Learn about some of the sound design techniques used for the Halo series: playing with pugs, launching rockets, breaking consoles, and more.
Our new study is focused on the sound design of the Halo series. The article discusses the way audio specialists recorded sounds for the third and the fourth parts of the franchise and then turns attention to Halo Infinite to see how sound design techniques evolved over the years.
First, let's have a look at some of the techniques used during the production of Halo 3.
Halo 3
The video above features a number of the team's members and voice actors discuss the game and how the audio design adds to the atmosphere and to the game's world. The team discussed that they had to consider the distance between the player and the source of the sound, explained the logic behind weapon sounds, and more.
You can see how they used several ordinary objects to record sounds for the game's world: the sound of a hydraulic door, for example, was used for automatic doors. The recorded sound was then changed a bit to add this extra sci-fi taste.
The team consisted of 3 people and they were all musicians which, of course, helped find all the right sounds. The video also discusses the mindset of Martin O'Donnell, the game's director, composer. You will learn how he approached different moods and scenarios. Another cool aspect is the interaction between the composer and the technical team - they had to communicate and understand in order to put the music into all the right spots.
Here's something cool for the fans of the universe. Marcus Lehto, co-creator of Halo and now President and Game Director at V1 Interactive, has recently shared this old Halo 2 previs cinematic for one of the best missions of the second part.
Halo 4
The goal for the sound design of the fourth part was to build a unique, more realistic style. Sotaro Tojima, the game's audio director showed an advanced processor that helped him mix different sounds and add digital details to play with the mood and add different colors.
The director decided to use processors and different digital techniques to create unique sounds. The base was, of course, data from field recordings (sounds of Tasmanian devils, for example). They had 200GB of basic sounds that were then mixed and adjusted with the help of processors to get new unique sounds.
Can't get enough of Halo? Here's a stunning artbook originally published back in 2011 that will help you dive deep into the universe. Halo: The Great Journey covers several aspects of the Halo universe featuring sketches and concept art by Ashley Wood, interiors and landscapes by Alex Chu, spacescapes by Frank Capezzuto, and more.
The use of processors definitely changed the studio's approach and allowed them to achieve new levels of quality. What other new techniques have they started using since the development of Halo 4? It's time to study the sound design of the upcoming Halo Infinite which is coming to Xbox Series X later this year.
Satuday Sound Design
The Halo team has a nice tradition on Instagram: every Saturday they share a new video dedicated to sound design showing how one of their departments find and record sounds for the upcoming Halo Infinite. Actually, the team doesn't specify why they recorded this or that sound, but you can always try to guess. Let's look at some of the most curious examples including one with a super adorable pug.
First, meet the team's favorite pug, Gyoza. He's the best friend of the studio's Technical Art Director that helps the team record some of the game's sounds. Yes, you've heard it right - this adorable pug helps 343 Industries develop Halo Infinite. His grunts and breaths will most probably bring some of the game's aliens to life.
If you watched the first video about Halo 3 you already know that the team loves braking Xbox consoles to get new sounds. The video below shows how they're testing new Xbox controllers to record new mechanical sounds.
They also found a couple of special microphones and used them to record electromagnetic fields emitting from Xbox consoles creating interesting new sci-fi textures for the game's world.
The team also loves playing with different old mechanisms. Check out rare Holt 75 steam-powered tractor, which was made over 100 years ago. Its mechanical components provided unique sounds that will help them set up vehicles or some other space mechanisms.
Chemistry can also help you create all sorts of sounds for your games. The video below shows how they're creating chemical reactions with alkali metals. Don't try this at home!
The game needs rockets, of course, so they set up a field trip to blow stuff up. Watch the behind-the-scenes look at their audio team playing with rockets below.
The game also needs several firearms, so they had record such sounds in various urban environments. It appears that the upcoming game will feature stunningly realistic sounds of guns.
Bonus
One more thing for the fans: learn the history and story of the famous first Halo. Creators of Halo, key Bungie team members, industry veterans, and luminaries, discussed the development of the masterpiece in this 1-hour documentary from IGN.
Would you like to check out more examples? Follow #sounddesignsaturday on Instagram not to miss the team's future updates.
Want to watch everything at once? YouTube user Owl set up several videos featuring video from the Halo's Instagram. You can check them out below.
Did you like our little study of the Halo's sound design over the years? Share your thoughts below and let us know if you want us to study other games and find other great examples of sound design.