01 Oct The Audio Landscape of “Empire of the Ants”: Immersive Sounds and Epic Melodies
“Empire of the Ants” the newest adaptation of Bernard Werber’s novel into a strategy game, will soon immerse players in breathtakingly realistic settings. And the audio immersion will be just as impressive, with music and sounds that have been meticulously crafted! Let’s dive into all the details in this article.
A Collection of Sounds to Enhance Immersion
When entering the world of “Empire of the Ants” players will be surrounded by all the sounds of the Fontainebleau forest, where the action takes place. To ensure authenticity, the studio Tower Five went directly to the forest to record the singing of birds, the rustling of wind in the trees, the flowing water… and even something more surprising: the way sound reverberates in this iconic French forest. “I rigged a handle with a stereo microphone to capture the overall ambiance and a highly sensitive mono microphone in one direction to record specific sounds,” explains Vincent Miot-Sertier, Audio Designer at Tower Five. “It required a lot of patience to get exactly the sounds I wanted, like the buzzing of a bumblebee’s wings.”
Other sounds were recorded in the comfort of the studio, such as the crunching of earth, the rustling of grass, or the cracking of wood. Finally, some sounds had to be entirely invented: these are the dialogues and combat sounds of the insects depicted in “Empire of the Ants.” “This is pure creation; I start with a source like a synthesizer note, which I modify and work on,” Vincent tells us. For instance, for the praying mantis, the Audio Designer based its sound on the shrill cry of an elk, which he transformed into something unique yet still recognizable as a roar. “For the ants, I was inspired by the creaking sounds they make with their bodies and distorted my own voice to create their strange language. It was one of my biggest challenges!“
A Composer Duo for a Grand Symphony
In addition to this array of sounds, “ Empire of the Ants ” will also feature a sumptuous original soundtrack that will accompany players in their adventure and inform them of events such as attacks. The soundtrack was composed by two musicians, Mark Choi (“Path of Kami”) and Mathieu Alvado (“Ghost of a Tale”). “Each has their own identity and takes charge of a different aspect of the game: Mathieu handles the epic battle music, while Mark focuses on more playful melodies for exploration phases,” reveals Vincent Miot-Sertier.
The composers were given almost free rein and expressed their creativity independently before coming together for the recording. The Bow Tie Orchestra of Moscow played the original soundtrack—”we wanted a genuine symphonic orchestra rather than virtual tools to enhance the organic aspect of the game,” comments Vincent. The music belongs to the classical genre and includes violins, trombones, percussion… but also more unexpected instruments like the Armenian duduk. This cosmopolitan mix allows the music of “ Empire of the Ants ” to avoid being associated with a specific point on the globe, reinforcing our immersion in an unknown land. Similarly, the original soundtrack does not include choirs, to distance it from the human world.
Ready to immerse yourself in the enchanting sounds and music of “ Empire of the Ants ” on November 7th? Be sure to add the game on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation Store to stay updated!
Ready to immerse yourself in the enchanting sounds and music of “ Empire of the Ants ” on November 7th? Be sure to add the game on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation Store to stay updated!
