True to form, the fourth opus from the father of hack'n slash spoiled us with a new quarterly report centered on the sound design, which also introduces its new director.
Joe Shely thus takes the lead of the project and returns in the first part on the commitment of the team in charge of Diablo IV to offer an experience that meets the expectations of the fans. In a second part, the quarterly report extends in detail on the work of the sound engineers to propose a sound design worthy of the license.
New management at Sanctuary
While Activision-Blizzard seems ready to improve working conditions within it following a major case of sexual harassment and discrimination, this quarterly report introduces us to the new director of Diablo IV. Joe Shely takes the place of Luis Barriga, who left office last August.
“Like many of you, our team has reflected on recent events. A lot has happened and the hard work to apply the values ​​we aspire to continues. In parallel with this important work, the development of Diablo IV continues, ”rightly indicated Joe Shelly.
“Over the past few years, we've assembled a strong and incredibly passionate team for Diablo IV. Diablo fans are an integral part of this team. With your invaluable feedback, we've gradually refined and deepened the game experience. We still have a long way to go, and while a lot has changed, our commitment to the game is unwavering." he added.
What does the Terror sound like?
If the teams have admitted that the work on the music (which, we hope, will find its place on our Now Playing column) was not yet finished, that on the sound design seems however well advanced. To make reading the quarterly report (and why not this article summarizing it) more immersive, Kris Giampa, sound supervisor for Diablo IV, shared the soundscape of the Fractured Peaks, a cold and inhospitable area of ​​Sanctuary.
Beyond the remarkable work on the atmosphere, the sound engineers also got down to work on a sound design aimed at making the fights satisfying and believable while being anchored in the dark and murky universe of Diablo. Kris Giampa also dwelled on the challenge posed by a game in isometric view. Given the field of vision available to us, all the more so in multiplayer, it's difficult to strike a balance between giving sonic life to every element on the screen and not overdoing it. Teams are currently finding the middle ground.
In order to make each situation as unique as possible, the teams tried to offer random variations of several different sounds. You can see this work on this short video in which the developers have fun breaking any decorative element they come across. Each piece of a destroyed object produces its own sound, thus participating in this desire to make the universe of Diablo IV believable. Listen instead.
The same attention to detail has also been brought to the spells and skills of the different classes that can be played. In this quarterly report, this is illustrated by the Witch's fire spells. To record these sounds, the engineers went to the desert and had fun igniting accessories, manipulating them and capturing the sounds produced. A behind-the-scenes video from this recording further illustrates the process.
Absolutely essential part of a Diablo game, monsters are of course not left out. The developers have thus published a short video presenting the sounds produced by a spirit of the woods. We can thus hear the cracking of the bark when it moves, or its tormented cries, also accompanied by cracks. Other monsters should also be meticulously highlighted with a repulsive yet satisfying sound design, depending on their nature.
To end on a happy note, the sound engineers show us a behind-the-scenes video of the recording of gore sounds, obviously essential in a Diablo game. The way to simulate entrails spilling on the ground or a cracking skull will amaze you.
This modest article, however, only succinctly presents a much longer quarterly report, which you can find in full (in English) via the source cited below.
Diablo IV will therefore be back in the news next quarter, and this time will focus on endgame and visual effects. We are on our side very curious to learn more about these essential aspects of a Diablo game. While Diablo IV isn't ready for release, it looks like the project is in good hands and we can't wait to see more.
