How the NBA Live 15 Audio Team Created an Authentic Arena Atmosphere

[Steve_OS]

One of the strong points in NBA Live 15 is the audio heard within the game. More specifically, the team-specific crowd chants, music, SFX and announcer sound bites. They were also able to record exclusive audio from stadium organists and secure licenses for some of the hype music heard in some of the arenas.

Over the course of 3 months and 35 hours, the team captured audio from various arenas around the league with 24 mics, from three audio perspectives, in 7.1 Surround sound. While they don't have authentic arena atmosphere audio for every arena in the league, they are planning to get it done.

For more details, check out the blog and video explanation of the process.

[BL8001]

Re: Sounds of NBA LIVE 15

no doubt about it, this part of the game scores a 10 out of 10.

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: Sounds of NBA LIVE 15

The Let's Go Cavs chant is crazy. As a road team it took me by surprise how good it was.

I had also lowered the volume of Breene and Van Gundy so the arena sounds come through more.

[Walt Frazier]

Re: Sounds of NBA LIVE 15

I play this game with 7.1 headphones on and the sound is just absolutely brilliant.

Same with NHL and FIFA....just incredibly immersive.

[Junior Moe]

Live deservedly gets panned for its quality. But this audio is the best ever in a sports game, IMO. It really is and the team deserves respect for knocking this aspect out of the park.

[csamuelsvt]

this is one thing that I have always loved about live...completely spot on with the arena atmosphere.

Hearing the loud Defense chant sends chills

[ericromain]

This sounds great. Which teams have team exclusive organist music?
I hope they spread this to the other EA games, it would sound great in NHL.

[Junior Moe]

Re: How the NBA Live 15 Audio Team Created an Authentic Arena Atmosphere

This sounds great. Which teams have team exclusive organist music?
I hope they spread this to the other EA games, it would sound great in NHL.

While I haven't played it, I was under the impression that NHL 15 really nailed crowd reactions, behavior, chants and atmosphere this year. I have the Live trail and the sound is great; does it not translate as well in NHL?

[DaMario35]

The crowd volume is great always been better then 2k but I am sick of hearing Jeff and mike repeat the same stuff like wake me up when this game is over, also the computer could give me more of a game blowing them out by 30 plus doesn't make the game fun also some of the shots the computer makes are the worst I have ever seen on a basketball game. I am a big fan of live but these thing need to be fix this game and not happen the games in 16 or 17 in order to have better sales.

[JayMizzle]

Live's sound has always been better than 2K. But its not enough to just have that, need the Gameplay to go with it.

[ChrisCP3Paul]

Re: How the NBA Live 15 Audio Team Created an Authentic Arena Atmosphere

I wonder why can't they get the most important sound of the game right....

THE SWISH

they all sound near identical.... like a deep bass heavy thump/swush combination

[tril]

Like others have said, Live's arena sound and atmosphere has always been better than 2k.

[@marcusjiles]

I wonder why can't they get the most important sound of the game right....

THE SWISH

they all sound near identical.... like a deep bass heavy thump/swush combination

This is actually something I've been noticing in 2k since I dont play Live. You watch any basketball game and you hear different swishes, long threes that go in but you hear the ball hit the rim and it sounds like a thump. It stands out when you pay attention to how unrealistic is sounds. Layups sound like 30ft threes.

As it relates to the piece, Live's audio next year has a chance to be groundbreaking. But that damn commentary. Give me JVG complaining stuff, Mike Breen giving enthusiastic BANGS! and some good solid pacing and it will be a great highlight of the game.

[BL8001]

Re: How the NBA Live 15 Audio Team Created an Authentic Arena Atmosphere

For real, just put a mic about 6 feet from the net and shoot layups for 5 minutes, then 4 foot jumpers, 8 foot, 12 foot, etc dunk, grab rebounds, etc.

Put them all in distance appropriate folders and have the game randomly pick one from the distance folder equal to the in-game shot and now you have varied net sounds.

You could do this in any of the million indoor gyms in this country.

Once you have your sound collection you can enhance it post process and tune them for different arenas, large, medium, small.

Now you have a sound collection and if you feel like adding more to it you just capture more ball/net/rim interactions and add them to the catalog.

[ChrisCP3Paul]

Re: How the NBA Live 15 Audio Team Created an Authentic Arena Atmosphere

yea neither 2K and Live have proper swish sounds.... at least Live has a ridiculously sweet looking rim/net as opposed to 2K's red ring with tooth floss strings hanging off it


I agree I don't think it's hard at all to capture proper swish sounds, combine that with the fact that a swish sound is honestly the single most important sound in the game.... hard to believe both 2K and EA messed up on it.... I think it's one of those things they may have overlooked because it seems so basic... well they both need to RE look into it