Sound Design in Gaming: a Key Component of the User Experience

Audio sequence in casino entertainment is a powerful tool for influencing the emotions of clients. It can evoke different feelings, from growing tension and anticipation to an adrenaline rush or genuine excitement. The soundtrack also has a direct impact on the profitability of products, increasing the growth of the number of downloads and bets per session.

Experts from the Smart Money company talked about the sound design, what functions it performs in online casinos, and how it encourages gamblers to continue playing.

For more information on the nuances of developing and quickly promoting an entertainment business, please contact our managers.

Order service

About the Concept

The term appeared in the UK and has become a key direction in the creation of sound effects for movies, advertising, applications, public spaces, and video games.

One of the main tasks of audio design is to enhance the emotions from what is happening on the screen. Tones recorded during filming are often not bright and impressive enough to keep the viewer engaged. Experienced specialists complement and enrich them, adding volume and expressiveness to immerse users in the atmosphere.

Thanks to this, the processed version of video content is perceived as more lively, realistic, and exciting, enhancing the effect of presence and evoking vivid emotions within customers.

An interesting fact: until recently, there was a strong opinion among casual games developers that gamblers completely turn off the sound on mobile devices during sessions. But the figures showed the opposite.

According to the study published on the Habr platform:

• 72% of respondents prefer to play with the backdrop turned on;
• only 28% choose to switch it off;
• 66% of users always place bets with sound.

Key Components of Audio Design

Its creation is the prerogative of specialists who are responsible for all components of the video sequence, including the generation of such effects as the takeoff of a spaceship, the opening of portals to other worlds, the murmur of nature on other planets, etc.

Sound accompaniment can be divided into the following elements:

1. Atmospheric phenomena. This is a complex concept for background acoustics, such as wind, the rustle of the forest, or the metropolitan buzz.
2. Synchronous effects. The category unites all noises that reproduce the activity of characters — steps, interactions with objects, etc.
3. Speech. It can be an intra-frame installation, direct replicas of characters, and the voiceover accompaniment of the announcer.
4. Ambient noise. The fusion of atmospheres with speaking is used to generate buzz from a large crowd.
5. Non-synchronous elements. These can be unrealistic Sfx tones, such as a spaceship taking off, or real Hfx sounds, for example, gunshots, car brakes, and door slamming.
6. Music. In-game melodies are woven into the plot and heard by the characters. Voiceovers are used only for the viewers.

Functionality of Audio Sequence in Casinos

Sound design performs a wide variety of tasks. Each of them is achieved unnoticed by clients.

Key features of the solution:

Formation of a Stable Association with a Specific Product

The audio track forms the identity of the entertainment, making it as recognisable as possible. A striking example is the appearance of Nintendo releases. The most popular element of the franchise is the background in the Super Mario Bros. series.

The soundtrack provided the games with uniqueness and became the brand’s calling card, capable of instantly immersing in a familiar atmosphere even after years.

A similar situation is with such series as “Game of Thrones”, “The Last of Us”, or “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Their tunes are familiar even to those who have never watched these films.

In the casino segment, the most typical sound is the noise of spinning reels, as close as possible to the hum of mechanical wheels in the “one-armed bandits” of the late 19th century.

The Audience’s Orientation in Space

Positioning of audio sequences plays a key role in the ability of players to navigate in the virtual universe and determine the disposition of objects.

Sound design is responsible for the following parameters:

1. Left-right localisation. Various stereo effects that imitate the spatial location of surrounding noise sources help users achieve the desired result.
2. Distance estimation. This factor is determined by the volume, frequency of buzz, and other triggers that can fade or appear as a person moves toward the audio source.

Control of Emotional Background and Behaviour

Sound design plays a crucial role in shaping the punters’ state and their reactions during sessions.

Appropriate audio effects help customers understand whether they are acting correctly. Calm melodies instil a sense of security, and alarming signals stimulate more cautious or, conversely, quick reactions.

In online casinos, the sounds of victory cause the maximum emotional lift. These can be fanfare, the ringing of coins, and the rustling of banknotes.

Perception of Time

The sensation of speed and slowdown in the game is affected by many factors, including:

• music’s tempo;
• audio volume;
• complexity and tones of melodies.

Energetic, simple, and short rhythms can make clients feel that time is passing faster. Slow songs create the opposite, calming effect. A similar situation is with silence or pauses.

Attention Control

Sound design helps bettors concentrate and make decisions faster at critical moments. Operators can also focus the audience’s attention on a specific object — it is enough to create a unique signal for it.

For example, one tune is used in the main session, but as soon as the bonus round is activated, the background instantly changes, stimulating people to concentrate.

Formation of a Habit

Regular repetition of specific sounds at key moments during the session creates a conditioned response. This is an unconscious reaction that cannot be monitored. In the future, users may remember the game simply by hearing a similar trigger in the environment.

Illusion of Control

The opportunity to hear pressing buttons against the background of the reels’ rustling generates a sensation of maximum immersion and participation.

Players gain confidence and start thinking that success depends entirely on their actions. It contributes to greater relaxation, thus reducing tension and concentration.

Sound Design and Modern Technologies

Thanks to innovative achievements, audio effects can become even more vivid, diverse, and exciting.

Application of AI

Such innovation allows entrepreneurs to process a huge amount of incoming data in real-time. This information can be used to create a personalised experience.

A good example is the generation of non-linear soundtracks. They completely depend on the client’s actions. Thus, a blast in a shooter will not be heard until a casino visitor presses the corresponding button on the joystick or keyboard.

Artificial intelligence has already proven itself in generating unique music products based on the audience’s preferences. A designer can create exclusive options and adapt them to a specific customer.

Sounds for VR and AR

Background noise allows gamblers to better navigate the virtual environment. This is especially important when there is a need to move in a three-dimensional space with the illusion of full immersion.

Biometric Technologies

Various tracking algorithms and personal data make it possible to change the soundtrack depending on the person’s emotional state.

For example, if any stress reactions are detected, the music can become more measured and monotonous. The opposite situation will arise in the case of a positive reaction.

Flexible Settings

The design of the audio sequence can be adapted to any gadget and engine. VR platforms are characterised by more aggressive tones that create the effect of maximum immersion.

Mobile casino solutions have an original advantage — the ability to complement the music line with vibrations to enhance interaction.

The Main Things about Soundtracks in the iGaming Industry

These are not just an atmospheric addition to betting sessions, but their integral part, which makes products truly authentic.

Audio effects significantly enrich visual impressions, create depth perception, and make the virtual world more real.

With the help of the tool, entertainment business owners can control:

• Time perception during rounds. Quiet monotonous melodies contribute to relaxation and unconscious slowing of the user's movements. Strong rhythms, on the contrary, stimulate decisive action.
• Emotional background and behaviour. Tense, sharp sounds encourage people to concentrate and change their strategy.
• Formation of a habit. Frequently repeated signals create unconscious associations with a specific action or product. Clients can remember the game simply by hearing a similar noise in everyday life.

You can learn more about the nuances of developing and successfully promoting exclusive online casino startups from the Smart Money studio. We follow industry trends and embrace the most promising technological innovations.

From us, it is also possible to order the following useful solutions:

• flexible and licensed modular platforms;
• adaptive open-source scripts;
• lottery software;
• bookmaker franchises;
• decentralised blockchain portals;
• free demo versions of websites with slot machines, and much more.

Buy