YouTuber Ermin Hamidovic joins Nitro Nights to discuss the importance of sound effects in racing games.
Photo credit: Overtake
In this week’s episode of Nitro Nights, Indiana chats to YouTuber and sound engineer, Ermin Hamidovic. The Australian pools his knowledge from two seemingly diverse fields to discuss the importance of sound effects in racing games and the crucial role they play in immersion.
YouTube is an “escape” from daily life
Ermin Hamidovic is a relative newbie in the YouTube world. He started his channel during the lockdown in Australia, but already boasts over 30,000 loyal subscribers. Having worked as sound engineer for the last 15 years, he explains that he created the channel to “balance” his work life. It offers an “escape from the audio engineering”, which is why the two topics rarely mix – but he does use his expertise to benefit the production quality of his videos.
For Ermin, sound is an often overlooked aspect of racing games. In fact, there was a cliché amongst sound producers that “if you do your job right, nobody knows that you exist”. However, its importance should never be underestimated, because good sound quality can actually improve lap times.
Tips from a pro
There are numerous ways in which excellent sound quality can help you get faster. For example, a racer sensitively tuned into the engine note will know exactly when to shift gears without needing to glance at the rev counter. A locked wheel under braking can often be heard before it is felt. And Ermin’s top tip: if the force feedback is vague, turn up the sound of the tire squeal so you know when you have reached the limit of grip. For additional pearls of wisdom from the Australian, check out his previous tutorial on how to set up rFactor 2:
HOW TO SET UP RFACTOR 2 WITH ERMIN HAMIDOVIC
As far as the best sounding games are concerned, Ermin reveals that he feels DiRT Rally 2.0 offers an unbeatable audio experience, closely followed by ACC. The immersion of both games is dramatically improved by this aspect – so get in your rig, crank up the volume and try out Ermin’s hints and tips for yourself!
Afterwards, it’s time for the usual Trackmania challenge! Can Ermin beat fellow Australian Emily Jones, who currently sits at the top of the leaderboard? Find out in episode 35 of Nitro Nights!
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