In this project, our goal is to select a gameplay video and reconstruct a complete set of sound effects by creating and syncing our own sounds to the video. Every interactive and background element seen in the footage must be accompanied by sound. These sounds must be recorded and produced by ourselves. The game I chose for this project is Red Goddess: Inner World.
Audio List and Storyboard ：
Chosen video - Red Goddess Inner World
Audio List
First, I imported the video into ChatGPT and asked for suggestions on how to break the voiceover task into phases. Based on the feedback, I divided the project into several stages. Then I categorized the different game scenes and listed the types of sound effects needed for each part. This helped me understand which audio assets were necessary for character actions, environmental sounds, UI cues, and the setting.
Finally, I began recording the required sound effects myself, matching each one to its corresponding scene to complete the voiceover and sound design task.
After completing the planning of the audio list and storyboard, I began to record the necessary sound effects in a targeted manner, while also collecting additional ambient sounds that might be useful. In the university recording studio, I captured several key sound effects, including running footsteps for the character, the sound of coins falling and jumping, as well as background ambience to enhance the overall atmosphere.
The background sound was created by rubbing plastic materials to simulate texture and movement. Initially, I attempted to record the sound of two ceramic cups clashing, intending to use it as the protagonist’s magical attack effect. However, the original recording did not produce the desired result. To improve it, I applied several post-production effects in Adobe Audition, including EQ, reverb, delay, pitch shifting, and compression. These adjustments helped the sound better match the intended magical attack effect.
Audio Processing：
Multitrack Timeline
I first imported the selected gameplay video into Adobe Audition and synchronized my recorded sound effects by placing them in the appropriate positions according to the visuals. After completing the basic alignment, I adjusted each sound effect based on the specific context to ensure they matched the on-screen actions and atmosphere.
To make the footsteps better match the character’s movement on screen, I made slight adjustments to their volume and timing, and layered them with ambient background sounds to create a more cohesive and immersive effect.
When processing the protagonist's jump, running,and attack sounds, I added fade-in and fade-out effects to make the transitions smoother and more natural. This helped prevent the sounds from appearing abrupt or jarring, making them better aligned with the rhythm of the character's movements.
I first adjusted the tone of the sound using EQ to better match the atmosphere required by the visuals. I boosted the high frequencies to give the sound more brightness and presence, while slightly reducing the low frequencies to avoid muddiness. After this processing, the sound became clearer. In the multitrack editing, I layered the EQ-ed sound effect with other audio tracks to make the overall mix richer and more textured.
For the character’s movements such as running and attacking, I paid special attention to sound processing. In the multitrack session, I applied reverb effects to simulate the natural echo of the character moving in an open space, enhancing the sense of spatial depth.
This was complemented by EQ adjustments—boosting the mid and high frequencies while reducing the low end—to make the sounds clearer and avoid muddiness with the background ambience. Additionally, I carefully adjusted the volume of the entire action sound track to ensure it wouldn’t overpower other important elements like dialogue or magic effects.
Finally, I applied Dynamics Processing and a Hard Limiter to the track. The Dynamics Processing was used to compress any harsh or overly sharp transient sounds while boosting the quieter parts, allowing the contrast between actions like running and attacking to feel more natural. This helps balance the overall volume and prevents individual sounds from being too abrupt or too faint.
The Hard Limiter was added to set a maximum volume threshold, preventing distortion caused by sounds exceeding a certain level. This ensures both the impact of the protagonist’s attack sounds and the control of sharper elements remain comfortable to the listener.
After completing the basic processing, I exported the first version of the MP3 and sent it along with the gameplay video to a friend for feedback. He mentioned that the background sound was a bit noisy and that the magic attack sound effects felt abrupt and didn’t blend well with the rest of the audio.
Based on this feedback, I further refined the overall audio track. First, I slightly reduced the volume of the background ambiance to ensure it wouldn’t clash with the character’s movements and dialogue, helping to enhance the focus of the listening experience. For the magic attack sounds, I readjusted the EQ—reducing harsh high frequencies while boosting the midrange to add more depth and weight. I also reapplied a moderate amount of reverb and echo to help the effect better match the rhythm of the visuals and feel more natural and spatially integrated. In addition, I fine-tuned the volume and carefully edited the envelope for the attack sound’s entrance and fade-out across multiple tracks, preventing any abrupt or jarring transitions.
Final Submission：
Reflection：
This project gave me a deep understanding of how important it is to maintain harmony between sound, visuals, rhythm, and emotion in sound design. At first, I felt quite lost when I received the assignment, unsure of where to begin. But as I gradually completed each step, I started to find my own direction.
The biggest challenge for me was recording sound effects by myself, something I had never done before. For example, the magic attack sound effect seemed fine when played on its own, but once added to the video, it felt jarring and out of place. I had to make many adjustments, experimenting over and over to make the sound feel more natural in the context of the game video.
I also explored using tools like Dynamics Processing and Hard Limiter to optimize the overall dynamic range and loudness of the audio. Through this, I gained a better understanding of the creative sides of sound design and the challenges of it.
Multitrack Timeline
评论
发表评论