Interactive rate acoustical occlusion/diffraction modeling for 2D virtual environments & games

Despite the importance of acoustical diffraction (the "bending" of sound around an obstacle) in the real-world, diffraction in virtual environments and game worlds is often overlooked. Part of this stems from the fact that modeling occlusion/diffraction effects is a difficult and computationally intensive task. Inspired by our previous work that saw the development of a three-dimensional acoustical occlusion method, here we present a method that approximates acoustical occlusion/diffraction effects for dynamic and interactive two-dimensional virtual environments and games (or three-dimensional environments that can be approximated by a two-dimensional mapping). We also discuss an innovative use for the method allowing it to be incorporated into the artificial intelligence of non-player characters (e.g., enemies), allowing them to "perceive" sounds and therefore behave in a more natural, and realistic manner. Preliminary experimental results demonstrate that the method is capable of operating at interactive rates.