Sound Not Playing in Mod

A modder finishes a custom weapon mod, exports the master bundle, and loads the mod in Unturned™. The weapon appears in the inventory, equips correctly, fires, and damages a target. Everything works except the fire sound: the weapon is silent. The modder checks the source folder, confirms the .wav file is present, confirms the .dat references it, and is left staring at a mod that loads cleanly but produces no audio.

This article identifies the seven most common causes of silent audio in Unturned™ mods and walks through the diagnostic and resolution workflow for each. The audio pipeline in Unturned has specific format and import requirements that differ from the broader Unity audio pipeline, and a mod that does not meet the Unturned-specific requirements will load successfully but produce no sound. The diagnostic steps and resolution methods documented here are the cohort-validated workflow that 57 Studios uses to resolve audio failures across the modder cohort.

Prerequisites

• A working Unturned™ mod that has at least one audio reference in a .dat file.
• Access to the mod's source folder and the original audio source files.
• Unity Hub and the Unity editor version required for Unturned modding.
• A working audio playback tool (Windows Media Player, VLC, Audacity) to verify the source file's playback.
• Audacity or a similar audio editor for format conversion.
• A backup of the mod's source folder before any audio re-packaging.

What you'll learn

• Why Unturned requires .wav format specifically and rejects other audio formats.
• How to verify the sample rate, bit depth, and channel count of an audio file.
• How to read the Unity import settings for an audio asset.
• How to confirm an audio asset is included in the master bundle.
• How to cross-reference the .dat file's audio path against the actual bundled assets.
• How to use the in-game console and log to detect missing audio at runtime.
• How to test 3D audio attenuation, looping, and volume settings.

Background: how Unturned plays audio

Unturned plays audio through Unity's audio engine. Every sound a player hears in the game is an AudioClip Unity loaded from an asset bundle. A custom mod's sounds work the same way: the modder authors a .wav file, imports it into Unity as an AudioClip, includes the AudioClip in the master bundle, and references it from the asset's .dat file.

The audio playback pipeline has six steps, and a failure at any step produces a silent asset.

1. The audio source file is authored or sourced. The cohort recommendation is 16-bit PCM, 44.1 kHz, mono .wav.
2. The file is imported into Unity as an AudioClip. Unity reads the file and applies the import settings configured in the inspector.
3. The AudioClip is included in the asset bundle build. Only assets explicitly added to the bundle are exported.
4. The master bundle is exported to the mod's output folder.
5. The .dat file references the AudioClip by name and path.
6. Unturned loads the master bundle, resolves the .dat reference to the AudioClip, and plays the clip when the asset's trigger fires (gunshot, footstep, voice line, ambient loop).

A break at step 1 produces an unreadable source file. A break at step 2 produces an AudioClip with the wrong import settings. A break at step 3 produces a master bundle without the clip. A break at step 4 produces a master bundle in the wrong location. A break at step 5 produces a .dat reference that does not resolve. A break at step 6 produces silence at runtime.

The sequence diagram above models the audio pipeline. The cohort survey identified that approximately 71 percent of silent-audio reports trace to a failure at step 2 (incorrect Unity import settings) or step 3 (clip not included in the bundle).

Audio format requirements

Unturned requires a specific audio format. The format requirements are:

Property	Required value	Cohort recommendation
File extension	.wav	.wav
Container format	PCM	PCM
Bit depth	16-bit	16-bit
Sample rate	44.1 kHz	44.1 kHz
Channels	Mono for 3D audio; stereo for 2D audio	Mono for almost everything
Compression	None	None
Maximum length	No hard limit	Under 30 seconds for non-music

A file that does not meet these requirements may still import into Unity, but Unturned will either fail to play it, play it at the wrong pitch, play it without 3D positioning, or play silence. See Audio Packaging for Unturned for the detailed packaging workflow and the format-conversion procedures.

Common mistake

Using an .mp3 or .ogg file in the mod's source folder. Unity will import the file as an AudioClip, but Unturned's audio playback expects .wav and may silently drop the clip. The cohort recommendation is to convert all audio to .wav before importing into Unity.

Did you know?

The cohort survey identified that approximately 38 percent of first-time audio failures involve a modder dragging an .mp3 directly into Unity. Unity's import dialog does not warn that the format is incompatible with Unturned specifically; the warning would be game-engine-specific information that Unity does not have. The cohort's pre-import format check eliminates the failure mode entirely.

Diagnostic steps

Step 1: Verify the source audio file plays

Confirm the source .wav file itself plays correctly outside Unity.

1. Locate the .wav file in the mod's source folder.
2. Right-click and select "Open with" → "Windows Media Player" or VLC.
3. Confirm the file plays and sounds correct.

If the file does not play in a media player, the source file is the problem; re-author or re-source the audio.

Step 2: Verify the file format

Open the file in Audacity or check its properties to confirm format.

In PowerShell:

Get-Item "<path-to-wav>" | Select-Object Name, Length

In Audacity:

1. Open the file.
2. Look at the bottom-left status bar. Audacity displays the sample rate (e.g., "44100 Hz"), the channels ("Mono" or "Stereo"), and the bit depth ("16-bit PCM").
3. Compare against the format requirements table above.

If the format is wrong:

1. In Audacity, click Tracks → Resample to set the sample rate to 44100 Hz.
2. Click Tracks → Mix → Mix Stereo Down to Mono if the file is stereo and should be mono.
3. Click File → Export → Export as WAV. Set the format to "WAV (Microsoft) signed 16-bit PCM."
4. Save and re-import into Unity.

Step 3: Verify the Unity import settings

Open the Unity project that contains the audio asset.

1. Locate the .wav file in the Project window.
2. Click the file to select it.
3. View the Inspector panel.
4. Confirm the following settings:
   • Force To Mono: enabled for 3D audio, disabled for 2D audio.
   • Load In Background: typically disabled for short clips, enabled for long clips.
   • Preload Audio Data: enabled.
   • Load Type: Decompress On Load (for short clips) or Streaming (for long clips).
   • Compression Format: PCM (matches the source).
   • Sample Rate Setting: Preserve Sample Rate.

If any setting is wrong, change it and click Apply at the bottom of the Inspector.

Step 4: Verify the audio asset is included in the master bundle

The master bundle includes only assets that are explicitly added.

1. Open the AssetBundle dropdown at the bottom of the Inspector for the audio asset.
2. Confirm the dropdown shows the master bundle name (typically the mod's name).
3. If the dropdown shows "None," click the dropdown and select the master bundle name.

The asset is now tagged for inclusion in the bundle. The next bundle build will include the asset.

Step 5: Cross-reference the .dat file

Open the .dat file that references the audio.

1. Open the .dat file in Notepad++.
2. Locate the line that references the audio. The exact field name depends on the asset type:
   • Gun: Fire_Audio_Clip <name>
   • Footstep: Footstep_Audio_Clip <name>
   • Voice line: Voice_Audio_Clip <name>
   • Music: Music_Audio_Clip <name>
3. Confirm the referenced name matches the actual AudioClip asset name in Unity.

A mismatch between the .dat reference and the asset name is a common cause of silent audio. The reference is case-sensitive in some Unturned versions.

Step 6: Re-export and verify in-game

After any source change, re-export the master bundle and re-test in-game.

1. In Unity, click Assets → Build AssetBundles.
2. Wait for the build to complete.
3. Copy the new master bundle to the mod's deployment location.
4. Launch Unturned with the mod enabled.
5. Trigger the audio in-game (fire the weapon, take a footstep, listen for the ambient).
6. If audio plays, the problem is resolved. If not, proceed to the next diagnostic step.

Step 7: Read the Unturned log

The Unturned log records audio asset resolution failures.

On Windows the log file is at:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\..\LocalLow\SDG\Unturned\Player.log

Open the log in Notepad++ and search for the keywords audio, clip, null, and the audio asset's name. Failed audio resolution typically produces a log entry such as:

NullReferenceException: AudioClip not found for asset <name>

The log entry identifies the asset that failed to resolve.

Symptom comparison

The table below matches silent-audio symptoms to causes and resolutions.

Symptom in-game or in log	Most likely cause	Resolution
Audio is completely silent	.wav is missing from bundle	Tag asset for bundle and re-export
Audio plays in editor but not in-game	Bundle build did not include asset	Re-export with asset tagged
Audio plays at wrong pitch	Sample rate is not 44.1 kHz	Resample in Audacity
Audio plays in mono only when stereo expected	Force To Mono is enabled in import	Disable Force To Mono
Audio plays only on one side	Stereo source where mono expected	Mix down to mono
Audio has no 3D positioning	Spatial Blend is 2D instead of 3D	Set Spatial Blend to 3D in .dat
Audio cuts off mid-clip	Load Type is Streaming for short clip	Change to Decompress On Load
Audio is delayed by 1-2 seconds	Load Type is Decompress On Load for long clip	Change to Streaming
Audio plays but distorted	Bit depth is higher than 16-bit	Re-export at 16-bit
Audio plays but very quiet	Source file is recorded at low volume	Normalize in Audacity
Audio plays first time, then silent	Loop flag is false but reference expects loop	Enable loop in .dat
.dat reference exists but no audio file at path	File missing or moved	Restore file or update reference
Reference exists, file exists, still silent	Asset not in bundle	Tag for bundle and re-export
Log reports "NullReferenceException" on audio	.dat reference does not match asset name	Fix the reference
Log reports "Failed to load AudioClip"	Format incompatible	Convert format

Resolution methods

Method 1: Convert audio to .wav PCM

Convert any non-.wav audio source to the cohort-recommended format.

1. Open the source file in Audacity.
2. Click Tracks → Resample. Set the rate to 44100 Hz.
3. If the file is stereo and the asset is intended for 3D audio (footsteps, weapon fire, ambient), click Tracks → Mix → Mix Stereo Down to Mono.
4. Click File → Export → Export as WAV.
5. Choose "WAV (Microsoft) signed 16-bit PCM" in the Save as type dropdown.
6. Save to the mod's source folder.
7. Re-import into Unity.
8. Tag for the bundle and re-export.

The conversion preserves the audio content but conforms the format to Unturned's requirements.

Method 2: Fix Unity import settings

For an audio asset that imports but plays incorrectly, fix the import settings.

1. Select the audio asset in the Unity Project window.
2. In the Inspector, set Load Type to Decompress On Load for short clips (under five seconds), or Streaming for long clips.
3. Set Compression Format to PCM.
4. Set Sample Rate Setting to Preserve Sample Rate.
5. Click Apply.
6. Rebuild the master bundle.

Pro tip

Unity caches the imported AudioClip in the Library folder. If the import settings change does not take effect, delete the Library folder to force a re-import (see Unity Won't Open My Project for the safe deletion procedure).

Method 3: Tag the asset for the master bundle

The asset must be tagged for inclusion in the bundle.

1. Select the audio asset in the Project window.
2. At the bottom of the Inspector, click the AssetBundle dropdown.
3. Select the master bundle name.
4. If the master bundle name does not appear, click "New..." and enter the mod's bundle name.
5. Apply.
6. Click Assets → Build AssetBundles.
7. Confirm the new bundle file size has increased to reflect the included audio (a .wav is typically 100 KB to several MB).

See Master Bundle Export for the complete bundle build workflow.

Method 4: Fix the .dat audio reference

The .dat reference must match the asset name and path exactly.

1. Open the .dat file.
2. Locate the audio reference line.
3. Open the master bundle in a bundle inspector (or check the Unity Project window).
4. Confirm the asset name in the bundle matches the .dat reference exactly, including capitalisation.
5. If the names differ, update the .dat reference to match the asset name.
6. Save the .dat file.

The cohort recommendation is to use lowercase asset names throughout the project to eliminate capitalisation mismatches.

Method 5: Configure 3D audio attenuation

For 3D audio (audio that should attenuate with distance from the source), configure the spatial settings.

1. Open the .dat file.
2. Confirm the audio reference is for an asset that supports 3D positioning (gunshot, footstep, vehicle engine).
3. The Unturned audio system applies a default attenuation curve; for custom attenuation, see the Smartly Dressed Games modding documentation for the specific .dat fields supported per asset type.
4. Set the minimum and maximum distances appropriate to the asset (e.g., gunshot: 50m max; footstep: 15m max).
5. Save and re-test.

Method 6: Configure looping for ambient audio

For ambient audio (a generator hum, a wind loop, music), configure the loop.

1. Open the .dat file.
2. Locate the loop field for the asset (e.g., Loop true for ambients).
3. Confirm the audio file itself is loop-friendly: the end of the file should match the beginning, or the loop will produce an audible click.
4. In Audacity, use Effect → Crossfade to make the loop seamless if needed.
5. Re-export and re-test.

Method 7: Normalize quiet audio

For audio that plays correctly but is too quiet, normalize the source.

1. Open the source file in Audacity.
2. Select all (Ctrl+A).
3. Click Effect → Normalize.
4. Set the target peak to -1 dB.
5. Apply and re-export as .wav 16-bit PCM.
6. Re-import into Unity.
7. Rebuild the master bundle.

Normalization brings the audio's peak amplitude up to the target level without distorting. The cohort recommendation is to normalize all audio to -1 dB peak to ensure consistent volume across mods.

Method 8: Handle long audio with Streaming load type

Audio clips longer than approximately 30 seconds (music tracks, long voice lines, long ambient loops) should use the Streaming load type to avoid memory pressure.

1. Select the audio asset in the Project window.
2. Set Load Type to Streaming.
3. Set Preload Audio Data to disabled.
4. Apply.
5. Rebuild the master bundle.

Streaming audio is decoded incrementally as it plays, which reduces memory use but introduces a slight start-up delay. For short clips (under 5 seconds), use Decompress On Load instead; for medium clips (5-30 seconds), use Compressed In Memory.

Did you know?

A 60-second .wav at 44.1 kHz mono 16-bit consumes approximately 5 MB of memory if loaded in full. The same clip as Streaming consumes only the decoder buffer (typically 64 KB). A mod with multiple long audio clips can reduce its memory footprint by 80+ percent by using Streaming for the long clips.

Method 9: Re-export the bundle after every audio change

Audio changes do not appear in-game until the master bundle is rebuilt. The cohort survey identified that approximately 12 percent of "silent audio" reports trace to a modder who modified the audio but did not rebuild the bundle.

1. After any audio source change, Unity import settings change, or asset tagging change, click Assets → Build AssetBundles.
2. Wait for the build to complete.
3. Confirm the build output reports the audio asset as included.
4. Copy the new bundle to the deployment location.

The "build then deploy" sequence is the source of the most common silent-audio false-positive: the modder fixed the source but tested an old bundle.

Method 10: Inspect the bundle contents

To confirm the audio asset is actually present in the bundle, inspect the bundle's contents.

1. Use a Unity AssetBundle inspector tool (the cohort's preferred tool is the AssetStudio open-source utility).
2. Open the master bundle file.
3. Browse the included assets.
4. Confirm the audio asset appears in the bundle's list with the expected name and path.

If the audio is not in the bundle's list, the tagging step did not take effect; revisit Method 3.

Method comparison

The table below summarizes when to apply each method.

Method	Time required	Risk level	When to apply
1. Convert audio to .wav PCM	Five to ten minutes	Low	Source is .mp3 or .ogg
2. Fix Unity import settings	Two minutes	Low	Asset imports but plays incorrectly
3. Tag asset for bundle	One minute	Low	Asset not tagged
4. Fix .dat audio reference	Two minutes	Low	Reference name mismatch
5. Configure 3D attenuation	Five minutes	Low	3D audio missing
6. Configure looping	Five minutes	Low	Ambient loop expected
7. Normalize quiet audio	Five minutes	Low	Audio too quiet
8. Set Streaming load type	Two minutes	Low	Long audio clip
9. Rebuild bundle	Two to ten minutes	Low	After any audio change
10. Inspect bundle contents	Five minutes	Low	Confirm asset inclusion

Advanced considerations

Audio variants for randomization

Many Unturned audio triggers support multiple clips that are picked randomly to add variety. The most common case is footstep audio, where four or five .wav variants are referenced and Unturned picks one at random per footstep.

The .dat references for variants are typically:

Footstep_0_Audio_Clip footstep_grass_a
Footstep_1_Audio_Clip footstep_grass_b
Footstep_2_Audio_Clip footstep_grass_c
Footstep_3_Audio_Clip footstep_grass_d

Each variant must be authored to a consistent volume and length. The cohort recommendation is to normalize every variant to the same peak level and trim every variant to within 10 percent of the same duration.

Audio for different surface types

Many Unturned vehicles, animals, and player movement sounds vary by surface type (concrete, dirt, grass, metal, water). Each surface type has its own .wav asset and its own .dat reference.

The cohort recommendation is to use a consistent naming convention for surface-specific audio: <asset>_<surface>_<variant>.wav (e.g., footstep_grass_a.wav, footstep_concrete_a.wav). The convention makes the asset tree easy to scan and makes the .dat references easy to maintain.

Custom audio engines and middleware

Some Unity-based games support audio middleware such as FMOD or Wwise. Unturned does not use middleware; all audio is played through Unity's built-in audio engine via the AudioClip and AudioSource API. A modder who is familiar with middleware should expect a simpler but less flexible audio pipeline in Unturned.

Audio compression and bundle size

The cohort recommendation is to use PCM compression (no compression) in the Unity import settings. The PCM format produces larger bundles but preserves audio quality and eliminates the playback variability that lossy formats can introduce.

For mods with many audio assets, the bundle size may grow large enough to affect the workshop upload time or the download time for players. The cohort survey identified that approximately 15 percent of mod bundle size growth is audio. The cohort recommendation is to use shorter audio clips where possible (sub-second weapon fire sounds, sub-3-second footstep variants) to keep the bundle size manageable.

Audio testing in the Unity editor

Unity's editor includes an audio preview that plays the asset directly. The preview is a useful early-stage test but does not reflect the in-game playback exactly:

• The preview ignores the .dat configuration (loop, attenuation, spatial blend).
• The preview plays in 2D (no positional audio).
• The preview uses the editor's audio settings, not Unturned's.

A successful Unity preview does not guarantee in-game playback. The cohort recommendation is to test every audio asset in-game before declaring it done.

Audio with reverb or environment effects

Unturned applies environment effects (reverb, low-pass filter for underwater) based on the player's location and the audio's spatial settings. A modder who authors a sound with built-in reverb should be aware that Unturned may add additional reverb, producing a "muddy" sound.

The cohort recommendation is to author audio as a dry signal (no built-in reverb) and let Unturned's audio engine apply the environment effects.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my MP3 not work in Unturned?

Unturned's audio pipeline expects .wav PCM. Other formats may import into Unity successfully but fail to play in-game. Convert the source to .wav 16-bit PCM 44.1 kHz before importing. The conversion takes less than five minutes in Audacity.

What sample rate should I use?

44.1 kHz is the cohort-recommended sample rate and matches the Unturned audio engine's expected rate. Other sample rates may produce pitch shifts, playback variability, or silent assets. If the source is at a different sample rate, resample to 44.1 kHz in Audacity before importing.

Should I use mono or stereo audio?

For 3D positional audio (weapon fire, footsteps, vehicle engines, ambients with a position in the world), use mono. The mono channel is positioned by Unturned's audio engine and produces the expected 3D effect. For 2D audio (UI sounds, music), stereo is acceptable, although the cohort recommendation is mono for consistency.

My audio plays in the Unity editor preview but not in-game. What's wrong?

The Unity editor preview is not a complete test. The most common cause of "plays in editor but silent in-game" is that the audio asset is not tagged for the master bundle, or the bundle was not rebuilt after the audio was added. Confirm the asset is tagged (Method 3) and rebuild the bundle (Method 9).

How do I make 3D audio attenuate with distance?

The .dat field that controls 3D attenuation depends on the asset type. For most asset types, the audio system applies a default attenuation curve. For custom attenuation, consult the Smartly Dressed Games modding documentation for the specific .dat fields supported.

How do I make an audio clip loop?

Set the loop flag in the .dat file (e.g., Loop true for ambient audio). Confirm the audio file itself is loop-friendly: the end and beginning should match seamlessly. Use Audacity's Crossfade effect to smooth the loop point if needed.

Can I use compressed audio formats inside Unity?

Unity supports compressed audio formats (Vorbis, MP3, ADPCM). Unturned's audio pipeline works best with PCM. The cohort recommendation is to use PCM compression in the Unity import settings to maximise compatibility, even though the resulting bundle is larger.

What's the difference between Load Type Decompress On Load, Compressed In Memory, and Streaming?

Decompress On Load decodes the entire clip into memory at load time, producing immediate playback but using more memory. Compressed In Memory keeps the clip compressed in memory and decodes during playback, using less memory but more CPU. Streaming decodes the clip from disk as it plays, using the least memory but introducing disk-IO latency. The cohort recommendation is Decompress On Load for clips under 5 seconds, Compressed In Memory for clips 5-30 seconds, and Streaming for clips over 30 seconds.

My footstep audio plays only on grass. What's wrong?

Unturned plays surface-specific footstep audio based on the surface type the player is walking on. The mod's footstep .dat likely references only the grass surface; add references for concrete, dirt, metal, water, and any other surfaces the mod should support.

How do I add random variants to weapon fire audio?

Reference multiple .wav clips in the .dat file using the indexed fields (e.g., Fire_0_Audio_Clip, Fire_1_Audio_Clip). Unturned picks one variant at random per shot. Author each variant to the same volume and approximately the same duration for consistent feel.

Why does my audio sound distorted?

Distortion typically indicates a bit-depth mismatch (e.g., 24-bit source with import settings expecting 16-bit) or a clipped source (the source itself peaks at 0 dB and was further amplified). Re-export the source from Audacity as 16-bit PCM with a peak normalized to -1 dB.

Can I use audio I found online?

Only if the audio's license permits use in commercial mods. The cohort recommendation is to source audio from public-domain or Creative Commons libraries (freesound.org, sonniss.com, Unity's free asset store) or to author audio originally. Stolen audio is a copyright violation and can result in the workshop entry being taken down.

How do I detect a missing audio asset programmatically?

Read the in-game log after launching with the mod enabled. A missing audio asset produces a log entry that identifies the asset name. The cohort maintains a log-scanner script that emits a report of every missing-asset warning in the log.

Best practices

• Author all audio as .wav 16-bit PCM 44.1 kHz mono before importing into Unity.
• Tag every audio asset for the master bundle in the Unity Inspector.
• Use a consistent naming convention for audio assets (<asset>_<surface>_<variant>.wav).
• Normalize every audio asset to -1 dB peak for consistent volume.
• Use Decompress On Load for short clips, Streaming for long clips.
• Rebuild the master bundle after every audio change.
• Test every audio asset in-game, not just in the Unity editor preview.
• Read the Unturned log to detect missing-asset warnings.
• Use the cohort's log-scanner script before publishing.
• Source audio from licensed libraries or original recordings.

Appendix A: Audacity conversion workflow

The cohort-recommended Audacity workflow for converting any audio source to the Unturned format is:

1. Open the source file in Audacity (File → Open).
2. Check the bottom-left status bar for the source's sample rate, channels, and bit depth.
3. If sample rate is not 44.1 kHz:
   • Click Tracks → Resample.
   • Set the rate to 44100 Hz.
   • Click OK.
4. If the source is stereo and the asset is 3D audio:
   • Click Tracks → Mix → Mix Stereo Down to Mono.
5. If the audio needs normalization:
   • Select all (Ctrl+A).
   • Click Effect → Normalize.
   • Set target peak to -1 dB.
   • Apply.
6. If the audio needs trimming or fading:
   • Select the portion to remove and press Delete.
   • Use Effect → Fade In / Fade Out to add smooth starts and ends.
7. Export:
   • Click File → Export → Export as WAV.
   • Set Save as type to "WAV (Microsoft) signed 16-bit PCM."
   • Save to the mod's source folder.

The workflow takes approximately three to five minutes per file. The cohort recommendation for modders with many audio files is to script the workflow using Audacity's macro feature or a command-line tool such as sox.

Appendix B: PowerShell audio inspection

A PowerShell script can inspect a .wav file's header to confirm format.

# inspect-wav.ps1
# Usage: .\inspect-wav.ps1 -Path "<path-to-wav>"

param([Parameter(Mandatory)][string]$Path)

$bytes = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllBytes($Path)

if ([System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString($bytes[0..3]) -ne "RIFF") {
  Write-Output "Not a RIFF/WAV file"
  return
}

$channels = [BitConverter]::ToUInt16($bytes, 22)
$sampleRate = [BitConverter]::ToUInt32($bytes, 24)
$bitsPerSample = [BitConverter]::ToUInt16($bytes, 34)

Write-Output "Channels: $channels"
Write-Output "Sample rate: $sampleRate Hz"
Write-Output "Bit depth: $bitsPerSample-bit"

if ($channels -eq 1 -and $sampleRate -eq 44100 -and $bitsPerSample -eq 16) {
  Write-Output "Format: cohort-recommended (mono, 44.1 kHz, 16-bit)"
} else {
  Write-Output "Format: does not match cohort recommendation"
}

The script reads the WAV header bytes directly and reports the format without requiring Audacity or any external tool. The cohort recommendation is to run the script against every .wav file in the mod's source folder before exporting the master bundle.

Appendix C: case studies

Case study 1: the MP3 import

A new cohort member dragged an .mp3 file into Unity, configured the .dat reference, and exported the master bundle. The mod loaded in-game but the audio was silent. The cohort diagnosis identified that Unity had imported the .mp3 as a Vorbis-compressed AudioClip, which Unturned could not play.

The fix was to convert the .mp3 to .wav 16-bit PCM 44.1 kHz mono in Audacity, re-import into Unity, re-tag for the bundle, and re-export. The cohort recommendation that resulted from the case study is to convert every audio source to .wav before any import, regardless of how the source was acquired.

Case study 2: the bundle re-export miss

A mid-tenure cohort member fixed a silent-audio bug by re-importing the audio at the correct format. The cohort member tested in the Unity editor preview, confirmed the audio played, declared the bug fixed, and shipped the mod. Players reported the audio was still silent.

The cohort diagnosis identified that the cohort member had not re-exported the master bundle after the import. The fix was to click Assets → Build AssetBundles and copy the new bundle to the deployment location. The cohort recommendation that resulted from the case study is to always re-export the bundle after any audio change and to test in-game (not just in the editor preview) before declaring a fix done.

Case study 3: the case-sensitive reference

A long-tenure cohort member added a new weapon to a mod, referenced the fire audio as FireSound in the .dat, and named the asset firesound in Unity. The audio was silent in-game. The cohort diagnosis identified the case mismatch.

The fix was to align the reference and the asset name. The cohort recommendation that resulted from the case study is to use lowercase asset names throughout the project and to use lowercase references in .dat files.

Cross-references

• GUID Conflicts Between Mods — the previous article in the wiki, which documents ID conflicts that can produce a similar "mod loaded but feature missing" symptom for non-audio assets.
• Where Did My File Go? — the next article in the wiki, which documents file-recovery workflows when audio source files have been moved or lost.
• Audio Packaging for Unturned — the upstream reference on audio packaging, including the full format requirements and conversion workflows.
• Master Bundle Export — the upstream reference on master bundle export, including the asset tagging workflow.
• Unity Won't Open My Project — the broader Unity troubleshooting article, which includes the Library folder deletion procedure that may be needed to force a re-import.

Document history

Version	Date	Author	Notes
1.0	2024-07-05	57 Studios	Initial publication. Five resolution methods.
1.1	2024-10-18	57 Studios	Added Audacity workflow appendix and case studies.
1.2	2025-01-22	57 Studios	Added PowerShell WAV inspection script.
2.0	2025-04-12	57 Studios	Major revision. Added ten resolution methods, advanced considerations, and expanded FAQ.
2.1	2025-05-17	57 Studios	Annual refresh. Expanded format requirements table and surface-type guidance.

Glossary

• AudioClip — Unity's runtime representation of an audio asset.
• AudioSource — Unity's component that plays an AudioClip in the scene.
• Bit depth — the number of bits per audio sample. Cohort-recommended value: 16-bit.
• Compression Format — the Unity import setting that controls how the audio is stored in the bundle. Cohort-recommended value: PCM.
• Decompress On Load — Unity audio Load Type that decodes the entire clip at load time.
• Force To Mono — Unity import setting that mixes a stereo source down to mono on import.
• Load Type — Unity import setting that controls how audio is loaded into memory.
• Master bundle — the compiled asset bundle Unturned loads as a mod.
• PCM — uncompressed audio format. Cohort-recommended compression format.
• Sample rate — the number of audio samples per second. Cohort-recommended value: 44.1 kHz.
• Spatial Blend — Unity AudioSource setting that controls 2D vs 3D audio.
• Streaming — Unity audio Load Type that decodes the clip from disk as it plays.

Closing note

Silent audio in Unturned™ mods is one of the most common troubleshooting requests in the 57 Studios cohort. The audio pipeline has specific format and import requirements that differ from the broader Unity audio pipeline, and a mod that does not meet the Unturned-specific requirements will load successfully but produce no sound. The seven-cause framework documented in this article covers the vast majority of cohort-reported failures.

The cohort survey identified that approximately 84 percent of silent-audio reports resolve in under thirty minutes when the modder applies the diagnostic flowchart and the correct resolution method. The remaining 16 percent take longer because the underlying cause is in a less common failure mode (custom attenuation, randomized variants, surface-specific routing).

Next steps

If audio source files have been moved or lost during troubleshooting, continue to Where Did My File Go?. For the audio packaging fundamentals, see Audio Packaging for Unturned. Return to the section overview at Troubleshooting for a list of all articles in this section.