SoundTrek: A Virtual Reality Audio Perspective-Switching Game

Abstract

Virtual reality technologies allow new ways of creating a sense of space not only through sight but also through sound. We present SoundTrek, a game about using listening perspective for navigating through environments in VR. In SoundTrek, the player needs to switch between listening to spatialized sounds from the first- and third-person perspectives to navigate through obstacles. SoundTrek also employs sound design strategies, such as spatialized soundtracks and near-field audio to aid spatial navigation in the absence of visual cues and to create unique aesthetic experiences through sound. We present new ways of utilizing sound in virtual reality game design that highlights design considerations for audio-focused gameplay and diversifies the opportunities for creating rich, interactive soundscapes.