Early on I compiled a couple of lists of Audio Implementation Toolsets as part of my Audio Implementation Greats series over at DesigningSound.org
Audio Implementation Greats #1: Audio Toolsets [Part 1]
Audio Implementation Greats #2: Audio Toolsets [Part 2]
These gave an overview of the available audio middleware and proprietary toolsets which had been discussed across the burgeoning web of knowledge that is the internet. At the time, it was harder than you'd think to come across this kind of information (and one of the reasons I started feeding Game Audio Relevance with game audio related links).
I have some opinions about proprietary audio tools. From an article I wrote for Game Developer Magazine entitled "Death Of An Audio Engine Pg. 47":
If the continue reading, you'll find I can be forgiving when it comes to the specific needs of a project when it comes to "rolling your own" (and there is still work to be done between the audio toolset and the game engine, make no mistake). But generally speaking I would rather take the speed-up of purchasing something off the shelf to "get there faster" than go through the (unnecessary?) exercise of creating an audio toolset from scratch.
After seeing an article tweeted to #GameAudio called "The 16 Best DAW Software Apps in the World Today" it got me thinking about how great it would be to have 16 "Best" game audio middleware solutions to choose from. That was, until Karen Collins chimed in asking "Do you really want to learn 16 of them?"
The burden of choice.
That got me wondering how many different game audio tools I have learned over the last 7-9 years of learning and development. Which brings me to today's task.
A list of the Game Audio Toolsets I've had the privilege of working with during my time in game audio:
ISACT: Creative Labs
Ambient Cow Demo
Source Engine (HL2)
Valandil/ Age of Chivalry (Mod)
Direct Music Producer: Microsoft
Gatheryn (Unreleased)
Proprietary: Open Source Developed - 0 A.D. (Wildfire Games)
Proprietary: Telltale Tool - All Telltale Episodes (Telltale)
Proprietary: aIMUSE - Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts)
Proprietary: Cubase - RockBand Unplugged & Lego RockBand (Harmonix)
Proprietary: Scream - Uncharted 3 (Naughty Dog)
Proprietary: Dead Space 3
Conan (Nihilistic)
A Vampyre Story (Autumn Moon)
Faxion (True Games)
Wwise: Audiokinetic
The Saboteaur (Pandemic)
Star Wars: The Old Republic (Bioware)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 (LucasArts)
Infamous 2 (Sucker Punch)
XCOM - The Bureau (2k Marin)
Marvel Heroes (Secret Identity)
Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Popcap)
Peggle 2 (Popcap)
Here are some other game audio audio tools I haven't shipped with but have fiddled around a bit:
Miles 9
CRI Middleware
Unity Audio
Fabric
Sectr Audio
Unreal Audio
Total Unique Game Audio Tools I've Loved Before: 11
After all of these years and great experiences stepping into Other Peoples Projects as a freelancer, I might be biased in saying that the emergence of audio middleware has brought a welcome stability to the shifting-sands of game audio. There are many comparisons to be made between the world of DAWs and Game Audio Specific tools. With both FMOD Studio and Wwise (beginning in 2013.1) the addition of "DAW like" functionality brings the two closer in functionality. Will we see a full crossover in the future? Will there be a day when we are presenting the 16 Best Game Audio Middleware Toolsets?
Stick around, I can't wait to find out!
-lcl
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