Creating the sound of Pagiona

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We Did: Music Composition • Music Production • Sound Design • Technical Sound Design

Envision Entertainment are, quite literally, Dynamedion’s oldest clients, and we have contributed to several of their projects over the last twenty plus years.
So naturally, when they asked us to work on their new city-building game Pioneers of Pagonia, we jumped to the opportunity – and we were particularly thrilled to be entrusted with all aspects of the game’s audio, from a little sound design for the first teaser trailer to the creation and integration of the full soundscape and original soundtrack.

Three years, 5,157 sound effects and 59:33 minutes of music later, we look back on a wonderful project.

Getting Started

The primary objective in developing the game’s sound and music was to find a sound palette that reinforces its core experience.
Pioneers of Pagonia is a relaxed, player-friendly game that avoids punitive mechanics and naturally adapts to each player’s pace and style. With that in mind, we focused on creating a gentle, calming, and rewarding sonic atmosphere that supports the game’s overall mood.

Bustle!

Of course, the defining element of the game is its „Wuselfaktor“ (the „bustle factor“), the liveliness and vibrancy of a growing community full of tiny people and animals running to and fro between lots of buildings producing tons of goods, lovingly animated so the player can closely follow the transportation and transformation of goods in real time, contributing to a lively and dynamic settlement—the “Wuselfaktor” (bustle factor).

To contribute tot hat, we devoted considerable attention to the sound design of the building animations. We aimed to craft detailed sounds that enrich the soundscape, maintain clarity even when triggered repeatedly, and avoid listener fatigue.

To bring the stars oft he show, Pagonia’s Pioneers, to life, we produced custom voice-over lines that match the game’s tone and emphasize its warm, welcoming atmosphere.

As a very special addition to the voice overs we created, we had the honor to record five influencers who generously lent their voices to our lovely in-game characters.

- Hand of Blood – The Explorer

- Gronkh (DE) and Soda Poppin (EN) – The Geologist

- Maurice Weber (DE) and Ovilee (EN) – The Treasure Hunter

Not only were the recordings sessions a lot of fun, their remarkable performances are a genuine enrichment to the game.

The Tunes

A big contributor to any game’s tone is, of course, the music. Composed by veteran composer Alex Röder, the Pioneers of Pagonia soundtrack accompanies you through your adventures without ever intruding. And every now and then, when the moment is right, it takes center stage, accentuating the emotional and dramatic moments.

Same as the soundscape, the music for the endless game mode needed to feel positive and friendly to convey both the beauty of untouched nature and the various aspects of the stages of building.

For the campaign music, Alex crafted individual themes to lend character to the different factions and accentuate their differences.

Highlights

Lead Technical Sound Designer Philippe, when asked about his personal highlights of the project, had this to say:

“Creating sounds for the characters and enemy factions was really challenging and an extremely fun task. For some characters, defining their character through sound was as simple as a laugh – mischievous for the thief, or darker and rougher for the bandit. For others, it was more intricate: the Scav enemy faction, for example, got their own fantasy language – still somewhat human, but also coarse and a touch machine-like, to capture their defining trait, which is rapacious exploitation of natural resources. The same features reoccur in the Scavs’ sound design and music: metallic qualities, sounds of dirt and ore, and an overall industrial tone (well, as industrial as Pioneers of Pagonia can be).”

Thanks!

Working with the Team at Envision Entertainment was incredibly smooth and fun. They’ve been a wonderful partner who enabled and supported us to realize our shared vision for Pioneers of Pagonia’s sound and music. Thank you so much! We can’t wait to work with you again, be it later or sooner.