View
357
Download
1
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
TellingStoryThroughSound:BuildinganInteractive"RadioPlay"
BonnieBogovichGameAudio,BlackCatBonifide
MichaelLeeSoftwareEngineer,SchellGames
BonnieBogovich MichaelLee
TheBakerStreetExperience
● ReleasedbySchellGamesonSeptember8th,2016● Aninteractiveaudioadventure(thatusesvoice!)● AvailableonallAlexa-enableddevices
AQuick‘Alexa’Primer
EchoDotEcho KindleFire
“Alexa, play Baker Street Experience”
TheBakerStreetExperience
NotThis
Ademonstration,Holmes…
Takeaways
● Audiogamesareanewmarketforclassictechniques● LessonslearnedfromdevelopingBakerStreet● AdvantagesofbuildingforAlexaand“smartspeakers”
Whatisa“RadioPlay?”● Classicandenhancedstorytelling● Incorporates● Strongwriting● Excitingfoleyworkandsounddesign● Dynamicandvariedcast● Funandcharmfromliveperformance
StillPopularToday!● Recordedepisodicadventures
● DoctorWho● Hitchhiker’sGuide● WelcometoNightvale
● Liveradioplayperformances● MidnightRadioprogram● HearNowFestival● AndNightvaleagain
AdvantagesofAudio“Plays”● Wideraccessibilityforgroups● Narrativeiterationandfreedom● Environments(sounddesignandmusic)● Characters(dramaticstorytelling)● Playershaveguidestopicturethescene, buttherestisuptoimagination
DesigningthePlay
SettingtheScene
● Twoweeks…intwoyears
● Focusoncharactersandscenarios,notnewsettings
Elementary,MyDearWatson● WhynotSherlockHolmes?● Focusoncreatingagoodgameinsteadofinventingnewsetting
● Freedomtoexploreandexpandonexistingcharacters,plots,andsettings
● TheSherlock-verseisverypopular!● Fansareopentonewinterpretations
(neversaid)
ConnectingthePieces● Finalizednarrativewithpathsandbranches
● Actorshadachancetoshine● Sounddesignershadablast● Playable15-25minutesexperience
JumpingtoAlexa
BeforeAlexa● Simpleprototype● MechanicalTurk-esque
● Thinkingaheadtovoice● Examineddifferentoptions● ButreallyjustwaitingforAlexa
JustOneWeekLater
HearingtheEcho…echo…echo…● RevisitingBakerStreet● AmazonreleasedAlexaSkillKitright afterour1stjamweek!
● Increasedsupportanddocumentationfornewdevelopers
● Andgamesstartedtoshowup!
TheAlexaAdventureEcosystem
WayneInvestigationsMagicDoor CodenameCygnus
TakingAdvantageofAlexa
● AvoidroboticAlexaspeakbyincorporatingaudio● Buildvoicepromptstofeellikenaturalconversation● UtilizenewfeatureslikeHomeCards
UsingthenewHomeCardsystem
PortingComplications
VoicingSomeConstraints
● Not(originally)designedforlong-formSkills● Onlysupports90secondsofaudioper“prompt”● Misinterpretedinputcausesrepeatsanderrors● Skillsautomaticallytimeoutafter15seconds
WorkingWithinLimitations● The90secondlimit● Reworkpromptstoaddmoreinteractionpoints● Thetimelimithelpedkeeppromptsfocused
● AddingWatsonwittyresponses● Misinterpretedfeedback● Timeoutissues
AndReleased!
Alexa,CareForMoreAdventures?
TheGrowthoftheSmartSpeakers● Greaterhardwareadoption● Echo/Dot/Kindle(Alexa)● GoogleHome(GoogleNow)
● Enthusiasticsupport● Audienceisresponding● Skillsarebeinghighlighted
BarriersareLow
● Requireslittleramp-up● Amazonprovidesbasicframework● Focusonwritingandsound● Visualsaresecondary
*Monetizationstillawork-in-progress
NewMarketforClassicTechniques● MostSkillsutilizebasictext-to-speechsystems● Designyourstorieswithtraditionalradioplayconceptstocreateabetterstory● Voiceactors,foley,andbackgroundambience
● Growinglandscapewithdesireforcontent● Lotsofopportunitiesforpartneredexperiences● Ifyou’restuck,rememberthepublicdomain!
ThanksandCreditsThankstoJonandEddyfromEarplayandSusanO’Connor
CASTJamesMoriarty—CHRISTOPHERARNOLDIreneAdler—BONNIEBOGOVICH
InspectorG.Lestrade—TOMQUITONITheNarrator—TIMROSKO
PROJECTROLES
PROJECTDIRECTORTOMQUITONI
DESIGNCHRISTOPHERARNOLDBONNIEBOGOVICHBOBJONESJOSHLIPPERTTOMQUITONI
SherlockHolmes—RYANHALLJohnH.Watson—BOBJONES
ENGINEERINGMANOJANANDMICHAELLEE
AUDIOENGINEERBONNIEBOGOVICH
HOMECARDARTBENGREENE
WRITERSCHRISTOPHERARNOLDBONNIEBOGOVICHBOBJONESJOSHLIPPERTTOMQUITONI
ORIGINALCONCEPTBONNIEBOGOVICHMATTMAHON
SPECIALTHANKSREAGANHELLERANABALLIACHE
PRESENTEDBYSCHELLGAMES
Alexa, play “Baker Street Experience”
ThankYou!BonnieBogovich@BlackCatBonfeed
MichaelLee@drinkycode
Pleaseremembertofilloutyoursurveys!
Alexa,play“BakerStreetExperience”
Moreexamplesat:tinyurl.com/bakerstreetvids
Recommended