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Unity Launchpad : Understanding Game Dev & Design from scratch

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Lecture 2 : Simple Sound Toggle System (On/Off)

Introduction

A sound toggle system allows players to control whether music and sound effects are turned on or off during gameplay. This simple feature is a standard part of user interface design, especially for mobile, casual, and indie games, offering flexibility and improving user experience.


Purpose of a Sound Toggle System

  • User control: Players might prefer to mute game sounds while playing in quiet environments.

  • Accessibility: Some players are sensitive to loud or sudden sounds.

  • Device compatibility: In mobile gaming, background music might interfere with system audio or notifications.

  • Professionalism: Even the simplest games are expected to offer sound control.


Key Components in a Toggle System

A basic toggle system involves the following conceptual elements:

  1. Toggle Button (UI element)

  2. Audio Manager (central logic)

  3. Game Settings (optional, for saving preferences)


1. Toggle Button (UI Element)

This is the visible interactive button on the screen, usually placed in:

  • The pause menu

  • A settings menu

  • Or directly on the main gameplay screen

Behavior:

  • Tapping/clicking it switches between two states: sound on and sound off

  • The button may visually change (e.g., speaker icon with or without a cross) to reflect the current state

Design Note:

  • Simple visual cues help players understand current audio status at a glance

  • Buttons should be responsive, intuitive, and consistent with the game’s UI style


2. Audio Manager (Conceptual Role)

The audio manager is a centralized system that controls background music and sound effects. It should be responsible for:

  • Playing or stopping music and sound effects

  • Storing the sound state (on/off)

  • Ensuring that toggling affects all relevant audio sources

Functionality Overview:

  • When the toggle is set to off, the manager mutes or pauses all audio sources

  • When toggled back on, it resumes or unmutes them

  • Optionally, separate toggles can be used for music and sound effects


3. Game Settings (Optional but Recommended)

To improve user experience, it is ideal to save the player’s sound preference even after the game is closed and reopened.

Concept:

  • When the toggle is used, the state (on/off) is stored in local settings (such as player preferences)

  • On game start, the audio manager reads this value and sets the audio state accordingly

This ensures consistency in behavior across gameplay sessions and devices.


Game Loop Example – Audio Toggle in Practice

  1. Game Starts

    • Audio manager checks saved sound settings

    • Music plays if enabled

  2. Player Opens Settings

    • Sees a toggle or button showing current sound state

  3. Player Clicks Sound Off

    • All audio sources are muted or paused

    • UI updates to reflect the new state

  4. Player Clicks Sound On

    • Audio resumes from where it left off or restarts

    • UI updates again

  5. Game Over / Restart

    • The audio manager respects the current toggle state

    • No sound plays if toggled off


Design Guidelines for a Smooth Experience

  • The toggle should instantly reflect changes in audio without requiring a scene reload

  • Changes should be persistent, remembered across levels or sessions

  • Visually indicate state changes clearly (icon swap or button color change)

  • Group sound toggles logically with other settings like vibration or control sensitivity

  • Avoid overlapping or abrupt audio transitions; fading sounds in and out creates polish


Benefits of a Simple Toggle System

  • Improves user satisfaction by offering choice

  • Shows attention to detail and professionalism

  • Helps with game testing, especially in shared or public environments

  • Useful for streamers or players recording gameplay without background noise