game-audio

Game audio principles. Sound design, music integration, adaptive audio systems.

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Game Audio Principles

Sound design and music integration for immersive game experiences.

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Repository: github.com/lchenrique/politron-ide
Last updated: 7 days ago
Created: 7 days ago

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