must be renamed once produced to clearly indicate character names and dialogue spoken. Audio recordings must be uploaded to your SoundCloud account profile page and embedded into a blog post in its unedited form with the title Audio Cut Sequence Raw Recordings.

Unit 73 P3/M3/D3

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5. Use Reaper post-production software to edit and manipulate produced audio recordings using VST effects. You must use sounds recorded for task 1 to produce variations that clearly demonstrate the application and manipulation of a range of VST effects plugins. This must be supported by annotated screen captures that show:

The effects plugins applied.

Clear explanations of what parameters have been adjusted.

Clear explanations of how effects applied have altered the sound of your original recordings. Your effects manipulated sound recordings 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 Audio Recording VST Effects Manipulation.

Unit 73 P3/M3/D3

6. Use Reaper post-production software to create audio using VST sound generating plugins. You must produce sound effects for your 2 minute computer game cut sequence. 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.

Unit 73 P3/M3/D3

7. Use Reaper post-production software to create a 2 minute GTA 5 Expansion Pack computer game audio cut sequence as per the requirements of the brief. Your completed audio cut sequence must be uploaded to your SoundCloud account profile page and must be embedded into a blog post with the title GTA 5 Cut Sequence Audio Production.

Unit 73 P3/M3/D3

This brief has been verified as being fit for purpose

Assessor Iain Goodyear

Signature

Date

Internal verifier

Signature Date

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Unit 73 Sound for computer games

P1 describe uses of sound and music in games using some subject terminology appropriately

M1 explain use of sound and music in games with reference to detailed illustrative examples and with generally correct use of subject terminology

D1 comprehensively explain use of sound and music in games with elucidated examples and consistently using subject terminology correctly

P2 describe methods and principles of sound design and production using some subject terminology appropriately

M2 explain methods and principles of sound design and production with reference to detailed illustrative examples and with generally correct use of subject terminology

D2 comprehensively explain methods and principles of sound design and production with elucidated examples and consistently using subject terminology correctly

P3 create sound assets for a computer game following industry practice, working within appropriate conventions and with some assistance [CT; SM]

M3 create sound assets for a computer game working to a good technical standard following industry practice, showing some imagination and with only occasional assistance

D3 create sound assets for a computer game working to a technical quality that reflects near-professional standards following industry practice, showing creativity and flair and working independently to professional expectations

P4 apply sound assets to a computer game following industry practice, working within appropriate conventions and with some assistance. [CT; RL]

M4 apply sound assets to a computer game working to a good technical standard following industry practice, showing some imagination and with only occasional assistance.

D4 apply sound assets to a computer game working to a technical quality that reflects near-professional standards following industry practice, showing creativity and flair and working independently to professional expectations.

Unit 2 Communication Skills for Creative Media Production (Level 3) P1: use appropriate techniques to extract relevant information from written sources

M1: use appropriate techniques to extract information from written sources with some precision

D1: use appropriate techniques to extract comprehensive information from written sources

P2: present a media production report which conveys relevant information [IE]

M2: present a structured and detailed media production report which conveys information and explains conclusions with clarity

D2: present a well-structured and substantial media production report which conveys information with precise exemplification and justifies conclusions with supporting arguments

P3: review reports to make changes with occasional beneficial effects [RL]

M3: review reports to make changes with frequent

beneficial effects

D3: review reports to make changes with consistently

beneficial effects

P4: deploy and manage appropriate technology to pitch a media production proposal [SM]

M4: deploy and manage technology to pitch a media production proposal effectively and with some

imagination

D4: deploy and manage technology to pitch a media production proposal with creativity and flair and to

near-professional standards

P5: employ appropriate forms of address in a media production pitch to communicate ideas [CT]

M5: employ forms of address in a media production pitch to communicate ideas

effectively

D5: employ forms of address in a media production pitch with flair to communicate ideas with impact

Unit 1 Pre-Production Techniques for the Creative Media Industries (Level 3) P1: outline requirements and sources of requirements for a specific media production [IE]

M1: explain in some detail and competently present requirements and sources of requirements for a specific media production

D1: comprehensively explain and present to a quality that reflects near-professional standards fully detailed requirements and sources of requirements for a specific media production

P2: generate outline preproduction documentation for a specific media production with some assistance

M2: generate competent, carefully presented and detailed pre-production documentation for a specific media production with only

occasional assistance

D2: generate thorough and comprehensively detailed pre-production documentation for a specific media production, working independently to professional expectations

P3: apply pre-production planning to a specific media

M3: apply pre-production planning to a specific media production

D3: apply pre-production planning to a specific media production to a

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production working with some assistance. [TW, SM]

competently with only occasional assistance.

quality that reflects near-professional standards, working independently to professional expectations.

:PLTS: This summary references where applicable, in the square brackets, the elements of the personal, learning and thinking skills applicable in the pass criteria. It identifies opportunities for learners to demonstrate effective application of the referenced elements of the skills.