Tsugi has released a new version of GameSynth, a sound design tool designed for game and movie production, with 35 new synth modules.
GameSynth 2020.1, nicknamed “Modular Madness”, focuses on the Modular model, offering a total of 110 modules that can be connected to design any sound you can imagine.
Among the 35 new modules in this version are game-oriented generators for the creation of weapons, robots, creatures, and physics-based sound effects, as well as new oscillators, filters, effects and more.
In addition, the update delivers real-time visualization of signals in wires and integrated module documentation.
Pricing and Availability
GameSynth is available now for $270 for a limited time, normally $390.
Sounds like quite a professional tool. Including the fact that it might not be a fun experience to use it casually.
The integration with middleware is intriguing. My guess is that some things need to be generated on-the-fly. That part reminds me of Farnell’s near classic.
https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/designing-sound
Yet, is the technique mostly about exporting samples, typically?
As a game coder, I’m not too impressed. The SFX are very generic in the demo. You can buy the equivalent in a sound pack for about 10% the asking price for this. Pity.
I believe that you are missing the point entirely. This is a procedural audio tool, so no sample can replace it. We use it extensively at my job (we are one of the many studios listed on their page) and for game sound design there is just nothing comparable.
No other tool allows you to generate variations automatically in the same way that GameSynth does, or to export directly to your game engine or game audio middleware, or to create sounds that match perfectly your character animations by importing animation curves from Maya etc…
Saying that you don’t like the sound examples of such a huge and open system is like saying you don’t like the way a Lego model is built. Simply use the bricks to build your own, that’s where all the fun is 😉 Also, this video only shows the Modular model, but there are many more, this thing is just huge…
Yeah, for casual use it’s not fun. And mostly, because the interface is made like from year zero. Everything, browsing, tweaking is pain, because it’s not realtime-you have to stop the sound, tweak, play the sound, confirm every box, all with little pauses of interface/engine. Even to click on button or any element, you have to focus to hit it precisely, otherwise it “does nothing” – compared to smooth, fluid, “catchy” interfaces of VSTs, DAWs or any modern software.
It has potential, sounds are not quite “real” as they seems, but as for purpose of alternations and design it is good concept..but the interface.. It literally hurts. Because interface, big dissapointment for me, althought I am not hardcore sound/game designer using touch or pen screen (even I don’t expect it’s different with clunkyness), so I can do my stuff with other, not specialised, but more confortable ways.
Just my 2 cents, as someone using GameSynth a good 4 hours a day in average for game audio design. Compared to the most used UI in the game audio industry – which would be Wwise – this thing is light-years ahead (try to set a random range in Wwise and you will understand; actually, some companies like Krotos got “inspired” by GameSynth and now use the same type of GUI for randomization).
– To solve your window issue, go in the settings, uncheck floating windows in the Modular model: no more opening / closing windows, you can press Space anytime to play etc…
– This software is mainly used to create short sound effects for games, it’s not like you have a music loop playing while you adjust EQ parameters in real-time. With the option described above, you set your parameters and press space anytime, that works quite well. The real-time aspect (if you want to try different things in the tool or once the sounds are in the game) is handled by the meta-parameters, which is great when you are making sounds for a game as these are the objects that will be exposed to your engine.
– I use a tablet and yes, I want to be precisely on a control to interact with it. With tablets you can mistakenly trigger events when the pen hovers too close above the tablet, so this would be a recipe for disaster. It is actually exactly the way it should be!
Yep. I can concur about node-based interfaces, they hurt. In the VFX world, the industry standard for high-end, motion picture and TV visual effects compositing is Nuke/Nuke X/Nuke Studio and it is completely node-based. It is very powerful (hence why it is the industry standard) but, it has a VERY steep learning curve and takes litterally years to become an expert with it. I’m no fan of node-based systems. Period. Even though it is not as capable of the kinds of 3D and other high-end compositing tricks, I much prefer Adobe After Effects with it’s layers-based system and MUCH friendlier UI. The same goes for my audio and music software. Give me a UI that resembles its hardware counterpart any day of the week.
Yep. I can concur about node-based interfaces, they hurt. In the VFX world, the industry standard for high-end, motion picture and TV visual effects compositing is Nuke/Nuke X/Nuke Studio and it is completely node-based. It is very powerful (hence why it is the industry standard) but, it has a VERY steep learning curve and takes litterally years to become an expert with it. I’m no fan of node-based systems. Period. Even though it is not as capable of the kinds of 3D and other high-end compositing tricks, I much prefer Adobe After Effects with it’s layers-based system and MUCH friendlier UI. The same goes for my audio and music software. Give me a UI that resembles it’s hardware counterpart any day of the week.
This is a very good tool for game sound designers. The procedural generation is a life-saver for big open world projects. We have a bunch of licenses at the studio and although the modular model has definitely a learning curve, it offers features you cannot find anywhere else if you need to make sound for games and animated movies. Also, the whole modular is only one of 8 models! The particles model is just epic.