Wwise CUBE 2019 – CHAPTER 07 E: Footstep – Close & Far Blends

Created By: Game Audio Resource Ltd     Date: 01/08/2019      Version: 2.00

In this guide will implement a basic blend container to the enemy entity Bauul (Large Red devil)
This will allow us to have different close and far audio assets, depending on how far away the entity is to the player character / Listener position

Guide Steps:

• STEP 01: Wwise Hierarchy
• STEP 02: Test & Balancing

Task Time Needed: 1 hour

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Video Guide

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Written Guide 

Chapter 07 E – Step 01
Wwise Data Hierarchy

In this step, we will add blend containers to a unique footstep bauul hierarchy so we can mix close and far assets based on the entities distance away from the player character.

HIERARCHY

1. First, we need to add a generic game parameter for distance.
   In the Project Explorer Game Syncs tab under Game Parameters > Default Work Unit
   Right Click, then select New Child > Game Parameter
   Name the new parameter Distance_150
2. Click on the parameter, change Bind to Built-In Parameter to Distance
   Change the Range Min to 0
   Change Range Max to 150
3. Return to the Project Explorer > Audio tab.
   Copy and paste the Footstep_Hellpig Switch Container to the Main Footstep WWU location
   Name the Switch Container Footstep_Bauul
4. Rename the child Switch Container to Footstep_Bauul_Run
   Then delete the 11 child Random Containers
5. Right click the Footstep_Bauul_Run Switch Container > Random Container
   Name it: Generic
6. Right click the Generic Random container, Select New Child > Blend Container.
   Name it Generic_01
7. Right click this blend container, select New Child > Random Container.
   Name it Footstep_Bauul_Debris_Close
8. Select the Blend Container, then in the Property Editor > General Settings tab, select Blend Tracks > Edit to open the Blend Container properties.

• TIP: First we will set up a default template, so we can copy it for multiple individual footsteps.

9. Add 2 New Blend Tracks, via the button at the top of the screen.
10. Name each blend track:
    * Bauul_Footstep_Distance
    * Bauul_Footstep_Debris
11. In the 2 blends, tick the Cross-fade box
12. Now in both blends, we add the Distance_150 game parameter.
    Click on the arrow button, select Game Parameters > Default Work Unit > Distance_150
13. Close the Blend Container.
14. In the contents Editor assign the Footstep_Bauul_Debris_Close Random Container to the Blend Track > Bauul_Footstep_Debris
15. Copy and paste the Blend Container into the same location
    Then name it Generic_02

• TIP: If you have more footstep variations, copy and paste as many blend containers as you need.

16. Now import Footstep close, Far and Debris audio assets to each of the blend containers.
    In the import window, place the Assets under SFX > Footstep > Bauul
17. Select the Generic_01 Blend Container. Then in the Content Editor drag the assets onto the Bauul_Footstep_Distance Blend Tracks. Start with close first then add the far version.
18. Open the blend Track Editor again.
    Now we need to adjust the distance values of how the sounds will play.
19. In the first blend Bauul_Footstep_Distance
    Select the close end point and change the value to 50
20. Now we need to adjust the Bauul_Footstep_Far values
    Select the start point and change the value to 20
    Select the End point and drag ot to the end of the graph (150)
    Far distance parameters are now set up.
21. Finally, we will adjust the Bauul_Footstep_Debris
    Select the end point and change the value to 40
    Right click the end point, then select Fade: Manual
    Select the Fade marker, then change it to 10
    Finally, right click the fade line and select Logarithmic (Base 3).
22. Repeat this process for Generic_02 Blend Container.
23. Repeat the entire process to add water versions of the Bauul footsteps.

Assigning Switches

24. Finally we need to assign the material types to the Wwise Switch Material.
    Select the Footstep_Bauul_Run Switch Container.
    Then in the Contents Editor assign Water to Water.
    Then all other surface types to Generic
    Event
25. In the Events tab, find & select the event Foot_Bauul.
    Then in the audio tab, drag the Footstep_Bauul Switch Container onto the events Play action Target column. (replacing the Placeholder_Silence_One_Shot reference)
26. Once set up, save your Wwise project updates and Generate the sound banks.

Chapter 07 E – Step 02
Test & Balancing

In this finally step we will test how the bauul footsteps sounds at differences away from the player character.

1. Boot up the game and connect Wwise.
2. Solo the Footstep_Bauul Hierarchy.
3. Load a single player map, then wait for the Bauul entity to spawn.
4. Move the player character closer and further away from the Bauul entity. You should hear the assets subtle changing over distance between the player character and the Bauul entity.
5. Add any balancing changes you wish to make
6. Exit the game
7. Save your Wwise project updates and Generate the sound banks.
8. Finally, run an integrity Report and look for any errors.

These 5 parts to Chapter 07 footstep should now enable you to go ahead and implement as many types of footsteps as you wish for all entity types in the game.

As a reminder from Chapter 06 Regarding reverb for footsteps
To enable the reverb zones to work on a hierarchy of content, ensure the General Settings tab > Game-Defined Auxiliary Sends > Use game-defined auxiliary sends tick box is ticked!