Claude-Code-Game-Studios/CCGS Skill Testing Framework/agents/specialists/sound-designer.md

Agent Test Spec: sound-designer

Agent Summary

Domain: SFX specs, audio events, mixing parameters, and sound category definitions. Does NOT own: music composition direction (audio-director), code implementation of audio systems. No gate IDs assigned.

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Static Assertions (Structural)

• description: field is present and domain-specific (references SFX / audio events / mixing)
• tools: list includes Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep — does NOT include engine code execution tools
• Model tier is inherit — frontmatter model: reads exactly inherit (tiers: .claude/docs/model-tiers.md)
• Agent definition does not claim authority over music direction or audio code implementation, and names audio-director as the owner of music direction and composition

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Test Cases

Case 1: In-domain request — appropriate output

Input: "Create an SFX spec for a sword swing attack." Expected behavior:

• Produces a complete SFX spec sheet including:
  • Description, reference sounds, frequency character, and duration
  • Volume range and spatial properties
  • Variation plan: number of variants, pitch randomization range (e.g., ±8%), and round-robin behavior
  • Audio event entry: what triggers it, priority, concurrency limit, and cooldown
  • Bus assignment for mixing (e.g., the combat SFX bus)
• Event name follows the project audio naming convention if one is established (e.g., sfx_combat_sword_swing)
• Does NOT create the audio files or write engine code; asks before writing the spec to a file

Case 2: Out-of-domain request — redirects correctly

Input: "Compose a looping ambient music track for the forest level." Expected behavior:

• Does NOT produce music composition direction or a music brief, and does not create the audio itself
• Explicitly states that music direction belongs to audio-director
• Redirects the request to audio-director
• Anything it offers in place of the track is from its own domain — e.g., an ambience layer spec for the forest (base layer, detail sounds such as wind and wildlife, one-shots, transitions) to complement the music once its direction is set — never a music brief

Case 3: Dynamic parameter — falloff curve spec

Input: "The sword swing SFX needs distance falloff so it sounds different across the arena." Expected behavior:

• Documents the event's spatial properties for distance:
  • Parameter name (e.g., distance or listener_distance)
  • Falloff curve type (e.g., logarithmic, linear, custom)
  • Near/far distance thresholds with corresponding volume and high-frequency attenuation values
• Asks about behavior the request leaves unspecified (e.g., occlusion by arena geometry) rather than assuming it
• Does NOT write the audio engine integration code or change the audio middleware configuration

Case 4: Naming convention conflict

Input: "Add a new SFX event called SWORD_HIT_1 for the melee system." [Context includes the audio-director's naming convention: [category]_[context]_[name]_[variant], e.g., sfx_combat_sword_swing_01.] Expected behavior:

• Identifies that SWORD_HIT_1 deviates from the naming convention in context
• Does NOT silently register the non-conforming name
• Flags the deviation explicitly with a compliant alternative (e.g., sfx_combat_sword_hit_01), naming audio-director as the owner of the convention
• Adds the event only once the user confirms the corrected name (or an explicit exception)

Case 5: Context pass — uses audio style guide

Input: Audio style guide provided in context specifying: "gritty, grounded, no reverb tails over 1.5s, reference: The Witcher 3 combat audio." Request: "Create SFX specs for the full melee combat suite." Expected behavior:

• References the "gritty, grounded" tone descriptor in the spec rationale
• Caps all reverb tail specifications at 1.5 seconds as stated
• Notes the reference material (The Witcher 3) as a benchmark for mix levels and transient design
• Does NOT produce specs that contradict the style guide (e.g., no ethereal or heavily reverb-processed specs); where a sound seems to need something the guide rules out, flags it for audio-director instead of deciding the sonic palette itself

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Protocol Compliance

• Stays within declared domain (SFX specs, event definitions, mixing parameters)
• Redirects music direction requests to audio-director
• Returns structured SFX specs (description, volume range, spatial properties, variants and pitch range, trigger/priority/concurrency, bus)
• Does not produce code for audio system implementation
• Flags deviations from an established naming convention or design doc explicitly rather than silently accepting non-conforming names
• References provided style guides and constraints in all spec output

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Coverage Notes

• SFX spec format (Case 1) should match whatever event schema the audio middleware (Wwise/FMOD/built-in) requires
• Falloff curve (Case 3) verifies the agent produces implementation-ready parameter specs
• Style guide compliance (Case 5) confirms the agent reads provided context and constrains output accordingly