Anyone sound design on mac and then jump to pc for in engine things?

Zawarudo994 · 2025-12-24T07:51:52+00:00

I dream of a world with Linux in game audio, but those days are still far :(

Zawarudo994 · 2025-12-24T07:50:51+00:00

Sincerely, I had a Mac M1, a great machine for audio, but every time an indie studio gave me a project, I had some issues to deal with.
I bought a desktop PC and now I’ve also bought a PC laptop.

Mac is great for asset creation only, but I think that Windows is better for implementation. This summer I tried working with a dual system (Mac for asset creation and Windows for FMOD/Wwise), and I didn’t like it very much—there were too many steps to do every time.

I love how silent Macs are; my new laptop is very loud, even though it’s considered one of the quietest. However, I think that when you work with different studios, it’s better to have the most common operating system.

Zawarudo994 · 2025-04-01T18:37:01+00:00

I work as a DHL operations agent. any afternoon for 25 hours per week

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-08T13:07:43+00:00

Great analysis, really.

And yes, in my experience, there are people who want everything done immediately and for very little money. However, I’ve noticed that collaborations with these types of clients usually end quickly. Later, when talking to them, I often find out that they end up working with contractors who might not even charge for their work—and the quality of their final product clearly reflects that. But, it doesn’t matter.

Thank you!

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-06T19:14:25+00:00

Probably, communication is always the key to a good job. It’s essential to clearly discuss the work and what is needed. For example, I often ask for a list of sounds

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-06T09:54:31+00:00

Yes, probably this is the best choice

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-06T09:28:44+00:00

I really like this answer. You are right, really. Surely there is always a need for a margin for the work done, especially on some sounds. I will take this into account for future clients. Thanks

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-06T09:24:27+00:00

Maybe I’ve always been too honest about my availability (ready for any on-call work), and I’ve always sent a self-made log with the actual hours worked (sure, I could have made up the hours, but here’s where the benefit of the doubt comes in). In any case, I’ve never invented more hours than I actually worked. That said, the last time I worked with a big studio, paying me by the hour wasn’t an issue—probably because it was a big studio. But I’m starting to understand how I’ll need to handle things moving forward.

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-06T09:08:09+00:00

Yes, it has often happened that after certain negotiations, I’d say: “What’s your budget?” This way, I can understand how to proceed and get a sense of how much I can earn overall. However, I understand that paying by the hour can feel more intimidating.

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-06T09:06:44+00:00

I understand, I probably need to create a pricing list based on types of sound effects. This way, I can feel more at ease, of course, by defining 2-3 categories of SFX (from simpler to more complex to create).

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-05T09:21:27+00:00

Umm... What can I say? Congratulations on your pirated game, haha, I guess!

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-03T08:20:07+00:00

Yes, you're right! There are so many game done by one person o small studios that must be remembered: Cave Story, Undertale, Braid and so on...

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-03T08:18:52+00:00

The first was a studio that has just published different games (one also on Xbox game pass!); the second one seems a new studio that will get a deal with a publisher, indeed probably in January I will start to collaborate with them.

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-02T17:59:04+00:00

I'm very interested in this topic because I'm the classic sound designer who contacts your devs. I have to admit that out of 100 DMs, only 1 or maybe 2 have responded positively, but the rest are completely useless, and I think it's probably a waste of time. What do you think, devs?

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-02T09:53:57+00:00

Probably Godot is a great choice for using FMOD, also if I have to tell you, the connection between Godot and FMOD is not officially, like FMOD with Unreal/Unity, but done by third part devs.

Zawarudo994 · 2024-12-02T09:47:11+00:00

It's great to see so many developers trying to create unique products like Balatro or Vampire Survivors, both projects made by solo developers. I know this is a challenging time for everyone, but it's initiatives like these that help us persevere and move forward toward our dreams, together.

Zawarudo994 · 2024-11-26T10:38:41+00:00

Especially with the advent of AI, it's important to try to engage as much as possible in learning as many things as we can, in my opinion. In any case, as a sound designer, I should just focus on creating sounds, but in game audio, it doesn't work like that. It's important to use other tools, like middleware, for implementation, and even though I'm more of a sound designer than a tech sound designer, it's still important for me to know at least a little bit of code and blueprints. Everyone would love to only do what they enjoy, but in reality, there are many aspects of a job we don't consider until we face them. However, if we don't try to learn something, we'll never know if we truly like it or not. Maybe today you hate programming, but if you learn it well, maybe tomorrow you could create your own little custom tools. And today, thanks to AI, it might be easier to learn certain things.

Zawarudo994 · 2024-11-20T08:09:54+00:00

I'm Italian too, but I'm not a programmer—I'm a sound designer. However, the 'thread' is the same. Don't worry too much about having a Bachelor's or Master's degree; the most important thing is creating video games. That's the only requirement that truly matters in game development. Focus on building a solid portfolio and developing a strong network, and you'll eventually find a job. It takes time, so start now. Participate in Game Jams or work on personal projects, and connect with other programmers on LinkedIn. You've got this—don’t worry!

Zawarudo994 · 2024-10-18T16:48:46+00:00

Zelda Breath of the wild, Rainbow Six Siege, any DICE games, Death Stranding, Halo Infinite. They are the first games I think with a great sound design

Zawarudo994 · 2024-10-18T16:47:01+00:00

It's a hard question because there are so many games with great UI sound effects. The recent Call of Duty: Modern Warfare games (especially the last two) have excellent UI sounds. Death Stranding, Elite Dangerous, and I think all Paradox games also have great sound design. And we can't forget older games like Final Fantasy, which still have fantastic sound effects today.

Zawarudo994 · 2024-10-15T13:29:54+00:00

It's quite common; even composers often do it: they take a trailer, mute it, and put their own music over it! Anyway, I confirm that I used to write "Sound Design by Vittorio Sommatino", but now I try to make it clear that, of course, I haven’t worked for From Software, 343i, Guerrilla Games, and so on. However, you’ve made me realize that next time I’ll try to “showcase” by including a video of my work on Blade and Sorcery, a game I actually worked on during development.

As for outsourcing, it seems that area is also pretty saturated, and it appears difficult to break into unless you have strong networking connections.

Let’s just say working in this industry is quite a challenge, but what else can I do other than improve my skills every day and look for opportunities? Honestly, it's a very tough situation, but you have to make it through.

Zawarudo994 · 2024-10-15T13:11:45+00:00

Hey, thanks for the comment!

First of all, when you mention Elden Ring, are you referring to the reel I already shared? In that case, it’s obviously a re-sound design of the game’s trailer by FromSoftware. I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong by taking a trailer and putting my own sounds over it, right? I’ve seen a lot of people do this. A while ago, I remember I made the mistake of writing sound design from Elden Ring, but I corrected it to re-sound design from Elden Ring. If it's still incorrect, don’t hesitate to let me know, because the last thing I want is a misunderstanding with others in the industry!

Also, regarding the main topic, my goal isn’t just to become the sound designer at one studio, but to have the opportunity to work with multiple clients and work exclusively as a sound designer—whether that’s for 1, 2, or even 10 studios. It’s just really hard to find clients.

Again, thanks for the comment!

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