Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
The last stage of our digital audio optimization work process is the
conversion
of
this data from a stereo file to a mono file. We will do this because we don't need two
copies of the same spoken word for our game audio assets. This is also true for most
game audio special effects, such as laser blasts and explosions; mono audio works just
fine in these types of audio sound effect situations. This is especially true because the
JavaFX AudioClip class and its pan and balance capabilities will also allow us to simu-
late stereo effects, using mono digital audio assets, if we want to.
This will also reduce our data footprint by another 100%, giving us a 14KB audio
file. We could fit
72
digital mono audio assets of this size into one megabyte of system
memory, so using mono (monaural) audio assets instead of stereo digital audio assets is
a great thing to do whenever you can, which is why we are going to cover this next.
Stereo Versus Mono Audio: Reducing Your Memory
Footprint Another 100%
The last stage of our digital audio optimization work process is the conversion of our
digital audio data from using a stereo audio asset into a monaural audio asset. We will
do this because we don't need two copies of the same spoken word for our game audio
asset in this case. This is also true for most game-related digital audio special effects,
such as laser blasts and explosions. Monaural audio will work just as well as stereo au-
dio in these types of audio sound effect situations. This is especially true because the
JavaFX AudioClip class gives developers audio panning and balance capabilities.
These will allow developers to simulate stereo effects using mono audio assets. Auda-
city has an ability to
combine
stereo audio asset (two tracks, one left and one right)
data into one mono audio asset that sounds the same.
If we combine our two stereo audio tracks into one mono track, using the Audacity
Tracks Stereo Track to Mono
algorithm which is shown in the menu sequence in
Figure 15-8
,
it will reduce the digital audio data footprint by another 100%, giving us a
14KB audio file. We could fit 72 digital audio assets of this size into one megabyte of
system memory. As it is, using the (uncompressed, no less) digital audio data footprint
optimization that I have shown during this section of the chapter, I have managed to get
all six digital audio assets into less than 62 KB of memory footprint.
