identify-sound-assets

name: identify-sound-assets description: "Use when you need to list the sound assets required for the current sprint. @Levi (sound designer): reads the backlog and game concept, identifies all audio assets needed, and writes sound-assets-.md with detailed descriptions and references." user-invocable: true

/identify-sound-assets — Sound Asset Identification

Overview

This skill identifies all sound assets needed for the current day's work. As @Levi (sound designer), you review the backlog and game concept to determine what audio assets are required — sound effects, music, and ambience — and write detailed descriptions for each.

This is step 9 of the Agentic Gamedev Process (Production phase daily loop).

When to Use

• Daily, after the /daily report and /create-backlog have been run
• When starting a new sprint that introduces new player actions, enemies, or environments requiring audio
• Do NOT use without an active backlog

Workflow

1. Load Context

• Read .docs/project-state.md to get the current milestone and sprint.
• Read the most recent backlog: .docs/backlog-*.md (find by glob, pick the newest).
• Read .docs/game-concept.md for mood, tone, and player fantasy context.
• Read .docs/roadmap.md for the current sprint's scope.

2. Scan Backlog for Audio Dependencies

Go through each task in the current backlog and identify what audio each task requires. Consider:

• Player actions: Jump, attack, interact, walk, run, damage taken, death
• Enemy/NPC sounds: Spawn, attack, hurt, death, idle, alert
• UI sounds: Button click, menu open/close, notification, purchase, error
• Environment: Footsteps per surface type, object interactions, doors, ambient loops
• Music: New tracks for specific levels, menus, or game states
• Ambience: Background atmosphere for environments being built

3. Categorize and Describe

For each sound asset, write a detailed description:

• SFX: Category, trigger context, emotional quality (weighty, snappy, eerie, satisfying), duration, reference sounds
• Music: Context, mood, tempo, instrumentation, duration, reference tracks
• Ambience: Context, environmental elements to include, spatial characteristics, loop requirements

4. Write the Document

Read the template at .agents/docs/templates/sound-assets-template.md and fill in every section. Write to .docs/sound-assets-<date>.md where <date> is today's date in YYYY-MM-DD.

There is no senior review for sound assets (the process doesn't specify one), but use your best judgment as @Levi to ensure quality and completeness.

5. Report Completion

Return a summary including:

• Number of SFX, music tracks, and ambiences identified
• The path to the written document
• Any critical audio assets that could block progress if not created promptly

Common Pitfalls

1. Only listing obvious SFX. Think about UI sounds, ambience, and music — these are as important as jump and attack sounds.
2. No emotional context. "Sword swing sound" is vague. "A heavy, metallic whoosh with a sharp slice at the end — should feel powerful and dangerous" gives the sound designer something to work with.
3. Forgetting surface-dependent sounds. If the player walks on grass, stone, and wood, those need different footstep sounds.
4. No references. Every sound should have at least one reference — a game with similar audio, a real-world sound, or a mood adjective.
5. Listing too many assets for one day. Be realistic about what a solo dev can create in one day. Prioritize.

Verification Checklist

• Project state, backlog, and game concept loaded
• All audio dependencies extracted from backlog tasks
• Each asset has category, description, references, and technical notes
• SFX, music, and ambience sections all considered (even if some are empty)
• Output written to .docs/sound-assets-<date>.md
• All template sections filled