作者：Kole Hicks

在开发游戏时，添加撞击声可以增加混战的效果，让玩家感到满足，而一些狂欢的管弦乐确实能让玩家体会到自己是个英雄。

你可能总会到声音库中，挑选中等品质价格低廉的音频和音乐。声音库中的音频品质大相径庭，而且，通常顶级的音频资源比较低品质的音频花费更高。然而，你理解定制的优质音频对玩家在游戏中的沉浸性和享受性的作用更大，所以它值得你在音频领域投入这些费用。

现在，你已掌控费用，准备聘请能够为游戏制作出精美音频的承包商！

game audio design(from david-canela.com)

I.在联系音频承包商之前，你需要做哪些准备？

在开始寻找有能力达到你想要的音效的承包商前，你需要做足以下准备，有助于音频承包商为他们的工作制定更加准确的价格。

首先，他们会完整体验你的游戏，制定音频资源列单。根据你的需要，音频列表中可能包括音乐、声效、对白等。同时有必要了解你是否需要音频承包商提供创意服务，或者你更希望他/她去完成整个声音制作（并不是所有音频承包商会同时接手这两项事宜）。

其次，这并非绝对必要因素（这基于你在开发过程中的岗位），但是游戏中某些形式的可玩场景极其有助于音频承包商更好地创作内容。在签订NDA（保密协议）之后，有些音频承包商可能更喜欢全面体验整个游戏，不仅是为了感受游戏的基调/风格，同时也是为了扩增音频资源列表，增加可能错过的必要项目。

这似乎是常识性问题，但是接下来你需要准备的是清楚你的游戏世界的整体音效。你无需研究特别具体的细节（游戏邦注：实际上，指明过多的方向可能会限制音频承包商的创意），但是，你需对角色的声音、玩家走过游戏场景时游戏世界的声音、以及音乐唤起的情感类型这些因素有个大概的想法。有时，你需要为整个游戏制作“风格指南”。虽然这不是音频承包商报价时依据的基本因素，但是它能够帮助他们更加清楚地了解你的构想。

最后，准确规划出音频预算。这样有助于你同音频承包商进行价格协商，但是你需要合理分配游戏中的每个音频的预算。此外，你可以决定音频完成的时间，以及它可以占据游戏中的多少内存（尤其在移动游戏领域）。

II. 如何找到专业的音频承包商？

既然你已清楚游戏世界中的音频风格、制定全新精致的音频资源列单、精确了解音频预算甚至在游戏中设置可玩的场景，那么可以开始寻找你的音频承包商了！

如果你的伙伴恰好是朋克摇滚乐团的鼓手，然后你会想“哇，他的完美技能足以为我的游戏加分！”当然，（假设这位鼓手同时是位出色的作曲家，并且擅长录音）如果你的游戏需要一次重型朋克摇滚的鼓声……那么你的选择是正确的！但是如果你的游戏需要不同的元素，比如像黑暗的爱尔兰曲风与管弦乐这种互动方式，尽管如此，我还是建议寻求专业的音频承包商。

首先，可以选择求助从事游戏开发的好友与同事，因为他们可能与某些符合条件的音频承包商合作过。你要核实他们网站中的作品质量，以及存在的推荐信链接文件（似乎可以在游戏行业中重复使用）。

其次，你可能会试图联系从事你钟爱的游戏的音频承包商。喜欢《Amazing Spider Man》或《God of War》这些音乐吗？如果你已获得预算资金，那么你可以直接联系Gerard Marino，看下他是否对你的作品感兴趣。然而，游戏领域通常存在不同规模的音频承包商，所以那些预算资金有限的独立开发者不必对此感到失望。

接着，你可能会在Gamasutra这类网站或者经常使用的引擎（比如Unreal、Unity等）的论坛上发布项目清单。但是，我必须提前警告，你可能会收到许多提案，而他们的产品质量同提案上所描述的大相径庭。所以，你应准备好过滤大量邮件，找出正当的音频承包商。

最后，不要局限于本文内容，扩大视野，运用各种各样的网站/博客！因为不少人真的喜欢在这些网站上写东西，创作游戏音频，所以你可以将这些名单添加到联系的“列表”中。

game lab(from captivatingsound.com)

III. 如何同音频承包商议价？

既然你已获得不少潜在音频承包商的信息，并准备好所有必要材料，是时候联系他们关于该游戏的报价。那么邮件中应包含哪些信息呢？

首先，我建议邮件中包含关于你的游戏及音频要求的简短概述。咨询他们是否有兴趣从事此项目，是否有时间着手进行。

通常你会收到他们的肯定答复，所以下一步应是进行适当的会议，商讨游戏的配音方向以及音频要求的具体事项。大多数开发者希望承包商在深入讨论项目前签订NDA，而大多数专业的音频承包商已习惯这种做法。我建议此时发送游戏的构架。

会议后，游戏音频的制作流程可以向多种方向发展。如果你相信音频承包商有能力精确地制作出音频，那么你可以向他/她提供资金列单/构造等，并且询问完成该作品所需费用。然而，如果你无法完全信赖他们的能力，通常可以要求简短的说明书和制作样本。有些承包商可能会拒绝这个要求（他们可能有许多样本存在盘里，但他们没有多余的时间），所以为了尊重他们付出的时间，提供一定的补偿可以解决这个问题。

IV.如何选择音频承包商并同对方签订协议？

比如，现在你同三位承包商的会面非常圆满，而且你也获得他们的报价。那你该作何选择呢？

选择承包商基于许多原因，但我提议不要将费用作为决定因素。当然，这也是游戏制作中的重要部分，但是一个承包商的报价高于另一个承包商总存在某些理由。也许他们拥有更高品质的设备/更多专业人士，包括多次修改每个资源的价格（有利于迭代团队），或者他们时间观念强，专业性高。多年来，我已不再纯粹为项目作最初报价，因为我的报价总是高于竞争对手，我这样做只是希望之后开发者会再次询问我是否仍对他们的游戏感兴趣（比如，期限的临近）。有时，他们从其他承包商中得到的作品质量非常糟糕，或者也许只是缺乏交流导致。无论如何，专业性在这一领域更具前景，这印证了那句老话“付出与收获成正比”。

所以，也许其中某个承包商确实吸引你同他/她合作（尤其当你喜欢他们的说明书、样本时），但是他们的报价超过你的预算。这时，你需找出造成此报价的元素，及时还价，但如果你真心想同他们合作，就不要武断地拒绝，然后选择费用较低的承包商。因为我们在协商条件和补偿方式上总还有沟通的余地。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

How to Hire an Audio Contractor for your Game

by Kole Hicks

My name is Kole Hicks and by profession I’m a Freelance Composer and Sound Designer with a focus in Games (Kole Audio Solutions).  My goal with writing this article is to share information gained from years of personal experience on how to best approach the subject of hiring an Audio Contractor.  I hope to help both those who are working on their first game and are new to the process, along with those developers who have a bit more experience, but are looking to make the process a little easier.

So… you’re at that point in developing your game where an impact sound could really help that melee hit feel satisfying and some triumphant orchestral music would really help the player feel like a hero.  Great!  Now What?

Well, you could always go to a library and pick up said Sounds and Music at a semi-decent quality level on the cheap.  The quality varies greatly from library to library and often the highest quality Audio assets will cost a pretty penny more than it’s lower quality competitors.  However, you understand that great custom Audio has a large role in immersion and the player’s enjoyment of your game, so it deserves the same investment that you’ve put into the other areas of development.

With checkbook in hand now you’re ready to go hire someone to create fantastic Audio for your game! … Or are you?

**Mr. Brian Schmidt made a great point in the comments below.  Contact your Audio Contractor early in your game’s development!  It will ultimately lead to a higher quality product and more enjoyable game experience.  Plus, many of the best and most professional Audio Contractors are very busy and you’ll want to make sure they have time to take on the project.

I.What to Have Prepared Before you Contact the Audio Contractor

Before you even start looking for someone who is capable of bringing your audio world to life, there are a few things to prepare that will help potential Audio Contractors create a more accurate quote for the work to be done.

First and foremost, play through the entirety of your game and create an Audio Asset list.  Depending on your needs this could include Music, Sound Effects, Dialogue, etc.  It’s also imperative to know if you’ll only be needing the Audio Contractor’s creative services, or if you’d prefer him/her to implement the audio as well (not all Audio Contractors do both).

Next, it’s not absolutely essential (as it depends on where you’re at in development when hiring), but a playable build of the game in some form is infinitely helpful to the potential Audio Contractor.  After signing an NDA, some Audio Contractors may prefer playing through the game to not only get a feel for the mood/style, but to potentially augment the Audio Asset List with essential items that may have been missed.

It sounds like common sense, but the next thing to have prepared before you contact an Audio Contractor, is an idea of what your game world should sound like.  You don’t have to go into very specific detail (in fact too much direction will limit the creativity of the Audio Contractor), but you should have a general idea of what your characters sound like, how the world should sound when the player is walking around in it, and what emotions the music should evoke.  At some point it’s necessary to complete a “Style Guide” for the entirety of your game.  While it’s not essential for the Audio Contractor to have this during the bidding process, it most certainly will help them get a clearer image of what you’re envisioning.

Last but certainly not least, formulate an accurate idea of your Audio budget.  Understandably you’ll most likely keep this hidden from potential Audio Contractors during the bidding process for negotiating reasons, but it’s essential that you have an amount allotted for every section of Audio in your game.   Furthermore, determine the amount of time you’d need the Audio completed in and how much space it can take up (essential for mobile games).

**I realize it may be useful to see some numbers on how much recording dialogue costs, a finished minute of music, etc.  However, there are tons of variables to consider and these numbers can vary greatly from not only contractor to contractor, but region to region.  Instead, perhaps in the future I’ll create an article detailing of all the elements involved in bringing a single sound effect, line of dialogue, or minute of music to life.  That way you’ll be in a position of understanding how complicated (or simple) you’d prefer the process to be and thus control how much it would cost.

II.How to Find a Professional Audio Contractor

Now that you have a solid idea of what your game world will sound like, a shiny new Audio Asset List, an accurate idea of your Audio budget, and perhaps even a playable build of your game, it’s time to find your Audio Contractor!

So your buddy happens to play drums in this one punk rock band and you think to yourself “Wow, he’d be perfect to score my Game!”  Well (assuming this drummer is also a competent Composer and familiar with recording) if your game requires one-shot drum heavy Punk-Rock… you could be right!  If however your game requires something different, like dark Irish influenced orchestral music that’s very interactive, I’d recommend finding a professional.  Where though?

Well, the first option is to ask your other Game dev. friends and colleagues, as they may have worked with someone who could fit the bill.  Make sure to check out their website for the quality of their work and potentially their Linked In Profile for recommendations (seems to still be used frequently in the Game Industry).

Second, you could always try contacting an Audio Contractor that worked on one of your favorite games.  Love the “Amazing Spider Man” or “God of War” music?  If you’ve got the budget, then contact Gerard Marino directly and see if he’s interested.  However, Audio Contractors of all sizes and shapes are usually credited somewhere in the game, so those with tighter “indie” budget restraints need not woe.

Next, you could always post a listing on a site like Gamasutra or perhaps on a forum that correlates with the engine you’re using (Unreal, Unity, etc.).  However, I must warn you ahead of time though that you’ll receive quite a few submissions and the quality will vary greatly in the submissions you receive.  So be ready to filter through a ton of e-mails to find the right Audio Contractor if you choose this option.

Last but not least, keep your eyes out for Articles like this one on various sites/blogs!  There are a handful of us who really enjoy writing as well as creating Audio for Games, so feel free to add those people to your “list.” =D

III.How to Contact an Audio Contractor for a Quote/Bid

Now that you have a list of potential Audio Contractors and all the necessary materials prepped, it’s time to contact them for a Bid on your Game.  What information should go into these e-mails though?

First, I would recommend e-mailing your potential contractors with a short summary of your game and it’s audio needs.  Ask them if they may be interested in taking on the project and if they would have the time do so.

You’ll most likely hear back from these potential contractors with a “Yes/Yes,” so the next step should be a proper meeting discussing the direction of the game and it’s specific Audio needs.  Most developers prefer these contractors sign an NDA before discussing anything in depth and most professional Audio Contractors are very used to this.  Sending over a build of your game at this time is recommended (if you have one in a playable state).

After this meeting the process can go in a few different directions.  If you feel confident enough in the Audio Contractor’s abilities to accurately create Audio for your game, then you’d supply him/her with the Asset List/Build/etc. and ask for a Quote on how much it would cost for the work to be completed.  If however you’re not completely sold on their abilities, it’s not uncommon to ask for a short spec. demo from the Audio Contractor.  Some contractors will be opposed to this (as they may have a lot on their plate and very little time), so offering a little compensation as a sign of respect for their time should solve that issue.

**An appropriate spec. demo varies based on many factors, but between 2 – 5 Sound Effects, 30s – 60s of Music, or a few lines of dialogue are usually acceptable.

IV.How to Choose Your Audio Contractor and Seal the Deal

You’re almost to the finish line!  Let’s say three of your meetings went quite well and you’ve received each Quote from the potential contractors.  Which one should you choose?

There are many reasons for choosing one contractor over another, but I recommend NOT having money be the deciding factor.  Sure it’s a very important part of making your game, but there are often reasons to why one contractor would quote higher than another.  Perhaps they have higher quality equipment/more schooling, include multiple revisions per asset in the price (useful for iterative teams), or are just very timely and professional.  Over the years I’ve lost initial bids for projects purely because I quoted higher than some of my competitors only to have the developer come back at a later date (when deadlines are looming) asking if I’m still interested.  In some instances the quality of the work they initially received from the other contractor was terrible, or perhaps it was just the lack of communication.  Either way, professionalism goes a long way and justifies that old saying “You get what you pay for.”

So, maybe one of the contractors is really appealing to work with (especially if you loved their spec. demo), but his/her quote is higher than you budgeted for.  Find out what elements are contributing to that Quote and even make a counter offer, but don’t just say “No” and choose the cheaper option if you really want to work with this contractor.  The majority of us are open to negotiating terms and compensation.

Last but not least, you sign the Agreement and begin your journey working together… may it be a fantastic and memorable one (with perhaps many more to come in the future)!

**I could write forever on the specific conditions that make up a standard Music/Sound WFH or Licensing Agreement, but will save that for another article in the future.  Until then, take comfort in the fact that most professional Audio Contractors have templates they work from.  Or, if you have the money, attorneys will be involved at that point and they can worry about all of that stuff.

Thanks for reading and I hope you’ve found this article helpful.  Best of luck with your game and your Audio Contractor hiring endeavors!(source:gamasutra)