About Dr Richard Stevens
Dr Richard Stevens is Course Director for the postgraduate programmes in music and sound at Leeds Beckett University. He has published and presented widely on the topic of Game Audio and Game Audio Education including at the Audio Engineering Society, Ludomusicology, and Game Developers conferences.
Richard has been awarded the position of University Teacher Fellow in recognition of his innovative pedagogical work, and co-authored the first practical text book in the field, The Game Audio Tutorial (Focal Press, 2011). Along with a second volume, Game Audio Implementation (CRC Press, 2015), numerous conference presentations and workshops, and his work as chair of the Interactive Audio Special Interest group, his work over the last decade has informed teaching curricula in the subject throughout the world.
Current Teaching
Richard leads the MSc. in Sound and Music for Interactive Games and teaches Game Audio and Music for Film and Television at undergraduate level.
Research Interests
Richard's recent research has brought psychological research methods to bear on developing an understanding of the impact of interactive music systems on the video game player experience. His PhD examined how dissonances between the ludic and narrative functions of music in games might be resolved through a more integrated design approach – where game events may consider musical timings as an input to decision making processes. These ideas are summarised in his contribution to the Oxford Handbook of Interactive Audio, Designing a game for music: Integrated design approaches for ludic music and interactivity.
He retains close links to game audio professionals and the game industry, collaborating with Senior Audio Director at EA DICE, Ben Minto, for the Soundtrack Journal paper The reality paradox: Authenticity, fidelity and the real in Battlefield 4. He is also working alongside composers and sound artists to investigate how video games engines might provide opportunities as a platform for the composition and performance of, and medium for, spatial music and sound art.
Selected Publications
Journal articles (2)
- Stevens RC; Raybould D (2015), The reality paradox: Authenticity, fidelity, and the real in Battlefield 4. The Soundtrack, vol. 8 (1-2), p. 57-75.
https://doi.org/10.1386/st.8.1-2.57_1
View Repository Record - Stevens RC; Collins K; Onen U (2011), Designing an International Curriculum Guideline for Game Audio: Problems and Solutions.. Journal of Game Design and Development Education, vol. 1
Books (2)
- Stevens RC; Raybould D (2015) Game Audio Implementation. . Burlington, MA: Focal Press.
- Stevens RC; Raybould D (2011) The Game Audio Tutorial: A practical guide to the implementation of sound and music within the UDK engine. . Focal Press.
Chapters (1)
- Raybould D; Stevens RC (2014) Designing a Game for Music: Integrated Design Approaches for Ludic Music & Interactivity. In: Raybould D; Stevens RC Oxford Handbook of Interactive Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. .
Conference contributions (1)
- Stevens RC (2014) Ludic Melodies: Towards a Functional Taxonomy of Music in Video Games University of Leeds 20140904. : .
Conference proceedings (peer reviewed) (1)
- Stevens RC; Raybould D; McDermott D (2015) Extreme Ninjas use windows not doors: Addressing video game fidelity through Ludo-Narrative music in the stealth genre. In: Audio Engineering Society 56th International Conference London 20150211. : , pp. .
View Repository Record
Reports (1)
- Collins K; Felton K; Fuller B; Hankinson T; Harwood S; Heiden K; Horowitz S; Javelosa D; Kazandjian R; Rippie J (2011) Game Audio Curriculum Guidelines. . Interactive Audio Special Interest Group. MIDI Manufacturers Association, La Habra, U.S.A..
Show/hide all publications
Journal articles (4)
- Stevens RC; Raybould D (2015), The reality paradox: Authenticity, fidelity, and the real in Battlefield 4. The Soundtrack, vol. 8 (1-2), p. 57-75.
https://doi.org/10.1386/st.8.1-2.57_1
View Repository Record - Stevens RC; Collins K; Onen U (2011), Designing an International Curriculum Guideline for Game Audio: Problems and Solutions.. Journal of Game Design and Development Education, vol. 1
- Stevens RC; Marchant P; Raybould D; Renshaw T (2009), Are You Seeing What I'm Seeing? An Eye-Tracking Evaluation of Dynamic Scenes.. Special Edition of Digital Creativity Journal, vol. 20 (3)
https://doi.org/10.1080/14626260903083611 - Stevens RC; Renshaw T; Denton P (2009), 'Towards understanding engagement in games: an eye-tracking study'.. On the Horizon, vol. 17 (4), p. 408-420.
https://doi.org/10.1108/10748120910998425
View Repository Record
Books (2)
- Stevens RC; Raybould D (2015) Game Audio Implementation. . Burlington, MA: Focal Press.
- Stevens RC; Raybould D (2011) The Game Audio Tutorial: A practical guide to the implementation of sound and music within the UDK engine. . Focal Press.
Chapters (1)
- Raybould D; Stevens RC (2014) Designing a Game for Music: Integrated Design Approaches for Ludic Music & Interactivity. In: Raybould D; Stevens RC Oxford Handbook of Interactive Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. .
Conference contributions (15)
- Stevens R; Raybould D; Stavropoulos N (2018) Spatial Audio Utilities for Unreal Game Engine Manchester 20180625. Manchester: eastn.uk.
- Stevens RC (2018) Going nowhere: Stasis, ambiguity, and the infinite riser in video game music. Liepzig University 20180413. : .
- Stevens RC (2017) Mario, Mickey-mouse, and Morricone: Interactivity and Synchronisation in Video-game music Vilnius, Lithuania 20170928. : .
- Stevens RC; stavropoulos N (2017) It's in the game: The affordances of video game technologies for spatial music Bath Spa University 20170420. : .
- Stevens RC (2015) Scores for High Scores: Games, Music, and Interactivity Lithuanian academy of music and theatre, Vilnius 20151001. : .
- Stevens RC (2015) A Practical Demonstration of Game Music Implementation Methods Utrecht 20150409. : .
- Stevens RC (2014) Ludic Melodies: Towards a Functional Taxonomy of Music in Video Games University of Leeds 20140904. : .
- Stevens RC; Raybould D (2014) Keeping it unreal: Authenticity and Fidelity in the Military FPS University of Chichester 20140410. : .
- Stevens RC; raybould D (2013) Music in games and animation: Do animators hold the key ? Swansea School of Digital Media 20131113. : .
- Stevens RC; Raybould D (2013) Not creepy music, but music for creeping University of Liverpool 20130412. : .
- Raybould D; stevens R (2013) Not creepy music, but music for creeping : The challenges of stealth for video game audio University of Liverpool 20130412. : .
- Stevens RC (2013) Game Audio Education Roundtable San Francisco 20130326. : .
- Raybould D; Stevens RC (2011) No, I said Interactive Music London, UK . : .
- Stevens RC (2011) Game Audio Education Summit San Francisco 20110303. : .
- Raybould D; Stevens (2010) Are You Lookin' At Me Kent, UK . : .
Conference proceedings (peer reviewed) (8)
- Stevens RC; Raybould D; McDermott D (2015) Extreme Ninjas use windows not doors: Addressing video game fidelity through Ludo-Narrative music in the stealth genre. In: Audio Engineering Society 56th International Conference London 20150211. : , pp. .
View Repository Record - Raybould D; Stevens RC (2011) No, I Said Interactive Music. In: AES 130th International Convention London, UK 20110515. : , pp. .
- Raybould D; Stevens RC (2010) A Curriculum for Game Audio - Panel. In: AES 128th International Convention London, UK 20100524. : , pp. .
- Raybould D; Stevens RC (2009) Audio For Games. In: The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Games Innovation Conference London, UK . : , pp. .
- Raybould D; Stevens RC (2009) Audio For Games: An Interactive Tutorial. In: AES 35th Conference: Audio For Games . : , pp. .
- Raybould D; Stevens R (2009) Tutorial on Implementing sound and music for games in the UnReal engine. In: 127th AES Convention New York, USA 20091009. : , pp. .
- Stevens R; Raybould D (2009) Games Audio Workshop. In: IEEE Games Innovation Conference . London: , pp. .
- Stevens RC; Renshaw T; Denton P (2008) 'Understanding Games Interaction Through Eye-tracking: From User Learning to New Business Model Development'.. In: 38th SAGSET Conference: Teaching and Learning through Gaming and Simulation Nottingham University Business School 20080717. : , pp. .
Films or broadcasts (1)
- Are You Lookin' At Me (2010) Raybould D; Stevens RC. Process Festival, Ausland, Berlin: Process Festival, Ausland, Berlin
Other (1)
- Stevens R; Raybould D (2009), Are you lookin' at me?.
Reports (1)
- Collins K; Felton K; Fuller B; Hankinson T; Harwood S; Heiden K; Horowitz S; Javelosa D; Kazandjian R; Rippie J (2011) Game Audio Curriculum Guidelines. . Interactive Audio Special Interest Group. MIDI Manufacturers Association, La Habra, U.S.A..
