8-bit video game sound effects have had a unique impact on the identity of video gaming as an emerging art. Many can recall the most iconic 8-bit sound of pac-man eating the small dots while navigating the maze (see link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m-ycdT0XFQ). The noises from early 8 bit video games all came from voices and channels. These noises are produced from different types of waves. Some common wave sounds are pulse, triangle, noise, and sample.
The pulse wave, or square wave, represents a sound similar to a beep noise. (image below)
The triangle wave represents the bassline in music. The pitch of the triangle waves may be altered to create percussion sound effects. (image below)
The noise channel does not have a common wave shape. When you hear this noise, it resembles static or white noise. These noises are also used for percussion. They can produce many symbol sounds, such as a high hat on a drum kit. (image below)
The sample channel is short a recording of a noise you create. Many people use a sample noise as percussion and sound effects. Images of the sample channel vary and there is no standard wave form or image to displayed.
Using www.bfxr.net, I was able to make sounds based on the 8-bit waves I described above. If you click the link below it will bring you to a playlist of the sounds I have created. I adjusted the harmonics, frequency, punch, and other options that alter the basic waveform of each channel for sound.
Students can analyze how different simple sounds act as important reinforcing cues to players in a video game. They act as a confirmation to the visual actions players have done. These sounds emphasize the feelings a player feels while playing a game. In my previous post, “Impacts of Visual and Audio Features while Gaming ”, it is evident that sound plays a large role in video games, even more than visual aesthetics. By teaching students how to connect audio with visuals they will have a better understanding of how these two elements work together to make a strong piece of art by combining multiple areas of art. The audio emphasizes the visuals to a new level. By starting out with a simple understanding of how creators first used sound with visuals in video games, students can form a solid foundation to launch them into further development of projects involving audio and visuals as a model of the arts in multiple areas.
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