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.