[RPG] How to add sound to our sessions

gm-techniquesmusicsound-effects

I've been toying with the idea of adding sound to our typical sessions. I was thinking about throwing in some sounds for atmosphere's sake, like some of the following:

  • Birds chirping/water running in the wilderness
  • Muffled conversation or music if they're in an inn
  • Roars or battle cries of any creatures they may be facing
  • Thuds of arrows or the sounds of any spell being cast
  • etc.

It seems like these could make a big difference in the realness of the game:

GM: Do you dare venture into the evil dragon's lair?

sure, why not! He can't be that tough…

(GM clicks button): RAWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

Uhhhh…second thought, let's stock up on healing potions first…LOTS
of healing potions….

Questions:

  1. Has anyone tried this before, how did it turn out?
  2. Did this add to the overall immersion without detracting too much from narration or what the players are actually doing?
  3. Where did you obtain good sounds to use?
  4. What other sounds did you use that added value?

Best Answer

Sound is an integral part of my gaming sessions. I've always used music, but I didn't use sound effects very much until recently, when I wrote my own application for quickly choosing different sounds. It is controlled with the keyboard and also allows for displaying images along with the sound.

I've put it up for download: RPG Ambience.

As for your other questions:

  1. Has anyone tried this before, how did it turn out?

    Using sounds has worked very well in my games. For audio that loops in the background, I mainly use music, primarily because it adds more drama than environmental sounds but also because music is easier to find. For one-time effects, I occasionally use sounds like explosions and dragon roars, but I save those for specific events because they require more coordination and might become gimmicky if used often.

  2. Did this add to the overall immersion without detracting too much from narration or what the players are actually doing?

    If the GM has prepared a sound effect and has an easy and quick way of playing it, then it certainly adds to the immersion. I would avoid sounds that might come off as comical or "too realistic", such as battlecries and people talking.

  3. Where did you obtain good sounds to use?

    There is a single unrivaled source for good sound effects: video and computer games. They are the best because they have to solve the same problems as audiovisual GMs: providing a wide range of sounds that can be used at any time. Games based on the Quake engine (such as Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy) conveniently store all of their audio in .pk files, which can be opened just like a normal zip file. For other games, instructions for obtaining the audio can vary widely.

    As mentioned elsewhere, it can sometimes be difficult to find exactly the sound that you are looking for. A good alternative to spending a lot of time searching is to simply adjust your needs: If you're looking for a lion's roar but can't find one, consider using a different animal that you do have a sound effect for. This might not be satisfactory in all scenarios but it's worth keeping in mind if you feel that the audio will add much to the scene.

  4. What other sounds did you use that added value?

    Don't forget that sounds can successfully be combined with music if the audio levels are right and there isn't too much going on at the same time. Some of the audio files in Baldur's Gate actually mix ambient sounds with music.

    Sounds can also be used to illustrate certain concepts as opposed to just adding drama. In one of my Star Wars games, I used the alien voices from Knights of the Old Republic to show the players how certain characters sounded.

Update: After a major overhaul, RPG Ambience is now a browser-based application with a graphical user interface.

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