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Home articles Audio Implementation Greats #1: Audio Toolsets [Part 1]

Posted by lostchocolatelab on Jan 13, 2010 | 9 comments

Audio Implementation Greats #1: AudioToolsets [Part 1]

After steeping in the current console generation, several examples of best practices inaudio implementation have been exposed through articles, exposes, and video examplesscattered across the internet. In an attempt to overview some of the forward thinkingfront runners in the burgeoning field of Technical Sound Design, Ive been pullingtogether examples of inspirational audio in games as a way to highlight innovativetechniques and the process behind them. As a way to kick off the series well begin byfocusing a bit on the legacy of available toolsets that have been used to incorporate orimplement audio content. Part 1 will tackle audio middleware and in 2 well take a deeperlook into proprietary tools. Stick around as we peel back the curtain on the veiled art ofaudio implementation.

Audio Toolsets Part 1 - Audio Middleware

If there is one thing that currently separates us from our spotted history in game audio,it is the publicly available middleware toolsets that allow us to sound design in the box

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interactivity in a close approximation of how it will sound once it finds its way into thegame. With the powerful combination of several game and audio engines, this trendtowards enabling the Sound Designer to be more involved and in control of game relatedsound decisions is in stark contrast to the old model of handing sounds off to aprogrammer for implementation. In an attempt to expose the history of game audiotoolsets Ive rounded up a selection of interfaces I was able to find at large either on theweb or embedded in various presentations over the years and link to said documentswhere applicable. Im always on the lookout for public screen shots of proprietarytoolsets for education purposes in order to illustrate a greater understanding of whathas become a critical component to interactive audio.

Microsoft Direct Music Producer

Based on the Microsoft Direct Music/ Direct Sound for PCs introduced in 1999 version ofDirect X, Direct Music Producer enabled functionality within the toolset to create andaudition interactive functionality using the features of the low level audio libraries. Thisincluded the ability to loop files, specify random or sequential playback behavior, createsample banks (DLS), and specify parameters for interactive playback using MIDI. Moreinfo on the specific functionality can be found in a terrific write up by Dave Javelosa overat the IASIG website: DirectMusic Producer for the Masses. While the interface andpipeline of DMP is relatively esoteric and punishing in relation to what is currentlyavailable, the tool continues to hold court natively in the Hero Engine from Simutronicswhere segment (.sgt) files are necessary to enable seamless looping for ambientbackgrounds and emitters.

Microsoft Direct Music WikiMicrosoft Direct Music Producer DownloadAn Overview of DirectMusic Producer

Direct Music Producer

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Creative Labs

In order to access features of its sound cards and the OpenAL audio library, CreativeLabs released several tools to assist audio developers in bringing realtime 3d audio togames.

EAGLE: Environmental Audio Graphical Editor

The Eagle toolset, announced in 2000, provided access to environmental modeling inorder to simulate Environmental Reverb, Obstruction, and Source Model parameters foruse in conjunction with EAX (Environmental Audio Extensions). The toolset providedSound Designers with the ability to easily create a variety of different audio data sets, ormodels. These models include: unique environments which simulate reflection andreverberation properties of a room; source property sets which provide initializationparameters for sounds such as distance attenuation and sound cones; and obstaclebehavior models that simulate the effects of sound moving through, and around, doors,boxes, windows or other virtual objects. In addition, EAGLE aids the sound designer increating these models by providing interactive 3D graphical representations as well asreal-time auditioning of multiple data sets.

EAGLE: Cached AnnouncementCreative Labs EAX ADVANCED HD

Creative Labs EAGLE: Environment

Creative Labs EAGLE: Obstruction

Creative Labs EAGLE: Source Model

EAX2

The EAX2 toolset allows for the auditioning of environmental Reverb parameters to beused in the programming of presets for EAX used in OpenAL and various middlewaresolutions such as the FMOD and Miles Sound Systems.

Creative Labs EAX

EAX2 Panel

Creative Labs ISACT

One of the tools that most resembles modern middleware toolsets is Creative LabsISACT or Interactive Spatial Audio Composition Technology. When it was released in2005, ISACT provided one of the first visually focused toolsets which allowed an audiodesigner to make decisions about, and audition, the way their designed sounds shouldbe used in conjunction with a 3d audio engine beyond simple sound file playback. In a lotof way it set the standard as an all-in-one environment to author abstract sound with theimmediate feedback provided by the tool. ISACT was not freely available, and requiredsome kind of developer affiliation in order to acquire a copy of the tool.

Creative Labs Developer CentralAudio Middleware: GameCoda & ISACTCreative Labs Introducting GameCoda & ISACTSoundblaster 2003 MilestonesOpenAL

ISACT Production Studio

Microsoft XACT & XAudio2

Microsoft has taken great strides to provide audio tools to specifically leverage thefeatures of its audio libraries, beginning with Direct Music Producer, and extending tothe XBOX and XBOX 360 consoles in the form of XACT. Some of the standout additions tothe engine and tool include the ability to author sound propagation curves, globalvariables including Doppler and speed of sound, realtime parameter control, and Reverbpresets. While many of its features and functionality have been forward thinking anddirectly in the service of advanced audio professionals, theres been a recent backlash inthe XNA community due to the difficulty involved with simply playing a sound file asopposed to creating an XACT project to perform this simple function. XACT continues tobe bundled with the Xbox 360 development SDK and provides a solid foundation forimplementing a high quality abstracted audio solution.

MSDN XAXT OverviewThe Microsoft Cross-platform Audio Creation ToolXACT Rant1XACT Rant2XACT Audio Field GuideHands-on Workshop XACT AudioDirectX SDKGameAudioTools Scott SelfonUSC Game Audio Course Slides

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Microsoft XACT

Microsoft XACT

FMOD

Firelight Technologies introduced FMOD in 2002 as a crossplatform audio runtime libraryfor playing back sound for video games. Since its inception FMOD has branched into alow-level audio engine, an abstracted Event system, and Designer tool that allows accessto several features of the runtime audio engine without programmer involvement.Within the FMOD Designer toolset a Sound Designer can define the basic 3D/2Dparameters for a sound or event, in addition to the ability to effectively mock up complexparametric relationships between different sounds using intuitive crossfading and theability to draw in DSP curves to effect the audio. FMOD Designer was among the firstfully available toolsets that could be downloaded and used regardless of developmentaffiliation for educational purposes. Additionally, due to their flexible licensing structure,FMOD became a solid and widely adopted audio middleware choice for all levels of gamedevelopment and continues to be a major player in todays game development.

Firelight Technologies FMOD

FMOD

Audiokinetic: Wwise

Introduced in 2006, the Wwise (Wave Works Interactive Sound Engine) and toolsetprovides access to features of their engine from within the comprehensive contentmanagement UI. In addition to an abstracted Event system which has become a sort ofstandard across many audio solutions, they further enable the ability to make choicesregarding additional functionality such as; volume changes, logic, switch/ state changes,attenuation profiles, and in-game connection and profiling utilities. The ability to mockup every aspect of the engines ability brings the Wwise toolset further into a fullprototype simulation outside of the game engine. Their commitment to consistentlyproviding new features and improvements, including a manageable upgrade strategy atthe low level, adds to their adoption at several publishers and larger developers over thepast 4 years.

Wwise

Wwise

9 Comments

Thanks for bringing all of this great information together in one place!

This is really helpful and appreciated! Please keep this kind of information coming.

Great post, thanks!

This article is meant more as a brief history of Audio Middleware, and not acomprehensive investigation of features and functionality. If youre interested in adeeper look into the differences between toolsets past or present there is a link to agreat series of articles from Mix Magazine that covers in depth all of the available audiomiddleware solutions from 2007.

Audio Middleware: The Essential Link From Studio to Game Design

In addition to this I would recommend each manufacturers website for furtherinformation on the current state of development and feature sets.Until next time. Pleasedrop us a line with any feedback or insight!

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Chris@EngineAudio January 14, 2010

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Tom@fullsail January 14, 2010

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Joe January 19, 2010

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wow! really I didnt know about this! thanks a lot! :)

This is the article Ive been looking for! FinallyI feel I can get perspective on thecomparative abilities (and histories) of these integrators. Thank You, Sir. Lets Jam.

Wow. Just wow.

great collection of info- thanks.

Thanks!!! Really interesant.

Gracias Miguel ;)

uge January 25, 2010

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George "The Fat Man" Sanger January 28, 2010

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King of Mexico January 28, 2010

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Strontium 90 January 28, 2010

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lvar February 28, 2010

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Brett April 1, 2010

GameCoda had a tool called Cage Producer, which was part of the Sensaura middlewarebefore Creative even got involved with them. It was a different tool to ISACT altogther.

CRI also had a tool called sound factory.

Both of these would deserve their own section I think! :)

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