Evaluation of a hybrid sound model for 3D audio games with real walking

Audio games are a subcategory of computer games that have spatialized audio as the only output that their players receive. In order to provide a compelling impression of the environment, sound in audio games has to be of superior quality in terms of immersion and realism. For improving the immersion and realism in audio games, complex sound models can be used to generate realistic sound effects, including reflections and reverberation. An implementation of a hybrid sound model similar to the ODEON approach is introduced and adapted for real-time sound calculations. This model is evaluated and compared to a baseline model usually used in audio games in a user study in a virtual reality environment. The results show that the implemented hybrid model allows players to adjust to the game faster and provides them more support in avoiding virtual obstacles in simple room geometries than the baseline model. Complex sound models are beneficial in audio games, provided that there is enough computational resources available to perform calculations in real time.