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Smugglers' Bay
About
Smugglers’ Bay is a third-person stealth tech demo where players control a thief infiltrating a walled island to steal enough gold to settle her debts. The area is guarded by gargoyle statues that scan for intruders and open fire if the player is detected.
Project Info
Role(s): Sound Designer
Team Size: 1
Timeline: Dec 2019 - Jan 2020
Engine & Tools: Unreal Engine 4 (Blueprint), Wwise
Tags: 3D, Adventure, Puzzle, Stealth, Third-Person
Updated: Mar, 2026
Smugglers’ Bay was developed during the Sound for Games (TES606) module of my Computer Games (Indie) degree at Southampton Solent University. The project was created in Unreal Engine 4 as a tech demo focused on integrating sound into an existing third-person stealth game. It was not officially published and was produced as part of the module assessment.
The goal of the project was to implement a full soundscape, including character sounds, ambient tracks, sound effects, UI sounds, and music. Using Wwise, I applied techniques such as random containers, spatialisation, attenuation, and reverb to create a more immersive experience.
I enjoyed working on this project because it allowed me to focus entirely on sound design, rather than developing a game from concept to completion. It also allowed me to experiment with professional audio tools and explore how sound can enhance the atmosphere and gameplay of a project.
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In my role as Sound Designer, working with Unreal Engine 4 Blueprints and Wwise, I recorded and implemented a wide range of audio, including lockpicking, item interactions, character Foley, music, and environmental ambience using professional recording equipment.
I integrated third-party audio assets into Unreal Engine through Wwise, creating soundcaster sessions to accurately reflect the game’s environments and gameplay situations. I also enhanced the atmosphere of the world using attenuation and reverberation to simulate realistic acoustics.
To add variety and responsiveness to the soundscape, I implemented random containers for repeated sounds such as footsteps and applied audio filters, including underwater effects, to support environmental transitions.
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Throughout this project, I developed a deeper understanding of how audio systems connect within Unreal Engine Blueprints to trigger different sounds during gameplay. I also explored how 3D audio can be shaped using attenuation and reverb to create a more believable and immersive environment.
I appreciated how the module was structured. During the first half, we planned the sounds we expected to implement, and in the second half, we recorded, gathered, and integrated those sounds into the tech demo. This process helped reinforce the importance of planning before implementation in sound design.
Challenges of Working Solo
If I were to approach the project again, I would be interested in developing it as a more collaborative task with multiple sound designers. Because sound design often requires extensive testing and iteration, working as part of a dedicated audio team could have made the development process even more effective.
Overall, the project deepened my understanding of sound design principles and how to implement audio using Wwise. It also highlighted how these elements can work together to create a richer, more immersive experience.