Wwise CUBE 2019 – CHAPTER 15 A: Adviser – Map Intro

Created By: Game Audio Resource Ltd     Date: 25/08/2019      Version: 2.00

In this guide we will highlight how to trigger a random adviser message when you enter a new map.

Guide Steps:

• STEP 01: Wwise Hierarchy Structure
• STEP 02: Cube Data & Script
• STEP 03: Test & Integrity Report

Task Time Needed: 1 Hour

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Video Guide

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Written Guide

Chapter 15 A – Step 01
Wwise Data Hierarchy

We will set up the basic Wwise hierarchy structure that has re-usable elements for all Adviser content

MIXER BUS

1. Navigate to the Project Explorer > Audio tab > Master-Mixer Hierarchy > Default Work Unit > Master Audio Bus > VO Audio Bus.
   Right click the Audio Bus, then select New Child > Audio Bus.
   Name it: Adviser
2. With the new Audio Bus selected, in the Property Editor > Auto-ducking tab,
   Change the Recovery time: to 0
   Then use the Insert… UI Button to add the following entries
   > Master Audio Bus > SFX
   Volume = -4 / Fade Out = 0.3 / Fade In = 0.3 / Curve = Logarithmic (last in curves list)
   > Master Audio Bus > Music
   Volume = -4 / Fade Out = 0.3 / Fade In = 0.3 / Curve = Logarithmic (last in curves list)
   > Master Audio Bus > VO > Dialogue_Player
   Volume = -4 / Fade Out = 0.3 / Fade In = 0.3 / Curve = Leave as default

• TIP: What these settings do, any actor mixer hierarchy assign to this audio bus will duck the SFX, Music and Dialogue related hierarchy by -4 dB, with a small fade in and out of the decreased -4 dB ducking range.
  This allows the Adviser messages to stand out in the overview mix.

HIERARCHY

1. Navigate to the Actor-Mixer Hierarchy > Default Work Unit > Adviser Wwise Work Unit.
   Right click, then select: New Child > Actor Mixer
   Name it: Adviser_Generic
2. With the Actor Mixer selected, in the Property Editor > General Settings tab > Output Bus, assign the following path: Master Audio Bus > VO > Adviser
3. Right click then new Actor Mixer, then select: New Child > Random Container.
   Name it: Adviser_Generic_Intro
4. Drag in associated one shot adviser audio assets to the new Random Container.
   Place under the path SFX > Adviser > Intro

EVENT

1. Right click the Random Container, then select: New Event > Play
2. Navigate to the Events tab > Events Folder. You should now find a new event called Play_Adviser_Generic_Intro under the Default Work Unit.
   Rename the event to: Adviser_Generic_Intro.
3. Locate the Adviser Work Unit under the Events > Default Work Unit.
   Right click, then select: New Child > Virtual Folder
   Name it: Adviser_Generic
4. Cut & paste the New event (Adviser_Generic_Intro) into the new Virtual Folder.

SOUND BANK

1. Lastly, we need to add the new Adviser_Generic_Intro event to the main sound bank
2. Change to the Wwise Layout Sound Bank
3. Drag the new sound event (Adviser_Generic_Intro) into the Main Sound Bank.
4. In the Sound Bank Editor > Edit tab, in the search box type: adviser
   You should now see all related content to the new Adviser_Generic_Intro content listed.
5. Save your Wwise Project updates and Generate the Sound Banks.

Chapter 15 A – Step 02
Cube Data & Script

This step highlights how to trigger the new sound event via each maps script file.
For this example, we will use the default map Metl3

1. In your PC directory, navigate to the Metl3 .cfg file
   Cube / Cube / Packages / Base / metl3.cfg
   Open the file in Notepad++
2. Add the following line to the script
   alias welcomeMessage
   sleep 1000 [akevent Advisor_Generic_Intro;welcomeMessage]

• TIP: What this script line does. We use the map load welcome message script to tell the game engine to trigger the associated sound event 1 second after the map has loaded.
• TIP: As we are pointing the sound event at a Random Container we do not know which asset will be triggered as we load into each map. Sadly, due to this we cannot script visual text to match the audio asset dialogue.
  If the event was only pointing at 1 asset to play, then you could add visual text to display to match the dialogue audio. We will cover this in a later guide.

3. Save the script update, then close the file

At this point you could then copy and paste this scripted line to all  .cfg files for each map.

Chapter 15 A – Step 03
Test & Integrity Report

We can now test the update in game

1. Boot up the game, then connect Wwise to the game (as you boot up the game you should hear the adviser message trigger)
2. Change to the Wwise Layout Profiler.
3. Filter the Capture log results by the Wwise Objects path: Actor-Mixer Hierarchy > Adviser Work Unit.
4. Back in game, reload the map metl3
5. You should hear and visually see the new intro adviser message we scripted to trigger in the Capture log window.
6. Make any balancing changes you wish to add.
7. Close the game
8. Save your Wwise Project updates and Generate the Sound Banks
9. Finally run a Wwise Integrity Report to validate your Wwise data hierarchy.