Game Audio

1---
2name: game-audio
3description: Game audio principles. Sound design, music integration, adaptive audio systems.
4allowed-tools: Read, Glob, Grep
5---
6 
7# Game Audio Principles
8 
9> Sound design and music integration for immersive game experiences.
10 
11---
12 
13## 1. Audio Category System
14 
15### Category Definitions
16 
17| Category | Behavior | Examples |
18|----------|----------|----------|
19| **Music** | Looping, crossfade, ducking | BGM, combat music |
20| **SFX** | One-shot, 3D positioned | Footsteps, impacts |
21| **Ambient** | Looping, background layer | Wind, crowd, forest |
22| **UI** | Immediate, non-3D | Button clicks, notifications |
23| **Voice** | Priority, ducking trigger | Dialogue, announcer |
24 
25### Priority Hierarchy
26 
27```
28When sounds compete for channels:
29 
301. Voice (highest - always audible)
312. Player SFX (feedback critical)
323. Enemy SFX (gameplay important)
334. Music (mood, but duckable)
345. Ambient (lowest - can drop)
35```
36 
37---
38 
39## 2. Sound Design Decisions
40 
41### SFX Creation Approach
42 
43| Approach | When to Use | Trade-offs |
44|----------|-------------|------------|
45| **Recording** | Realistic needs | High quality, time intensive |
46| **Synthesis** | Sci-fi, retro, UI | Unique, requires skill |
47| **Library samples** | Fast production | Common sounds, licensing |
48| **Layering** | Complex sounds | Best results, more work |
49 
50### Layering Structure
51 
52| Layer | Purpose | Example: Gunshot |
53|-------|---------|------------------|
54| **Attack** | Initial transient | Click, snap |
55| **Body** | Main character | Boom, blast |
56| **Tail** | Decay, room | Reverb, echo |
57| **Sweetener** | Special sauce | Shell casing, mechanical |
58 
59---
60 
61## 3. Music Integration
62 
63### Music State System
64 
65```
66Game State → Music Response
67│
68├── Menu → Calm, loopable theme
69├── Exploration → Ambient, atmospheric
70├── Combat detected → Transition to tension
71├── Combat engaged → Full battle music
72├── Victory → Stinger + calm transition
73├── Defeat → Somber stinger
74└── Boss → Unique, multi-phase track
75```
76 
77### Transition Techniques
78 
79| Technique | Use When | Feel |
80|-----------|----------|------|
81| **Crossfade** | Smooth mood shift | Gradual |
82| **Stinger** | Immediate event | Dramatic |
83| **Stem mixing** | Dynamic intensity | Seamless |
84| **Beat-synced** | Rhythmic gameplay | Musical |
85| **Queue point** | Next natural break | Clean |
86 
87---
88 
89## 4. Adaptive Audio Decisions
90 
91### Intensity Parameters
92 
93| Parameter | Affects | Example |
94|-----------|---------|---------|
95| **Threat level** | Music intensity | Enemy count |
96| **Health** | Filter, reverb | Low health = muffled |
97| **Speed** | Tempo, energy | Racing speed |
98| **Environment** | Reverb, EQ | Cave vs outdoor |
99| **Time of day** | Mood, volume | Night = quieter |
100 
101### Vertical vs Horizontal
102 
103| System | What Changes | Best For |
104|--------|--------------|----------|
105| **Vertical (layers)** | Add/remove instrument layers | Intensity scaling |
106| **Horizontal (segments)** | Different music sections | State changes |
107| **Combined** | Both | AAA adaptive scores |
108 
109---
110 
111## 5. 3D Audio Decisions
112 
113### Spatialization
114 
115| Element | 3D Positioned? | Reason |
116|---------|----------------|--------|
117| Player footsteps | No (or subtle) | Always audible |
118| Enemy footsteps | Yes | Directional awareness |
119| Gunfire | Yes | Combat awareness |
120| Music | No | Mood, non-diegetic |
121| Ambient zone | Yes (area) | Environmental |
122| UI sounds | No | Interface feedback |
123 
124### Distance Behavior
125 
126| Distance | Sound Behavior |
127|----------|----------------|
128| **Near** | Full volume, full frequency |
129| **Medium** | Volume falloff, high-freq rolloff |
130| **Far** | Low volume, low-pass filter |
131| **Max** | Silent or ambient hint |
132 
133---
134 
135## 6. Platform Considerations
136 
137### Format Selection
138 
139| Platform | Recommended Format | Reason |
140|----------|-------------------|--------|
141| PC | OGG Vorbis, WAV | Quality, no licensing |
142| Console | Platform-specific | Certification |
143| Mobile | MP3, AAC | Size, compatibility |
144| Web | WebM/Opus, MP3 fallback | Browser support |
145 
146### Memory Budget
147 
148| Game Type | Audio Budget | Strategy |
149|-----------|--------------|----------|
150| Mobile casual | 10-50 MB | Compressed, fewer variants |
151| PC indie | 100-500 MB | Quality focus |
152| AAA | 1+ GB | Full quality, many variants |
153 
154---
155 
156## 7. Mix Hierarchy
157 
158### Volume Balance Reference
159 
160| Category | Relative Level | Notes |
161|----------|----------------|-------|
162| **Voice** | 0 dB (reference) | Always clear |
163| **Player SFX** | -3 to -6 dB | Prominent but not harsh |
164| **Music** | -6 to -12 dB | Foundation, ducks for voice |
165| **Enemy SFX** | -6 to -9 dB | Important but not dominant |
166| **Ambient** | -12 to -18 dB | Subtle background |
167 
168### Ducking Rules
169 
170| When | Duck What | Amount |
171|------|-----------|--------|
172| Voice plays | Music, Ambient | -6 to -9 dB |
173| Explosion | All except explosion | Brief duck |
174| Menu open | Gameplay audio | -3 to -6 dB |
175 
176---
177 
178## 8. Anti-Patterns
179 
180| Don't | Do |
181|-------|-----|
182| Play same sound repeatedly | Use variations (3-5 per sound) |
183| Max volume everything | Use proper mix hierarchy |
184| Ignore silence | Silence creates contrast |
185| One music track loops forever | Provide variety, transitions |
186| Skip audio in prototype | Placeholder audio matters |
187 
188---
189 
190> **Remember:** 50% of the game experience is audio. A muted game loses half its soul.
191