Revolutionizing immersive audio mixing, SPATIAL CONNECT for Wwise enables audio designers to work directly within their VR and AR environments, streamlining the workflow and elevating the gaming experience to a new level.
For the past decade, audiophiles and gaming enthusiasts have turned to companies like Dear Reality for the cutting-edge, immersive audio experiences essential to next-generation gaming. Continuously pushing the sonic boundaries, the company is poised to reshape the game audio design workflow with the introduction of its “SPATIAL CONNECT for Wwise” project.
In partnership with game studios and supported by Audiokinetic, the creators of the Wwise audio middleware, the SPATIAL CONNECT for Wwise project offers a groundbreaking method for producing audio for VR and AR games, as well as XR experiences. Traditionally, audio designers have had to alternate between previewing their work in a VR headset and making modifications on a desktop PC—a process that often becomes a cumbersome juggling act. With SPATIAL CONNECT for Wwise, Dear Reality is flipping this script. Now, game audio engineers can craft their soundscapes directly within the headset, engaging with spatial audio in the very immersive environment it will inhabit. This novel approach significantly reduces context switching and streamlines the workflow for XR productions.
In a statement, Christian Sander, CEO and co-founder of Dear Reality, hailed the SPATIAL CONNECT for Wwise project as a genuine industry milestone. “Making the in-headset review of the VR experience and the Wwise editing process seamlessly integrate—eliminating tedious and time-consuming switching—is a dream come true for game audio designers,” Sander stated. He elaborated that audio designers will now enjoy direct in-headset access to Wwise mixers and will be able to solo and mute tracks, resulting in an enhanced perception of the scene and intuitive control of the 3D space.
Dear Reality’s approach is both methodical and rigorously researched. The company undertook an exhaustive analysis of existing production workflows, meticulously identifying the stages that could be optimized by transferring them into a virtual environment. The outcome is a gesture-controlled audio mixing space where audio designers can effortlessly adjust levels, attenuation curves, and maximum distances, allowing them to instantly gauge the end-user experience and spatial mix. Additionally, the system enables designers to quickly identify and resolve problematic sounds, offering a thorough view into the spatial audio session and visualization of active sound events—a feature poised to substantially elevate the immersive gaming experience.
“We are highly enthusiastic about the SPATIAL CONNECT for Wwise project and look forward to sharing further updates soon,” Sander noted, concluding his statement on an optimistic note. He also extended an invitation to potential collaborators within the gaming and XR industries, setting the stage for an exciting future in immersive audio. Dear Reality’s trailblazing efforts are priming the industry for a revolution in game audio design, and both the industry and gamers around the globe are eagerly awaiting what comes next.