Audio Design

🎵 Audio Direction

Overall Audio Style

Genre: [e.g., Orchestral, Electronic, Ambient, Rock]
Mood: [e.g., Dark and Atmospheric, Upbeat and Energetic, Mysterious]
Tone: [e.g., Cinematic, Minimalist, Retro, Modern]

Audio Pillars

[Pillar 1]: [e.g., "Immersive Soundscapes", "Dynamic Music"]
[Pillar 2]: [e.g., "Clear Audio Feedback", "Spatial Audio"]
[Pillar 3]: [e.g., "Performance Optimized", "Accessible Design"]

🎼 Music Design

Musical Style

Primary Genre: [e.g., Orchestral, Electronic, Acoustic, Hybrid]
Secondary Elements: [e.g., Choir, Synthesizers, Traditional instruments]
Tempo Range: [e.g., 60-140 BPM]
Key Signatures: [e.g., Minor keys for tension, Major for triumph]

Composition Approach

Melodic Style: [e.g., Leitmotif system, Ambient textures, Rhythmic patterns]
Harmonic Language: [e.g., Dissonant, Consonant, Modal, Atonal]
Rhythmic Patterns: [e.g., Complex polyrhythms, Simple 4/4, Irregular meters]

Dynamic Music System

Layers: [Number of musical layers that can be mixed]
Transitions: [How music changes between states]
Triggers: [What events cause music changes]
Seamless Loops: [How music loops without interruption]

🔊 Sound Effects

SFX Categories

Environmental Audio

Ambient Sounds: [e.g., Wind, Rain, City noise, Nature sounds]
Atmospheric: [e.g., Echoes, Reverb, Distance effects]
Weather: [e.g., Thunder, Rain on surfaces, Wind through trees]

Interactive Audio

Player Actions: [e.g., Footsteps, Jumping, Interacting]
Object Sounds: [e.g., Door creaks, Metal clangs, Glass breaking]
UI Sounds: [e.g., Button clicks, Menu transitions, Notifications]

Combat Audio (if applicable)

Weapon Sounds: [e.g., Gunshots, Sword clashes, Impact sounds]
Impact Effects: [e.g., Hits, Explosions, Destructible objects]
Character Audio: [e.g., Grunts, Shouts, Death sounds]

Audio Quality Standards

Sample Rate: [e.g., 44.1kHz, 48kHz]
Bit Depth: [e.g., 16-bit, 24-bit]
Format: [e.g., WAV, OGG, MP3]
Compression: [e.g., Vorbis, ADPCM, Uncompressed]

🎧 Voice Acting

Character Voices

Main Character: [Voice characteristics, personality traits]
Supporting Characters: [Voice variety, distinct characteristics]
Narrator: [Style, tone, delivery approach]

Dialogue System

Recording Quality: [Professional studio standards]
Language Support: [e.g., English, Spanish, French, German]
Subtitle Integration: [Text display with audio]
Lip Sync: [Matching audio to character animation]

Voice Direction

Emotional Range: [e.g., Calm to intense, Subtle to dramatic]
Delivery Style: [e.g., Natural, Theatrical, Conversational]
Character Consistency: [Maintaining voice across all dialogue]

🎚️ Audio Implementation

Audio Engine

Primary Engine: [e.g., Wwise, FMOD, Unity Audio, Unreal Audio]
3D Audio: [Spatial audio implementation]
Occlusion: [Sound blocking by objects]
Reverb Zones: [Environmental audio processing]

Audio Mixing

Master Volume: [Overall game volume level]
Category Volumes: [Music, SFX, Voice, Ambient levels]
Dynamic Range: [Loudness standards and compression]
Ducking: [Automatic volume reduction for important audio]

Performance Optimization

Audio Streaming: [How large audio files are handled]
Compression: [Audio file compression for performance]
Memory Management: [Audio memory allocation and cleanup]
CPU Usage: [Audio processing performance targets]

🎵 Music Implementation

Adaptive Music System

State-Based: [Music changes based on game state]
Layered Approach: [Multiple tracks that can be mixed]
Smooth Transitions: [Seamless music changes]
Player-Driven: [Music responds to player actions]

Music Cues

Combat Music: [High-intensity musical moments]
Exploration Music: [Ambient, atmospheric tracks]
Menu Music: [UI and menu background music]
Victory/Defeat: [Success and failure musical feedback]

Music Structure

Intro: [How music begins]
Loop: [Main musical content that repeats]
Outro: [How music ends or transitions]
Variations: [Different versions of the same theme]

🔊 Spatial Audio

3D Audio Implementation

Distance Attenuation: [How sound fades with distance]
Directional Audio: [Stereo and surround sound positioning]
Height Audio: [Vertical sound positioning]
Doppler Effect: [Frequency changes for moving objects]

Environmental Audio

Reverb Zones: [Different acoustic environments]
Occlusion: [Sound blocking by walls and objects]
Reflection: [Sound bouncing off surfaces]
Absorption: [Sound absorption by materials]

🎧 Accessibility

Audio Accessibility

Visual Audio: [Visual indicators for audio cues]
Subtitles: [Text alternatives for dialogue and important sounds]
Audio Descriptions: [Narration for visual-only content]
Volume Controls: [Individual volume sliders for different audio types]

Hearing Impaired Support

Visual Feedback: [Visual representation of audio events]
Haptic Feedback: [Vibration for audio cues]
Text Alternatives: [Written descriptions of audio content]
Customizable Audio: [Options to adjust audio for different hearing needs]

🎵 Audio Pipeline

Asset Creation

Recording: [Professional recording standards]
Editing: [Audio editing software and techniques]
Processing: [EQ, compression, effects processing]
Mastering: [Final audio preparation and optimization]

Integration Process

Import: [How audio gets into the game engine]
Implementation: [Setting up audio in the game]
Testing: [Audio quality and performance testing]
Optimization: [Final performance tuning]

Quality Assurance

Audio Review: [Quality and style consistency]
Technical Review: [Performance and compatibility]
Playtesting: [Audio experience testing]
Final Approval: [Ready for release]

🎚️ Audio Tools & Software

Creation Tools

DAW: [e.g., Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Reaper]
Sample Libraries: [e.g., Kontakt, Omnisphere, Serum]
Field Recording: [e.g., Zoom H4n, Rode microphones]
Audio Processing: [e.g., iZotope, FabFilter, Waves]

Implementation Tools

Audio Engine: [e.g., Wwise, FMOD, Unity Audio, Unreal Audio]
Middleware: [Audio middleware for advanced features]
Profiling: [Audio performance analysis tools]
Testing: [Audio testing and debugging tools]

🎧 Platform Considerations

PC Audio

Sound Cards: [Compatibility with different audio hardware]
Surround Sound: [5.1, 7.1 surround support]
High-Resolution Audio: [High-quality audio output]
Latency: [Audio latency considerations]

Console Audio

PlayStation: [PS5 audio features and requirements]
Xbox: [Xbox Series X/S audio capabilities]
Nintendo Switch: [Switch audio limitations and optimization]

Mobile Audio

iOS: [iPhone/iPad audio capabilities]
Android: [Android audio system compatibility]
Battery Life: [Audio processing impact on battery]
Headphone Support: [Wired and wireless headphone compatibility]

🎵 Audio Standards

Technical Standards

Loudness: [e.g., -23 LUFS for broadcast, -16 LUFS for streaming]
Dynamic Range: [e.g., 20dB dynamic range minimum]
Frequency Response: [e.g., 20Hz-20kHz full range]
Distortion: [e.g., <1% THD maximum]

Quality Checklist

[ ] Audio matches game style and mood
[ ] Proper volume levels and mixing
[ ] No audio artifacts or distortion
[ ] Smooth transitions and loops
[ ] Performance optimized
[ ] Accessibility features implemented
[ ] Platform compatibility verified
[ ] Final quality approval received

🎧 Audio Testing

Testing Procedures

Audio Quality: [Listening tests for audio fidelity]
Performance: [CPU and memory usage testing]
Compatibility: [Testing across different platforms]
Accessibility: [Testing accessibility features]

Playtesting Focus

Audio Experience: [How audio enhances gameplay]
Feedback Clarity: [How well audio communicates game state]
Immersion: [How audio creates atmosphere]
Performance: [Audio impact on game performance]

This audio design document should be referenced by all audio team members and updated as the audio direction evolves.