FMOD Studio
New game audio creation system to be revealed at GDC.
The new technology will be previewed at the 2011 Game Developer Conference in San Francisco. Firelight Technologies’ Sales & Business Manager Martin Wilkes enthuses:
“Building on the FMOD Ex API and FMOD Designer, we’ve developed a new interface and feature set for sound designers that will be released as FMOD Studio. It’s an entirely new mixing platform providing the ability to manage assets and run them through a mixer and routing audio into busses, applying effect chains, and controlling levels across those busses, generally providing more control and freedom for sound designers to improve their mix without continual code adjustments. It has the kind of features sound designers in film and TV take for granted, such as the ability to master mixes, get accurate metering and visually create custom effect chains. The platform will also support pro-audio DSP effects from companies such as iZotope.
“Sound designers will be able to set snapshots for environments and actions within their title and using the mixer will automate tasks that were previously performed manually - a huge bonus for workflow allowing sound designers more time to do what they really want to do - create great interactive audio. This fully functional mixer is unique to FMOD offering full live metering and monitoring of game audio and the ability to tweak levels ‘live’ while playing the game. It’s like having a full 96+ track studio mixing desk for your interactive title.” Raymond Biggs, Lead Designer
For meetings: contact martin@fmod.org or sales@fmod.org
About FMOD:
Winner of the 2008 and 2011 Frontline Award for Best Audio Tool, the FMOD Ex is a world-leading library for the creation and playback of interactive audio. FMOD products are widely used in the games industry and have gained a strong reputation for its ease of use, powerful software-mixed architecture and comprehensive cross-platform support. FMOD supplies audio solutions to many of the leading video game developers. FMOD also has established support for the largest range of platforms and also supports many of the widely used development engines such as CryENGINE, Unity, Vision, Shiva and now Unreal Engine 3. FMOD is also used widely in the Simulator market, both civil and defence and includes clients such as Lockheed Martin, and Kraus Maffei www.fmod.org
Current FMOD titles include: Guitar Hero, Dragon Age, Alan Wake, Bioshock 2, Starcraft2 , Sim City iPad, WoW, Lego Universe, L.A. Noire, Sims 3: Deus Ex 3, Batman: Arkham Asylum,
FMOD has also supported some 300 + iPhone projects. © All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
What are the benefits of FMOD Studio for Sound Designers?
1. Ability to manage assets and run them through a multichannel virtual mixer
2. The mixer will allow sound designers to route audio into buses, apply effect chains, and control levels across those buses
a. This will not only increase the control that the sound designers are requesting, but also allow them the freedom to improve their mix without the need for continual code adjustments
3. It will give, for the first time, those features that sound designers from film and TV take for granted, such as the ability to master mixes for the entire game, get accurate metering and visually create custom effect chains
4. This platform will also support Pro Audio DSP effects from companies such as iZotope. Once again bringing more expertise from the pro audio market to game development.
5. And beyond the mixer, sound designers will be able to set mixer snapshots for environments and actions within the game. This is the first time this will be available for all game designers.
6. Using the mixer will automate tasks that were previously performed manually. This will be a huge bonus for workflow and allow the sound designers more time to do what they want to do, create polished and interactive audio.
7. “We’ve created a mixer, with all of the features you’d expect in a DAW, for games. This is a first. It’s a bit sexy.” Raymond Biggs, lead designer for FMOD Studio.
8. Advantages over competitors; this fully functional mixer is unique to FMOD and will offer control to sound designers that they have never been able to have over entire projects. This will also be true for composers where they can now mix and master in game.
9. Advantages over competitors; FMOD Studio offers full live metering and monitoring of game audio and to be able to tweak levels live while playing the game.
10.Advantages over competitors; displays metering information for all sounds in the game at a glance. It’s like having a full 96+ track studio mixing desk for your game.