Production schedule — 2026-09-13: PIPE-ROADMAP now defines 32 focused phases (P00–P31). Phase 0/1/2/3 references retained in this document are legacy scope bands, not the new phase numbers. The owner confirmed limited-area core-loop proof before full-map expansion; see the roadmap for dependencies, audited status and remaining work.
Production context
GDD/06-Art-Audio/02-Audio-Direction.mdVerified implementation evidence
- Not verified for this documentation pass.
Relationships
- No explicit GDD links found.
Document contract coverage
Use these required Audio Direction areas during review. The HTML content below is authoritative; items not stated explicitly remain unresolved.
- ReviewVisual Pillars
- ReviewRealism / Stylization Target
- ReviewShape Language
- ReviewMaterial Language
- ReviewColor & Lighting Direction
- ReviewCharacter / Environment / Prop Rules
- ReviewDo / Don’t
- ReviewReference Collections
- ReviewApproval Rules
Authoritative project content
Audio is a survival-game force multiplier: it carries tension, telegraphs threats, and is a gameplay signal (sound attracts zombies; gunfire reveals you). Treat key sounds as gameplay, not just polish.
Goals
- Tension & dread: sparse, atmospheric ambience punctuated by sudden threat audio.
- Information: players locate zombies, gunfire, footsteps, and vehicles by sound. Spatialized audio is a core readability tool in third person.
- Feedback: weighty gunshots, impactful melee, clear hit/headshot cues, satisfying craft/build/loot sounds.
Categories
| Category | Notes |
|---|---|
| Weapons | Per-weapon fire, reload, dry-fire, melee swings/impacts. Distinct, weighty, distance-attenuated. |
| Zombies | Per-type vocalizations + attack/aggro cues; readable threat audio. Bosses get signature audio. |
| Player/foley | Footsteps (surface-dependent), breathing/exertion (stamina), pain, eat/drink. |
| Survival cues | Low-stat warnings (hunger/thirst/cold), heartbeat at low HP. |
| Building/crafting | Place/upgrade/destroy structure sounds; craft/loot UI sounds. |
| Vehicles | Engine, fuel, damage; loud → aggro radius (Phase 2). |
| Ambience | Region-based beds, wind, distant horde moans, weather (rain is gameplay-visible wetness — ../01-Gameplay/11-Wetness-and-Rain.md; other weather still visual/audio unless designed). |
| UI/music | Restrained music (menus, boss stings, raid tension); minimal in-world music to preserve dread. |
Gameplay-relevant audio — [RECOMMENDATION]
- Noise generates aggro: sprinting, gunfire (louder than suppressed), vehicles, and building generate noise that zombies can hear (ties to ../03-Enemies/01-Zombie-Design.md senses).
- Suppressors/stealth reduce audible range — a meaningful tactical choice.
- Drive these via attenuation + a noise/aggro system, server-authoritative for AI reactions.
Technical — [RECOMMENDATION]
- Use MetaSounds for procedural/variant sound (weapons, footsteps) and Sound Cues where simpler.
- Attenuation/occlusion settings per category; spatialized 3D audio.
- Sound concurrency limits to prevent audio chaos during hordes/firefights (cap simultaneous instances, prioritize nearest/loudest).
- Organize assets under
Content/Lambeer/Audio/per ../05-Technical/03-Content-Folder-Structure.md.
Open items — [TBD]
- Voice chat supports both proximity and squad channels — [CONFIRMED]. Channel selection, moderation, mute/block, and bandwidth behavior must be covered by the implementation design.
- Music intensity/dynamic mix system scope.
- Final audio middleware decision (native UE audio vs. Wwise) — default [RECOMMENDATION]: native UE (MetaSounds) for indie scope unless a need forces Wwise.
Audio-facing UI contract — [CONFIRMED]
FEAT-HUD-UI includes English/Thai subtitles but not environmental closed captions. Voice supports server, proximity, and squad channels with PTT, current speaker state, per-player volume, mute, and block. Damage direction is inferred only from world image and audio; no directional UI indicator is provided.