ABSTRACT
This chapter explores geometric-based approaches applied in real-time, where sound is simulated as set of discrete rays. It presents a framework for virtual acoustics that strikes a balance between realism and artistic expression of sound. Decomposing the signal chain components into emitter-listener pairs is a useful abstraction and is a recurring theme in simulating virtual acoustics. As the sound travels from emitter to listener it bounces off a number of surfaces. Early reflection calculation is often dismissed as impractical because the computational complexity increases exponentially with the order of the reflections. Even though it is physically accurate, it is sometimes reported by players as sounding "wrong" when it is introduced as a propagation delay on the direct sound, because it does not match the expected cinematic experience. The chapter covers a broad range of subject matter and presents practical applications of complex acoustic phenomena.
