Virtual reality is growing at a rapid pace and, as developers get more familiar with their tools, the more devs will want specific tools that lighten the workload. The more tools available that simplify and streamline certain basic elements of the design process, the more time can be spent creating more unique elements that will make the individual games stand out. That’s something that was likely in mind when the development team for dearVR was conceptualizing their engine, a tool that provides realistic audio across many different scenarios or settings.
Built for Unity, dearVR comes with a collection of features that come at a price but will help get the work done. The engine comes with 45 virtual acoustic room presets with a few on display in the video, including the live arena, restroom, warehouse, living room, small studio, and concert hall presets. With headphones on, the video also gives a good idea of how the source of the audio’s position accurately impacts the sound. While watching the tech demo, an orb rotates around and you hear different sounds coming from it through different presets and it’s fairly impressive.
When it comes to virtual reality, audio is a pivotal element when discussing immersion. Try playing through a horror VR experience with your eyes being closed, but volume on vs no sound paired with the visuals and it can be argued that the audio is a tad bit more important. That’s where a tool such as dearVR fits in, attempting to eliminate a lot of the guess work or meticulous tuning that comes with developing some aural elements from the ground up. The dearVR engine is currently available in the Unity asset store for $95.
