Now, you will need to install a specific version of Wwise to establish a connection with our game.

For Mac:

For Windows:

     10) Under Deployment platforms, check Microsoft

After the process of installation is finished you should get the prompt saying Install operation completed successfully.

After download and installation try running the game by double-clicking FPS_SpaceShooter_212_RCM_Mac.app on Mac and FPSMicro_StartGame.exe on PC

The Mac system packages all the necessary files and folders under one .app file. As such it is very easy to use the game and move it across the system, however it limits the access to the subfolders we will need to modify when creating our music system. Windows users can skip this step and immediately go to Lesson I.  

We will need to modify the .app file in order for Wwise to access needed sub-folders. 

FPS_GamesModule_NFTS, has become a normal folder with additional sub-folders.

Since FPS_GamesModule_NFTS is only a folder it will not run the game when Double-clicked. 

To run the game we need to follow these steps: 

Game should run as before.

In order to hear the differences between the newly added material better, we are going to remove all the sounds from the game. Game should still work normally but it will be without any sound. 

In order to remove sounds from the game we should do the following:

On Mac:

Note: Be sure to remove only the contents of Mac folder and not the folder itself

Game should play normally but you won’t be able to hear any sound because all the sounds and music were deleted from the game. 

On Windows:

Note: Be sure to remove only the contents of Windows folder and not the folder itself

Game should play normally but you won’t be able to hear any sound because all the sounds and music were deleted from the game.

Ok! Now let’s create a new Wwise session.

if you are on the Mac:

If you are on the PC:

Mac:

Windows:

Now we are ready to import our first piece of music.

Note: The Chosen file appears in the Audio File/Folder Area

Note that the Default Work Unit inside Interactive Music Hierarchy is highlighted and it has an arrow in front of it, signifying that it has content. 

If you can not hear any sound coming out of the speakers you haven’t set the Wwise application audio output correctly. To do so:

For everything that happens in the game that may need an audio response, a

programmer has added lines of code to transmit a message informing Wwise

about what has occurred. This message is referred to as a Game Call. Game Calls

are just simple messages that say things like “Titles Have started”, but

in reality this message is sent as a string of text or numbers. When this message is

received by the audio engine, any number of things can happen as defined by you.

The first thing that you need to do is to create an Event, so that Wwise can catch

an incoming Game Call. Think of it like a game of catch between the game engine

and the audio engine. The ball being thrown from the game engine is the Game

Call, while an Event is a type of object within Wwise designed specifically to

catch Game Calls. The important thing to note is that each Game Call needs an

identically named Event to be received by Wwise.

To create an Event to trigger the music we have imported we need to follow these steps:

note: once Default Work Unit is selected Event Icon becomes available in the row of icons just below the Events tab

You can see that the new action is created but there is a Red Rectangle inside the Target column that signifies that the Target is missing. 

If you can hear the Title Music playing you have correctly created and set up your first Event. 

We have created an Event that plays the Title music but we will need one that stops the music when the Player presses Play button in the game. 

This time we are going to use a slightly different method than before. 

Before we begin creating a SoundBank, let’s take a moment to understand two very important concepts in Wwise: Work Units and SoundBanks.

Wwise Work Unit is a file within the Wwise project that organises and stores specific audio data, settings, and configurations. Work Units are used during the development process to structure and manage different aspects of the audio content, such as sound effects, music, or dialogue. They allow team members to work on separate parts of the audio project simultaneously.  F.e. You can have Sound and Music Work Units, as is the case in our game. 

SoundBank is a compiled package generated from the Wwise project, containing the actual audio assets, events, and instructions necessary for the game or application to play the sounds. SoundBanks are loaded into the game engine at runtime, providing the audio resources needed during gameplay. Typical released games normally have multiple Sounbanks. F.e. Each level of a game can have its own SoundBank. Game saves a significant amount of resources If only sounds that are actually needed are loaded in a particular level.

In order for our Titles music to be heard in the game we need to create a correctly named Work Unit, SoundBank and associate Events that we created with it. 

Wwise offers multiple different assemblies of views and windows. We can choose a Layout depending on a task we wish to do. If we wish to import and manipulate an asset we can choose a Designer layout which has the assembly of all the needed views, and if we wish to Mix several different sounds we can open a mixer layout. In order to associate Events with Soundbanks we will need to open a Soundbank Layout which will assemble all the necessary windows to do that. 

In order to successfully load the sounds into the game you will need to set up a correct for inside Wwise Project SoundBank Settings. 

On Mac:

FPS_GamesModule_NFTS/Contents/Resources/Data/StreamingAssets/Audio/GeneratedSoundBanks

FPS_Test-15/Mac/FPS_GamesModule_NFTS/Contents/Resources/Data/StreamingAssets/Audio/GeneratedSoundBanks/Mac

On Windows:

FPS_GamesModule_NFTS_Windows/FPSMicro_StartGame_Data/StreamingAssets/Audio/GeneratedSoundBanks

    5) Under SoundBank Paths and Windows change SoundBank Folder by clicking (...) symbol

FPS_GamesModule_NFTS_Windows/FPSMicro_StartGame_Data/StreamingAssets/Audio/GeneratedSoundBanks/Windows

If you can hear the sound again you have successfully connected Wwise and the game. If not, repeat steps from the Connect Wwise session with the Game. Make sure that you have selected the correct destinations.

Now try playing the game again, but this time, wait a bit longer before pressing Play. Notice that the music eventually runs out, leaving an empty sonic space. This is a classic case where we would aim to create a loop of our music. This approach allows the music to continue playing until the player presses the Play button, at which point our Music_Stop_Titles event will stop it.

To create a loop, we need to instruct Wwise on where the audio should stop and where it should return. In Wwise, these points are marked by green and red flags.

We could try moving those flags right away, but we'd quickly realise that without a tempo grid, it would be a very laborious process.

Wwise allows us to use a visible tempo grid; however, to utilise it, we need to enter the tempo information, time signature, and other details—all of which are conveniently provided in the file name.

While Wwise offers a range of audio effects, it is not customary to add those effects at this stage. Typically, all processing is done in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). The primary reason for this is that effects consume a significant amount of CPU power, and since processing power is one of the most crucial resources in game development, it's always advised to use as little of it as possible. Additionally, it's good practice to divide tasks: composition and mastering should be done in your DAW, while Wwise should be used for implementation only. However, under the right circumstances, adding FX in Wwise can be very useful and time-saving. Wwise also offers methods to prevent additional CPU usage when processing audio effects.

Listening to Music_Intro_83bpm_44_L16m_P1m In the game, I realised that the mix wasn't up to standard. The file had excessive amounts of low and high-end frequencies, so I corrected it by adding an EQ to tame those frequencies.

By ticking the Render option, you are instructing Wwise to render or burn-in the effect with the audio file when generating the Soundbank. This way, the game won’t use any additional CPU for processing the effect, but you'll still be able to change the effect's properties in Wwise even after rendering.

This is a powerful concept within Wwise that allows you to reorder and randomise different parts of a composition, creating interesting variations of the music and drastically prolonging its duration.

To learn how to use this feature, we are going to start working on a new segment of the game called InGame.

You will soon notice that all three files are different parts of the same composition, each with its own loop. This was done to enhance blending between the parts of the composition.

You can see that better from the original DAW session:

Note that by changing the tempo in the Parent Playlist Container, all three Music Segments inherit the new tempo. Inheritance is a very important concept in Wwise, and being aware of it can save you a lot of time when creating your music system.

Note that since all three files do not have any pre-entry (P0m) we do not need to move the Green (Pre-Entry) Flag. 

Note that you will need to do this by dragging and dropping each one individually.

You will notice that the Playlist Container plays the sequence in order: first A, then B, and finally C. After that, it loops and repeats the same sequence. The currently playing segment is indicated by a small triangle        in front of the segment.

Even though the system is functioning, it doesn't make much sense to use it in this way, as it would be more economical to simply export one long file with A, B, and C included and set it to loop.

You will note that the music is not played in Sequence. The elements sequence of elements are chosen Randomly and they are different with each Loop.

In some instances, we may want more control over randomization. During testing, I discovered that I would like the sequence to always start with the A part, then move to either the B or C part, before returning to the A part. Luckily, Wwise has built-in functions that allow me to do exactly that.

Random Step is different from Random Continuous in that it will randomly choose only one element from the group and finish the sequence. Whereas Random Continuous will play all elements in the group in random order before finishing the sequence.

When listening to the InGame music, I discovered that I would like the C part to occur less frequently. I want it to be more of a flourish rather than a regular part of the composition.

I can achieve this by adjusting the Weight or percentage chance of it being chosen in the group:

Playlist containers have many other useful functions that we do not have time to cover in this course. However, you can learn about their functionality by accessing the item-specific help documents.

For example, if you are interested in learning more about the Random Type and Avoid Repeat columns in the Group/Segment Area, you only need to:

We have learned how to randomise elements of the Playlist and also how to control randomization. Let’s have a brief look at how to randomise some parameters in the Playlist container.

Let’s say that I would like the A part of my InGameMusic playlist to sometimes repeat before moving to the next segment. We can achieve this by randomising the Loop Count in the Group/Segment area.

Note that the randomization of parameters is also available for other Wwise parameters such as Volume, Pitch, etc. Whenever you see the tennis ball icon randomization is available. When this icon turns golden , it means that randomization for that parameter is engaged.

In order to start creating our Music System we will need to create a Music Switch Container. 

Now we need to create an event that will play our Music System at the beginning of the game.

We learned one way of creating an event in Lesson 1. Now, we will use a different method:

Note that, as before, the name of the event must be exactly the same for it to be called correctly from the game.

If you try playing that object, you will notice that no music is playing. This is because the Music Switch Object, apart from the Action play, requires us to define the states of the gameplay and associate the correct music objects with them.

Game States define the overarching context of the game at any given time. For instance, we have defined five different states in which the player can be. At the beginning of the game, the player is in the Title State. Once the player presses the Play button, the state changes to FirstFloor State. When the player finds the key and enters the corridor to go to the Basement, the state changes to Basement State. If the player manages to destroy all the enemies, the state changes to Victory. If the player is defeated, the state changes to Defeated.

States are global events, meaning that all objects are aware of the state changes. However, developers can decide which objects react to these changes. In the game's code, we have decided that state changes will be sent to Wwise to switch music in the Music Switch Container. Even though the state changes are hard-coded in the game, we need to create the correct recipients in Wwise.

We have created a State Group; now we need to define each state within that group.

Now that we have created State Group and States in Wwise we can Associate our Music Object with the correct States. 

Note that the MusicState Group appears with a dropdown menu that allows us to choose the state directly from the Transport bar. This is a very useful feature for testing the system.

Now you can hear the IntroMenuMusic playing. 

InGameMusic should be heard. 

The change of state should automatically trigger the associated music without needing to stop and replay it. However, if we try this, we’ll discover that it’s not working. This is perfectly normal because we haven't yet defined how one segment should transition to the other.

If we look at the Source area of the Transition Tab, we can see that the Exit Source is set to "Exit Cue." This means that the system is waiting for the segment to reach the Post-Exit zone. Since we have set all of our segments to loop infinitely, our source will never reach the Exit Cue. This is precisely why the music segments do not change when we change the state.

By changing the Exit Source to one of the following options: Immediate, Next Grid, Next Bar, or Next Beat, we will be able to transition from one segment to another without needing to stop and start the Transport Control.

Now the transition works; however, it is very abrupt and not very musical. We could try and solve that issue with blending both segments with the use of Fades.

Lastly, we are going to import two audio files and associate them with Defeat and Victory States.

Note that in the Audio File Importer, Wwise will suggest making the folder a Music Segment and all the contents of the folder Music Tracks, which is exactly what we intended to do.

We will proceed with importing folder B and C using a faster method: 

If we look at the Music Segment Editor, we can see a view that is not too different from what we are used to in our DAWs. We have several tracks with audio files on them, Mute/Solo buttons, and Volume Control. It is safe to assume that the Music Segment Editor was designed to offer similar work-flow for manipulating audio as the majority of other DAWs.

If you play the A segment you will notice that it is the same track as before, however it has the addition of a percussive element. This percussive ‘fight’ element of the track is intended to switch on and off depending if we are fighting Hoverbots or not and is playing from A_Fight Add_118bpm_44_L4m_P0m track. Since this is something we will be learning later in this lesson we will mute this track so we can hear exactly the same music as before. 

As good game composers, we are constantly on the lookout for anything that could potentially make the music feel too repetitive or distract from the gameplay.

After listening to the segment several times, I have assessed that the melodic fills on the track A_ToyPiano_118bpm_44_L4m_P0m are too repetitive, and after a while, they may cause players to disengage from the game. 

We will address this potential issue by editing the material directly in Wwise software by having three possibilities: play first the Toy Piano melodic phrase, play second the Toy Piano phrase, and don’t play the Toy Piano phrase. 

Note that if you play the segment again, the top region might not be played, as the system alternates between the top and bottom sub-track each time it plays or loops. Although this is the intended function, it can make the auditioning process somewhat difficult. To simplify auditioning, you can engage the Focus        icon, which ensures the focused sub-track is played each time the object is played or looped. Just remember to disengage this function before generating the Soundbank for the game.

Switch Tracks

Switch track is another type of track that can be used in Wwise, utilising a Game Sync system similar to States, known as Switches. While States are primarily used to control Music Segments and Music Playlists, Switches are mainly used to control individual assets (audio files) within a Music Segment.

In our game, we will use Switches to add percussive elements to the playing segment when the player is engaged in combat and ensure those elements are not playing when they are not.

Observe that we have two sub-tracks: one with a region and one empty. Now, we will proceed to create Switch Game Syncs that will allow us to play the correct sub-track depending on whether the player is engaged in a fight with Hoverbots or not.

Now that we have greeted the Switch Group and Switches that will be recognised by the game let’s associate switch Sub-Tracks with desired Switch. 

Note that we are setting a default switch as a precaution in case the game fails to set the initial switch at the start. If this happens and no default switch is set, the music system might fail entirely, resulting in no music playing. By setting a default switch, we ensure the intended music will play at the beginning of the game.

Note that if the association is done correctly, the words "Fight" and "Explore" should appear on their respective sub-tracks.

You won't hear any changes yet because, similar to the Music Switch Container, we need to define the transitions. However, in this case, we will define the transitions directly on the music track rather than on the parent object.

You should be able to hear the percussion come in with the change of the switch.

RTPC stands for Real-Time Parameter Control in Wwise. It allows us to dynamically adjust audio properties, such as volume, pitch, or effects, based on real-time variables from the game. These variables can include things like the player’s health, speed, or proximity to certain objects. By linking game parameters to audio properties, RTPCs enable a more interactive and responsive audio experience.

Before we begin setting up the RTPC, let's import the last missing music: The Basement music.

SoundCaster is a powerful feature in Wwise that allows us to test the behaviour of our music and audio systems without needing to run the game. By populating the SoundCaster window with all the necessary events or Objects and SoundCaster intelligently presenting all the syncs associated with those events or available in the game, we can quickly and easily test specific parts of our system.

Let’s say we want to quickly test balance between Music and Weapon firing SFX

You can add and delete modules depending on what you wish to test. You can have as many Soundcaster sessions as you wish.

If you wish to Rename or Delete some of your Soundcaster sessions:

Stingers are short musical segments meant to be played on top of the main segment. They are typically used to highlight and enhance game-related moments, such as when a Hoverbot spots the player or is destroyed. Stingers use a Game Sync called Triggers, which can be set to occur in sync with the music.

The Profiler in Wwise is a powerful tool that allows us to connect to any Wwise-powered game running on our computer and receive real-time information about the events and game syncs driving the audio system. It is invaluable for troubleshooting and debugging generated soundbanks within the game.

I have deliberately incorporated a mistake in the Lesson 5 Wwise session to give us an opportunity to use the Profiler for troubleshooting.

Immediately when the Title menu starts, you will notice that all the sounds are playing except the music.

You can see that there is only one red entry with the Type Error and that it is associate with the game object Music. 

In the view below the Capture log called contextual help you can see more information about the error. The Contextual help describes the issue and Probable causes. 

A first possible cause, that the SoundBank was not loaded, is not applicable because we would have encountered an error specifically stating that. The second possible cause, a missing SoundBank, is also ruled out, as we generated a fresh SoundBank in the first step. This leaves us with the possibility of a typo in the Event name or Event ID, which are essentially the same. Every name we assign to an event is converted into a numerical value known as the Event ID. Therefore, the most likely cause of the issue is a typo in the Event name.

If we examine the timing of the event, we can see it occurred relatively early in the game, so it's likely one of the first events triggered. Combining this with the probable cause (a typo in the Event name), the timing of the event, and the fact that no music is playing, it strongly suggests that the issue is a typo in the Music_Game_Start event. Let's go ahead and inspect this event further.

As you can clearly see, the issue stems from the event being incorrectly named. It's currently called Music_Game_Starts, while the correct name should be Music_Game_Start. We need to fix this typo to resolve the problem.

Music should now be playing as expected. Congratulations, Sherlocks, you've cracked the case!

Before we begin mixing the game, it's important to understand the key signal path concepts in Wwise and how they differ from traditional DAWs.

Wwise relies heavily on hierarchy and inheritance of properties, but objects in a hierarchy don’t pass signals to each other. Instead, the object associated with an asset sends its signal directly to the Master Audio Bus, regardless of its parent object. However, we can still affect the signal at different levels of the hierarchy, and the changes are cumulative. 

For example, if we increase the Voice Volume on a Music Segment by 2 dB and also increase the Voice Volume by 2 dB on its parent Playlist Container, the end result will be a 4 dB increase, even though no signal was directly passed between them. This is because each parent object assigns its properties to its child objects, so the Music Segment will add the parent's increase to its own. This results in a 4 dB overall increase that is sent to the Master Audio Bus.

This hierarchy is similar to the functionality of VCAs (Voltage-Controlled Amplifiers) in traditional mixing.

The reason Wwise avoids summing signals is to conserve processing power. Summing signals consumes a small amount of CPU, which may seem insignificant for individual sounds. However, in a game with a large number of sounds that repeat frequently, this CPU usage can add up. Since most of the system's resources are usually allocated to processing graphics, minimising CPU usage for audio processing becomes crucial. By avoiding signal summing, Wwise ensures more efficient performance, especially in complex audio environments. 

The only summing that is done by default is on the Master Audio Bus, which is the last possible place where summing needs to happen in order for the signal to be sent to an audio device. 

The only exception to this is when we use effects. In order for an effect to process the signal, it needs to be summed before entering the effect. This is yet another reason why we try to keep the use of effects in Wwise to a minimum.

Another exception is Auxiliary Bus objects, which are used to add audio effects to objects. We will not be using these in this module because they work exactly the same way as in a DAW, and because we are trying to be economical with the use of effects.

**