Historically, sound in games has struggled to keep up with reality using limited channels and horsepower. As these limits disappear over time, with improved game platforms and development tools, how will we use this newfound power? If we simply attach sounds to everything in a game world, were making VR, not the emotionally engaging experiences we expect from the best games.

Sound can create subtext that may not be directly perceived by the player but yet still leaves a lasting impression. It can guide the listeners attention, clarifying or misdirecting. It can subtly exaggerate in ways that help make up for missing stimuli such as smell, touch, and vertigo. It can make a calm setting scary, and make a complex scene understandable.

The best film sound people have been dealing with these issues for years, often with great success. This panel will discuss these issues, ways that some films have dealt with them, and discuss challenges that game sound pros face in dealing with these matters in a real-time environment.