In game chat is a wonderful thing when it works properly and Dolby thinks it can be improved. Step forward ‘Dolby Axon’. The premise is very simple; games are produced in surround sound, why not in-game chat? Imagine you are playing Killzone 2 in your squad of four with a team mate on your left, one on the right and one taking up the rear. With Axom the in game chat for these players would be routed to the appropriate surround sound speakers so the guy behind you will sound like he really is behind you, likewise the team mates on the left and right sides.
Unlike previous Dolby products, Axon has been created from scratch specifically for games and features an occlusion engine. With this neat bit of trickery if the person who is speaking walks behind a wall his voice will muffle. Another example would be if they are standing in a door way, if you shut the door then you will not hear them.
Axon also includes ‘Voice Fonts’ which can change your voice to suit your character. If you happen to have a rather high pitched voice which doesn’t quite suit a Helghast soldier you will be able to modify certain parameters so you sound like B.A.Baracus rather than Barbie.
