Recording Sounds for 'Hogwarts Legacy' | AirCon24

Summary

In this Air Wiggles audio conference session, Dr. Alexander Horowitz and Pablo Valbrana share their experience of field recording in the New Forest for the Warner Brothers title 'Hogwarts Legacy'. They discuss the preparation, challenges, and techniques used during the trip, emphasizing the importance of capturing authentic ambiences and wildlife sounds. The session covers equipment choices, weather considerations, and the value of such expeditions for team building and training, providing insights into the process of creating immersive audio for games.

Takeaways

• 🎙️ The session was about a field recording trip to the New Forest, South of England, for the Warner Brothers title 'Hogwarts Legacy', led by Dr. Alexander Horowitz and Pablo Valbraña.
• 🔊 The team sought unique soundscapes and local wildlife recordings to enhance the in-game environments and atmospheres, particularly focusing on the UK and Scottish settings.
• 📍 The New Forest National Park was chosen for its untouched landscapes, rich wildlife, and relative seclusion from human-made noise, making it an ideal location for capturing organic sounds.
• 📝 The preparation involved careful planning, including justifying the field trip, considering weather conditions, and ensuring the team had the right equipment for the task.
• 🛠️ A variety of recording equipment was used, including different models of recorders and microphones, to capture sounds in various configurations and conditions.
• 🚶‍♂️ The team undertook extensive hiking to find suitable recording locations, emphasizing the physical demands of field recording work.
• 🌞 The timing of the trip was crucial, with considerations for spring bird songs, daylight cycles, and avoiding busy tourist periods to ensure the quality of recordings.
• 🔍 The editing process involved sifting through 43 hours of raw audio, using tools like RX Isotop for spectral editing, and mastering the recordings down to a more manageable length.
• 📁 Metadata was meticulously applied to the recordings using the Universal Category System (UCS) to facilitate easy search and retrieval for future projects.
• 🤝 The trip served multiple purposes, including team building, training for new team members, and providing a valuable hands-on experience that enriched the team's skills and knowledge.
• 🌳 The outdoor experience was highlighted as beneficial for team morale, especially after the isolation of the pandemic, and provided a refreshing change of pace from studio work.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the Air Wiggles Vault recordings?

The Air Wiggles Vault recordings are a series of live streams from Air Wiggles audio conferences, focusing on various topics related to audio, made freely available thanks to their sponsors.

Who is Dr. Alexander Horowitz and what is his role in the audio industry?

Dr. Alexander Horowitz is an audio director at Criterion Games, part of Electronic Arts. He has worked as an audio director, lead, or head of audio for around eight years on titles for Warner Brothers, Rockstar, Fox, and EA. He has a PhD in game development, a masters in programming, and a masters in technical broadcast audio.

What was the main reason for conducting field recordings in the New Forest for 'Hogwarts Legacy'?

The main reason was to capture additional unique ambience sounds and local wildlife for the game, as existing libraries did not fully meet the needs of the diverse in-game locations and environments, especially to capture the essence of the UK and Scotland.

Why was the New Forest chosen for the field recording session?

The New Forest was chosen due to its proximity to the development location in Brighton and Hove, its status as a largely untouched area rich in wildlife, and its relative distance from road and air traffic that could interfere with recordings.

What challenges did the team face in terms of recording conditions?

Challenges included ensuring the recording equipment was safe and camouflaged from potential thieves, dealing with unpredictable British weather, and managing background noise from tourists and other human activities.

What types of equipment did the team use for the field recordings?

The team used a combination of equipment including the Zoom H4n Pro, Sound Devices MixPre-6, and Zoom F8 recorders, along with various microphones such as the Sennheiser MK series and Rode NT4 for capturing high-quality audio in different conditions.

How did the team ensure they captured a variety of sounds during their field recording trip?

The team planned their trip to cover different weather conditions and times of day, set up multiple recorders in various locations simultaneously, and used different microphone configurations to capture a wide range of sounds.

What precautions did the team take to protect their equipment from the elements?

The team used dry bags to protect the recorders and other equipment from rain, and they considered wind protection by using Rycote Windjammers and bubble beanie wind protection for the microphones.

How did the team manage the data they collected during the field recording trip?

The team backed up their data regularly, used RX Isotope for initial audio editing, and then mastered the recordings into shorter segments, applying minimal processing to maintain the natural sound.

What was the outcome of the field recording trip in terms of the final audio used in 'Hogwarts Legacy'?

The trip resulted in almost 100 Gigabytes of raw audio, which was edited down to about two and a half hours of mastered recordings, providing a rich and varied soundscape for the game.

What lessons did the team learn from their field recording experience that they would apply to future projects?

Lessons included the importance of planning for travel time, checking recording equipment settings, listening to initial recordings before leaving the area, using efficient routes, camouflaging gear, carrying extra accessories, and considering the use of tracking devices like air tags.