Sight, sound, and touch—these three senses dominate the modern gaming experience, yet not all gamers experience them in the same way. As the global player base grows, so too does the need for developers to consider more ways to break down barriers, lend greater adaptability to gameplay, and empower gamers to “lock in” however they play best.
In my role as a technical sound designer, I take great interest in implementing game audio in ways that benefit as many players as possible. I’ve even surveyed gamers from a wide variety of backgrounds to understand what motivates their ways of play and how audio directly aids or hampers their ideal game immersion.
When we, as game developers, understand what folks want most out of our games and how they aim to pursue it, we can find more ways to weave those motivations and methods, i.e., integrate more accessibility and opportunities for more personalization into our creative visions from the start.
No gamer wants to feel as though they have to shoehorn themselves into restrictive gameplay if it’s not a defining characteristic of a game, especially if they don’t see their accessible needs reflected in the development. And while developers will always aim for some degree of standardization, at least for launch, there is value in anticipating more player-driven variables and putting systems in place early for an increasingly personalized and accessible gameplay experience.
Audio Systems Unlock Adaptability
These days, it’s standard for games to allow players to remap their controls, which is great for physical accessibility, but what of other sensory details? If character creators in games can capture almost every detail of a player’s imagination, why can’t the same be said for rich and complex settings like game audio?
The key to these robust character creation systems is right there in the name: systems. And although these controls tend to be consolidated upfront on any new game launch, the output of this personalizing process feeds the engine with everything it needs to render the player’s cosmetic vision throughout their entire playthrough.
More situational features, such as audio, evolve from scene to scene, introducing more variability to a game’s presentation as a direct result of players’ controls. With so many audible factors, from music and interface sounds to more diegetic sound effects and gameplay cues, sound designers rely on smarter, more organized implementation techniques to command complex audio demands, and that’s where smart audio systems come into play.
As previously introduced by Unlock’s own Trevor Burke, audio systemization is most beneficial when implemented early in development. This decision doesn’t just create a strong framework for audio collaboration across other disciplines, including visual and programming. It also links and groups related audio in ways that can be used to enable nuanced auditory customizations beyond lumped volume controls.
With audio systems established early, more accessible auditory features can be readily implemented at launch, demonstrating developers’ commitment to empowering even more gamers to dive all-in.
Personalizable Power in Presets
No one likes having to sacrifice what they deem are helpful sounds because they are lumped into the same sliders with non-essential effects. With smarter audio systemization in place, developers can more easily go above and beyond the constricting menu sliders for master, sound effect, and music volumes.
Stronger grouping of audio assets from the start would allow for the introduction of quicker, more nuanced sound presets and tweakability that meet a wider variety of players’ needs with a simple click. When paired with a clear description of each unique preset’s effect, these alternate, fine-tuned audio modes can provide gamers quicker paths to the sonic experience they need to “lock in” on any given play session. Once systematized into thematic presets like our examples below, additional audio customizations can be layered into player settings with ease.
Consider how these speculative modes might benefit the accessibility and adaptability of your prospective game:
Sensory/Neurospicy Mode – A preset that combats sensory overload by cutting out most of what’s non-essential to player progression. Emphasizes critical audio cues over ambients and lush foley. (Gets right to the gameplay point while making soundscapes more friendly to folks who experience heightened sensitivities to external stimuli.)
Chill/Completionist Modes – Characterized by lower overall intensities and a rolled-off high-end for less tax on the ears. Maybe even offers an alternate, lo-fi style rendition of the game’s soundtrack. Made for gamers who just want to unwind or have reached a late stage in the game where they’re tidying up loose ends for that ultra-satisfying platinum achievement.
Immersion Mode – For gamers who want to escape into the realism of a game with maximally diegetic sound: more emphasis on lush layers of foley and environmentals—less on score and interface.
Streamer/Voice Chat Modes – A preset built around the addition of cross-talk for more cooperative sessions. Focused on essential audio cues with less filler to emphasize the communal aspects of playing with friends or engaging with “chat.” Could be grouped with stream-safe music for DMCA takedown prevention.
XP Farm/Grind Mode – A deliciously self-aware preset that mods the usual soundscape for high-energy freeplay that counters the drag of tight repetition or grind. Perhaps involves an energetic alternate score, more souped-up or selective sound effects, and fewer repetitive voice lines to keep players in the zone.
Not every session is the same, so giving players the means to meet their audio needs on the fly can go a long way toward keeping them engaged for the long haul.
More Power to All Players
The wonderful thing about accessibility features is that they open new doors for all players to get the most out of their game without bending over backwards, resorting to sketchy mods, or compensating with a less-than-ideal perk or pick-up at the expense of other preferences.
By involving technical sound designers early in development, developers can lay the groundwork for robust audio systems that make accessibility and customizability core values from launch.
Audio accessibility should never be relegated wholesale to a patch. With audio systems baked into games as base kit, studios can ensure greater accessibility at launch and prepare the means for further improvements down the road as their audience grows.
