Develop ‘08• Audio For Multiplayer & Beyond

– Mixing Case Studies From Battlefield: Bad Company & Frostbite

• David Möllerstedt – EA DICE

Agenda• DICE History• Battlefield: Bad Company• HDR Audio• Master Unit• Frostbite• Future

Me• David Möllerstedt

• Head of Audio

• DICE Sept 05

History• DICE started 1992• An EA Company since 2006

• Battlefield 1942• RalliSport Challenge 1• Battlefield 2• RalliSport Challenge 2• Battlefield 2142

Battlefield: Bad Company• Single Player Campaign• Sandbox Multiplayer

Battlefield: Bad Company

Playtime• How long is your game?

?

Average logged playtime

Accumulated playtime across all

players

61 hours

45 hours 9500 years

33200 years

How Long is Your Game?

How Long is Your Game?• Sound Design• The Mix

Sound Design

HDR Audio• Measure loudness at Listener position – scale all sound sources accordingly

135db95db

HDR Audio• Functions similar to HDR lighting

HDR Audio• HDR Audio is not compression, all sounds are played uncompressed

• The effect is sometimes similar to compression

NOT

HDR Audio

• HDR Audio works on logical loudness values and does not touch the actual audio waveform

• Priority• Based on Loudness• Automatic• Mindset

HDR Audio

• HDR Audio Demo

HDR Audio

Playback Environment• How do you listen to your game?

?

How Do You Listen?• Perceived Loudness

Master Unit

• Realtime mastering of the 4.0 ingame audio• LFE & Centre channel and the Direct Out Bus are not routed through the Master Unit

Master Unit• Master Unit chain

– HP– Low Shelf– High Shelf– Compressor– Clip

Master Unit

• Three settings– Home Cinema– Hi-Fi (default)– TV

• Active end user system• Make your sounds heard

Master Unit

• Demo

Master Unit

Frostbite• Frostbite

– DICE’s games engine

The Future• What about the future?

?

• You can do anything!• Focus

The Future

Thank you!

The End

• DICE is always looking for devoted talents• Check:

– jobs.ea.com

The End

Q & A!

The End

The End