New MIDI-Based Game Audio Techniques
Speaker: Chris Grigg (Head of Standards, MMA / Beatnik), Tom Savell (Audio VLSI Architect, Creative Labs Advanced Technology Center)
Date/Time: Wednesday (September 17, 2008) 3:00pm — 4:00pm
Location (room): Room 10
Track: Audio
Format: 60-minute Lecture
Experience Level: Intermediate

Session Description
The MIDI Manufacturers Assoc. (MMA) presents an overview of three brand new, non-proprietary public standards for interactive audio technology: 3D MIDI Controllers, the High Definition (HD) Protocol for MIDI, and Interactive XMF (iXMF). The MMA are the people who brought you MIDI, the DLS instrument formats, and the I3DL2 interactive 3D audio spec. These standards can mean more freedom to focus your limited audio resources on the quality of the content, not waste them on the drudgery of converting to different platforms. They take things that used to be purely proprietary and allow any company to implement them without licensing fees or similar restrictions, and they're broadly interoperable which promotes the goal of efficient, cross-platform interactive audio content development.

Idea Takeaway
Attendees will be introduced to the 3D MIDI Controllers standard for positioning & moving sound sources in the 3D field, the HD Protocol for MIDI Devices which is a major international re-engineering project to modernize and future-proof MIDI itself, and the Interactive XMF content format standard for portable interactive audio & MIDI. A view of how to judge the plusses & minuses of using public standards vs. proprietary technologies will be presented. Time permitting, a brief overview of the standards process will be incorporated, touching on how attendees can participate in the creation and evolution of these and future standards.

Intended Audience
This session is intended for anybody involved in game audio - from music and sound content creators, to audio engine programmers, to game designers looking for new creative uses for audio. Those with practical experience in game audio development techniques will benefit most.