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 in