How To Do Footstep Sound Effects For Video Games - A Step-by-step Tutorial By Ross Tregenza:

Game audio footstep sound effects tutorial

Posted January 18, 2024 by Asbjoern Andersen in Sound design guides

Footstep sounds can be tricky to get right in games, but sound designer and composer Ross Tregenza (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Deathloop, Cyberpunk 2077) has compiled a great step-by-step, practical guide tutorial on how to make them sound right - from designing the footstep assets, to setting up your middleware or in-game system, creating variations, and essential details to focus on. So pour yourself a cup of coffee, put on some comfy (and great-sounding) slippers and get ready for a footstep deep-dive with Ross Tregenza:

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Video Game Sound Design Tutorial - Footsteps!

Looking for source footstep recordings? Here are some to get you started:

The independent sound community has gathered a vast number of footstep recordings that you can build from, featuring a huge number of surfaces and a large selection of footwear – here are some of the popular footstep sound libraries:

Foley Sound Effects Edward Foleyart Instrument + WAV Bundle Play Track 35600 sounds included $197

Save as Bundle! Edward Foleyart Instrument and both meta tagged WAV Libraries (The Foleyart Collection + AddOn: Extended Footsteps).

Edward brings real recorded and natural randomized Foley Artist footsteps to every audio production studio – and offers high end quality and parameters to adjust distance and environment based on Native Instruments Kontakt engine.
Edward Foleyart Instrument supports the free NI Kontakt 5 Player!

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Footsteps Sound Effects Edward Ultimate SUITE Play Track 72600 sounds included $399

Edward Ultimate SUITE is the Next Level of our live playable Foley Artist Instrument. It supports the free NI Kontakt 6 Player.

This means you don’t need to own a full version of Kontakt to run this instrument!

The Edward Ultimate SUITE includes the complete contents of both Edward Ultimate and Clothes & Props.

Foley Artist: Lara Dale
Foley Recordist: Josh Reinhardt

The Edward Ultimate SUITE demos:

Edward Ultimate:

Clothes & Props:

Key Features:

• 72.600 real Foley sounds in high quality @ 24Bit, 48 kHz
• 90 combinations of shoes and surfaces
• 30 setups of clothes and props
• Kontakt Player Compatible
• Full NKS support
• One-Window Mixing (Use the Mod Wheel to mix/add or switch any two patches)
• Pitch Wheel Performance (Use the Pitch Wheel to change key commands on the fly)
• EdV3rb IRs inside the instrument
• Lock-Mode (Select and lock the type of randomization)

Surface Types
Asphalt • Carpet1 • Carpet2 • Concrete • Creak1 • Creak2 • Diamond • Dirt • Grass • Grate • Gravel • Rectangle Wood • Creaky Wood • Parquet • Cut Wood • Swiss Dock • Boat Wood • Linoleum • Marble • Puddle • Snow • Tile • Metal • Rocks • Water • Deep Water

Footwear type
Sneaker • Boot • Dress • Heel • Flat

Props used
Rifle • Hand Gun • Army Gear • Backpack School • Backpack Leather • Heavy Chains • Dog tags • Duffle Bag • Paper Bags • Plastic Bags • Keys • Purse • Purse Cloth

Clothes Used
Heavy Coat • Coat Wool • Denim • Heavy Denim • Fringe Suade • Fringe • Leather Heavy • Leather Crunch • Leather Biker • Sequin • Shirt • Shirt Light • Shirt Heavy • Silk • Tutu • Wind Breaker

Performances
Extremely Slow Walk • Medium Slow Walk • Walk • Jog • Run • Stairs Slow • Stairs Fast • Stomp • Land • Scuff • Scrape 1 • Scrape 2 • Scrape 3

Recording Equipment:
Sennheiser MKH 416
Neumann KMR 81i

Existing Edward user?

• Send a message here with info about what version you currently have for a special upgrade price

“WINNER OF THE INDIE SOUND AWARDS 2022”

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Foley Sound Effects Footsteps Bundle Play Track 3800+ sounds included
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$36

The ‘Footsteps Bundle’ combines ‘Footsteps One‘ and ‘Footsteps Two‘ libraries together and brings you over 3800+ high quality footstep sounds on 19 unique surfaces to enrich the audio of your next project.

Surfaces included:

Dirt • Dry Sand • Dry Swamp • Forest Plain • Forest Plain II • Frozen Stairs • Grass • Grass Long • Grass Short • Gravel • Pine Needle Ground • Snow Deep • Snow Packed • Snow Scrape • Water Deep • Water Shallow • Wet Swamp • Wood Scrap • Wooden Stairs

You get the sounds in two formats: 96 KHz 24 bit and in 44.1 KHz 16 bit, for more convenient ways of utilizing the sounds in games and other media.

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Footsteps Sound Effects Ultimate Footsteps Play Track 1176-3056+ sounds included
Rated 5.00 out of 5
From: $160

Need footstep sound effects? Get 5 Shoes, 25+ surfaces, 15+ variations – created by Foley Supervisor Joshua Reinhardt and professional Foley walker Lara Dale.

Deep heavy metal, crunchy snow, old boat wood, crisp grass, gritty dirt, clean tile – this library has it all. Not only does this library contain walking but it's got pretty much every performance you can think of, from scuffs to jumps and lands and scrapes. With this library you can cut Foley for pretty much any film or game that comes your way.

Highlights:

• 17 different Performances – From slow walk to RUN, 5 scrapes, bodyfall/land, stomps and more
• Every file is labeled with a description of the shoe, surface and performance type.
• Every folder has a picture of the shoe and surface plus a description of the distance of the mic from the Foley walker.
• Combine wood creak sweeteners with Ultimate Interiors wood for scary creaky wood or add grit to a clean interior to give character.
• Same recording studio mics and preamps used in over 50 major motion pictures
• Same boots that were used for Sylvester Stallone in The Expendable
• Mix and match shoes, surfaces and sweeteners to make your own custom characters
• Can be used as a stereo or separated and mixed/matched as a mono depending which mic works best for your project

Specs:

Foot wear type:
Boots, Dress Shoes, Flats, Heels, Sneakers.

Performances:
Extremely Slow Walk, Medium Slow Walk, Walk, Jog, Run, Stairs Slow, Stairs Fast, Stomp, Land, Scuff, Scrape 1, Scrape 2, Scrape 3, Scrape 4, Scrape 5.

Surface Types:
Asphalt, Carpet 1, Carpet 2, Concrete, Hardwood, Hardwood house, Hardwood deep, Hardwood parquet, Hardwood boat wood, Hardwood Dock, Lino, Marble, Tile, Dirt, Grass, Metal grate, Diamond plate Metal, Metal Slab, Wood Creak 1 old, Wood Creak 2, Gravel, Rocks, SNOW!!, Puddle, Water shallow, Water Deep.

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THE WORLD’S EASIEST WAY TO GET INDEPENDENT SOUND EFFECTS:

A Sound Effect gives you easy access to an absolutely huge sound effects catalog from a myriad of independent sound creators, all covered by one license agreement - a few highlights:

Animal Sound Effects Collections Animal Hyperrealism Vol IV Play Track 2096 sounds included, 78 mins total $153

For a very limited time: Add this library to the cart and enter ah4launch in the cart coupon field for an extra launch discount!

Animal Hyperrealism Vol IV is a sound library containing animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 2000 individual sounds in 294 files. The sounds were recorded in zoos, and wildlife centers.

The asset list includes but is not limited to: hippos, hyenas, vultures, dwarf mongooses, elephants, African cranes, parrots, tigers, pigmy hippos, rhea ostriches, brown bears, pheasants, wildebeests, African wild dogs and many more. The content has been recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, an Avisoft CMPA and a Sennheiser 8050 for center plus two Sennheiser MKH8040 for stereo image.

The resulting ultrasonic spectrum is rich and allows for truly extreme manipulation of the content.

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Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects Four Elements – Elemental Magic Play Track 3050 sounds included, 251 mins total $149
Master the Art of Bending the Elemental Forces

Unleash the raw power of fire, water, earth, and air with this comprehensive 9 GB sound library featuring 3050 high-quality sound effects across 630 files. Whether you’re designing cinematic soundscapes or enhancing video games Four Elements delivers the tools you need to harness the energy of the natural world.

Construction Kit – 2443 Sounds

A treasure trove of raw, organic, and processed sounds including seamless loops divided into Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Explosion categories. Customize every detail with an extensive selection of sound components.
- Organic Fire: Campfire sizzles, torch whooshes, and flame bursts.
- Processed Fire: Distorted impacts and unique crackles.
- Organic Earth: Rock crashes, gravel scrapes, and heavy stone hits.
- Processed Earth: Stylized rumbles and granular textures.
- Organic Water: Ocean waves, hydrophone bubbles, and fluid splashes.
- Processed Water: Underwater whooshes and stylized liquid smashes.
- Organic Air: Bamboo swishes, cloth movements, and pressure bursts.
- Processed Air: Filtered gusts and dynamic noise sweeps.
- Explosion: Firework detonations, Butane bursts, and cinematic impacts.
Building Blocks – 416 Sounds

Game-ready sound layers featuring Impacts, Whooshes, and Textures as seamless loops. Elevate transitions and enhance atmospheres with loops and pre-designed sound layers.
- Fire: Explosive bursts, blazing infernos, and warm embers.
- Earth: Ground-shaking impacts, crumbling terrain, and heavy collisions.
- Water: Cascading waves, serene rivers, and underwater ambiences.
- Air: Whispering breezes, stormy turbulence, and slicing gusts.
Design Kit – 192 Sounds

A collection of ready-to-use sound effects divided into Attack, Bend, and Explosion categories for quick integration into your projects. Perfect for high-energy scenes and immersive storytelling.
- Fire: Crackling flames, fiery bursts, and roaring infernos.
- Earth: Crushing impacts, shifting ground, and massive land eruptions.
- Water: Splashes, fluid manipulations, and crashing tidal waves.
- Air: Slicing winds, swirling currents, and thunderous gusts.
Four Elements gives you complete creative control, blending organic recordings with processed sound layers to meet the demands of any project. Master the forces of nature with Four Elements. Let your creativity ignite.

Keywords:

Elements, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Wave, Water, Liquid, Rock, Cast, Stone, Pebble, Torch, Gas, Flame, Campfire, Sizzle, Burst, Scrape, Whoosh, Impact, Texture, Attack, Bend, Bending, Explosion, Processed, Surge, Quake, Hit, Flow, Burn, Ignite, Drop, Smack, Destruction, Rumble, Hiss, Blow, Wind, Cloth, Movement, Underwater, Bubble, Ocean, River, Lake, Firework, Firecracker, Bang, Blast, Detonation, Magic, Fantasy, Forces, Fire Magic, Water Magic, Earth Magic, Fire Air, Fire Effect, Fire Whoosh, Water Whoosh, Seamless Loop, Loop, Fire Cast, Water Cast, Earth Cast, Air Cast
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Game Audio Packs - Game Sound Effects Libraries Fun Casual Sounds Play Track 629 sounds included $12

Fun Casual Sounds contains over 600 professionally designed sound effects!

A perfect collection of fun sounds suitable for all types of sound designers, video editors, game developers or anyone who needs a large range of high quality fun sound effects ready to use out-of-the-box. Great for both quickly prototyping and the finished product. Designed specifically for games, video and other media by award winning sound designers.

This pack also includes a variety of 150 bonus sounds effects from our full library Pro Sound Collection. ALL sounds from Fun Casual Sounds are included Pro Sound Collection so if you need more sounds be sure to check it out before purchase.

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Latest sound effects libraries:

Animal Sound Effects Collections Animal Hyperrealism Vol IV Play Track 2096 sounds included, 78 mins total $153

⏰ For a very limited time:
Add this library to the cart and enter ah4launch in the cart coupon field – to sprinkle an extra launch discount, on top of the current discount!

Animal Hyperrealism Vol IV is a sound library containing animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 2000 individual sounds in 294 files. The sounds were recorded in zoos, and wildlife centers.

The asset list includes but is not limited to: hippos, hyenas, vultures, dwarf mongooses, elephants, African cranes, parrots, tigers, pigmy hippos, rhea ostriches, brown bears, pheasants, wildebeests, African wild dogs and many more. The content has been recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, an Avisoft CMPA and a Sennheiser 8050 for center plus two Sennheiser MKH8040 for stereo image.

The resulting ultrasonic spectrum is rich and allows for truly extreme manipulation of the content.

15 %

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Weather Sound Effects Hyper Thunder Play Track 800+ sounds included $49.50
Hyper Thunder is a colossal collection of thunder and lightning, 100% crafted from the ground up using innovative synthesized technics and props recordings. Not a single real life thunder recording was used. using synthesis and props manipulation crafted to deliver impact far beyond natural recordings. Built entirely from innovative synthesis and props recordings, this library pushes the boundaries of weather sound design—perfect for when you need the raw energy of a storm dialed up to cinematic extremes.

Featuring over 800 files, Hyper Thunder spans everything from subtle distant rumbles and rolling thunder to razor-sharp lightning strikes and earth-shaking impacts. With both designed hits and source layers, you have full control—drop in ready-to-use power or sculpt your own stormscapes using the source recordings.

Created in collaboration with Bruits.Studio’s Vincent Fliniaux and Tibo Csuko—longtime SoundMorph contributors to acclaimed libraries like Robotic Lifeforms 2 and WATER— Hyper Thunder blends technical mastery with bold creativity.

Key Features
- 800+ files of synthesized thunder and lightning
- Both designed hits and source layers for full creative control
- Covers subtle distant rumbles through to massive cinematic impacts
- Crafted 100% from synthesis for a unique, larger-than-life sound
- Perfect for film, games, trailers, and any project needing storm power
- Created in collaboration with Bruits.Studio’s Vincent Fliniaux and Tibo Csuko (Robotic Lifeforms 2, WATER)
From atmospheric detail to explosive drama, Hyper Thunder gives you thunder and lightning that are bigger, subtler, and more versatile than nature itself.
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Destruction & Impact Sounds Danger: Explosive Play Track 610 sounds included $35.99
Beware!

“Danger: Explosive” is a sound library with a wide range of explosion sounds and supplemental material. Watch out for:
- Over 600 sounds in 96kHz 24 bit (also provided in 44.1kHz)
- Separate “Transient”, “Body” and “Tail” layers for flexibility and customisation, as well as game-ready pre-mixed explosions for effortless implementation
- Rock, sand and gravel debris sounds
- “Sub drop” layers to add a rumbling low end
- “Extra long” layers and loopable files provided for situations requiring extended explosions
- Several variants provided for each sound
- UCS compliant file naming and metadata
- Available for commercial or personal use without attribution
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Car Sound Effects Skoda 120 M 1983 compact car Play Track 205 sounds included, 46 mins total $65

All files are recorded 32bit, 192 kHz, with RØDE NTG1, Line Audio Omni1 and FEL Clippy XLR EM272 microphones, Sound Devices MixPre-6 II recorder. Library contains wav files of driving, interior and exterior foley, mechanical and electrical sounds. It is also available in UCS.

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Hand Combat Sound Effects Massive Punches Play Track 505 sounds included, 1 mins total $29.99

MASSIVE PUNCHES – 505 files of punch sound effects, from several sparring sessions. From quiet taps and hits to thudding and cracking impacts. Massive Punches comes in at over 1 minute, of real skin on skin body and head shots. Bring the power of bare knuckle to your next project. Recorded at 192kHz and 32bit, using microphones capable of recording ultrasonic frequencies. Massive Punches filenames are in the Universal Category System format with additional Metadata baked-in.

Don’t need a Massive amount of Punch sound effects? We offer ‘Mini’ sound effect libraries as companions for all of our ‘Massive’ sound effect libraries. All recordings are unique to each library with no overlap. Go Mini today, and upgrade to the corresponding Massive library later, when you need more of that particular sound effect.

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