Treyarch reveal details of Black Ops Cold War's "threat-priority" 3D audio engine

The ability for in-game audio to accurately convey the location, distance and relevance of sound has always been a difficult one, especially in multiplayer games where the accurate appraisal of where the threats are coming from is, quite literally, the difference between life and death.

(Picture: Treyarch)

It's an aspect of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War that the developers didn't take for granted revealing, in a day one launch presentation, that the game harnesses the power of 3D audio which allows for greater accuracy in recreating sounds throughout worlds, from how certain sounds react to different materials, to greater directionality.

"We've built an acoustical simulation that allows us to model how sound travels through the enviroments," explained Treyarch's Audio Director, Brian Tuey.

"It will properly calculate reverb, distance, low-pass filters and occlusion and dynamically change throughout the gameplay experience."

The developers took the opportunity to show off their 3D audio engine. (Picture: Treyarch)

The game also deploys a "threat-priority" system that reduces the noise of non-threatning sounds such as teammates footsteps, while at the other end, gun shots directed at you and the sound of an opponent creeping up behind you are given increased relevance.

"That is one part of the threat priority system, that has many layers. We give a higher priority to an enemy firing towards you versus an enemy that's firing on the other side of the map," explained Sound Designer Collin Ayers.

Now a 3D threat-priority system for audio is nothing new, Fortnite introduced one a year after launch when players complained of not being able to accurately guage where opponents were.

But it is a problem that Treyarch are hoping, with the work that they have put in on the audio front, that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will never have.

"We've looked really hard at our ballastic system, to let the player know how they are interacting with someone who has ill intent towards.

"If any enemy shoots at you, if the bullets are within your danager zone of being hit you can hear the ballastic 'crack' sound - the sonic boom - and it's going to be in the direction of the person that shot at you."

Treyarch feel they have made an audio system that gives players more information than ever. (Picture: Treyarch)

The bullet will also produce sounds on impact and as they whizz by your head all with a variance that will make it possible for players to accurately guage where the fire is coming from.

• Read more: Black Ops Cold War devs suggest "fix" for those having sound issues in beta

"You will be able to use audio to draw a line between where a bullet goes and the shooter. If you are listening to what is happening, or if you hear those tell-tale sounds you should be able to create a picture of where things are coming from."

Black Ops Cold War was released on 13th November and is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.