“A look at the technical aspects and creative process that make ships sound super cool with panelists Josh Bell and Yogi Klatt.”
In this talk at CitizenCon 2949, Josh Bell and Eric Lat, sound designers on the Star Citizen audio team, discuss the evolution of ship audio in the game. They begin by discussing the challenges faced with the old ship audio technology, which was not scalable for a dynamic universe and had limitations in terms of design and code issues. They realized a complete overhaul was needed to improve the ship audio experience.
They then outline the new ship audio system they developed, which includes separate components for thruster sounds, ship audio, external forces, and passbys. They explain how these components work together to create a more immersive and realistic ship audio experience, with the ability to have layered sounds, dynamic mixing, and performance optimization.
They also mention their plans for future improvements, such as integrating ship audio with the ship power system, adding sounds for specific ship components, expanding the system for different environmental conditions, and refining the overall flight experience. They emphasize the importance of feedback from players to continue improving ship audio in the game.
Josh and Eric also mention their research and reference materials, including films like Top Gun and Sully, and discussions with subject matter experts and community members who are pilots. They also discuss their plans to record real-world audio for further improvements and enhancements to the ship audio system.
Overall, the talk highlights the significant advancements made in ship audio in Star Citizen, the challenges faced with the old technology, and the ongoing efforts to create a more immersive and realistic ship audio experience for players.