Game Audio Connected to Diegesis

I stumbled upon an interesting Gamasutra article proposing a framework for game audio. The IEZA framework splits the audio design space into a) a diegetic/non-diegetic dimension and b) an activity/setting dimension, resulting in the sound categories below (quoted from the article):

The Interface category expresses the activity in the non-diegetic part of the game environment. In many games of today this is sound that is synced with activity in the HUD, either as a response to player activity or as a response to game activity.

The Effect category expresses the activity in the diegetic part of the game. Sound is often synced to events in the game world, either triggered by the player or by the game itself. However, activity in the diegetic part of the game can also include sound streams, such as the sound of a continuously burning fire.

The Zone category expresses the setting (for example the geographical or topological setting) of the diegetic part of the game environment. In many games of today, Zone is often designed in such a way (using real time adaptation) that it reflects the consequences of game play on a game's world.

The Affect category expresses the setting (for example the emotional, social and/or cultural setting) of the non-diegetic part of the game environment. Affect is often designed in such a way (using real time adaptation) that it reflects the emotional status of the game or that it anticipates upcoming events in the game.

As the notion of diegesis feels more and more relevant for the project, this article could serve as a good base for argumentation and inspiration.

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3509/ieza_a_framework_for_game_audio.php?print=1

The Auditory Dimension, Part II

It seems like most written material covering a deeper exploration of audio as an information channel comes from the 'games for visually impaired' community. The authors of this Gamasutra article reflects on game audio by looking at the results of developing a blind-accessible first-person 3D game. Might spur some ideas for us.

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3493/playing_by_ear_using_audio_to_.php

The Auditory Dimension of Games

The article "Audio Games: New perspectives on game audio" provides some potentially usable terminology for the auditory dimension of the game design space. The article discusses two different design strategies; a) using auditory icons and earcons, or b) dividing human listening into casual listening, semantic listening and reduced listening. These strategies are combined into a so-called "sonic triangular vocabulary", a format common to the visual triangular vocabulary used by Scott McCloud (author of "Understanding Comics").

When it comes to the auditory dimension of interfaces, conventions seem to exist only to a very small extent. In order to explore the possibilities of using audio as a carrier of information, I think that this sonic triangular vocabulary - and its comparability with McClouds visual counterpart - might be useful. The link to the article follows below.

http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1067343.1067361&coll=Portal&dl=GUIDE&CFID=18462546&CFTOKEN=50433615