Immersive Audio for Games I
Curriculum guideline
Lecture: 2 hours/week
and
Lab: 2 hours/week
Lectures, demonstrations and hands-on studio experience
1. Sound for Games - Historical Overview
- Introduction to Virtual Reality (VR) sound in gaming
- Developmental history for sound in games
- Review of the software used
- Introduction of all elements of sound in games
- Examination of professional examples
2. Understanding Design Documents
- The production process from Design document to implementation
- Concepts: linear vs interactive audio, 2D vs 3D sound, design techniques
- Middleware vs Game Engine sound implementation: pros and cons of each
- Introduction to FMOD and Setup
3. FMOD Part 1 - Events and Automation
- Hierarchy, event setups
- Simple events vs multitrack events
- Real-time parameters
- Cross-fading sound definitions
- Destination zones
4. FMOD Part 2 - Events and Game Parameters
- FMOD events
- Creating complex events
- Parameters and DSP
5. FMOD Part 3 - Implementation with Unity
- FMOD example events
- Complex events - parameters and DSP
- Implementation with Unity Engine and game build
6. Unity Spatial Audio Implementation
- Working with a 3D game build to implement spatial audio sound events
- Unity native audio plugin setup
- KEMAR data set analysis for Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF) filtering
- IRcam data set for human subject analysis
7. Unity Audio Spatializer
- Example setup for spatialized audio
- Audio event parameters in Unity
- Spatialization - critical analysis in professional references
8. Unity Audio Ambisonic Encoder
- Importing an Ambisonic sound file
- Playing an Ambisonic clip through an audio source
- Ambisonic events placed in a 3D game build
9. Wwise Part 1
- Installing course materials
- Analyzing sound events in a demo build
- Silencing a project
10. Wwise Part 2
- Profiling a game
- Creating an event
- Understanding containers
- Importing and applying an action sound
- Sound integration and testing
11. Wwise Part 3
- Sound import and editing
- Editing object parameters
- Wwise sound editor
- Sound in Events
- Randomization and DSP processing
12. Wwise Part 4
- Game syncs
- How switches work
- Applying states
- Integrating game syncs into demo game
- Profiling games
13. Wwise Part 5
- Applying 3D spatialization
- Position automation in a 3D space
- Panning in the immersive listening field
- Test sound in the game and edit
14. Wwise Part 6
- Signal-flow in Wwise
- Hierarchy organization Actor-Mixers
- Mixing in the Master Mixer Hierarchy
- Using common DSP and effects
- Viewing in the schematic window
15. Wwise Part 7
- Completing an audio mix
- Soundcaster overview
- Mixing desk configuration
- Operating control surfaces
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Recognize and correctly employ interactive audio-specific language;
- Develop a working knowledge of the unique production requirements of interactive audio;
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of event-driven programming;
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of object-oriented programming and related concepts;
- Implement interactive sound effect and ambience elements using FMOD;
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of sound Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and their corresponding Graphical User Interface (GUI) tools;
- Demonstrate an understanding of the complete game production cycle;
- Recognize the unique audio production skills required in a game development environment.
Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An example evaluation scheme is provided below:
FMOD Simple Project |
10% |
FMOD Practical Assessment |
10% |
FMOD Complex Logic Tracks Project |
30% |
FMOD Unity Implementation |
30% |
Wwise Certification |
20% |
TOTAL |
100% |
Textbooks and materials are to be purchased by students. A list of required textbooks, recommended URLs, and materials is provided for students at the beginning of each semester.
Example texts may include:
- The Game Audio Tutorial (Stevens, Richard & Raybould, Dave) Routledge
- Creating Music and Sound for Games (Childs, G.W.) Cengage Learning PTR