MUSI272 onscreen are trying to represent . It can make the game world feel larger than it is on our limited screen space .
If we combine this idea of sound representing experience with Gilmore and Pine ’ s ( 1999 ) theory of immersion , we see the connection between sound synthesis and player engagement . Pine and Gilmore ’ s theory suggests that participation is either ‘ active ’ ( such as controlling character movement ) or ‘ passive ’ ( such as watching an in-game cut scene ), and that this results in an experience ranging from ‘ absorption ’, where the player ’ s attention is grabbed by an onscreen element , to ‘ immersion ’, where the player feels a part of the game . These parameters are then combined to create an experience ranging from ‘ entertainment ’ where the player is absorbed but passive , to ‘ escapist ’ where the player is immersed in active participation . In the opening scene of Far Cry 4 , the player is visually experiencing the ‘ entertainment ’ state . The player is being introduced to the game ’ s environment passively , being absorbed by the scenery . However , the synthesis of sound starts to take the player from the absorption state a little closer to immersion , as it engages the player in a more active form of listening . The sound-world moves from the soft string pad and pan flute that accompanies the snowy mountains to a very present , and starkly modern in contrast , sound of a car rushing past , that has inherent motion . To achieve the state of ‘ escapist ’ play , the game has to create context and a frame of reference for a game world in which the player can become engrossed . This use of sounds to represent a complete experience expands the game world past the player ’ s screen , establishing from the very beginning a vast space for the rest of the gameplay to develop in and expand , improving the probability that a player will become totally immersed as the
narrative unfolds and they begin to have their emotions influenced by the characters and narrative .
The use of an originally composed non-diegetic score to aid immersion works with Brown and Cairns ’ s ( 2004 ) theory that to be immersed you have to become emotionally invested and emotionally affected by the video game . The use of non-diegetic music often mimics that of film , relying on tropes from film-music cues to create a mood for a scene or an emotional response from the player . Act 1 : Mission 7 - Shock and Awe from Activision ’ s Call of Duty 4 : Modern Warfare mimics the rescue scene from Ridley Scott ’ s film Black Hawk Down in both its plot and music . In Black Hawk Down we hear the motif shown above ; in Call of Duty 4 : Modern Warfare we hear the motif shown below . Whilst the instrumentation is different , they both use an underlying semiquaver movement to set the pulse with an accent on the first
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