Acoustics Baker Pro is a hybrid audio engine for Unity that bridges the gap between static reverb zones and expensive real-time wave simulation. It combines volumetric baking (pre-calculating reverb and echo data into a 3D grid) with real-time raycasting (calculating occlusion and diffraction on the fly). This allows sound to behave physically—getting muffled behind walls, flowing through open doorways, and reverberating naturally based on room size and materials—without draining CPU performance.
Is it Customizable?
Yes, highly. The system is designed to be tuned for both performance and artistic intent:
- Custom Acoustic Materials: You define how surfaces sound. Create AcousticMaterial assets for "Concrete," "Wood," "Carpet," or "Alien Slime," adjusting:
Absorption (0.0-1.0): How much sound energy is lost (controls Reverb Time).
HF Absorption: How much "brightness" is lost (controls muffling). - Baking Controls: You have full control over the generation process:
Grid Resolution: Adjust probe spacing (e.g., 2.0m for performance, 1.0m for high fidelity).
Layer Masking: Choose exactly which objects block sound or generate reverb.
Exclusion Zones: Use AcousticModifier volumes to prevent probes from spawning inside solid geometry or specific areas. - Source Tuning: Each AcousticSource can be tweaked individually:
Source Radius: Make a "large" sound (explosion) wrap around corners easier than a "small" sound (footstep).
Indirect Ray Count: Scale the quality of diffraction per sound source.
Suitable Genres
This package is particularly well-suited for genres where audio spatialization is critical to gameplay or immersion:
- Stealth & Tactical Shooters: Essential for gameplay where players need to know if an enemy is in the same room or the next one over. The diffraction system prevents the "wall-hack" hearing effect common in standard Unity audio.
- Horror Games: Creates claustrophobic atmospheres where dead-ends sound "dead" and large halls sound echoing. The real-time occlusion ensures monsters aren't heard through thick walls until they open a door.
- Immersive Sims & VR: Adds a layer of physical realism that grounds the player in the world. The volumetric reverb prevents the jarring "snap" transitions of standard Reverb Zones.
- Indoor/Outdoor Hybrids: Because it bakes data into a grid, it handles transitions from tight corridors to open outdoor spaces seamlessly without manual scripting.
