Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Approaches to the Book
00 Loading Sequence: Quick Start
Setting up the Demo Projects
Navigation of the Game World
Version Control and Auto-saves
Looking and Moving
Views
Bookmarks
Moving/Looking
In-game Actors: Finding and Changing Your First Sound
Navigating the Assets and the Content Browser
Filtering Results
Navigating the Game System: Blueprints
Preparing Assets for Import
Editing
Sample Rates and File Formats
Looping
Importing Assets
Folder Structures and Naming Conventions
Conclusion
01 Sound Part A: Ambience and Environment
Introduction
Ambience
Types of Sound
Area Loops
Source Loops
Filter over Distance
Area Loops and Source Loops: Attention to Detail
Sound Cues
Adding Sounds to Sound Cues
Source One-shots
Polyphonic or Overlapping One-shots
Player-oriented One-shots
One-shots: Sourcing and Masking
Embedding Source Sounds into Game Actor Blueprints
Ambience Recap: An Artist’s Approach
Occlusion Issues
Triggers and Switching Ambience
Reverb
Triggering Sounds with Key or Controller Input
Trigger Use Events
Conclusion
02 Sound Part B: Procedural Sound Design
Introduction
Sample Rates and Audio Compression
Sample Rates Revisited
Audio File Compression
Sequenced Variation
Time-based Variation
Asynchronous Loops
Random Time: Blocks
Random Time: Fragments
Controlling Random Events: Clusters of Activity
Concatenation
Concatenation for Variation in Loops
Layered Concatenation
Concatenation for a Chain of Events
Concatenate Sample Rates
Multiple Start Points
Layered Variation
Simple Random Combinations
Random Combinations with Individualized Pitch and Delays
Deconstructing a Sound for Procedural Use
Scalability
Modulation/Modifiers for Variation
Pitch
Reuse Sounds for Different Sized Sources
Transformative Reuse
Pitch Envelopes
Volume
One-shot Volume Envelopes
Looping Volume Envelopes
Oscillation
Wavetables
Parameterization = Interactivity
Swapping out Sounds with -Branch-
Parameters to Pitch with <Set Pitch Multiplier>
Parameter-based Crossfades with -Crossfade by Param-
Using User-defined Curves
Monitoring Memory and Level Streaming Approaches
Asset Checking
Memory Checking
Level Streaming
Sound Streaming
Conclusion
03 Music Part A: Quick Start
Introduction
Interactive Music Principles
Playlists
Level Music, Loops, and Decay Tails
Decay Tails
Loop with Integrated Decay
Play Then Loop
Looping Manually
Stingers/Ornamental Forms
Simple Parallel Forms
Simple Transitional Forms
Conclusion
04 Music Part B: Basics and Parallel Forms
Introduction
Music Basics
Source Music
One-shots
Music for Timed Events
Ornamental Forms/Stingers
Parallel Forms
Switching or Fading Layers (Parallel Forms for Orientation)
Using Variables to Determine Volume (Parallel Forms for Proximity)
Linear Variables to Volume
Curves to Volume
Mix Automation for Parallel Layers
Conclusion
05 Music Part C: Transitional Forms
Introduction
Clunky Transitions
Nasty
Crossfades (and When to Use Them)
Masking Transitions
Musical Transitions
Working with Chunks: Measure-based Transitions
Decay Tails Revisited
Controlling a Switch
Transitioning on Measure in Longer Pieces
Pre-syncs or Ramps
Aligned Transitions
Putting It Together
A Musical Conclusion
06 Dialogue
Introduction
Randomization
Better than Random? Randomize without Replacement
Dialogue for Advice
Timed Help Advice
Triggered Advice
Dialogue Interrupts
Bad/Better/Better-er
Conditions and Dialogue Choices
Simple Conditions and Dialogue Choices
Counts to Dialogue Choices
Tracking Multiple Actions or Inventory for Dialogue Choice
Conditions to Sound Cue Branching Choices
Branching Dialogue
Characters, Contexts, and Dialogue Choices
Localization or Localisation?
Conclusion
07 Making It Real
Introduction
Sound Propagation
Reverb: Advanced
Nested Reverbs and Prioritization
Reverb: Prebake
Spatialization
Sound Source Types
Directional and Diffuse Sources
Distance Attenuation and Detail over Distance
Filter over Distance
Detail over Distance
Occlusion, Obstruction, and Exclusions
Occlusion
Ambient Zones
Prioritization of Zones
Obstructions and Exclusions
Dynamic Occlusion
Moving Objects and Moving Sounds
Sounds That Move
Moving Sound Sources with Matinee
Creating Movement
Moving Objects That Make Sound
Rotating Doors
Open/Opening Loops
Matinee Events for Mechanical Systems
Matinee Sound Track
Physics
Speed of Sound
Doppler
Doppler: Faking It
Collisions
Simple Object Collisions
Velocity to Collision Sounds
Sliding, Rolling, and Scraping
Physics-based Collisions: Cascading Physics
Prioritization: Number of Voices Control
Animations
Footsteps 01: Anim Notifies
Footsteps 02: Surfaces
Footsteps 03: Creep/Walk/Run
Footsteps 04: Foley or Weapon Carrying Layers
Footsteps 05: Other Notes
Cameras and Cutscenes
Cameras and the Listener
Separating the Camera and Listener Position
Conclusion
08 Making It Good
Introduction
Mixing
General Mixing Principles
Reference Levels
Sound Classes and Sound Mixes: The Unreal Engine Mixing System
Sound Class Properties
The Roles and Functions of Game Audio
The I.N.F.O.R.M. Model
Instruction
Sound Mix: Triggered Ducking
Sound Mix: Triggered EQ
Passive/Automatic Mix Changes
Sound Mix: Base Sound Mix and Mix Modifiers
Notification
Character State
NPC State
Object State
Game State
Feedback
Pickups
HUD Interactions
Orientation
Navigate
Attract
Repel
Rhythm-action
Mechanic
Recall/Learn
Decoy
Mask
Testing the Mix
Conclusion: Audio Concepting
09 Advanced: Weapons
Introduction
System
One-shot, Retriggered, or Loop?
One-shot
Retriggered
Retriggered with Tail
Loop with Tail
Looping Beam Weapons
Projectiles
Feedback
Environment and Distance Elements
Environment Layers
Distance Layers
Bullets
Impacts
Casings
Whizzbys
Conclusion
10 Advanced: Vehicles
Introduction
Simple Velocity to Pitch
Crossfading Elements
Pitch Curves for Automatic Gears
Smooth Operator
Surface/Tire Layers
Skids
Additional Elements
Engage/Disengage
Turbo Dump
Impact and Damage Layer
Wind Layer
Engine Load/Stress Layer
Car Body Movement or Suspension Layer
Vehicle Cameras
Conclusion
11 Advanced: Sports Dialogue and Crowds
Introduction
Crowd Systems
Randomized Crowd
Crowd Excitement Levels
Commentary
Color Commentary
Concatenated Dialogue for Play-by-play Commentary
Considerations for Concatenated Dialogue
Dialogue Queues
Conclusion
12 Advanced: Music
Introduction
Harmonically and Rhythmically Aware Stingers
Harmonically Appropriate Stingers
Rhythmically-synched Stingers
Sequenced Melodies
Play for Proximity
Chained Melodic Pickups
Algorithmic or Procedural Forms
Generative Combinations
Granular Note-level Sequences
Using Random Seeds
Rhythm-action
Graphically Led
Call and Response
Conclusion
Conclusion
Appendix A: Core Concepts
Key and Gamepad Inputs
Events and Triggers
Manipulating Actors
Referencing In-game Actors within Blueprints
Variables, Parameters, Numbers, and Arrays
Transforming and Constraining Variables and Parameters
Reading through Curves
Evaluating Variables and Parameters
Routing Decisions and Events
Custom Events
Controlling Audio Components
Sound Cue Nodes
Console Commands
Others
Matinee
Attaching Actors to other Actors
Timeline
Audio Finished
Timer
Appendix B: Blueprint Primer
Navigating, Creating and Connecting
Events and the Programming Paradigm
Compiling Blueprints
Actor Blueprints
Structures
The Graph Action Menu
Creating Nodes between Existing Connections
Finding Things in Blueprints
Communicating between Blueprints
Casting
Event Dispatcher
Getting References to Spawned Actors
Appendix C: Testing, Troubleshooting, and Good Practice
Watching Blueprints
Print String
Auto-Save Recovery
Organizing and Commenting
Working in Separate Audio-only Levels
Tips for Slow Running
Index
