Audio

Oceanology supports two different modes of audio to enhance the immersive experience of water environments: Underwater and Wave audio. These audio effects are dynamically managed based on the camera's position relative to the waterline, ensuring a realistic acoustic environment whether players are above or below the surface.

Overview of Audio Modes

1. Underwater Audio

   The underwater audio effect is activated when the camera moves below the waterline of the overlapping water body. This helps in creating a muffled and immersive underwater atmosphere, replicating the real-world experience of being underwater.

2. Wave Audio

   Wave audio plays when the camera is above the water surface and uses attenuation settings to manage the audio distance. This effect ensures that players hear the natural sound of waves only when they are not submerged.

Debugging Audio Behavior

The behavior of underwater versus non-underwater detection can be debugged using the "Debug Enabled" feature. This allows you to verify when the underwater or wave audio is being activated, which is particularly useful during testing to ensure the audio transitions are occurring correctly.

Configuring Audio in Oceanology Actors

1. BP_OceanologyLake

   The BP_OceanologyLake actor comes pre-configured with both underwater and wave audio. The only configuration required is the attenuation settings. These settings control how the sound fades over distance, and changing the size of the lake will automatically adjust the falloff distance of the audio.

2. BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean

   The BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean actor includes only the underwater ocean audio by default. If you need wave sounds near the shore, you will need to place additional audio sources manually. This allows for a more customized approach to creating the desired shoreline atmosphere.

3. BP_OceanWaveAudio

   The BP_OceanWaveAudio actor is specifically designed for ocean shore wave audio. You can place multiple instances of this actor along the ocean shore to fine-tune the audio settings according to your needs. This ensures that wave audio plays only near the shore and not in the middle of the ocean or island, which helps in maintaining a realistic soundscape.

   BP_OceanWaveAudio Settings:

   • Attenuation Settings: In the details panel, you can configure the attenuation function (e.g., Linear) and shape (e.g., Sphere) to control how the audio fades over distance. The Inner Radius and Falloff Distance can be adjusted to ensure smooth transitions for wave audio.
   • Mode Selection: Under Ocean Audio, set the mode to "Wave" to ensure that the correct audio type is playing.
   • Debugging: You can enable the "Debug Enabled" option to visualize and test the audio behavior, making sure it triggers correctly in-game.

Example: Setting Up Audio in Your Project

To help you get started, here is an example of how to set up wave and underwater audio in your scene using Oceanology actors:

1. Add the BP_OceanologyLake Actor

   • Drag and drop the BP_OceanologyLake actor into your scene. This actor will automatically include both underwater and wave audio.
   • Go to the details panel and adjust the attenuation settings to control how the audio fades based on the distance. This will help create a more immersive experience by making the audio fade naturally as players move away from the lake.

2. Add BP_OceanWaveAudio for Shore Waves

   • If you are working with BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean, you need to manually add wave audio along the shore.
   • Drag and drop the BP_OceanWaveAudio actor into your scene, positioning it along the shoreline.
   • Configure the attenuation settings (e.g., set Inner Radius and Falloff Distance) to adjust how far the wave sounds can be heard. You can add multiple BP_OceanWaveAudio actors to cover the entire shoreline.
   • Under the Ocean Audio section in the details panel, set the mode to "Wave".

3. Test Audio Transitions

   • Play your scene and use the "Debug Enabled" option in the details panel to verify that the underwater and wave audio triggers are functioning as expected. Ensure the transitions between underwater and wave sounds are smooth and natural.

Tips for Setting Up Audio

• Attenuation Settings: Configuring the attenuation settings properly is key to creating an immersive experience. Make sure the audio fades naturally as the player moves away from the water source, and adjust the falloff based on the size of the lake or shoreline.

• Shoreline Wave Placement: For BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean, place BP_OceanWaveAudio actors along the shoreline to create realistic wave sounds. This ensures that the audio is only present where waves would naturally be heard.

• Debug Audio: Use the "Debug Enabled" feature to verify if the underwater and wave audio triggers are functioning as expected. This will help in catching any inconsistencies between the audio effects and the player’s position.

Summary

The Oceanology audio system enhances the player's experience by providing two distinct audio modes—Underwater and Wave. These modes dynamically adjust based on the player’s position relative to the waterline, providing realistic audio feedback. Configuring the actors BP_OceanologyLake, BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean, and BP_OceanWaveAudio allows you to control how these audio effects are deployed, ensuring a cohesive and immersive aquatic soundscape.

For more detailed examples or additional help, consider joining our Discord community where you can find more tips on using audio effectively in Oceanology.