Connect sounds to in-game objects
Take full advantage of the ability to create a precise three-dimensional soundscape. Place sounds anywhere around the player by syncing them with the position and movement of in-game objects. The most straight forward method to pan and position an object is to attach a sound emitter to a game object and pass the positional information directly to the game engine panner. You could also use three-dimensional object panning tools within the audio engine that provide the coordinate and size metadata to be associated with the Dolby Atmos audio objects.
Height adds a new dimension
A defining characteristic of Dolby Atmos is the addition of height channels during playback, which introduces a new dimension of audio cues for the player. Mixers can pan objects flying overhead to their exact elevation, so roaring helicopters in the sky and chirping birds in the jungle canopy are finally heard from above.
Precise sound placement
When panning a sound as a Dolby Atmos audio object, the exact position of a sound emitter is more apparent and precise to the listener, so players can react and respond faster and more accurately to in-game cues. Footsteps clearly alert players to the exact location of approaching enemies, while the nearby roar of an engine can warn them of another racer vying for the inside line on the next turn.
Adjustable size of sound objects
Each audio object has a size parameter that increases both the perceived image size of the in-game object and the impression of envelopment and ambience, so you can open up the skies for large rumbling thunder, or direct someone's attention to a threat lurking in the shadows.
More depth and clarity
Height channels, precise sound placement, and object size parameters enable three-dimensional sound positioning for a more open and immersive mix, giving each sound more room to breathe. You no longer have to rely heavily on aggressive EQ or dynamics to create a breathtaking soundscape. With more room for sources to be locked to the screen, Dolby Atmos also improves the clarity of on-screen sounds and the intelligibility of game dialogue.
Expanded soundscape
A Dolby Atmos mix expands the audio scene beyond the screen and out into the listening environment. Mixers can tell a complete story by dynamically panning objects on and off the screen so sound sources have a longer life before and after they are featured in view, creating a more immersive world for the player.
Full-frequency surrounds
Every channel of a Dolby Atmos system, except the low-frequency effects channel, can reproduce a full-frequency signal. You can pan an object anywhere in the soundscape without a limited frequency range or any shift in timbre to create a larger, more enveloping experience.
Static objects in the bed
Not every sound has to be an object. You can use traditional channel-based mixing approaches in a Dolby Atmos environment with the bed — where static sounds can be mixed for 5.1 or 7.1 when creatively or technically beneficial. Diffuse elements, ambient sources, environmental DSP returns, and submixes can all be routed to a multichannel bus that is then assigned to the individual object inputs in the bed.
Dolby Atmos introduces verticality, dimensionality, and pinpoint accuracy to your mixes. With informed artistic decisions and strategic implementation, these creative opportunities will prepare you to welcome players into the realm of your game like never before.
