Overwatch 2: Creating Sound for Support Hero Juno That is Out of this World

Whats up Overwatch 2 followers and fellow sound engineers! Not too long ago, we welcomed the most recent hero and Martian colonist Juno to Earth and into the Overwatch mission in Season 12. Because the senior sound designer for her, I believed I’d share a bit about creating the sound id for Juno, and the way my journey by the world of sound design led me there.  

Discovering My Ardour 

Like Juno discovering her footing on Earth, my path to designing her sound profile started at Berklee, the place I initially went to check electrical bass. Music has at all times been my past love, however as I immersed myself in several points of audio manufacturing, I found a fascination with sound design. In the end this led to a call to chase a profession in sound design. Sadly, life occasions led to the powerful resolution to depart Berklee, however I nonetheless wished to interrupt into the business and start making connections. Since I used to be simply beginning out, I started creating sound design music and shared it with anybody who would hear. It was a hustle that paid off after I landed a couple of gigs making pattern packs for giant pattern pack corporations. These jobs might have been small potatoes, however they had been extremely instructional and helped me construct a strong starter reel of work. 

Becoming a member of the Overwatch 2 Group  

With a rising portfolio, I discovered a job at a third-party audio firm, the place I labored as much as a senior function, gaining expertise and refining my expertise. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than I felt able to tackle a extra vital problem—a place in an AAA work atmosphere. My alternative got here after I utilized for a place on the Overwatch 2 crew. The applying course of was intense—I interviewed and examined whereas battling my first case of COVID—however regardless of the hurdles, I used to be accepted for the function of Senior Heroes Designer. Inside the first yr, I used to be entrusted with designing Juno, my first hero. 

Designing Juno 

Juno makes use of her space-age know-how to resolve any drawback that enters her orbit, and her spunky and energetic persona referred to as for a sound design that was lighthearted and enjoyable. Her major hearth and torpedoes are fast burst weapons, so that they wanted to be punchy and concise, clear and satisfying. One of the challenges was in balancing her major hearth to suit each a medical therapeutic system and a laser gun. The crew went backwards and forwards on this factor, tweaking it till we discovered the proper equilibrium that felt proper for Juno. 

For her cosmic skills, I experimented with some unconventional methods. To seize some otherworldly results, I used de-noising plugins on tonal appears like bass synths and glassy textures. This was one of essentially the most enjoyable components of the method as a result of it allowed for lots of artistic freedom. 

Juno’s retro aesthetic meant I might lean right into a extra cliche “pew pew” gun type. I took trendy sounding pictures and blasts and processed them with fast filter and pitch sweeps to provide them that classic “pew” high quality. 

Creating the sounds for her mech and foley offered one other attention-grabbing problem. I wished them to sound minimal but genuine, whereas avoiding something too plastic or toy-like. So, I took a visit to Dwelling Depot and located numerous objects I might experiment with so as to add a novel layer of authenticity to her mechanical sounds. The target was to search out rubber and smooth plastic objects that could possibly be combined, so I ended up utilizing some plumbing provides, a plastic paint bucket, and a plastic plunger. I additionally took a visit to an area sporting items retailer and located some nice sounds utilizing a catcher’s mitt and a collapsing tenting bucket. 

All in all, Juno’s sound id is plucky future-retro. Maintain an ear out for Juno’s distinctive sounds—figuring out the story behind them may simply make your subsequent sport much more pleasant! 

An Expertise to Cherish 

Designing Juno has been a rewarding expertise, each professionally and personally, and seeing the constructive suggestions from the Overwatch group has been the cherry on high. My journey from Berklee dropout to creating sounds for a beloved sport like Overwatch 2 has been stuffed with twists, turns, and invaluable classes. 

Try my newest character designs within the World of Warcraft x Overwatch collab, the place I added sound to convey to life the enduring Widowmaker/Sylvanas pores and skin! 

For those who’re an aspiring sound designer or just curious concerning the course of, I hope this window into my expertise conjures up you to comply with your ardour, regardless of the obstacles. Till subsequent time, glad gaming and noise-making! 

For those who loved this submit, contemplate becoming a member of our community forum the place we talk about all issues Overwatch 2 and sound design. Your ideas and suggestions are at all times welcome! 

Juno is accessible now in Overwatch 2 – play for free on Xbox Sequence X|S, Xbox One and PC now.