Video Game Audio: A History, 1972-2020

by Christopher Hopkins

Overview

From the one-bit beeps of Pong to the 3D audio of PlayStation 5, this book examines historical trends in video game sound and music. A range of game systems sold in North America, Europe and Japan are evaluated by their audio capabilities and industry competition. Technical fine points are explored, including synthesized v. sampled sound, pre-recorded v. dynamic audio, backward compatibility, discrete and multifunctional soundchips, storage media, audio programming documentation, and analog v. digital outputs. A timeline chronicles significant developments in video game sound for PC, NES, Dreamcast, Xbox, Wii, Game Boy, PSP, iOS and Android devices and many others.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476674353
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	08/31/2022
Pages:	255
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.51(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Christopher Hopkins taught high school and university courses in music and game development at SUNY Suffolk, Long Island University, Farmingdale State College, and Five Towns College. He developed the first university courses in video game music for Long Island University and Five Towns College. The independent game festivals IndieCade East, New Jersey Arcade, and Playcrafting NYC Summer Expo featured his original mobile games. He lives in West Islip, New York.

Table of Contents

Preface 1

Introduction 5

Chapter 1 An Exploration of Major Achievements in Video Game Audio Hardware and Software 9

Chapter 2 The Timeline of Video Game Audio History (Hardware, Software, and Events) 53

Chapter 3 The Expanded Universe of Video Game Audio 203

Appendix: Commercial Video Game Music Soundtracks 215

Glossary of Terms 219

Bibliography 225

Index 241