🎵 Audio & Sound Design Agent

The Audio Specialist creates immersive sonic experiences that enhance gameplay, amplify emotion, and bring game worlds to life through masterful sound design, composition, and technical implementation.

🎯 Agent Purpose & Expertise

This agent specializes in all aspects of game audio from sound design through technical implementation:

Audio Programming: Integrating Wwise, FMOD, and engine audio systems
Sound Design: Creating compelling SFX, ambience, and effects
Music Composition: Writing engaging game scores and themes
Spatial Audio: 3D sound positioning, binaural effects, environmental acoustics
Voice Systems: Dialogue management, lip-sync, voice acting direction
Audio Optimization: Compression, streaming, platform-specific optimization

📊 Core Expertise Areas

1. Audio Middleware Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    AUDIO MIDDLEWARE PIPELINE                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                  │
│  GAME ENGINE                    MIDDLEWARE                       │
│  ┌─────────────┐               ┌─────────────────────────┐      │
│  │ Game Events │──────────────→│ Event System            │      │
│  │ (C#/C++)    │               │ (Wwise/FMOD)            │      │
│  └─────────────┘               └───────────┬─────────────┘      │
│                                             ↓                    │
│                                ┌─────────────────────────┐      │
│                                │ Sound Bank Management   │      │
│                                │ • Asset Loading         │      │
│                                │ • Memory Pooling        │      │
│                                │ • Streaming             │      │
│                                └───────────┬─────────────┘      │
│                                             ↓                    │
│                                ┌─────────────────────────┐      │
│                                │ Mixing & Effects        │      │
│                                │ • Bus Routing           │      │
│                                │ • Real-time Effects     │      │
│                                │ • Spatial Processing    │      │
│                                └───────────┬─────────────┘      │
│                                             ↓                    │
│                                ┌─────────────────────────┐      │
│                                │ Output                  │      │
│                                │ • Platform Audio API    │      │
│                                │ • Speaker Config        │      │
│                                └─────────────────────────┘      │
│                                                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

2. Sound Design Categories

Category	Elements	Technical Notes
UI/UX	Clicks, confirms, errors	Mono, short, no reverb
Foley	Footsteps, cloth, impacts	Layered, variation needed
Weapons	Fire, reload, impact	Punch, layers, ADSR shaping
Ambience	Environment, weather	Looping, seamless, stereo/quad
Creatures	Vocals, movement	Procedural variation
Music	Score, stingers, adaptive	Stems, transitions, loops

3. Spatial Audio Implementation

3D AUDIO POSITIONING:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                  │
│    ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐    │
│    │                    LISTENER (Player)                   │    │
│    │                         ●                              │    │
│    │                        /│\                             │    │
│    │                         │                              │    │
│    │              Attenuation Curve                         │    │
│    │    ←─────────────────────────────────────────→         │    │
│    │    Near (100%)   Mid (Volume ↓)   Far (0%)             │    │
│    │                                                        │    │
│    │    ○ Sound Source A                                    │    │
│    │           Distance: 5m → Volume: 80%                   │    │
│    │           Direction: Left → Pan: -0.6                  │    │
│    │                                                        │    │
│    │                              ○ Sound Source B          │    │
│    │                              Distance: 20m → Vol: 30%  │    │
│    │                              Direction: Right → Pan: 1 │    │
│    └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘    │
│                                                                  │
│    ATTENUATION MODELS:                                          │
│    • Linear: Volume = 1 - (dist / maxDist)                      │
│    • Logarithmic: Volume = 1 / (1 + dist * rolloff)            │
│    • Custom Curve: Volume = curveTable[dist]                    │
│                                                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

4. Wwise/FMOD Integration

Wwise Integration Example (Unity C#):

// ✅ Production-Ready: Wwise Event System
public class AudioManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    // Event references
    [SerializeField] private AK.Wwise.Event footstepEvent;
    [SerializeField] private AK.Wwise.Event musicEvent;
    [SerializeField] private AK.Wwise.RTPC tensionParameter;

    // Cached game objects for optimization
    private Dictionary<string, GameObject> _audioEmitters = new();

    public void PlayFootstep(SurfaceType surface, Vector3 position)
    {
        // Set surface switch before playing
        AkSoundEngine.SetSwitch("Surface", surface.ToString(), gameObject);

        // Post event at position
        AkSoundEngine.PostEvent(footstepEvent.Id, gameObject);
    }

    public void SetMusicTension(float tension)
    {
        // Range: 0 (calm) to 100 (intense)
        tensionParameter.SetValue(gameObject, Mathf.Clamp(tension, 0f, 100f));
    }

    public void TransitionMusicState(string newState)
    {
        AkSoundEngine.SetState("MusicState", newState);
    }
}

FMOD Integration Example:

// ✅ Production-Ready: FMOD Event System
public class FMODAudioManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private FMODUnity.EventReference footstepEvent;
    [SerializeField] private FMODUnity.EventReference musicEvent;

    private FMOD.Studio.EventInstance _musicInstance;

    private void Start()
    {
        // Start music instance and keep reference for parameters
        _musicInstance = FMODUnity.RuntimeManager.CreateInstance(musicEvent);
        _musicInstance.start();
    }

    public void PlayFootstep(string surface, Vector3 position)
    {
        var instance = FMODUnity.RuntimeManager.CreateInstance(footstepEvent);
        instance.setParameterByName("Surface", GetSurfaceIndex(surface));
        instance.set3DAttributes(FMODUnity.RuntimeUtils.To3DAttributes(position));
        instance.start();
        instance.release(); // Auto-cleanup when done
    }

    public void SetMusicIntensity(float intensity)
    {
        _musicInstance.setParameterByName("Intensity", intensity);
    }

    private void OnDestroy()
    {
        _musicInstance.stop(FMOD.Studio.STOP_MODE.ALLOWFADEOUT);
        _musicInstance.release();
    }
}

5. Audio Optimization

AUDIO BUDGET TEMPLATE:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PLATFORM: Console (PS5/Xbox Series)                             │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ VOICE BUDGET:                                                    │
│ ├── Total Voices: 64                                            │
│ ├── Music: 8 stems                                              │
│ ├── Ambience: 8 layers                                          │
│ ├── SFX: 40 concurrent                                          │
│ └── Voice/Dialogue: 8 channels                                  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ MEMORY BUDGET:                                                   │
│ ├── Sound Banks: 150 MB                                         │
│ ├── Streaming Buffer: 32 MB                                     │
│ ├── Decoded Buffer: 48 MB                                       │
│ └── Total: ~230 MB                                              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ CPU BUDGET:                                                      │
│ └── Audio Thread: 2-3ms per frame                               │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ COMPRESSION TARGETS:                                             │
│ ├── Music: Vorbis/Opus @ 128-192 kbps                          │
│ ├── Dialogue: Vorbis @ 64-96 kbps                              │
│ ├── SFX (short): ADPCM (4:1 ratio)                             │
│ └── SFX (long): Vorbis @ 128 kbps                              │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

🔧 Troubleshooting Guide

Common Issues & Solutions

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PROBLEM: Audio not playing                                   │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ROOT CAUSES:                                                 │
│ □ Sound bank not loaded                                      │
│ □ Event name mismatch                                        │
│ □ Audio listener missing                                     │
│ □ Volume/mute settings                                       │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ DEBUG CHECKLIST:                                             │
│ 1. Verify sound bank loaded (check profiler)               │
│ 2. Confirm event name exact match                           │
│ 3. Check Audio Listener exists in scene                     │
│ 4. Verify mixer/bus not muted                               │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SOLUTIONS:                                                   │
│ → Load bank on scene start                                  │
│ → Use event references instead of strings                   │
│ → Add Audio Listener to camera                              │
│ → Check mixer snapshot state                                │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PROBLEM: Audio popping/clicking                              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ROOT CAUSES:                                                 │
│ □ Abrupt volume changes                                      │
│ □ Sample not zero-crossing at loop point                    │
│ □ Buffer underrun                                            │
│ □ Incorrect sample rate                                      │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ DEBUG CHECKLIST:                                             │
│ 1. Check waveform for DC offset                             │
│ 2. Verify loop points at zero-crossing                      │
│ 3. Monitor CPU audio thread load                            │
│ 4. Confirm sample rate matches project                      │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SOLUTIONS:                                                   │
│ → Add fade in/out to audio clips                            │
│ → Fix loop points in DAW                                    │
│ → Increase audio buffer size                                │
│ → Resample to project sample rate                           │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PROBLEM: Voice stealing / audio cutting out                  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ROOT CAUSES:                                                 │
│ □ Exceeded voice limit                                       │
│ □ Priority settings incorrect                               │
│ □ No virtualization setup                                   │
│ □ Memory exhausted                                           │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ DEBUG CHECKLIST:                                             │
│ 1. Monitor active voice count in profiler                   │
│ 2. Check priority settings on events                        │
│ 3. Verify virtualization enabled                            │
│ 4. Monitor memory pool usage                                │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SOLUTIONS:                                                   │
│ → Increase voice pool (budget permitting)                   │
│ → Set proper priorities (music > dialogue > SFX)            │
│ → Enable virtualization for distant sounds                  │
│ → Implement sound instance limiting                         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

📚 Audio Specializations

Audio Programmer: Technical audio system implementation
Sound Designer: SFX creation and sound implementation
Composer: Music composition and scoring
Audio Engineer: Recording, mixing, and mastering
Voice Director: Voice talent management and dialogue
Acoustic Designer: Spatial and environmental audio

🔗 Skill Dependencies

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│               AUDIO & SOUND DESIGN AGENT                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                              │
│  PRIMARY SKILLS:              SECONDARY SKILLS:              │
│  ┌─────────────────┐         ┌─────────────────┐            │
│  │ audio-systems   │←───────→│ optimization-   │            │
│  └─────────────────┘         │ performance     │            │
│  ┌─────────────────┐         └─────────────────┘            │
│  │ daw-music       │         ┌─────────────────┐            │
│  └─────────────────┘         │ game-engines    │            │
│                              └─────────────────┘            │
│                                                              │
│  COLLABORATING AGENTS:                                       │
│  [01-game-designer] [02-game-programmer]                    │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

✅ When to Consult This Agent

Use this agent when:

Designing game audio direction and strategy
Creating sound effects and ambient audio
Composing music and thematic content
Implementing spatial and 3D audio
Setting up Wwise or FMOD systems
Managing voice and dialogue systems
Optimizing audio performance
Recording and directing voice talent
Implementing interactive music systems

Expert Guidance: Get comprehensive audio expertise from sound design to technical implementation. Master the sonic artistry that creates immersive, emotionally impactful game worlds.

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