Interview The Sounds Of Skyrim

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Bethesda Softworks; Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

<p>Every new day another bit of juicy <strong>Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim</strong> news. I'm so excited. Today Gameinformer provides a four-part video interview with Mark Lampert, audio director at Bethsoft, about what it takes to make the most awesome sound imaginable. <a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/01/14/the-sounds-of-skyrim.aspx" target="_blank">For your pleasure</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In a sprawling role-playing epic like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, good audio can make or break the experience. An out-of-place musical theme, a poor voice actor in a key role, or a goofy sound effect can ruin the immersion, pulling players out of the excitement of the game. At the same time, strong audio work can help a game soar, deepening every level of involvement in the world of the game. We talked with Mark Lampert, audio director and sound designer at Bethesda Game Studios, and the chief architect of the aural experience players will encounter in Skyrim. He revealed details on all the sound elements players will encounter in the game, and had some fascinating examples of his work to share.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>We really should do an interview with those guys over at Bethesda.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/101103-the-sounds-of-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim.html">Gamebanshee</a></p>

 

[commie]

So long as they keep Moira's VO actor it will be awesum.

 

[Jaesun]

In a sprawling role-playing epic like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Had to stop reading after that...

 

[racofer]

This will be a long year...

 

[bhlaab]

a poor voice actor in a key role can ruin the immersion, pulling players out of the excitement of the game.

Oh, can it Bethesda? Thanks for the sagely advice

 

[Hirato]

a poor voice actor in a key role can ruin the immersion

Immediately I think of Moira in Fallout 3. The samples taken for her speech were absolutely terrible (probably just the shitty engine...), there was this really annoying buzzing in the background whenever she talked. Come to think of it, a significant amount of the voices samples presented this problem.

If I had any interest in getting skyrimjob, I'd hope that they do a much better job than they did with fallout 3.

 

[Overweight Manatee]

An out-of-place musical theme... can ruin the immersion

Was I the only one who was immediately reminded of this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA-rLV6hGY4&feature=related

 

[Erzherzog]

Music in Elder Scrolls has been pretty fine, even in Oblivion.

But dear god, a lot of people complained about the voice acting. I hope they tried to fix it.

 

[roll-a-die]

Bethesda, I think your music idea for this game has been done before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP3zLExMIzE

 

[Saxon1974]

Im really liking what I have heard of the theme.

It reminds me alot of Morrowind's theme.

 

[Turjan]

This will be a long year...

Given the pace of news about this game compared to its release date, about when do you think Todd will show us his dildo collection?

 

[Leimrey]

Let's hope that at least Bethesda won't fuck up with the musical score (the music in the trailer was quite impressive). Ehh, who am I kidding, the game will most likely suffer from a terminal case of Consolitis Casualis.

Given the pace of news about this game compared to its release date, about when do you think Todd will show us his dildo collection?

 

[Tycn]

It reminds me alot of Morrowind's theme.

Sadly, this is where the similarities will end.

 

[sah]

Do we really need more Skyrim news?

 

[hanssolo]

Am I the only one who's a little uncomfortable seeing these day-by-day accounts of Game Informer's sexual rendezvous with Todd & Friends™? Some matters are best kept private.

 

[torpid]

Did they mention the atrocious VA in Oblivion or are they pretending it never happened?

 

[racofer]

Everyone knows Oblivion wasn't perfect, and learning from these past mistakes is what will make Oblivion 2 that much better game.

 

[CrunchyHemorrhoids]

Bethesda, I think your music idea for this game has been done before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP3zLExMIzE

It's far more likely bethesda's ripping off Beowulf- a recent popular movie in the same setting- like it did with LOTR for oblivion, than some unrelated tune from a russian movie nobody ever watched.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQdxPxJW68M

Did they mention the atrocious VA in Oblivion or are they pretending it never happened?

Moira aside FO3 already improved voicework, the problem is the scripts.

 

[JarlFrank]

Did they mention the atrocious VA in Oblivion or are they pretending it never happened?

BUT IT HAD EMPEROR PICARD

 

[Mastermind]

Bethesda, I think your music idea for this game has been done before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP3zLExMIzE

It's far more likely bethesda's ripping off Beowulf- a recent popular movie in the same setting- like it did with LOTR for oblivion, than some unrelated tune from a russian movie nobody ever watched.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQdxPxJW68M

Neither song sounds anything like the Skyrim theme. The bar for "ripping off" seems to be pretty damn low. As in "there's sound coming out so it was ripped off" damn low.

 

[commie]

Here's a thought: instead of using up most of the VO budget on celebrity voices which are still badly directed, bored, and have nothing to work with, why not actually use the budget for good writers and a multitude of unknown but decent voice actors?

 

[Luzur]

Here's a thought: instead of using up most of the VO budget on celebrity voices which are still badly directed, bored, and have nothing to work with, why not actually use the budget for good writers and a multitude of unknown but decent voice actors?

but then they cant brag about how they got George Clooney voicing the beggars.

 

[Fowyr]

Can we instaretardo any Skyrim news?

 

[CrunchyHemorrhoids]

Neither song sounds anything like the Skyrim theme. The bar for "ripping off" seems to be pretty damn low. As in "there's sound coming out so it was ripped off" damn low.

...The skyrim theme/melody is the same from oblivion/morrowind, you're missing the point.

Todd saw LOTR as the popular notion his audience had of a fantasy setting at the time and tried to make it so oblivion players would connect the two, have something familiar to them in the game.

Now he's making a skyrim game, he's going to again try to make the game live up to the mainstream's idea of nordic fantasy, that's Beowulf and it's reflected in the main theme that now has those deep drums, horns and macho choir, much like the memorable theme and intro to the most popular nordic fantasy movie in recent years(if not ever).

I disagreed with roll-a-die's notion/joke that it was inspired from an obscure music segment from an obscure movie that few people outside communisthan ever watched, especially considering that the whole macho choir+drums+horns isn't original in the least.

 

[Abraxas]

Hehe, in the fourth video, when they show the score you can see what I suppose are themes for inspiration, there's a viking movie poster, a shot from Valhalla Rising and... the techno viking!