Created in Unity, Sound Designed in FL Studio, and implemented with Wwise in 7.1.4.
For our Sonic College 3D game audio exam in 2023, we tackled all aspects of sound creation for a short game in a team of three. We were given the game ‘Ape’s Journey’, created by Simon Kærslund. We integrated Wwise into Unity, crafting ambiance, sound effects, and music using C# and Wwise. Object-based audio was our go-to, immersing players in a 7.1.4 surround sound environment within a certified Dolby Atmos studio. Before we got started on crafting all the sounds, we spent a few hours, upgrading the visuals of the game and adding some post-processing, to make it look more immersive and gloomy.
SFX My partner and I focused on SFX, where we explored diverse sound design tricks. We ventured into a Foley studio to capture gravel and cave footsteps, cloth and paper scroll sounds, and blended synthesis and recordings to create a mixture of organic and digital audio, to make it feel magical. Inspired by Skyrim’s mix of realism and fantasy, we harmonized our creations to match the game’s atmosphere. From footsteps on various surfaces to the monstrous roars of dragons, our SFX aimed for a rich, immersive experience. Fun Fact; except for its wings and fireball, all the Dragon sounds were created with my mouth. This included bite sounds and death screams. I got up close to the microphone, which resulted in some messy drool and spittle on my table. After recording, I tweaked them to sound even more monstrous by adjusting formants and pitch.
Creating object-based audio through Wwise, we placed 3D sounds in Unity, enhancing immersion. However, some SFX, like NPC voices and menu sounds, used channel-based audio for a 2D effect.
MUSIC My partner and I drew inspiration from games like Nier Automata and Skyrim, aiming for a blend of epic orchestral music and ethereal atmosphere to evoke melancholy. Our music featured a mix of acoustic instruments, recorded elements, and synthesized strings and pads. To ensure cohesion and smooth transitions, we composed all the music in G#. This choice allowed for versatility, creating both calm and imaginative compositions in G major and more unsettling moods in G minor. We crafted multiple music layers for a 7.1.4 system, utilizing Wwise for 3D spatialization. This accommodated room for ambiances and SFXs.
In our collaborative process, we each contributed to different musical aspects. My partner initiated the house music, which I enhanced by slowing down the melody and adding effects like delay, reverb, chorus, and synth layers. I took charge of the combat music, constructing layers of strings, epic drums, and eerie drones. Jonas later fine-tuned it by adjusting layers and introducing violin tracks. These music elements were linked to the player’s HP through an RTPC in Wwise. The script dynamically adjusted music layers based on the player’s health, intensifying at 70 HP. This created the illusion of a new track starting. I also created stingers for smooth transitions in and out of combat. I crafted the Cave music, combining eerie chorus, mysterious synths, and drones with Jonas’s strings. These layers intensified as players approached the magic stones and faded when entering the lava room, managed by an RTPC that measured the distance from the stones. The forest remained music-free, fostering anticipation for soothing garden and “inside the house” music while inducing unease in the swamp, where I also handled the music. To transition between zones, we used Music States in Wwise, triggered by Unity’s AkState script.
Our group collaboration was excellent, with efficient task delegation and a cohesive atmosphere throughout. Had we had more time, I would’ve been able to work more in Wwise and learn it properly, but I will get better at it eventually.