SOUND DESIGNER
SELECTED PROJECTS
Audio Re-Design of "The Whizzbanger". All sounds are handmade by myself and then edited in Reaper.
Our third project at Futuregames where we created a Red Riding Hood & Baba Yaga inspired game.
Full boss battle with focus on audio implementation. Developed over three weeks.
Audiosync for Bannerlord where I exchanged the in-game sounds for my own home-made sounds.
A classic horror game to test a realistic camera filter and horror music/sounds.
A solo project where I created, edited and implemented the sounds to create a haunting and creepy experience.
A quick project where I tried to encapsulate the loneliness of space.
SOUND SAMPLES
A collection of sounds I've recorded and edited to fit certain projects and to progressively build up my library.
TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT
I’m Fredrik Nilsson, currently a student at Futuregames where I’m quickly discovering my love for Audio Design in games.I’ve been a gamer all my life, ever since my dad sat me down with him to play Age of Empires and Stronghold when I was around 6 years old. I’ve always been amazed by video games and what can be achieved ever since.Music is a huge part of my life, being able to be deeply moved by grand pieces for example such as the extraordinary ones created by Howard Shore for Lord of the Rings, and Hans Zimmer for Gladiator. This love for sound and music made my journey into Audio design a very exciting one.I believe a game without good audio is just a skeleton, an empty husk waiting to be made whole. This is what I strive to achieve. To create immersive and realistic sounds that when done right would go unnoticed - or be hypnotizingly awestruck for the ones who really listen.
Stockholm, Sweden
+46 73-878 65 63
Fredrik Nilsson is an ambitious and highly skilled professional whose contributions to our team have been invaluable.Fredrik's ambition is evident in his consistent drive to exceed expectations. He approaches every task with a positive attitude and a commitment to excellence, always striving to improve and deliver top-notch service to our guests. His flexibility is another standout quality; Fredrik adapts seamlessly to changing circumstances and is always ready to tackle new challenges, which has made him an indispensable asset to our hotel.Fredrik's performance in his role is exemplary. He possesses an exceptional ability to manage his responsibilities efficiently and with great attention to detail. His dedication and proficiency not only enhance the guest experience but also inspire his colleagues to perform at their best.He is also a dedicated, flexible, and highly competent professional. I am confident that he will bring the same level of commitment and excellence to any future endeavors.
- Hala Michalak, Operation Manager & SalesHotel Rival AB.
Music
My first real soundtrack made for a group project
Dracula
A sad melancholy melody
Ambiance
It's getting closer
The trees are moving
Ghostly wolf howling
Heavy raining with a taste of thunder
Space-spooks
Something is coming
Playful
Heavy raining with a sinister & curious undertone
Sound Effects
Raise the Dead spell
Item pick-up
Chopping meat
Cauldron Boiling
Crackling Fire
Lantern jump
Lantern pick-up
Snowy Footsteps
Witch's footsteps
Wolf Growling 1
Wolf Growling 2
Wolf Howling
Big Heavy footstep
It sees you
Shadows Gather
THE WHIZZBANGER
AUDIO REWORK
Creating The Whizzbanger was a tough but extremely important project for me. I went into it with a goal:Create an audiosync as good as possible with the improvised tools I had at home.
The results are something I'm very proud of as I believe I managed to fulfill a realistic and satisfying sound.
Creating the Bullet
For this project, I started with the bullet sound, as it was the central element of the clip. Crafting the perfect bullet sound required attention to detail, as I wanted it to feel powerful, weighty, and visceral. My goal was to ensure the audio conveyed the raw impact and force you'd expect from a 50 CAL bullet being fired.To achieve this, I focused on creating a sound that was not only distinct and sharp but also had a strong resonating presence that lingered, emphasizing the sheer scale of the weapon. Since the person in the clip is literally hammering a massive bullet, the sound had to match the visuals perfectly, amplifying the intensity and immersing the viewer in the scene.I experimented with layering various sound elements to bring out the "meaty" quality of the bullet impact while ensuring the end result felt realistic yet cinematic.
Recording the Foley
When it came to recording foley, I focused on creating sounds that would feel authentic yet punchy enough to stand out. I experimented with several objects and materials, looking for unique textures and tones that could bring the scene to life.
For the metallic impacts, I used a hammer striking metal and stone, capturing sharp, resonant hits to match the visual intensity. To emulate the sound of shell casings hitting the floor, I recorded nails dropping onto hard surfaces, which gave me that satisfying, metallic clink.To add some subtle textures, I crinkled a packet of crisps, which introduced a soft crackling layer that complemented the harsher sounds. And for a touch of creativity, I even used my squeaky toilet roll holder - it turned out to have just the right kind of metallic resonance to round out the sound design.
Each sound was layered and refined to create a cohesive auditory experience that matched the gritty, high-energy visuals of the clip.
Editing in Reaper
Once I had all the individual sound recordings, I brought them into Reaper for editing. This stage was all about fine-tuning and layering the sounds, adjusting their timing, and balancing their levels to ensure everything felt cohesive.I also used DaVinci Resolve Studio to sync the audio perfectly with the visuals, making sure every impact and movement aligned seamlessly with the action on screen.This process allowed me to shape the soundscape exactly how I envisioned it, bringing together all the individual elements into a polished final mix that felt dynamic and immersive.
Final Words
The Whizzbanger. What a strange yet fascinating weapon to work with. I approached this project without referencing the original audio from the clip. Instead, I relied entirely on my imagination to decide how it should sound, which gave me the freedom to experiment and build something unique.The end result is a sound that feels heavier, punchier, and - dare I say - more realistic than the original. It was a fun challenge to take creative liberties while still grounding the audio in a sense of realism, and I’m proud of how it turned out.
Credits to Ranon Sarono for the amazing animations.
HAUNTED HOUSE
My first solo-project where I first found my love for audio design in games.
Create unsettling atmosphere
The concept for this project drew inspiration from The Haunting of Hill House, specifically the scene where the mother is overtaken by a spooky ghost, chases her family through the corridors.
The goal was to replicate that sense of dread and unease, where the tension builds not just through visuals but through an immersive soundscape.
Every corner of the environment was designed to feel claustrophobic, with subtle visual cues and dynamic lighting enhancing the mood. The challenge was to make the atmosphere gripping enough to hold the player's attention without relying on direct threats or jump scares.
Tune the audio based on environment
Sound played a pivotal role in crafting the horror experience. I carefully tuned the audio to the specifics of the environment, focusing on how sounds would naturally interact with confined, echoing spaces. The faint creaks of floorboards, and the occasional thud were layered to create an uncomfortable sense of being followed.What made the audio design particularly effective was its restraint - I avoided any overt "monster" sounds. Instead, I relied on suggestion, letting the player’s imagination fill in the gaps. The result was an eerie and spooky ambiance that kept the tension high and the experience deeply immersive.
Efficiency and feel
I began by designing three distinct levels: the mansion, the office, and the dungeon. Each level had its own unique atmosphere, from the grand, eerie mansion to the more modern, subdued office and the dark, tense dungeon.Once I was satisfied with the level designs, I focused on the audio. Instead of creating separate tracks for each environment, I designed a single set of audio assets that could be easily adapted. For example, the mansion features creaky, echoing footsteps to match its vast, spooky space, while in the office, the footsteps are more muffled to reflect the smaller, more contained environment. This approach allowed for consistency while tailoring the sound to each level's unique mood.
Final Words
This project presented a real challenge as it was my first solo endeavor using Reaper, and I was still quite new to Unreal Engine. The idea began as a casual conversation over a few beers, but it quickly evolved into something I’m really proud of. Choosing Reaper as my DAW felt like a natural step, despite its reputation as being less user-friendly. Its power and flexibility made it the perfect tool for the job, and I’m glad I pushed through the learning curve.
THE FRONTROOMS
Goal: Create a classic horror game with a jumpscare.
Realistic Camera Settings
This project, The Frontrooms, began as a simple camera test. I was experimenting with camera settings to see if I could achieve a more realistic look. As I worked on it, the atmosphere naturally started to come together, and I found myself adding eerie ambiance and music to enhance the mood.What started as a technical experiment quickly evolved into a full audio-visual experience, drawing on the unsettling and mysterious tone of the original Backrooms concept. The result is a haunting, immersive environment that leaves the viewer with a sense of unease.
Minimalistic approach
I wanted to keep things as minimalistic as possible to make sure the focus stayed on the camera work and audio. By stripping away any extra details, I created a space where the visuals were subtle, letting the eerie sounds and atmosphere take center stage.This way, the viewer’s attention is drawn to the key elements, helping build a more immersive, unsettling experience.
Focus on Camera and Audio
The results were surprisingly unsettling, in the best way possible. The minimalistic design combined with the subtle camera work and carefully crafted audio really came together to create an atmosphere that was both tense and immersive.It was rewarding to see how everything worked so well, despite the simplicity of the approach.
Final Words
I approached this project with the goal of testing out a camera filter for an idea I had in mind, expecting it to be a simple experiment. However, I was taken by surprise at how profoundly a single filter could change the entire mood of the game. The filter instantly added a layer of unease and tension, transforming the atmosphere into something eerie and haunting. As the visual tone started to take shape, the audio and music naturally followed suit. I dove into research on horror audio design, studying various soundscapes and techniques that create a sense of dread and unease. The result was a combination of unsettling noises and atmospheric music that perfectly complemented the creepy, immersive environment I had built, amplifying the overall sense of horror.
MOUNT & BLADE II: BANNERLORD
Home-Made Sounds
Recording the Sounds
For this project, I worked on an audio-sync for Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord.
The process started with recording gameplay footage of myself playing the game. I then replaced all of the original audio with my own home-made sounds.This included everything from the clash of swords to the ambient background noises, ensuring that every sound in the game was uniquely crafted to match the on-screen action. The goal was to fully immerse the player by providing a more personalized and dynamic auditory experience.
Syncing the clips & audio
To sync the audio with the gameplay footage, I used DaVinci Resolve Studio. This allowed me to precisely align each custom sound to the corresponding action in the clip, ensuring perfect timing for every movement, impact, and environmental sound.The programs powerful editing tools helped me refine the audio placement and make sure everything flowed seamlessly, creating a smooth and immersive experience.
Final Words
Overall, this project involved a lot of testing and experimenting with different sound effects, particularly for the more specific elements like the woosh of an arrow passing by, the sound of a sword being drawn, and the impact sounds when weapons hit their target. I spent time tweaking each of these sounds to ensure they were as realistic and immersive as possible. In the end, I’m really pleased with how it turned out. The final result feels more grounded and impactful, adding a level of authenticity that enhances the player’s experience.
IGNIVORN AWAKENED
Sound Design - Collaborative Project
A "Ragnaros from Molten Core in World of Warcraft" style bossfight me and a team of 4 Designers made for our Advanced Game Design Course.
Edited with Reaper
For the sound design of Ignivorn Awakened, I edited the sounds using Reaper, focusing heavily on layering and tweaking. I used multiple sound layers to create the depth and power needed for a boss fight of this scale, similar to the iconic Ragnaros fight from World of Warcraft.A significant amount of time was spent adjusting EQ and pitch to ensure that each sound effect blended well together while also standing out at key moments. This helped build the intensity and drama, making the audio feel as epic and immersive as the fight itself.
Unreal Engine 5 Meta Sounds
For this project, I leveraged Unreal Engine 5's powerful built-in sound middleware, MetaSounds. This allowed me to create more dynamic and responsive audio systems for the boss fight.By using MetaSounds, I was able to design procedural sound effects that could adapt to the game's events in real-time, adding a layer of interactivity and immersion to the overall experience. The flexibility of MetaSounds played a key role in fine-tuning the audio to match the intensity of the gameplay.
SFX
I experimented with different virtual instruments to capture the epic, intense tone of the boss fight, layering sounds to give them a rich, powerful feel. The sounds were carefully crafted to feel impactful and complement the gameplay design, ensuring that the SFX enhanced the overall experience without overpowering the gameplay.
Final Words
While creating the sound for Ignivorn Awakened, I learned a great deal about MetaSounds and how they interact with animations in Unreal Engine. This process taught me how to synchronize the audio with the boss's various actions, ensuring that the sounds felt both realistic and dynamic. I had to think creatively to match the energy of the fight, designing each sound to respond seamlessly to the gameplay. This project was incredibly fun and pushed me to think outside the box, experimenting with different techniques to make the entire audio experience as immersive and impactful as possible.
REDHOOD
Sound Design - Collaborative Project
What if Red Riding Hood & Baba Yaga existed in the same universe?
Setting the Mood
For RedHood, a collaborative project imagining a universe where Little Red Riding Hood and Baba Yaga coexist, the primary focus was setting the right mood through audio. I dedicated a lot of time to recording and crafting life-like, realistic sounds that would bring the environment to life.By incorporating natural, organic sound elements, I aimed to create an immersive atmosphere that would transport players into the mysterious and eerie world where these two iconic characters intersect.The goal was to make the surroundings feel alive, from the rustling trees to the creaking of old structures, drawing players deeper into the story.
Edited in Reaper
All of the audio for RedHood was edited in Reaper. This included everything from sound effects to the background music and ambiance. I used Reaper's powerful editing tools to layer, tweak, and fine-tune each element, ensuring that everything seamlessly fit together.The flexibility of Reaper allowed me to experiment with different soundscapes and effects, giving me full control over the audio to create the perfect atmosphere for this eerie and mysterious world.
Implemented with MetaSounds
All the sounds in RedHood were implemented using Unreal Engine's powerful MetaSounds. This allowed me to create dynamic, responsive audio that could adapt to the player’s actions and the environment in real time.With MetaSounds, I was able to design procedural audio systems that added depth and immersion to the gameplay, ensuring that the sounds would always match the atmosphere and events within the game.
Final Words
Working on RedHood was an absolute joy. The project had everything I love: creepy ambiance, terrifying monsters, and surreal landscapes - and the audio creation process came naturally. It was the first project where I was able to fully dive into my creative potential and go all out with the sound design. I experimented with a lot of unconventional techniques to capture the exact sounds I was after, like frying bacon to achieve the sound of rain. This project was a great learning experience, especially with Reaper and MetaSounds. I gained invaluable skills, particularly in sound implementation, which was a key focus of the project. It was an exciting challenge to bring this eerie world to life with sound, and I’m thrilled with how it all turned out.
STARMAN
Solo project
Are we truly alone?
Alone in Space
For this project I aimed to capture the unsettling feeling of waking up alone on a spaceship, the only person left in an otherwise empty, vast environment.The goal was to immerse the player in that sense of isolation and desolation, where every creak and hum of the ship becomes a reminder that they're completely alone in the vastness of space.The audio played a critical role in creating that eerie atmosphere, with subtle environmental sounds and the absence of human voices heightening the sense of loneliness and unease.
Contrast
I wanted to create a strong contrast in the audio to reflect the different environments within the game. In the cramped, destroyed areas of the spaceship, I aimed to make the player feel stressed and uneasy, with distorted sounds and tense atmospheres that heighten the feeling of claustrophobia.In contrast, the vastness of space was designed to evoke a sense of somberness, using subtle, open soundscapes that underscore the isolation and the eerie silence of being alone in the infinite void.
Realistic Audio
One of my main goals for this project was to capture the realism of space, specifically recreating a scene inspired by Interstellar, where the viewer experiences what space would truly sound like.I focused on the absence of typical sound in the vacuum of space, using subtle audio cues like mechanical hums, the occasional static, and faint atmospheric noises to convey the feeling of being in a desolate, soundless environment.This approach aimed to immerse the player in the quiet vastness of space while still allowing the sounds of the ship and its systems to provide context and tension.
Final Words
This project initially began as a Level Design assignment, where the task was to create a setting that tells a story without relying on text or direct exposition. As the project progressed, I became more excited to add sound to the environment, especially given the unique nature of the setting. Recreating the sound (or rather, the absence of sound) in space was surprisingly challenging, as it required a careful balance of subtle environmental sounds and complete silence. However, I’m really happy with the outcome. I believe I successfully captured that pivotal moment when you enter the vacuum of space - an experience defined by eerie stillness and an overwhelming sense of isolation.