Whether right or wrong, not all mobile devs make in-game audio a priority.
Freelance sound designer Ben Long, however, used his presentation at GDC Europe 2012 to make a case for setting aside more time for sound, going as far as to suggest audio can even aid monetisation.
Taking to the stage in Cologne, Long suggested many mobile studios are overlooking audio not realising it could solve one of the biggest problems that faces them today.
There is dischord in the harmony
"The toughest [aspect] for developers is earning money from their game and getting audiences to buy virtual goods - and audio can help this tremendously," opened Long.
The reasoning behind such a suggestion lies in the roots of arcade gaming, he stated. More specifically, the sound of a coin being pushed into pinball machines and cabinets.
"What you just heard was real money becoming virtual, and that sound changed it. You lost money, but you gained the sound," he argued.
This physiological connection between audio and reward, Long added, is something that developers should focus more on in the future.
"Visuals are limited to the square screen of the iPhone or the tablet. Audio is boundless and can be subliminal," he concluded.
"Audio completely surrounds the phone, so it's important to take this into consideration."
You can find out more about Ben's view on audio via his website.
News
Will's obsession with gaming started off with sketching Laser Squad levels on pads of paper, but recently grew into violently shouting "Tango Down!" at random strangers on the street. He now directs that positive energy into his writing (due in no small part to a binding court order).
Related Articles
News
Aug 15th, 2012
GDCE 2012: GREE stresses the importance of science and sharing for freemium success
News
Aug 14th, 2012
GDCE 2012: ngmoco's Senta Jakobsen on building a team when developers don't come to the office
Top Stories
News
5 hours, 4 minutes ago
Pocket Worlds’ Highrise surpasses 40 million users as it unveils new development tools
Feature
Mar 25th, 2024
5 takeaways from GDC 2024: The games industry reckons with key challenges, Godot competes with Unity, and AI was the big trend without the big announcements
Feature
Mar 25th, 2024
Hot Five: Epic’s app store plans, Turkey’s tax exemptions, and Call of Duty Warzone: Mobile finally releases globally
Events
Mobidictum Network Lisbon April 2024 | Europe | Apr 16th |
HIT Games Conference Istanbul 2024 | Apr 18th | |
App Promotion Summit London | Europe | Apr 25th |
Dubai GameExpo Summit 2024 | Middle East | May 1st |
Mobidictum Meetup Berlin May 2024 | Europe | May 7th |
Mobidictum Meetup Tallinn May 2024 | Europe | May 21st |
Israel Mobile Summit 2024 | Middle East | Jun 6th |
Mobidictum Meetup Barcelona September 2024 | Europe | Sep 1st |
Popular Stories
Feature
Mar 25th, 2024