alexsander532/game-audio

Game Audio Principles

Sound design and music integration for immersive game experiences.

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1. Audio Category System

Category Definitions

| Category | Behavior | Examples | |----------|----------|----------| | Music | Looping, crossfade, ducking | BGM, combat music | | SFX | One-shot, 3D positioned | Footsteps, impacts | | Ambient | Looping, background layer | Wind, crowd, forest | | UI | Immediate, non-3D | Button clicks, notifications | | Voice | Priority, ducking trigger | Dialogue, announcer |

Priority Hierarchy

When sounds compete for channels:

1. Voice (highest - always audible)
2. Player SFX (feedback critical)
3. Enemy SFX (gameplay important)
4. Music (mood, but duckable)
5. Ambient (lowest - can drop)

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2. Sound Design Decisions

SFX Creation Approach

| Approach | When to Use | Trade-offs | |----------|-------------|------------| | Recording | Realistic needs | High quality, time intensive | | Synthesis | Sci-fi, retro, UI | Unique, requires skill | | Library samples | Fast production | Common sounds, licensing | | Layering | Complex sounds | Best results, more work |

Layering Structure

| Layer | Purpose | Example: Gunshot | |-------|---------|------------------| | Attack | Initial transient | Click, snap | | Body | Main character | Boom, blast | | Tail | Decay, room | Reverb, echo | | Sweetener | Special sauce | Shell casing, mechanical |

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3. Music Integration

Music State System

Game State → Music Response
│
├── Menu → Calm, loopable theme
├── Exploration → Ambient, atmospheric
├── Combat detected → Transition to tension
├── Combat engaged → Full battle music
├── Victory → Stinger + calm transition
├── Defeat → Somber stinger
└── Boss → Unique, multi-phase track

Transition Techniques

| Technique | Use When | Feel | |-----------|----------|------| | Crossfade | Smooth mood shift | Gradual | | Stinger | Immediate event | Dramatic | | Stem mixing | Dynamic intensity | Seamless | | Beat-synced | Rhythmic gameplay | Musical | | Queue point | Next natural break | Clean |

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4. Adaptive Audio Decisions

Intensity Parameters

| Parameter | Affects | Example | |-----------|---------|---------| | Threat level | Music intensity | Enemy count | | Health | Filter, reverb | Low health = muffled | | Speed | Tempo, energy | Racing speed | | Environment | Reverb, EQ | Cave vs outdoor | | Time of day | Mood, volume | Night = quieter |

Vertical vs Horizontal

| System | What Changes | Best For | |--------|--------------|----------| | Vertical (layers) | Add/remove instrument layers | Intensity scaling | | Horizontal (segments) | Different music sections | State changes | | Combined | Both | AAA adaptive scores |

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5. 3D Audio Decisions

Spatialization

| Element | 3D Positioned? | Reason | |---------|----------------|--------| | Player footsteps | No (or subtle) | Always audible | | Enemy footsteps | Yes | Directional awareness | | Gunfire | Yes | Combat awareness | | Music | No | Mood, non-diegetic | | Ambient zone | Yes (area) | Environmental | | UI sounds | No | Interface feedback |

Distance Behavior

| Distance | Sound Behavior | |----------|----------------| | Near | Full volume, full frequency | | Medium | Volume falloff, high-freq rolloff | | Far | Low volume, low-pass filter | | Max | Silent or ambient hint |

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6. Platform Considerations

Format Selection

| Platform | Recommended Format | Reason | |----------|-------------------|--------| | PC | OGG Vorbis, WAV | Quality, no licensing | | Console | Platform-specific | Certification | | Mobile | MP3, AAC | Size, compatibility | | Web | WebM/Opus, MP3 fallback | Browser support |

Memory Budget

| Game Type | Audio Budget | Strategy | |-----------|--------------|----------| | Mobile casual | 10-50 MB | Compressed, fewer variants | | PC indie | 100-500 MB | Quality focus | | AAA | 1+ GB | Full quality, many variants |

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7. Mix Hierarchy

Volume Balance Reference

| Category | Relative Level | Notes | |----------|----------------|-------| | Voice | 0 dB (reference) | Always clear | | Player SFX | -3 to -6 dB | Prominent but not harsh | | Music | -6 to -12 dB | Foundation, ducks for voice | | Enemy SFX | -6 to -9 dB | Important but not dominant | | Ambient | -12 to -18 dB | Subtle background |

Ducking Rules

| When | Duck What | Amount | |------|-----------|--------| | Voice plays | Music, Ambient | -6 to -9 dB | | Explosion | All except explosion | Brief duck | | Menu open | Gameplay audio | -3 to -6 dB |

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8. Anti-Patterns

| Don't | Do | |-------|-----| | Play same sound repeatedly | Use variations (3-5 per sound) | | Max volume everything | Use proper mix hierarchy | | Ignore silence | Silence creates contrast | | One music track loops forever | Provide variety, transitions | | Skip audio in prototype | Placeholder audio matters |

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Remember: 50% of the game experience is audio. A muted game loses half its soul.