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Causing Fear, Suspense, and Anxiety Using Sound Design in Computer Games

Causing Fear, Suspense, and Anxiety Using Sound Design in Computer Games

Paul Toprac, Ahmed Abdel-Meguid
Copyright: © 2011 |Pages: 16
ISBN13: 9781616928285|ISBN10: 161692828X|EISBN13: 9781616928308
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61692-828-5.ch009
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MLA

Toprac, Paul, and Ahmed Abdel-Meguid. "Causing Fear, Suspense, and Anxiety Using Sound Design in Computer Games." Game Sound Technology and Player Interaction: Concepts and Developments, edited by Mark Grimshaw, IGI Global, 2011, pp. 176-191. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-61692-828-5.ch009

APA

Toprac, P. & Abdel-Meguid, A. (2011). Causing Fear, Suspense, and Anxiety Using Sound Design in Computer Games. In M. Grimshaw (Ed.), Game Sound Technology and Player Interaction: Concepts and Developments (pp. 176-191). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-61692-828-5.ch009

Chicago

Toprac, Paul, and Ahmed Abdel-Meguid. "Causing Fear, Suspense, and Anxiety Using Sound Design in Computer Games." In Game Sound Technology and Player Interaction: Concepts and Developments, edited by Mark Grimshaw, 176-191. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2011. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-61692-828-5.ch009

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Abstract

This chapter provides a theoretical foundation for the study of how emotions are affected by game sound as well as empirical evidence for determining how to promote fear, suspense, and anxiety in players using sound effects. Four perspectives on emotions are described: Darwinian, James-Lange, cognitive, and social constructivist. Three basic properties of diegetic sound effects were studied: volume, timing, and source. Results strongly suggest that the best sound design for causing fear is high volume and timed sound effects (synchronized game sound with visual moment) and somewhat suggest that sourced sound effects also promote fear. For anxiety, results strongly suggest that the best sound design is medium volume sound effects. Results also suggest that acousmatic and untimed sound effects evoke suspense rather than anxiety. Low volume sound effects are not effective at evoking fear, suspense, and anxiety due to potential masking by other sounds. Implications and future research directions are presented.

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