Interview with Dolby about the implementation of Atmos technology in the Blizzard Overwatch shooter
The developers at Blizzard have called Dolby Atmos the “holy grail” for games. The companies collaborated to create atmospheric sound in the Overwatch game. The format makes it possible to hear not only the horizontal direction of the sound, but also the vertical, allows sound engineers to work simultaneously with 128 sound objects, setting their direction and occupied volume. In shooters, such soundtrack gives advantages - it allows you to accurately determine where the opponent is.
Atmos presented for the first time in 2012. We published on Geektimes an interview with the general director and engineer for film technologies Dolby in Russia and the CIS , where we talked about technology for cinemas and mobile devices. Read an exclusive interview with Spencer Hooks, Dolby Gaming Development Director, about implementing Dolby Atmos in a game - the Blizzard Entertainment Overwatch shooter.
“The development of Overwatch was already half completed when we managed to test the Dolby Atmos Headphone: X technology. I was completely struck by the scene in which the Fatal Widow shoots a sniper rifle at Tracer. I could easily determine that the Widow was right behind my right shoulder, and hear the bullets hitting an obstacle in front of me. And then it hit me: you have to do this in the game, too, ”says Scott Lawlor, sound engineer for Blizzard Entertainment.
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Dolby localized a video about the company's collaboration with Blizzard especially for Geektimes: the Overwatch developers told them what possibilities Atmos technology has opened for them. And below - an interview with the director of development of the game direction Dolby on the topic of technology implementation in games.
In which games is Dolby Atmos sound used now?
In Star Wars Battlefront from EA (Electronic Arts) and Overwatch from Blizzard.
How did the developers of Overwatch with whom you collaborated, perceived the Dolby Atmos technology? Is it harder or easier to record sound for playing Dolby Atmos compared to traditional technology?
Our first meeting with representatives of the Blizzard company was held at the Game Developers Conference, and they were delighted with the possibilities of creating realistic sound, which gives the technology Dolby Atmos. It was in 2014, two years after we introduced Dolby Atmos as an audio system for cinemas, and at that time it was not used at all in games. Experts from Blizzard decided to mix the sound for some game screensavers in Dolby Atmos format in order to learn more about this technology. One such screensaver was the Overwatch initial trailer. It was first shown in 2014 at the annual Blizzcon festival in front of thirty thousand fans. We equipped the cinema with 600 seats with the Dolby Atmos system and were able to hold a demonstration in front of an army of loyal fans. The reviews were excellent, and the Blizzard management decided to use Dolby Atmos in the Overwatch game.
We worked very closely with the Overwatch voice team during the development phase and created tools that helped streamline the integration of Dolby Atmos. We also managed to integrate Dolby Atmos into the instruments used by the sound engineers, so there was no need to make any serious changes in the technology.
How close was your collaboration? What difficulties have you encountered?
We worked very closely with Blizzard not only to add Dolby Atmos sound to Overwatch, but also to study the process followed by the developers when creating the game. This allowed us to create special tools that allowed us to simplify the integration and make the sound in the game perfect. The hardest thing for us was to create tools that could be easily implemented and that would not affect the development process at Blizzard. The goal of our cooperation with their specialists was to thoroughly study the workflow of our colleagues and find the best way to integrate Dolby Atmos technology into it.
Is it difficult for you that the player is constantly on the move? Does this affect the quality of the "display" of visual objects?
Dolby Atmos technology was originally designed for use in intense scenes where sound sources move very quickly in space. This is important for movies and absolutely necessary for games. A player's movement in a game location can be perceived as a change in the environment around him. This means that sound sources move relatively fast, but Dolby Atmos technology supports this speed without any problems. The increased positioning accuracy of the sound sources, peculiar to Dolby Atmos technology, and their placement over the listener's head means that the sound will be even more precisely tied to the visual image of the source. This increases the realism and enhances the feeling that allows the player to be in the thick of things.
Do you plan to Russify the game? What happens to the sound in this case?
All decisions about the distribution and availability of game versions are made by Blizzard.
How is Dolby Atmos calibrated for end users? Do you need only headphones?
Calibration is not required at all. To listen to the sound in the Dolby Atmos format through headphones, you need to select Dolby Atmos in the audio settings menu.
What are the requirements for technology? Any headphones fit?
To listen to the sound of Dolby Atmos in Overwatch fit any standard stereo headphones. If the user has a gaming headset with surround sound, then this function will have to be turned off. This is the only required setting.
How does this technology work with headphones? Tell us more about psychoacoustics.
When using headphones, Dolby Atmos technology simulates how your body (head, ears, shoulders) and your surroundings affect the sound perception. When the sound reaches your ear, it is influenced by the shape of the ears, the size of the head, the distance between the ears, the shape of the head, etc. The walls of the room also affect the sound. Dolby Atmos takes into account the effect on the sound of all these factors and simulates them in such a way that your brain perceives these sounds as if they sounded around you.
What computational power is required to render sound in this format?
Playing Dolby Atmos sound doesn't load the processor that much. It does not affect the performance of the game on ordinary gaming computers and is taken into account in the minimum system requirements that Blizzard specifies.
What tactical advantages does Dolby Atmos technology give players in shooter games?
Surround sound is very important in games of this type, because it gives the player additional information about his surroundings and enemies. It not only creates the effect of being present in the game world, but also gives the clues the player needs in order to react faster and outrun rivals. In games like Overwatch, Dolby Atmos makes this factor even more significant thanks to the increased accuracy and the addition of sounds that sound above your head. With characters like Farra (one of the heroes of Overwatch), who can fly using a jetpack, these sound hints become especially important and can help the player avoid an air attack.
Have gamers tested the system? Have they achieved better results (confirmed by statistics) through the use of Dolby Atmos?
Gamers spoke very well about the game and highly appreciated the immersive effect and improved spatial perception, which helps to quickly detect enemies. But at this stage we still have no statistics that we could give.
While you can only play on the PC? But will such sound soon appear on consoles?
While we can not answer this question.
How important is the ability to track player head movements (in headphones with a gyroscope, as in virtual reality helmets)?
When using Dolby Atmos technology in Overwatch, the movement of the head is not monitored, but the direction of the player’s gaze in the game is controlled using the keyboard or mouse, and this process has a direct impact on what you hear. If tracking of head movements will be used in the game to control the movement of the player, this will also affect what he hears.
And the “live” sound when exchanging voice messages will also be processed by Dolby Atmos and will it come from the place where the character is?
I do not think so, but it is better to ask this question to representatives of Blizzard.
Are you planning to develop games using Dolby Atmos technology in the future?
We constantly collaborate with game developers, but so far we have no information that we can provide. As soon as it appears, we will let you know.
Ask your questions Dolby in the comments.
Atmos presented for the first time in 2012. We published on Geektimes an interview with the general director and engineer for film technologies Dolby in Russia and the CIS , where we talked about technology for cinemas and mobile devices. Read an exclusive interview with Spencer Hooks, Dolby Gaming Development Director, about implementing Dolby Atmos in a game - the Blizzard Entertainment Overwatch shooter.
“The development of Overwatch was already half completed when we managed to test the Dolby Atmos Headphone: X technology. I was completely struck by the scene in which the Fatal Widow shoots a sniper rifle at Tracer. I could easily determine that the Widow was right behind my right shoulder, and hear the bullets hitting an obstacle in front of me. And then it hit me: you have to do this in the game, too, ”says Scott Lawlor, sound engineer for Blizzard Entertainment.
')
Dolby localized a video about the company's collaboration with Blizzard especially for Geektimes: the Overwatch developers told them what possibilities Atmos technology has opened for them. And below - an interview with the director of development of the game direction Dolby on the topic of technology implementation in games.
In which games is Dolby Atmos sound used now?
In Star Wars Battlefront from EA (Electronic Arts) and Overwatch from Blizzard.
How did the developers of Overwatch with whom you collaborated, perceived the Dolby Atmos technology? Is it harder or easier to record sound for playing Dolby Atmos compared to traditional technology?
Our first meeting with representatives of the Blizzard company was held at the Game Developers Conference, and they were delighted with the possibilities of creating realistic sound, which gives the technology Dolby Atmos. It was in 2014, two years after we introduced Dolby Atmos as an audio system for cinemas, and at that time it was not used at all in games. Experts from Blizzard decided to mix the sound for some game screensavers in Dolby Atmos format in order to learn more about this technology. One such screensaver was the Overwatch initial trailer. It was first shown in 2014 at the annual Blizzcon festival in front of thirty thousand fans. We equipped the cinema with 600 seats with the Dolby Atmos system and were able to hold a demonstration in front of an army of loyal fans. The reviews were excellent, and the Blizzard management decided to use Dolby Atmos in the Overwatch game.
We worked very closely with the Overwatch voice team during the development phase and created tools that helped streamline the integration of Dolby Atmos. We also managed to integrate Dolby Atmos into the instruments used by the sound engineers, so there was no need to make any serious changes in the technology.
How close was your collaboration? What difficulties have you encountered?
We worked very closely with Blizzard not only to add Dolby Atmos sound to Overwatch, but also to study the process followed by the developers when creating the game. This allowed us to create special tools that allowed us to simplify the integration and make the sound in the game perfect. The hardest thing for us was to create tools that could be easily implemented and that would not affect the development process at Blizzard. The goal of our cooperation with their specialists was to thoroughly study the workflow of our colleagues and find the best way to integrate Dolby Atmos technology into it.
Is it difficult for you that the player is constantly on the move? Does this affect the quality of the "display" of visual objects?
Dolby Atmos technology was originally designed for use in intense scenes where sound sources move very quickly in space. This is important for movies and absolutely necessary for games. A player's movement in a game location can be perceived as a change in the environment around him. This means that sound sources move relatively fast, but Dolby Atmos technology supports this speed without any problems. The increased positioning accuracy of the sound sources, peculiar to Dolby Atmos technology, and their placement over the listener's head means that the sound will be even more precisely tied to the visual image of the source. This increases the realism and enhances the feeling that allows the player to be in the thick of things.
Do you plan to Russify the game? What happens to the sound in this case?
All decisions about the distribution and availability of game versions are made by Blizzard.
How is Dolby Atmos calibrated for end users? Do you need only headphones?
Calibration is not required at all. To listen to the sound in the Dolby Atmos format through headphones, you need to select Dolby Atmos in the audio settings menu.
What are the requirements for technology? Any headphones fit?
To listen to the sound of Dolby Atmos in Overwatch fit any standard stereo headphones. If the user has a gaming headset with surround sound, then this function will have to be turned off. This is the only required setting.
How does this technology work with headphones? Tell us more about psychoacoustics.
When using headphones, Dolby Atmos technology simulates how your body (head, ears, shoulders) and your surroundings affect the sound perception. When the sound reaches your ear, it is influenced by the shape of the ears, the size of the head, the distance between the ears, the shape of the head, etc. The walls of the room also affect the sound. Dolby Atmos takes into account the effect on the sound of all these factors and simulates them in such a way that your brain perceives these sounds as if they sounded around you.
What computational power is required to render sound in this format?
Playing Dolby Atmos sound doesn't load the processor that much. It does not affect the performance of the game on ordinary gaming computers and is taken into account in the minimum system requirements that Blizzard specifies.
What tactical advantages does Dolby Atmos technology give players in shooter games?
Surround sound is very important in games of this type, because it gives the player additional information about his surroundings and enemies. It not only creates the effect of being present in the game world, but also gives the clues the player needs in order to react faster and outrun rivals. In games like Overwatch, Dolby Atmos makes this factor even more significant thanks to the increased accuracy and the addition of sounds that sound above your head. With characters like Farra (one of the heroes of Overwatch), who can fly using a jetpack, these sound hints become especially important and can help the player avoid an air attack.
Have gamers tested the system? Have they achieved better results (confirmed by statistics) through the use of Dolby Atmos?
Gamers spoke very well about the game and highly appreciated the immersive effect and improved spatial perception, which helps to quickly detect enemies. But at this stage we still have no statistics that we could give.
While you can only play on the PC? But will such sound soon appear on consoles?
While we can not answer this question.
How important is the ability to track player head movements (in headphones with a gyroscope, as in virtual reality helmets)?
When using Dolby Atmos technology in Overwatch, the movement of the head is not monitored, but the direction of the player’s gaze in the game is controlled using the keyboard or mouse, and this process has a direct impact on what you hear. If tracking of head movements will be used in the game to control the movement of the player, this will also affect what he hears.
And the “live” sound when exchanging voice messages will also be processed by Dolby Atmos and will it come from the place where the character is?
I do not think so, but it is better to ask this question to representatives of Blizzard.
Are you planning to develop games using Dolby Atmos technology in the future?
We constantly collaborate with game developers, but so far we have no information that we can provide. As soon as it appears, we will let you know.
Ask your questions Dolby in the comments.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/396403/
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