When we think of using Wwise as audio middleware for game music, we generally think of games with complex music systems in which interactivity plays a fundamental role. When other musicians ask me to explain what Wwise is, I usually define it as a bridge between composing and programming. It allows you to see music through a prism of interactivity. In this post, I will show you some of the advantages of using Wwise in Encounters , a casual music and rhythm game for mobile devices that I developed, composed for, and implemented.
But before that, let me tell you how this game came about. Most of the time, I have belonged to this second group. I especially love everything related to multimedia: code, music, games, video So much so that I did a master's degree in soundtrack composition and even composed and recorded some themes with a big symphony orchestra in Bratislava.
Today, music is my main way of life, and I create original music for all kinds of audiovisual projects. Although most of the music I had made before Encounters had been linear, I had an urge to delve into the field of interactive music, because it combined everything that I found fascinating.
Being both a composer and a programmer provided me with knowledge that I think is very useful in this particular field. And artistically, my goal was to focus more on emotional impact and musical soundscapes rather than fitting the music into fixed frames. So my next step was obvious: learn audio middleware like Wwise. After doing all the tutorials I found, I figured that the best way to learn was to work on a real project where I could incorporate that knowledge.
First step: Just connect Wwise with a game engine like Unity. Hmm, I could make a little music game to start. What if I made a game in which music was so important that once you learned a level you could play it with your eyes closed, guided only by the music? Sounds like an interesting challenge. What if the player had to coordinate two parts of the song at the same time, maybe two different instruments?
