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Audio & Effects

The Audio & Effects system manages all game audio including sound effects, background music rotation, and audio muffling. Configure sounds and music tracks through the Unity Inspector.

What You Can Customize

This guide covers audio system customization:

  • Sound effect clips for all game actions
  • Background music track rotation
  • Default volume levels
  • Audio muffle effect parameters
  • Volume slider references

All configuration happens through the AudioManager component.

Audio Manager configuration in Unity Inspector

Audio Manager Configuration

The AudioManager controls all audio playback and management.

Location

Game Scene > === AUDIO MANAGER === > AudioManager (Script)

The AudioManager component is attached to the audio manager object in the Game scene.

Sound Effect Clips

Configure audio clips that play during specific game events.

Inspector Fields

Sound Effect Clips:

  • Shooting Sound: Plays when player or enemy fires
  • Enemy Destroyed Sound: Plays when enemy dies
  • Dash Sound: Plays when player uses dash ability
  • Bullet Collision Sound: Plays when bullets collide with objects
  • UI Click Sound: Plays when UI buttons are clicked

Replacing Sound Effects

Steps:

  1. Import your audio file into the project
  2. Navigate to AudioManager component
  3. Locate the sound effect you want to replace
  4. Drag your audio clip into the corresponding field

Supported audio formats: MP3, WAV, OGG

The sound effect will play automatically during its associated game event.

Background Music Tracks

Shape Storm plays random music tracks that automatically loop and rotate.

Inspector Fields

Background Music Tracks:

  • Music Tracks: Array of audio clips for background music

How Music Rotation Works

The music system:

  1. Randomly selects a track from the array on game start
  2. Plays the selected track
  3. When track finishes, randomly selects another track
  4. Continues rotating through random selections
  5. Tracks can repeat if randomly selected again

This creates varied audio throughout gameplay sessions.

Adding Music Tracks

Steps:

  1. Import your music file into the project
  2. Navigate to AudioManager component
  3. Expand the Music Tracks array
  4. Increase the array size
  5. Drag your audio clip into the new slot

The track is now in the rotation and can be randomly selected.

Removing Music Tracks

Steps:

  1. Navigate to AudioManager component
  2. Expand the Music Tracks array
  3. Find the track you want to remove
  4. Either:
    • Remove the element from the array, OR
    • Decrease array size to exclude it

The track will no longer play during gameplay.

Replacing All Music

To completely replace the music:

Steps:

  1. Clear the Music Tracks array (set size to 0)
  2. Increase array size to your desired number of tracks
  3. Drag all your music files into the array slots

The game will now use only your custom music.

Volume Configuration

Set default volume levels for sound effects and music.

Inspector Fields

Volume Ranges:

  • Sound Effect Volume: Default volume for sound effects (0.0 to 1.0)
  • Music Volume: Default volume for background music (0.0 to 1.0)

Volume Elements:

  • Music Volume Slider: Reference to UI slider for music volume control
  • Effects Volume Slider: Reference to UI slider for effects volume control

Volume Behavior

Default Volumes:

  • Sound Effect Volume and Music Volume set the initial levels
  • Values range from 0.0 (silent) to 1.0 (full volume)
  • These are fallback values when no saved preferences exist

Player Volume Control:

  • Players can adjust volumes through in-game settings menu
  • Slider values are saved in PlayerPrefs
  • Saved preferences override default volumes
  • Preferences persist between game sessions

Volume Management:

  • Sound effects and music use separate audio sources
  • Each source has independent volume control
  • Sliders update volume in real-time during gameplay

Audio Muffle Effect

The muffle effect uses a low pass filter to create immersion during specific gameplay moments.

Inspector Fields

Muffle Parameters:

  • Muffle Duration: How long the transition to/from muffled state takes (in seconds)
  • Muffled Cutoff Frequency: Low pass filter frequency when audio is muffled

When Muffling Occurs

Audio automatically muffles during:

  • Player is inside an obstacle
  • Game over screen appears
  • Upgrade menu appears between waves

Audio unmuffles when:

  • Player exits obstacle
  • Gameplay resumes after menus

How Muffling Works

The AudioManager uses an AudioLowPassFilter:

Unmuffled State:

  • Cutoff frequency: 5000 Hz (full audio spectrum)
  • Audio is clear and unfiltered

Muffled State:

  • Cutoff frequency: Drops to Muffled Cutoff Frequency value
  • Higher frequencies are reduced
  • Creates underwater/distant sound effect

Transition:

  • Frequency smoothly interpolates over Muffle Duration
  • Gradual transition prevents jarring audio changes

Adjusting Muffle Effect

Muffle Duration:

  • Lower values (0.5s) = Quick, snappy transitions
  • Higher values (2s) = Slow, smooth transitions

Muffled Cutoff Frequency:

  • Lower values (300-500) = Heavily muffled, very distant sound
  • Higher values (1000-1500) = Slightly muffled, subtle effect
  • Default is 900 Hz

Audio Source Configuration

The AudioManager creates two audio sources at runtime:

Sound Effects Source:

  • Plays one-shot sound effects
  • Does not loop
  • Volume controlled by Effects Volume Slider

Music Source:

  • Plays continuous background music
  • Loops between tracks automatically
  • Volume controlled by Music Volume Slider

These are created programmatically and don’t need manual setup.

Default Music Tracks

Shape Storm comes with 11 included music tracks:

  • Mezhdunami Flashes
  • Neon Racer
  • Only Time
  • Outrun Neon Dreams 80s
  • Traveling Memories Technology Future
  • Virtual Memory Uplifting Gaming Synth
  • In Synthwave
  • Sunset Rider
  • Emerald
  • Stranger Things

Congratulations! You’ve completed the Shape Storm customization guide. You now know how to customize every aspect of the template from menu branding to audio effects.

Quick Reference:

Getting Help

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Social: Find me on GitHub, Twitter, or any of the platforms linked in the header

I built these tools to help developers, so please use me as a resource. Questions, bug reports, feature requests—I want to hear all of it.