NIME 2018

Chunity: Integrated Audiovisual Programming in Unity
by Jack Atherton & Ge Wang

Chunity is a programming environment for the design of interactive audiovisual games, instruments, and experiences. It embodies an audio-driven, sound-first approach that integrates audio programming and graphics programming in the same workflow, taking advantage of strongly-timed audio programming features of the ChucK programming language and the state-of-the-art real-time graphics engine found in Unity. We describe both the system and its intended workflow for the creation of expressive audiovisual works. Chunity was evaluated as the primary software platform in a computer music and design course, where students created a diverse assortment of interactive audiovisual software. We present results from the evaluation and discuss Chunity's usability, utility, and aesthetics as a way of working. Through these, we argue for Chunity as a unique and useful way to program sound, graphics, and interaction in tandem, giving users the flexibility to use a game engine to do much more than "just" make games.