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The Audio of Fable 2: Large scale collaboration

Kristofor Mellroth Audio Director Microsoft Game Studios Fable 2 Sound Supervisor. The Audio of Fable 2: Large scale collaboration. Intro. Intro. What is “Large scale collaboration?”. Intro. …like a great turducken. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turducken. Key roles for the 3 S’s.

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The Audio of Fable 2: Large scale collaboration

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  1. Kristofor Mellroth Audio Director Microsoft Game Studios Fable 2 Sound Supervisor The Audio of Fable 2: Large scale collaboration

  2. Intro

  3. Intro • What is “Large scale collaboration?”

  4. Intro

  5. …like a great turducken http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turducken

  6. Key roles for the 3 S’s

  7. Schedule is a feature • Start date: January 4, 2008 • Stop date: June 23, 2008 • 6 months…

  8. Audio Design Pillars

  9. Audio Design Pillars

  10. Audio Design Pillars

  11. Postmortem: What went right?

  12. What went right? - Circle of trust

  13. What went right? - Implementation • Paper design first • Flexibility through assets • Progress despite dependencies • Area specialization • One mix • Single screen co-op • Online co-op • Single player

  14. What went right? • Using a sound design vendor • Scale • World-class assets • Outsourcing is honest

  15. What went right? • Next-Gen Communication • Totally decentralized production • Communication complex but effective • Weekly Conf Calls • Regional Team Meetings • IM • Email • Bug Database • Webcams

  16. What went right? • Project tracking on a shared *Excel™ spreadsheet • Visible to the entire team • No “black box” schedule • Lets you iterate before you start *click here to buy

  17. What went right? • Audio quality • Ambitions met • Acknowledgments • GANG • Bafta • Spike • Elan • Bottom line…it’s a dream game to do audio for!

  18. The important bit… • What. Went. Wrong??

  19. Challenges • Tool set • 1 configuration supported • Steep learning curve • Unique terminology • Slow build times • Bugs • Lessons Learned • Complex tools take commitment • Monolithic tools = audio tool compromises • Proprietary tools don’t scale

  20. Challenges • Team proximity • Email tone (humour VS humor) • Tools required Lionhead infrastructure • Lessons Learned • Face = context, context = understanding • Tools due diligence required • Beware of tools that “manage everything for you”

  21. Challenges • Memory Management • Early assumptions proved false • 100% over budget • Audio memory prediction is hard • Lessons Learned • Solve in preproduction • Build to capabilities • 20 mb is NOT enough • You CAN squeeze 13 megs of blood from a stone • Leave room or have a plan for DLC

  22. Challenges • Co-Op • Came in very late • Online complicated to test • 2 players on a single screen causes havok • Lessons learned • Check all mixes against 2 player • Need lots of variation • 2D sounds break everything • Network sound messages

  23. Challenges • Reference materials • Vid caps, anim renders, docs, etc • Time not accounted for • Documentation lapses late • Lessons Learned • Have an audio associate producer! • Asset wrangler • Follow up with devs • Dept advocate

  24. Challenges • O.C.Detail - AKA “things not heard” • TV vs Home Theater mix • Game Economy (Thanks Pub Games!) • Interactive music intensity can be unique • Co-op camera • Lessons learned • Nothing, it is totally worth it. (mostly)

  25. Techniques

  26. Techniques • Change? Everything changes • Player gender • Clothes and boots (Leather, Armor, Naked) • Good/Evil alignment • Player skill = new move sets • Blunt/Sharp/Choppy melee weapons with 7 types and 5 levels each • Pistols/Rifles/Crossbows with 10 types and 5 levels each • 9 different spells with 5 levels and 2 types • Day/Night • Player/Henchmen • NPC Heroes – diff spells, abilities • Corporeal/Incorporeal Baddies • Human/Monster/Giant Baddies • Story - FMV, In-game cinematic, cut scene, scripted

  27. Techniques • Case study: Weapons • RPG - Change • Rusty • Master

  28. Techniques Listener

  29. Techniques Listener

  30. Techniques • Case study: Ambience • Bowerstone Market • Seamless time of day • Rich atmosphere • Clock tower • Good • Evil

  31. Techniques • Case study: Spells • Sword of Damocles • Perspective • RPG

  32. Techniques • Case study: Music • Action reinforcement • Crescendo Music system

  33. Techniques • Case study: Character Performances • Reinforce Drama • Character Performance • Stats • 370 000 words • 100 studio days • 50 actors • 4 directors • 2 casting directors • 38 hours of voice recording IN GAME

  34. Techniques • DSP • Wavearts • Final Plug – Reduces overall dynamic range • Custom • Harmonic Exciter – Creates “variation” • Princeton Reverb

  35. Questions? • Thanks! • Kristofm@microsoft.com

  36. Appendix

  37. Team Structure • Russell Shaw – Head of Music, Lionhead • Composer • Music manager • Tools designer • The driving force inside Lionhead • Holds secret powers • Sound design

  38. Team Structure • Georg Backer– Associate Producer of Audio, Lionhead • Voice-over supervisor • Attended all VO sessions • Coordinated VO logistics

  39. Team Structure • Guy Whitmore – Director of Audio (MGS) • Head of all publishing audio • Ensures that 1st party games raise the bar • Has production resources and budget • Guides all products in MGS • Keeps an eye on all 3 disciplines for Fable 2 • Music • Sound • VO

  40. Team Structure • Kristofor Mellroth – Sound Design Supervisor • MGS Audio Director • Managed sound design team and process • Feature scoping, scheduling • Specialized in systems design • Sound designed the Dog • Oversees other titles, must balance time

  41. Team Structure • Audio Implementation • Kristen Quebe • Specializing in mechanics sound and systems design • Asset mastering • Sound design • Jeffrey Linsenbigler • Specializing in world sound and systems design • Asset mastering • Sound design

  42. Team Structure • MGS Soundlab • Ken Kato – Audio Production Manager • Manages sound design team / recording schedules • Keith Sjoquist – Sound designer / Recording Engineer • Peter Comley – Sound designer • Mark Yeend – Sound designer • Kyle Fraser – Sound designer

  43. Team Structure • Fable 2 Pub Games • Mark Yeend – Audio Director • Created sound design and implemented in XACT • Supervised and ported entire project into Fable 2

  44. Team Structure • Soundelux • Scott Gershin – Supervising Sound Designer • All sounds ran through Scott • Shannon Potter – Co-Supervisor • Managed project and client relationship. Tracked all assets and deliveries, sound design of farting & burping • Sound Design team • 10 Sound designers • 3 foley guys • 4 Asset coordinators • VO / ADR folks • And 3 dog trainers

  45. Team Structure • Other contributors • Shoko Iwano – Sound Design • Neil Wakefield – Audio Programmer • Kostas Zarifis – Audio Tools Programmer • Jennifer Stanners – Associate producer • Stan LePard – Pub Games Orchestration • Allan Wilson – Orchestration • SideUK – VO recording and editing

  46. Tools • Sound Design • ProTools • Audition • Nuendo • Mastering • Audition • Wavelab • Sound Forge 9.0 • Composition • Nuendo

  47. Music • Orchestral line up: • 16 first violin • 14 second violin • 12 violas • 10 celli • 8 bass • 6 horns • 2 flute (doubling piccolo) • 2 clarinet (doubling bass clarinet) • 2 oboe (doubling coranglais) • 2 bassoon • 1 contra bassoon • 1 flugelhorn (doubling trumpet) • 2 tuba • 2 euphonium (tenor tuba) • 1 harp • 1 piano (doubling celeste) • 1 Timpanist • 2 x percussion

  48. Music • Credits: • Fable Score • Composed by Russell Shaw • Orchestrated and Conducted by Allan Wilson • Recorded and Mixed by Peter Fuchs • Associate Music Production: Peter Fuchs • Mixed at Phoenix Sound, Pinewood • Orchestra • Orchestra: Slovak National Symphony Orchestra • Orchestra manager: Marian Turner • Music Co-ordinator: Paul Talkington • Recorded at SlovenskyRozhlas Studios, Bratislava • Sound Assistants: Hubert Geschwandtner and Martin Roller • Singers • The Pinewood Singers • Tiffin Boys’ Choir • Tiffin Boys Choir Master: Simon Toyne • Recorded at  Phoenix Sound, Pinewood. • Celtic/Folk instrumentalists • Robert White & Brian Gulland

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