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The IASIG Level 2 guideline, combined with the previous Level 1 guideline (embodied in Microsoft's DirectSound 3D API), provides baseline interactive 3D audio environments with reverberation for 3D games, web browsers and interactive or recorded music on the PC platform. "I applaud Creative Labs efforts to help define these new IA-SIG guidelines for 3D audio enhancements. Creative has played a major role in the working group process by providing primary concepts and materials from their Environmental Audio Extensions API (EAX), drafting the specification, and incorporating feedback from all of the participating companies. Their efforts were undertaken with exactly the kind of spirit which leads to industry wide improvements in mass market entertainment technology," said Mark Miller, chairman of the IA-SIG.
"We are pleased that EAX has been chosen as the basis for defining the next 3D audio standard," said Jean-Marc Jot, Creative's 3D audio scientist. "This underscores Creative's continued ability to drive audio standards in the industry. Creative's Environmental Audio Extensions and Sound Blaster Live! are leading the way to new possibilities in 3D audio development."
I3DL2 offers a standardized artificial reverberation interface for creating virtual audio scenes and worlds, including the possibility for sound sources and the listener to move interactively between distinct audio environments and within an environment. With I3DL2, principal 3D positional and environmental cues can be dynamically updated in accordance with interactive movements. It includes occlusion and obstruction features that make it possible to render the muffling of sounds as they travel through or around walls and obstacles, whether these sounds emanate from a different room or from the same environment as the listener's.
Support for I3DL2 in the Sound Blaster Live! Family and in
Creative's EAX API
New drivers with support for the I3DL2 are already in beta test,
and will be available for Creative's Sound Blaster Live! and Live!
Value through Creative's Live!Ware program at:
www.soundblaster.com.
Furthermore, the newly announced EAX 3.0 API
includes seamless support for the I3DL2 specification (which is
a subset of EAX 2.0), so that any game using EAX 3.0 will automatically
take advantage of any hardware or software platform supporting
I3DL2. By providing transparent support for I3DL2, EAX will continue
to be the API of choice for developers, guaranteeing optimal performance
for their 3D titles on the largest possible installed base.
Environmental Audio
Creative's Environmental Audio standard takes a systems approach
to delivering the Environmental Audio experience - from the audio
processor and the underlying Environmental Modeling algorithms,
to the speaker systems and the API for gaming software - Creative
provides a complete experience with systems for its Environmental
Audio Platform. Based on the new Sound Blaster Live! family
of audio accelerators, Environmental Audio delivers a completely
new way to experience games, music and entertainment on the desktop.
Environmental Audio goes beyond 3D positional audio - sounds will
appear to come from all corners of a room or space adding reverb,
echo, and other effects consistent with the room acoustics, position
of the player, source of the sound, and many other cues.
Sound Blaster is a registered trademark of Creative Technology Ltd. in the U. S. and other countries. All other product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized as such.