[h2]In Sins 2's Space, Rich Audio Reigns Supreme
by
Unlock Audio’s Jon Ruse[/h2]
When Ironclad Games first reached out to Unlock Audio for sound design support, I had no idea just how deeply our creative collaboration would channel my lifelong love of science fiction media.
I've worked on audio for sci-fi games previously, but teaming with Ironclad on "Sins of a Solar Empire II" has been particularly inspiring to both the kid in me who obsessed over the sonic charge of Jango Fett's ship in "The Phantom Menace" and the adult who dwells on every detail in "Mass Effect" and "Returnal." Needless to say, I felt an instant and natural connection to the Sins developers' own love of cinematic sci-fi, and I hope gamers make similar connections the moment they launch "Sins of a Solar Empire II" - available on Steam.
With the full PC game happening just the other week, I'm excited to share a some of the creativity that went into developing the signature soundscape for this long-awaited sequel to the acclaimed 2008 real-time strategy (RTS) classic.
[h3]A Collaboration with Cosmic Possibilities[/h3]
If video games were bound to the laws of the realistic universe, my job as a sound designer would be pretty limited. As the infamous tagline from "Alien" goes, "In space no one can hear you scream." Luckily, science fiction gives us the creative freedom to be extrasensory and cinematic and let explosions be explosive — even in a cosmic vacuum.
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The Ironclad team truly embraced the opportunity for immersive creativity and encouraged us to go big on sounds from the start. Instead of anchoring Unlock to re-envisioning decade-old sounds from the first installment, the development team trusted us to understand the theory and spirit behind the original sound designs and expand on it in new ways with a modern production sense.
During our exploration, we ended up incorporating synth plugins that were born around the same time as the original game, such as Native Instruments' Absynth 5 — a subtle factor which may lend a nostalgic feel for players who enjoyed the first game of the series.
[h3]Signature Sounds for Every Faction[/h3]
"Sins of a Solar Empire II" centers on three key races, each with their own distinct style and lore. We strove to build a unique soundscape for each that reflected the creativity and polish of Ironclad's incredible animation and visual designs.
The TEC – While earthly civilization has long been destroyed, the Trader Emergency Coalition most closely resembled a future humanity resettled in space in my mind. The ship references provided for sound design were clearly metallic and angular, which inspired a more familiar mechanical palette of sounds.
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As you zoom close on a TEC ship, you'll hear collages of computerized and electrified components that feel akin to evolved earthen technology. Their munitions are more a blend of projectile and energy-based weaponry compared to their phase- and psi-heavy opponents. For this faction, many of the sounds will seem familiar with a bit of Sins-style processing for a fit in its futuristic, cosmic setting alongside the opposing factions.
The Vasari – As the dominant alien race in the "Sins of a Solar Empire" lore, this faction is defined by its phase and nanotechnology. Their ships are sleek with an intense sheen in a way that simply wouldn't feel right with the TEC engine sounds layered in. As such, my aim was to create an otherworldly sound palette by tapping into techniques from my early background in electronic drum & bass music to resample and manipulate sounds beyond recognition.
We layered together insect swarms and gaseous sounds then pitched them up with jittery volume effects and delays. In the case of the volatile nanites ability, these nano drone sounds gain a layer of battlefield sounds for a satisfying effect.
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The Advent – As outcasts of the TEC, the Advent have a bit of a vengeful motivation behind their use of psychic and cybernetic tech. As the pseudo-spiritualist group, their palette of sounds exudes an ominous, almost uncontainable energy. The Advent fleet also leans on otherworldly effects by warping sounds to where you could not immediately tell what the source was.
[h3]Sound Strengthens the Sense of Scale[/h3]
One thing I love about how sound is implemented throughout "Sins of a Solar Empire II" is that it emphasizes the player's godlike role of cosmic conqueror. You're not the captain of a single ship — you're the commander of a far-reaching fleet destined for confrontation across an entire planetary system.
As real-time matches transpire, your empire will grow to span multiple planets and have fleets engaging in active conflict in multiple corners of the system. As the ruling decision maker for your faction, you have the ability to view your domain all the way from the broad planetary system down to extreme close-ups of each beautifully rendered ship.
It's at these ship-level detail views where the immersive sound really shines through. Say you zoom in on a cultural center. The closer you are, the more clearly you'll hear a rich bed of lively activity, from chatter to onboard announcements on top of the constant thrum of station equipment. For a more industrious ship like the Vasari factory, you'll hear the constant pulsing of phase energy and constant clack of ship assembly.
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Even the weaponry bolsters the sense of scale, from ship-to-ship artillery fire to planet-destroying mega attacks. We wanted players to feel the ultimate power of these larger attacks after all the strategic research it takes to earn the abilities. For example, the TEC's Orbital Cannon delivers a long-distance world-ending shot right to the target planet with a swift roar followed by a beat of quiet which lets loose a low rumble as devastation takes hold. Similarly, the Vasari's Planet Drain begins with a warbling phase burst, followed by a beat of quiet as the energy reverses, giving way to a growing chorus of screams, crackling fires and quakes.
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Each ship and weapon ability in the game has a distinct vibe, but players are sure to discover subtle consistencies across each faction's entire fleet, whether it's a signature combination of filters or plugin effect that unifies the impression of their equipment being from a similar cosmic origin.
[h3]Command Your Fleet Loudly[/h3]
The rich variety of sound effects we've created across "Sins of a Solar Empire II's" trio of vast fleets is best experienced loudly. It's super gratifying to have seen early players already cranking up the volume and enjoying the immersion Unlock's soundscape supports.
We hope that even more players will dial up our sound effects when they dive into "Sins of a Solar Empire II's".
