Wickie and the Soul Keeper

Interactive Audio Architecture & Implementation

I designed and built the project’s interactive audio architecture using Wwise integrated with Unity, creating the full middleware structure from scratch. My goal was to ensure the soundscape behaved as a reactive system, responding dynamically to player movement, puzzle progression, and environmental changes.

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To support this, I structured event hierarchies, state systems, RTPC controls, and bus routing to create modular audio behaviors rather than a linear mix. Gameplay triggers were connected through Unity colliders and state transitions, allowing the audio environment to shift naturally as the player advanced through the tower.

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Environmental Systems & Gameplay Feedback

Because the tower is both a mechanical space and a puzzle environment, I focused on balancing atmospheric immersion with gameplay readability.

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As players ascend, layered ambient systems gradually evolve to reinforce the sense of vertical progression and environmental transformation. At the same time, mechanical interactions needed to remain clear and responsive, so I designed the mix structure to prioritize critical feedback cues.

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This included separating frequency ranges across buses, using RTPC controls to manage environmental intensity, and carefully tuning audio timing to align with puzzle mechanics and moving machinery.

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Spatial Audio & Immersion

To reinforce the tower’s scale and physical presence, I integrated dynamic spatial audio systems within the ambient layers. Environmental elements such as wind and atmosphere subtly shift around the player’s position, creating a living soundscape that responds to movement through the environment.

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Rather than relying solely on visual cues, these spatial layers help communicate the tower’s height, openness, and mechanical motion as players traverse its interior.

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Score Composition & Tonal Identity

In addition to environmental audio, I composed the game’s musical score, developing thematic motifs centered around Wickie’s role as the lighthouse’s guardian.

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The music was structured to support pacing during traversal and puzzle sequences, layering tension and release as players progressed through the tower.

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I also completed the final mix and mastering for both the soundtrack and in-game sound effects, ensuring the audio systems maintained clarity and tonal cohesion across gameplay, environmental, and narrative states.

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Iteration & Collaboration

Because audio integration occurred later in development, I relied heavily on continuous in-engine playtesting during implementation. This allowed me to refine spatial placement, cue timing, and mix balance in the context of real gameplay rather than isolated audio design.

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I worked closely with designers and programmers to ensure audio triggers aligned with traversal pacing and puzzle logic, while also maintaining clean event communication between Unity and Wwise.

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Design Challenge

The primary challenge on this project was balancing rich environmental atmosphere with clear gameplay feedback.

The tower’s soundscape needed to communicate scale, spirituality, and mechanical complexity, while still allowing players to clearly perceive puzzle interactions and environmental responses.

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Solving this required careful layering, frequency separation, and dynamic control systems to prevent ambient sound from masking important gameplay cues.

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Design Reflection

This project significantly deepened my understanding of interactive audio system design and how middleware architecture differs from traditional linear mixing workflows.

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Designing the Wwise project structure required thinking in modular systems that could respond dynamically to player behavior. The experience reinforced how gameplay mechanics, triggers, spatialization, and mix design must function as a cohesive system to support player perception and immersion.