As a sound designer, composer, musician, or whatever you want to call it do you just make the audio and send it to the programmer or do u put the music into the game urself?

It will most likely vary from project to project.
AAA dev studios, for instance, will normally build tools for sound designers and musicians to easily dynamically place sound and music in the game.
If you're working with a more "homebrew" studio then the tools will be rougher or you may need to give it directly to the game designer or programmer for them to place in the game.
Also, generally when musicians are contracted (rather than a hired in-house musician), they are given a set of songs or stems to compose and may not be as actively involved with the tools.

Where I work, I am responsible for putting in all of the assets and setting all of the parameters (amount of fall off, DSP, etc). The method of inserting a sound of music track differs from project to project. Sometimes I'm putting it into a database, other times I'm coding it in via action script. I do have an audio programmer that helps set up the architecture as well as assist me if there are any audio problems.

Thanks,

Nathan

I also deliver the sound elements to a programmer. I have extensive experience in mixing but I am not a programmer and don't quite understand how you mix for a game. Can I hear more about how one mixes game sound?

(btw one silly question -how do I get email notification on this forum?, I've been to my CP and can't find a preference)

When creating a post you select the email notification message. When replying, I don't see one listed. Mixing in game is a very tedious process. I put all of the assets (that are ready) in-game, then start to play it. If things are unbalanced, I start changing the dB output. This is accomplished either by changing the source file (usually in Sound Forge) or changing the parameters in the audio scripting.

Once you get a good level happening from asset to asset, I begin testing to make sure the overall audio output is somewhat level with most media on the computer. You don't want your game to be super loud or soft compared to other media, so you try to find a good average and then stick with it.

It takes a good bit of time and experimenting with the game to make sure everything is flowing and placed as it should be.

Thanks,

Nate

[Edited by - nsmadsen on January 29, 2009 11:53:29 AM]

Ok thanks again Nathan, I understand. I'll have to sit with the audio programmer and see if we can do better next time. what about the mixing environment, playback system/speakers? were do most audio game programmers usually mix the sound?

I will post this question as a new thread.

[Edited by - panetta on January 30, 2009 8:49:11 AM]