As this is an arcade mobile game, which is designed to be played between breaks for a few minutes or on the go, I expect that a lot of people will play it with the sound off or in loud environments where it is difficult to hear the game. Due to this, there will be less of a focus on the sound, and it will not be required to enjoy the game. However, I would like to include music and sound effects for those who want to experience the game in full.
I plan to include 2 music tracks: one for space and another for the planet surface. The tracks will fade in and out as the player transitions between the 2 environments.
The space track, as this is where the player is tested and their score increases, will be a sci-fi themed fast-paced track that uses electronic sounds to get the player’s blood pumping. The track will build up to multiple crescendos throughout a 3 minute runtime and then be able to smoothly repeat. The crescendos will be loud moments where big sci-fi sounds, like lasers, are used the most; use the otherworldly laser sounds from Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds to inspire these. For the build up, start off with subtle but effective beats and transition to frantic but cool moments; similar to M|O|O|N’s Hydrogen, used in Hotline Miami, and Toby Fox’s Megalovania, used in Undertale.
The surface track is much more calm but still a sci-fi electronic song, with elements of civilisation building itself up. The track should be hopeful, as well as subtle and much quieter than the space soundtrack. Use music similar to Alpha Centauri by Andreas Waldetoff, which is used in Stellaris, and Civil (Explore) by Ben Prunty, which is used in FTL: Faster Than Light. Use Todd Masten’s Age of Empire I song Cradle of Civilisation, Sogno Di Volare by Christopher Tin and Todd Masten’s Maps of the World, used in Age of Empires II, as well as Borislav Slavovs Quirky Bones to add hints of civilisation to the track.
The sound effects will be directly inspired by real rocket sound effects and should flow nicely with the music. Most sound effects, such as pings, will fit in with the music but still stand out. The sound effects that I know I will need already are: