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Proximity Chat Changes the Game: How Lethal Company's Game Design Innovated Multiplayer Horror Games

Here’s an exploration of the innovative audio techniques that set Lethal Company apart and how you can apply similar principles to your own games.

Lethal Company - Image Courtesy of PC Gamer

Key Sound Design Components

  1. Proximity Chat

    • In Lethal Company, players only hear sounds close to their position, similar to real life. This includes both friends and enemies. The proximity chat enhances immersion, creating a terrifying experience as monsters can sneak up unnoticed until it’s too late.

    • Players can purchase walkie talkies to communicate over distances, adding a layer of strategic gameplay, espcially as they have batteries which deplete over time.

  2. Environmental Reactions

    • The game’s sound design adjusts to different environments. Voices and character noises change depending on the room, with echoes and volume levels enhancing immersion, this can make an enemy far away seem close, or worse, an enemy close seem far away.

    • Footstep sounds and other ambient noises react realistically to the terrain and actions, such as the sound of rain, lightning, and the swampy mush of marsh ponds - this is a particuarlly impressive feat which bolsters immersion.

  3. Audio-Triggered Enemy Reactions

    • Enemies in Lethal Company respond to players' audio levels, including footsteps and microphone inputs. This feature adds a strategic element, as making too much noise can attract deadly foes.

    • The game includes mechanics where enemies use players' sounds to locate and attack, leading to intense and unexpected encounters.

These three points coalesce into an experience which is immersive and engaging. Discord, Skype, Teamspeak are all commication software that can hamper the immersion in co-op games, especially in the horror genre, so getting it right with incredible sound design, alongside proximity chat was a must for Lethal Company's success.


Implementation Tips for Developers

Inspired by Lethal Company's sound design? Here are some tips on how to implement similar audio features in your own games:

  • Spatial Voice Chat: Use Unity’s game engine with assets that support networked spatial audio. This allows for realistic voice chat effects.

  • Environmental Audio: Utilize Unity’s built-in 3D spatial effects to create realistic audio drop-off and Doppler effects. Customize footstep sounds based on the terrain using raycasts and animation events.

  • Dynamic Sound Effects: Implement audio filters that change depending on the player’s location in the game world. Use colliders to determine the environment and adjust sound effects accordingly.


Conclusion

Lethal Company stands out in the multiplayer horror genre with its innovative sound design, making it a must-study example for indie developers. By emphasizing immersive audio techniques, the game creates a uniquely terrifying and engaging experience.


Thanks for reading, and keep on keeping on!


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