The Xbox Series X aims to deliver perfect sound at its release in late 2020 with ray tracing, a technology that only games use for graphics. And what sound does the PS5 offer against it? The sound of future consoles compared.
Where does the information come from? In a podcast (via Majornelson.com) titled “What can you expect from the next generation of gaming?” Larry Hryb from Xbox LIVE and Jason Ronald, Director of Product Management, spoke with each other.
The two discussed the possibilities and capabilities of the new Xbox Series X during the podcast. They talked about the newly released specs of the Xbox Series X, which is set to become the strongest console ever.
However, when Ronald explained that the new console not only offers hardware-based ray tracing but also ray tracing audio, Hryb was surprised: “I have never heard of that.”
Ronald laughs in the podcast and explains why ray tracing audio is so important for gaming. He says:
These spatial sounds are a huge leap to immerse you in the gameplay and help you understand that you are surrounded by enemies.
Jason Ronald, Source: Majornelson.com
Xbox Series X relies on ray tracing audio in 2020
Ronald now explains that the Xbox Series X should be the first to use a technology that employs ray tracing for audio.
What is behind ray tracing audio? Until now, ray tracing technology has provided the ability to display graphics realistically, meaning great light and realistic lighting. For players who want to immerse themselves completely in a game world, this is really cool.
The game knows where the player is located and can show the correct reflections. Now imagine that in audio:
- You move through a building and can’t see the enemy.
- The sound “knows” exactly where you are and can perfectly calculate the audio.
- The user can then hear exactly where the enemy is located – for example, that the enemy is three rooms away and loading his weapon.
This would give players a whole new level of immersion in the game world, as sound plays an important role in “immersion”.
What are the prerequisites for ray tracing? However, Ronald did not explain how exactly this is supposed to work. Does ray tracing audio also work without support from games or does it require games to support ray tracing? So far, nothing concrete is known.
PlayStation 5 – With 3D audio against Xbox Series X
The PlayStation 4 currently only offers 5.1 sound. The PlayStation 5 is set to make new strides in this area and finally provide good sound as well. The solution lies in Sony’s self-developed 3D audio.
What exactly is 3D audio? According to Sony, 3D audio allows individual sounds to be precisely placed in a virtual space. The process is relatively simple:
- Instead of distributing sound across different channels, as has been done so far, individual sound sources, such as a gun or a waterfall, are assigned a specific position in space.
- When playing back the sound data, special software processes the sound.
- The headset or speakers then receive the calculations of how loud certain sounds need to be or how they should be played back.
- According to Sony, this technique also works with comparatively simple devices, meaning that no high-end hardware is required.
The advantage of this system is that the sound does not come as a package as with multiple channels. Instead, individual sounds can be precisely positioned.
Can you already use 3D audio? Yes, you can already use 3D audio. If you own a PlayStation VR headset or a regular PlayStation headset from Sony, you are already using Sony’s self-developed 3D audio technology.
How ray tracing works – simply explained
How does normal rendering work? The graphics card renders the graphics simply as follows:
- First, the graphics card determines which objects are visible to the viewer.
- Then these objects are simulated. The subsequent “shading” provides the material properties, causing surfaces to appear rougher or smoother.
- Finally, the light is calculated. How does the light fall on the objects and are there other light sources?
What makes ray tracing different? This technique calculates how light is represented on objects. Games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare already use this technique.
When rendering, it is usually calculated how long the rays take from the eye to the object. However, ray tracing goes a step further:
- With ray tracing, not only is the path the rays take to the object calculated. It is also calculated how long the rays take to return to the starting point.
- This makes light and reflections appear particularly realistic, as they are perfectly adapted to the human eye and every movement is calculated.
What is the disadvantage of ray tracing?: Ray tracing requires a lot of power that the computer needs to calculate this representation. Currently, only Nvidia graphics cards offer the ability to implement ray tracing. AMD hopes to catch up with this technology sometime in 2020.
What do you think? Does audio matter to you in gaming or do you not care how realistic or accurate, for example, a firearm sounds in a game?
