Soundmarks in digital games soundscapes

The term soundmark is defined by Schafer as derived from landmark and referring to “a sound which is unique or possesses qualities which make it specially regarded or noticed by the people in a community” (Schafer 1994, p. 274). Alongside sound signals and keynote sounds, soundmarks are the main features to be found in a soundscape. This paper considers digital games as objects for meaningful acoustic communication, and aims to analyze their sonic output by using the theoretical background of soundscape studies, as discussed primarily by R. Murray Schafer and Barry Truax. Soundmarks in digital games soundscapes will be identified, analyzed and compared. Common examples of soundmarks “include distinctive bells and the sound of traditional activities” (Wrightson 2000, p. 1). Historical buildings or monuments, such as the Big Ben in London, or religious calls, such as the islamic Muezzin or the catholic bell, are customary of certain soundscapes. The digital game soundmark is therefore identified in sounds specially regarded by different acoustic communities of digital game players. This paper considers different sonic environments in order to productively analyze different examples of digital games soundmarks. Single games such as “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” (Nintendo 1991) are included, considering the different sessions necessary to access the sounds. Game series such as the “Mario” (Nintendo 1985 – 2012) serie are examples of evolving soundmarks. Reworkings of soundmarks such as Aphex Twin's 1992 Pac-Man EP are also considered to address the relevance of digital game soundmarks in contemporary popular culture.peer-reviewe

Comedic affordances in digital game soundscapes

Among audiovisual media, the peculiar aspect of digital games is in the nontrivial effort required from the user to traverse them (Aarseth, 1997). Not everything is prescript in a linear fashion, allowing a certain amount of juxtapositions and discrepancies among audiovisual elements, narrative situations, and semiotic meanings. Those can afford the perception of comedic situations. The Half-Life 2 community couldn’t help but notice the fact that even if they were armed with explosives, they couldn’t open a banal wooden door that was just not designed to be opened. In classic Pirandello’s comedy theory, the humorist experiences an awareness of the opposites (Bassanese, 1997): the comical effect is triggered by the perception of a contradiction. Chion explains that, in audiovisual media, whenever visual and audio are played simultaneously, the viewer/listener makes sense of the two streams by synchresis: “the spontaneous and irresistible weld produced between a particular auditory phenomenon and visual phenomenon when they occur at the same time” (Chion, 1994). The two elements, audio and video, can be used in way that produces the awareness of the opposites described by Pirandello. An example of that is found in the practice of mickeymousing, which consists in associating an unexpected musical figure to an on screen action. Examples are found in classic cartoons and digital games alike: in Super Mario Bros., “Mario's "jump" is accompanied by an ascending chromatic glissando” (Whalen, 2004). How this interacts with the previously mentioned comedic affordances found in digital games? Digital games can be described as compound media containers; specifically, their audio content consists of different pre-composed sounds. This sonic palette is actualized in a soundscape during gameplay sessions, when the player juxtaposes to different degrees the aural content, producing a unique sonic output. An example of that can be found in New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo 2009), where a multiplayer mode is introduced. When one of the participants has spent all of his character “lives”, he can still participate in the session by playing sounds through the buttons of the wiimote: different sound presets are available, and the user can switch among drum kit, percussions, 8-bit sounds, comedy sounds, and so on. This is an example of a loosely predetermined soundscape, where the final output is not pre-composed, but rather left in the hands of the players: the sound palette is freely usable by the “dead” player. It is then possible to create counterpoints to the other player(s) action, by for example triggering a round of applause after a well executed maneuver; accompany the background music with a percussive groove; or disregard any other sound output coming from the speakers and be a disturbance to everyone by playing random sounds. The possibility for comedic effect through the manipulation of the other player synchresis is in this case readily available, providing an ample range of comedic affordances.peer-reviewe

Communication in Adult Children of Alcoholics: The Problem, the Result, and the Solution

In the United States alone, 25% of children live with an alcoholic parent (Haverfield et al., 2016). While there is extensive research on the psychological impacts of growing up with an alcoholic parent, research focused on communication is slim. This paper seeks to examine the communication characteristics in adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) in three ways: (1) to determine how communication dynamics in alcoholic families are detrimental, (2) to determine the implications of these dynamics in adulthood, and (3) to determine how communication can be implemented as a solution for ACOAs. Several interviews were conducted on ACOAs based on those goals. Additionally, existing research was examined to determine background, implications for communication, and possible interventions. Alcoholism is often referred to as a family disease, and the children of those families experience specific psychological effects that carry on to adulthood (Hall and Webster, 2007). This has a direct correlation to communication patterns. The goal of this study is to determine how having an alcoholic parent affects communication tendencies, and to determine what communication-based solutions are beneficial to ACOAs. Communication is the foundation of all relationships, whether romantic, platonic, professional, or familial. Findings indicate that there are several viable mitigators for the negative effects that ACOAs endure, but they must be tailored to the individual

The Purpose of Black Role Models

When thinking of role models, the notion is typically speculated from the perspective of the youth; though, black role models are known to have a direct contribution on the lives of men and women in all stages of adulthood as well (18+). Researching the essence and character of role models, more specifically black role models will include, but are not limited to: 1) how they transcend into the role model they eventually become; 2) what is considered to be important in not just a leader but a black leader; and 3) the barriers black people have to fight to become role models. The positive self-image is a common trait in many role models, specifically black role models. Black people in (relative) recent history have had to overcome a significant mental barrier, mainly due to the racist interpretation of the pigmentation in a black person\u27s skin. An inferiority complex can develop over time, due to the role model’s experience through systematic racism, bigotry, and segregation in years past, inevitably nurturing a negative self-image. This opposes what is generally looked for in a role model, and part of the reason a search for a positive self-image should be seriously considered during the quest for an adequate role model. As role aspirants we must learn to adopt specific characteristics that our black role models possess. The characteristics that must be aimed to obtain will coincide with simple success principles learned from multiple best-selling self-development books. These books ultimately focus on the recognition of the “self.” After reading said books, there is no wonder why David Goggins, Oprah Winfrey, and Bob Marley, three featured black role models, are recognized as successful role models