EverQuest II Audio Interview

GameZone Online has conducted an interview with Heather Sowards, asking the EverQuest II audio director quite a few questions about the sound design in the game. Check it out:

Q: Sound often plays a supporting role to the video portion of a game. If it is good, it is rarely noticed. If it is bad, it can be a real irritant. What differentiates how much is enough and how much is going overboard, in your opinion, when it comes to sound? How did you strike a balance with EQ2?

A: This is a great question 🙂 I think a lot of times the mistake is made that “everything” in the game that should make sound has a sound and that isn’t always the case with good sound in movies and games. You need to pick the elements in the game that are going to create the illusion you want to build for the player and what sounds are important to alert the player to key game play information. If we’ve done our job right, the audio shouldn’t be irritating or overly noticeable. 🙂 It should just be an integral part of the experience. No one likes a guitarist that solos all the time and it’s the same with audio elements in a game. We can’t try and be the center of attention all the time, we need to help create the entire experience along with art, design and gameplay.