Bungie has put lot of passion, time and love into ‘Destiny 2’ sound design says game’s Music Director
One of the things that makes a video game awesome is good sound design. Not as common as you might think but, once you hear it, you will never forget.
Bungie, developer of games such as Myth, Destiny, Halo and Oni is a master at good sound design, as you will know if you have played any of their games.
Because good video game sound design of shots fired, distant voices and the music, especially in first-person shooters, all pull you into the game and make you feel as though you are living it right along with the character you are playing.
Bungie’s upcoming Destiny 2 looks like it does just that if the dev interview video released by IGN today is anything to go by.
In it, two of the game’s sound designers talk about what they concentrate on when designing sound for Destiny 2.
“Is it a weapon you’re firing or is it a weapon somebody else is firing? What type of environment are you in? How far away is the weapon being fired?” said Jay Weinland, Head of Audio at Bungie. “We work really carefully to try to make sure the weapon is very visceral when it’s in your hands, but it sounds appropriate when it’s in somebody else’s hands”.
One thing you may have also noticed in Destiny, or not, is that the sound for single-player and PvP is completely different as well.
Weinland said they changed the mix completely for PvP so that you hear your enemies more than your own team mates. That type of detail makes it a little more likely you will know when you are being snuck up on, allowing you to react more quickly.
As for the music, Skye Lewin, Music Director and Composer at Bungie (what a great job!) explains that the role of the music in a video game is to support the emotion of the story.
“We try not to tell the player what to feel, but we try to imply it in a way that enhances the experience without going over the top”.
The two devs sound very proud of what they have achieved in sound design for Destiny 2, with Weinland saying “We’ve created some really cool sound effects and cinematic mixes in this game so far. I can’t wait for people to hear ’em”.
“We put a lot of passion and time and love into it, and I hope that comes across”, agreed Skye Lewin.
Watch the Bungie devs talk about designing sound for Destiny 2 in the video below.
Destiny 2 will be releasing on the PS4 and Xbox One in September. It will arrive on PC around a month later.
And, if the game is going to be that good, owning the Destiny 2 Digital Deluxe pack might just be a thing.
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