A Study on “A Midsummer Night’s Palace” Using VR Sound Engineering Technology

Abstract

VR (Virtual Reality) contents make the audience perceive virtual space as real through the virtual Z axis which creates a space that could not be created in 2D due to the space between the eyes of the audience. This visual change has led to the need for technological changes to sound and sound sources inserted into VR contents. However, studies to increase immersion in VR contents are still more focused on scientific and visual fields. This is because composing and producing VR sounds require professional views in two areas: sound-based engineering and computer-based interactive sound engineering. Sound-based engineering is difficult to reflect changes in user interaction or time and space by directing the sound effects, script sound, and background music according to the storyboard organized by the director. However, it has the advantage of producing the sound effects, script sound, and background music in one track and not having to go through the coding phase. Computer-based interactive sound engineering, on the other hand, is produced in different files, including the sound effects, script sound, and background music. It can increase immersion by reflecting user interaction or time and space, but it can also suffer from noise cancelling and sound collisions. Therefore in this study, the following methods were devised and utilized to produce sound for VR contents called “A Midsummer Night” so as to take advantage of each sound-making technology. First, the storyboard is analyzed according to the user`s interaction. It is to analyze sound effects, script sound, and background music which is required according to user interaction. Second, the sounds are classified and analyzed as 'simultaneous sound' and 'individual sound'. Thirdly, work on interaction coding for sound effects, script sound, and background music that were produced from the simultaneous sound and individual time sound categories is done. Then, the contents are completed by applying the sound to the video. By going through the process, sound quality inhibitors such as noise cancelling can be removed while allowing sound production that fits to user interaction and time and space.