Underwater sound recording for Subnautica - Subnautica

System · May 2014

Underwater sound recording for Subnautica - Subnautica

Subnautica presents some interesting challenges for audio, a big one is finding a way to record high quality audio underwater. this requires some specialized gear. the old school way of doing this is to put your expensive mic in a condom, hope it’s water tight and dunk it underwater ( 100% seems like a bad idea to me). So I got a dedicated hydrophone: In this video I’m also using a GoPro to capture sounds on actual scuba dives and to document the recording process. Unfortunately the GoPro’s audio quality is too poor for sound design but the videos it makes and the dives themselves give me a great auditory and experiential reference i can call on for creating the soundscape …

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Comprox · May 2014

Opening for comments.

Seb · May 2014

Is this just for reference, or for sampling or what? Please write more about the sound production methods etc, as a sound engineer, its very interesting!

AussieKid · May 2014

I would be pretty interested in more detail on this too, particularly with post-processing techniques used to get the underwater recorded samples ready for use in-game.

LumpN · May 2014

In my opinion sound is an area where too much realism can diminish the player experience really quickly. Just like with graphics where you don't want blue, blurry, dark, and short view distance despite the fact that it would be realistic. Imagine what would happen to all the space shooter games if there was realistic sound, i.e. none.

A friend of mine put it this way: A game's setting is just a good excuse to present awesome stuff to the player. Graphics, audio, story, etc.

System wrote: »

Subnautica presents some interesting challenges for audio

I guess, the challenge is to create audio for Subnautica that is both awesome and underwatery.

Coelispex · May 2014

This is kinda weird. A lot of money just for sound.

ritualsacrifice · May 2014

Coelispex wrote: »

This is kinda weird. A lot of money just for sound.

sound is probably more important than graphics

simon kamakazi · May 2014

yes, sound and music are things that are expensive to do well. u need a lot of specialized gear, a well set up mixing environment ( ie big room with good speakers and acoustical treatment) synthesizers guitars mics etc. i wouldn't say sound is more important than graphics (it is to me coz it my job but not to most players) it is a major part of how a game is perceived tho.. even if most players dont notice this... i think of it as 1 quarter of the game, u have gameplay , visuals and sound but i think the most important thing is how those 3 elements come together and thats the 4th kinda abstract element "the experience". but the idea is that if either visuals game play or sound are are not done right (or even if they are technically done well but are not complimenting one another) the overall experience suffers and the player is pulled out of the immersion. sound gives the visuals and game play credibility and character.

but yeh im not going for realism with subnautica sound we arnt making a simulator. im going for somthing like avatar/ star wars but underwater.

ill make more videos about how sound are processed soon. also be on the look out for some live streaming when i work . coming soon

Soul_Rider · May 2014

So we learned that underwater all you can hear is yourself breathing and a strange clicking sound that resonates throughout the ocean. Nice :P

simon kamakazi · May 2014

orite guys, check out

ill be live streaming the creation of sound and music for @Subnautica

follow me on twitter ill announce on there b4 i start casting

https://twitter.com/sy1k1

simon kamakazi · May 2014

ok cast starting shortly -- todays sounds.. more techy stuff scifing it up

simon kamakazi · June 2014

ok cast starting in like 10 mins join to see how sound is made

Underwater sound recording for Subnautica - Subnautica

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