14 DAY TRIAL // The Sims 4 is less than one month away from launch, and the developers at Maxis and publisher Electronic Arts are aiming to show how the various elements of the title will create an unique atmosphere that will emphasize the new smarter characters and their unique interactions.
The official site is now focusing on the sound design of the game and features an interview with Robi Kauker, the audio director of the title, who explains how music and other effects will be used to make the world interesting and engaging.
The developer says that fans have been vocal about their love for the music of the series, and that means there are no major changes when compared to previous installments.
At the same time, Maxis is aiming to make music more of a physical presence, connecting it to the world in multiple ways and using it to underline the most emotional elements.
Kauker states, “Just one small example is making a Sim’s voice who is turned away sound different then the Sim who is facing you - directional filtering, essentially. Every time we made something, be it voice, SFX or music, we were constantly thinking: how does this feel? Where is the emotional tie? What will this mean in the big picture?”
To promote the new approach, Electronic Arts also plans to give away ringtones based on the sounds of The Sims 4.
The new features of the game, including the more complex Create-a-Sim Mode, will feature special tracks that are designed to allow players to focus on the task of creating their characters, with notes which emphasize the possibilities that are open to them.
Robi Kauker adds that more than 1,000 people have applied to supply the sounds for the in-game protagonists and that “For sound effects, the bathroom and kitchen related stuff is largely recordings of my own bathroom and kitchen. Thomas Day (one of my team) and I placed four microphones around every appliance, toilet, shower and bath we could. When a Sim gets in a tub, that’s me – well, at least my sound effect!”
The Sims 4 will be offered on September 2 exclusively on the PC.
The game will have a bigger focus on the emotions of the Sims and will give gamers more ways to interact with items and with the other characters, with options based on their life choices but also on their mood.