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:	9781476646053
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	08/17/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	255
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
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.
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

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1. An Exploration of Major Achievements in Video Game Audio Hardware and Software
Chapter 2. The Timeline of Video Game Audio History (Hardware, Software, and Events)
Chapter 3. The Expanded Universe of Video Game Audio
Appendix: Commercial Video Game Music Soundtracks
Glossary of Terms
Bibliography
Index