Project Bar-B-Q, 1998, report, section 3

Much to their credit, each report shared these common characteristics. All were:

AMBITIOUS:
Each group took on a difficult problem so large that its solution might not have been attempted under other circumstances.

USEFUL:
Despite the size of the task, each group presented a report that will yield useful results to the industry.

UNIFIED:
Each group worked towards goals that would galvanize rather than splinter the factions of our business.

VALUABLE
EXPERIENCE:
Each group member was exposed to processes and information that will be uniquely valuable throughout his career.

	EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SUMMARY Much to their credit, each report shared these common characteristics. All were: AMBITIOUS: Each group took on a difficult problem so large that its solution might not have been attempted under other circumstances. USEFUL: Despite the size of the task, each group presented a report that will yield useful results to the industry. UNIFIED: Each group worked towards goals that would galvanize rather than splinter the factions of our business. VALUABLE EXPERIENCE: Each group member was exposed to processes and information that will be uniquely valuable throughout his career.
\|))) 3D API:
This group tackled the most fiery controversy of the current audio scene: Proponents of two methods of handling 3-D (geometric vs. parametric) have been locked in a debate as to which method is "better." This group turned that around, bridging the diverse view points, and created a general solution that would allow both systems to be used, would preserve scalability, and would simplify the creation of content for 3D worlds, the control falling into the sound designer's hands. Work will continue under the auspices of the MMA/IA-SIG 3D Working Group.
\|))) M1D2:
A small group of four fellow BBQers took advantage of their time at the ranch to specify factors and changes that might be made to the current MIDI spec to create a valuable and useful successor to MIDI. MIDI is often misprinted "M1D1," hence, "M1D2." Work is to be continued under the auspices of the MMA.
\|))) Making Sense of Multi-Format Audio:
With the coming proliferation of multiple 3-D and surround audio formats, (Discreet 5.1, Stereo, AC3, etc.), this group saw a huge problem coming. The problem is that music and other audio shipped in a product could be in several different formats, maybe even simultaneously, and would be expected to play back on whatever format the user happens to have. Significantly, the group identified this as a general problem to be solved by designers of the audio subsystem. Beyond this, they created a chart that will be essential in guiding these designers of audio subsystems towards the correct handling of this problem. A Multi-Format Working Group of the MMA/IA-SIG has been formed to continue work in this area.
\|))) Consumer Reports:
This most ambitious of groups, Consumer Reports, attempted to paint a picture of what a high tech audio consumer would need or want to buy in five years. This question took them deep into an exploration of the nature of human needs and other areas that previously might have seemed intangible. Surprisingly, this exploration yielded a tool that offers a systematic vocabulary for defining meaningful value propositions for concepts that have no track record in the field.
\|))) Rogue Group:
Upon hearing David Yackley's demonstration of DirectMusic's algorithmic music authoring system, this group of some of the most experienced of game music composers jokingly suggested that by writing a small number of scripts for DirectMusic, they could cover every style that had ever been asked of a game composer, and thereby never ever have to work again. Pooling all their many years of vast experience with the conceptual realizations brought by DirectMusic, they realized they had only ever been asked to compose 11 songs and four formats. The Fat Man has personally found the results of this working group to be quite useful, and will take responsibility to continue work in this area.
section 3

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The Third Annual Interactive Music Conference PROJECT BAR-B-Q 1998