This lecture is about developing a three-dimensional space sound system necessary for game consoles that support surround sound.

Through developing Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIV, we have implemented many elements that OpenAL does not cover. These include the types of sound sources and obstruction that are dedicated to 3D space sound. We will be speaking about such features of our sound driver.

First we will show the framework of our sound system using a diagram. This is intending to clarify the relationship among the 3D space sound scenes, the sound driver, and the game program.

Then we will talk about the implementation. To set the foundation, the structures of the scene, the listener, and the sound sources will be described. Built on them are the six different types of sound sources and three types of obstructions; we will be disclosing their purposes and the calculation behind each of them. And, we will go further into the applications such as grouping, door movement, and reverb interpolation. This includes the exposition of diffraction, filtering, directional muffling (emulation of earlobes), and polyphony control.

We will also demonstrate our authoring tool for laying out the data and the debugger for checking the behavior of the sound system. The demonstration includes screenshots and movies that will advocate your understanding.