1. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
Game Title The Last Of Us (Start2:26:13 - Stop2:29:04)
Provide detailed descriptions from chosen examples that establish… Clearly state what production technique(s) you think have
been used to create specific soundtrack elements
Setting We can presume thatat firstthe scene isset outside as we can hear gustsof wind
and creakingmetal inthe backgroundfroma buildingnear-by.We knowthatthe
scene movestoa differentlocationasrightafterthiswe hear multiplefootstepson
a woodenfloorbutstill hearingafaintwindinthe back.Nextthe destination
changesas the winddiesdownandyoucan hearthe cracklingof firewoodbeing
burnt,from thisI can assume thatit isaround wintertime ornightas the
temperature seemstobe low.Finallythe scene movesbackoutside asthe wind
picksback up andwe hearsomeone runningonsnowandalsoa horse that then
gallopsonthe snowaway fromthe camera as it getsquieterandquitter.
To create the soundof the windand the creaking
metal theycouldhave eitherbeenfieldrecorded
or createdby a Foleyartist.The same two
techniquescouldhave beenusedtocreate the
cracking soundof the firewood. Finallythe sound
of someone runningonsnowcouldhave been
created/fieldrecorded.
Mood At the beginningthe general moodisrelief as we hearthe pitchrise in the girl’s
voice as she says“no infected”andwe can alsotell thisfromthe man’squiet
chuckle shortlyafter.The nextemotioniscuriosity;we knowthisfromthe dialogue
whenthe man says“let’sgocheck on thatbuck of ours”.From thiswe can alsotell
that he is worriedincase the buck hasbeenstolenorhas beeninfected.Asthe
destinationchangessodoesthe moodaswe hearpanting/lossof breathe fromboth
characters suggestingthattheyare tiredfromwhateveractivitytheywere
previouslydoing.Afterwardthe attitudechangestobecome tense asthe dreadful
musicbeginsinthe backgroundandthe manuseshisdialogue andalmostbegins
interrogatingthe younggirl.Subsequentlythe younggirl beginstofeelfearandshe
quicklystandsupand we hearthe soundof a gun beingimmediatelybeingpicked
up.Shortlyafterthe atmosphere becomeshostileasa thirdcharacter isintroduced
and seemstobe aiminga gun andwhenhe firsttalkshe soundsaggressive andthe
girl alsobecomeshostile asshownbyherdialogue whenshe tellsthe third
character to move.The final feelingshowninthisscene fearfromthe younggirl,I
knowthisbecause we hearfootstepsrunninginthe snowandquick,heavypanting.
The pantingsoundcouldhave beenfieldrecorded
or to wouldhave beenrecordedinastudioso
that atmosphere was perfectlyquietsothatthe
soundcouldclearlybe heard. The dreadful music
was mostlikelymade bythe se of a MIDI
instrumentandthe correctsoftware. The sound
of the gunbeingpickedupwouldhave been
createdby a Foleyartist.Howeveritcouldhave
beenfieldrecordedbutIfeel thatthiswouldhave
beentoodifficult.
Game genre From thisscene we can assume thatthe genre of the game has somethingtodo
withsurvival asfoodisscarce and people have toresorttohuntingwildlife.We can
The onlythingthat can suggestthe genre of the
game is the dialogue whichwouldhave been
2. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
alsotell thatsomethinghashappenedtothe people of the world(like anoutbreak)
as theyreference themonlyas“the infected”whichmayhave drove people away
fromthe cityand intothe forests,nature reservesandcountryside.Fromthese we
can tell thatthe game isa post-apocalyptic/survival game.
studiorecorded.
Narrative The narrative of the storyis that thisyounggirl and a man crosspaths but thenhave
to deal withthe situationof “the infected”.Afterfightingthemoff they gobackto
warm upat the fire.Finallythe manrevealsinformationthathe alreadyknowsthe
girl because she andthe other maincharacter previouslykilledmembersof his
group.Learningthisthe younggirl standsup and isletgo by the man and his
companionthatshowsup as he thinksthatshe won’tsurvive onherown.She runs
to herhorse and thenthe horse gallopsawayintothe distance.
All of the dialogue inthisscene wouldhave been
recordedina professional studio andthen
manipulatedorchangedpostproductionif itwas
necessarytodo so.
