Ideas for empty room ambient sound needed

[san.daniele]

It doesn't fit the critic's lounge 100%, but I give it a go.

I have several rooms that still need ambient sound. The rooms in question are inside a ranch/farmhouse. Here's what I did in some rooms:
- clock to the wall that's ticking
- open fire in the chimney
- boiling water in the kitchen (as that's part of a quest it's not the only sound there)
- snoring man in a bedroom
- purring cat

… but there's still rooms left that are creepingly quiet. I guess I can't just put a clock on the wall or a cat on the floor in every room
Any suggestions?

The game takes place ca. 100 years ago. Think of it as a Wild West scenario. So no radio, traffic from outside, dishwashers, air condition fans, ...
I can not have more NPC's creating noises as they wouldn't fit the story. There's nothing in the story itself that could cause a noise coming from outside.
I like the idea of little wind and slightly rattling windows with a wooden squeak here and there, but when I try that it always gives the game a horror-like atmosphere which I really have to avoid!
damped animal sounds from outside could be nice (but it fells like that by itself is too little sound with a horse/pig/chicken shouting every 20 seconds).

Best would be to give the rooms a depressing/sad/lonesome feeling.

[Andail]

Yeah, this is a situation I've found myself in too. It's basically the same with animations - it's nice if somethings moves in every room, but sometimes there's just nothing there to animate.

I don't think you should cram in too many ambient sounds - a sporadic horse neighing or a cow mooing is fine. The thing with ambient sounds is that they have a really strong impact on the scene. If you add howling winds, suddenly the game will turn really spooky, as you say, and hearing a clock tick will convey loneliness and desolation. Squeaking floor boards build up suspense.

[Anian]

The game takes place ca. 100 years ago. Think of it as a Wild West scenario. So no radio, traffic from outside, dishwashers, air condition fans, ...
I can not have more NPC's creating noises as they wouldn't fit the story. There's nothing in the story itself that could cause a noise coming from outside.
I like the idea of little wind and slightly rattling windows with a wooden squeak here and there, but when I try that it always gives the game a horror-like atmosphere which I really have to avoid!
damped animal sounds from outside could be nice (but it fells like that by itself is too little sound with a horse/pig/chicken shouting every 20 seconds).

Best would be to give the rooms a depressing/sad/lonesome feeling.

Maybe crickets. If you want to steer the mood, maybe put some simple slow music as well. It can still sound quiet even with music, if it's soft enough.

[san.daniele]

I see you all like the animal sounds as well. While I agree that it doesn't need much, it feels those sporadic noises from the outside are just too quiet.
An idea that just came to me is a mouse running through the room every now and then (but then I have to find a way to work said mouse into a puzzle ).

I don't want to start using music. Even though it would be wonderful (I even have quite a specific idea what would fit), it feels like I have to add music to every room then. I'm not even going down that road (this project is already 20 times bigger than I imagined it to be).

I'm going to have a look at Red Dead Redemption, there might be some inspiration there (although I think they're using background music all the time)

[CaptainD]

Depending on the room and whether there's a window open / a crack in the wall, maybe occasionally the sound of wind whistling by?

[Stupot]

Perhaps you could put a wind-chime on a tree outside, or the front porch if there is one. That could be a noise that is heard throughout the house And you can make it so that it is quieter, but still audible, when the player is in the rooms at the back of the house.

[Tramponline]

I don't want to start using music. Even though it would be wonderful (I even have quite a specific idea what would fit), it feels like I have to add music to every room then. I'm not even going down that road (this project is already 20 times bigger than I imagined it to be).

A 'sneaky' way to avoid that (for one room!) would be to pass the decision about music/no music on to the player by having the music's source in the scene itself:

A derelict 'music box' or a 'gramophone' for example. (the latter might or might not be a bit of a stretch, depends on your setting)

If the tune is subtle enough it would greatly enhance the feeling of loneliness and sadness (...for example if the tune feels 'out of place' or appears to be a relic of some long lost past). At the same time it'd be entirely up to the player (e.g.) whether to leave the music box's lid open or to close it again...etc.
 

[Slasher]

If you have already created your room(s) then take a look at what is in it and decide if you want to add anything else or use what you have to give it an uplift.

I have to agree that most rooms are naturally quite quiet so you have to exaggerate things sometimes.

What objects are in the room? Where is the room located? Is there an open window? Has someone left the bath running? Is the location of the range near coyote's?  Are there horses there? Are there flies in the room? Is there a ceiling fan working? Are you quite close to an Indian reservation: smoke signals, beating drums etc? Maybe there is a piano? The list is endless.

You have had quite a few ideas thrown to you.

I think the music box idea is a great one (player can stop / start the music by opening or closing the lid).

Good luck

[san.daniele]

You have had quite a few ideas thrown to you.

I agree and am eager to work around with them.

I love the idea with the gramophone and dont't think at all it's a stretch. What might be a stretch is putting it into the sad/poor/simple life atmosphere I try to build.

What I'm definately going to use are flies! Can't believe I didn't think of them! They're like the missing link in the whole 'hearing distant animal sounds through the walls' topic, as a randomly flying single fly sfx will fill up the scene.