Visual Audio Zones (AudioMapping)

March 24 2012  Patents Pending. All rights reserved. Copyright 2012 QLC.

Visual Audio Zones A.K.A. AudioMapping

This is a methodology for audio effect control using visual media. It can be applied to any 3D technology, games to movies to architectural visualization, anything.

The problem: Most 3D authoring platforms offer an ‘audio source’ of some sort. It generally is spherical or ellipsoidal, with perhaps some control over the min, max, falloff of the volume of the sound given distance from it. If visually occluding geometry is present, say, walls, and no other constructs are available, the sound is not affected by the geometry. Thus what appears to be a rock-solid wall provides no (automatic) blockage of sound on the other side of that wall. This is often addressed by proximity volumes, scripts, and events to control the volume depending on where the listener is.

This method allows for the author to design the volume of the source, at any point…

(content to come…)

14 thoughts on “Visual Audio Zones (AudioMapping)

  1. Have you made much progress on this? I see both forums where you reference this have not been updated. I think this plugin would be pretty popular, I see lots of people have the exact same problem.

    • Actually it’s pretty ready to go, except for the legalities, as some of this is patentable. So as soon as I get the go-ahead from the lawyers, it’s there. I hope soon! I’m dying to get this out there.

  2. Update: Sorry it’s taking so long. I’ve been advised to lock down the patent on this before putting it up, that should happen soon.

  3. What is “soon”? I’d be happy to buy this for a game I’m working on, but I need it soon (2 months tops). What are the chances that could happen?

  4. Yes, progress. I’m actually making a suite of apps that are related and complimentary, which you can get individually or in bundles. Code is done. My biggest hurdles are instructional material (video, tutorials) takes time, and the demo assets need to be ‘mine’ for Unity to approve it (can’t have anything I don’t own to give away with it as sample scenes). Which means I have to record my own audio and get some models etc. together. But nobody is more eager for this to get out than myself. I will let everyone know when it’s up.

    • Would you be able to use assets others share with you? Or perhaps digital “donations” of assets?

      I wonder if Unity would allow you to use their in-engine meshes. Seems like you’d just need cubes to make a few spaces, and for audio, you could record vocals. I’d love to add this technology to my game asap!

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