Interface[s] Montréal

Digital Sound

Simon Ashby

Product Director, Audiokinetic

How to improve workflow and optimize audio production pipeline in video games

View the presentation [In French]

As the demand for more immersive game play mounts, so too does the pressure placed on developers. Content creators and audio programmers alike are required to create and manage an ever-increasing number of assets within an unchanging time-frame. How can we give sound designers the freedom to achieve the audio results they want and help audio programmers focus on creating added-value to their games? Audiokinetic s unique combination of experience in gaming and traditional audio production resulted in the creation of Wwise‚ – WaveWorks Interactive Sound Engine, the video gaming industry’s first fully integrated audio pipeline solution :

• - Creative teams assess sound assets for use in concepts, prototypes, and simulations independent of any particular game engine, out-of-the-box, and before any programming time is spent.
• - Sound designers manage sound production in real time – integration, mixing, profiling and final output – within the context of the game with minimal dependency on developer availability.
• - Audio programmers have the freedom to focus on providing innovative enhancements to game-play. Wwise eliminates the repetitive aspects of sound engine development, provides advanced features, and is customizable for game-specific needs.

Since 2003, Simon Ashby is the Product Director at Audiokinetic where he is responsible for the development of Wwise® –WaveWorks Interactive Sound Engine™, a new and innovative solution for both sound designers and audio programmers. Simon has worked in the videogame industry since 1997 acting as both senior sound designer and game designer on several games and adaptations. Simon is also an established composer having composed music for television, theatre, and other live performances.