FMOD Studio To Be Unveiled at GDC 2011

Firelight Technologies is set to unveil its latest FMOD audio tools, called FMOD Studio, at this year's Game Developers Conference. The new tools are said to provide a number of advantages for game audio designers, including full live metering and monitoring of game audio, and the ability to tweak levels live while playing a game. The idea is to provide users with "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". Martin Wilkes, sales and business manager for Firelight Technologies, said of the tools: "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." He noted that the platform will also support pro-audio DSP effects from companies such as iZotope. Lead FMOD Studio designer Raymond Biggs explained: "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." FMOD titles have been used in numerous big-budget game releases in past years, such as Guitar Hero, Dragon Age, Alan Wake, Starcraft 2 and World of Warcraft. Trinigy, the company behind the Vision 3D game engine, said a few months ago that it would be adding Firelight Technologies' FMOD audio suite to its Vision Engine 8. FMOD is now included for free to Vision Engine licensees.