12 replies to this topic

[Kalimaster]

When you release the jungle map, could you please have a sound effect permeating from the map. Birds, etc.

[Nazar24]

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but it wouldn't be silly if in a giant death machine of 20 tons of metal and up ,while sitting on a nuclear engine, the pilot could actually hear a chirp or anything of that noise level?
I mean, even when you shut down, you can barely hear the "stomp" of an incoming mech.

Now, on the other hand, a bigger noise source, like a big waterfall,or the woods cracking while a mech walks, would be some nice touches, even under the tactic point of view.

[WonderSparks]

Nazar24, on 19 August 2014 - 09:43 AM, said:

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but it wouldn't be silly if in a giant death machine of 20 tons of metal and up ,while sitting on a nuclear engine, the pilot could actually hear a chirp or anything of that noise level?
I mean, even when you shut down, you can barely hear the "stomp" of an incoming mech.

Now, on the other hand, a bigger noise source, like a big waterfall,or the woods cracking while a mech walks, would be some nice touches, even under the tactic point of view.

Well, as silly as it may seem, there are some places in maps like Canyon Network where you can hear environmental noise (wind blowing, water running...), so it totally makes sense that a jungle would have some sounds of its own.

[ImperialCrusader]

WonderSparks, on 19 August 2014 - 10:01 AM, said:

Well, as silly as it may seem, there are some places in maps like Canyon Network where you can hear environmental noise (wind blowing, water running...), so it totally makes sense that a jungle would have some sounds of its own.

Well as a canyon the funnel effect may make winds faster, so you may br able to hear, water may be similar on the other side, birds, maybe one by your cockpit is going to be audible. i can't remeber if in MW4 swamp maps had birds or something.

[xeromynd]

People have brought up and defended the fact that we can hear outside noises because reasons. Beaten to death, we have microphones on the outside of our cockpits or something. If that's true, then I present:

A list of things I don't hear in MWO:
-Water flowing
-Any noise from the exploding volcanoes in Terra Therma (I'd Imagine those are loud)
-Noises from airstrike jets passing overhead
-Noises from huge f**kin artillery being fired in the distance. (you have river city explosion noises, change em up and use em)
-Steam/smoke from any of the stacks on caustic valley.
-Any wind noise whatsoever in the blizzard that is Frozen City Snow
-Rain (there's a map where it rains isn't there?)
-Creaking of the crashed ship on forest colony (or the dropship in Frozen City) when it's hit with fire, or walked on.
-An awesome underwater effect when your light mech is totally submerged.
-Any noises of turrets firing their payload at you. Just silent lasers.
-Noises of lava flow on Terra Therma
-Wind noises on Alpine (come on, it's gotta be windy there)
-Noises of a UAV being launched
-Sparking noises from the fact that your whole torso has been ripped off and there are open components and cables everywhere
-Some sort of agonizing 'my-mech-is-in-pain' sounds when you're moving your destroyed leg.

[Dennis de Koning]

These are some good suggestions.
We're always trying to think of 'easy-adds' to give the maps a little more interest (with minimal risk and testing) so if you guys have more ideas, let's hear 'em.
That being said, some things prove to be a little more difficult ie. HPG Manifold having no sound at all aside from internal cockpit resonance. And others can be questionable ie. would birds hang around a war zone?
Still though, keep the ideas coming.

DdK

[BARBAR0SSA]

Dennis de Koning, on 19 August 2014 - 12:05 PM, said:

These are some good suggestions.
We're always trying to think of 'easy-adds' to give the maps a little more interest (with minimal risk and testing) so if you guys have more ideas, let's hear 'em.
That being said, some things prove to be a little more difficult ie. HPG Manifold having no sound at all aside from internal cockpit resonance. And others can be questionable ie. would birds hang around a war zone?
Still though, keep the ideas coming.

DdK

Some would, the poor Dodo is a great example

[Nazar24]

And "some" could even guide a locust through a forest
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Tetatae

Edited by Nazar24, 19 August 2014 - 01:24 PM.

[ImperialCrusader]

What Dennis de Koning says is true, any animal is scared of loud sounds or things they don't know, so why are animals going to be around a battlefield? possible sounds in terra therma may not be exploding volcanos, but like of a roaring, earth is moving and trembling so roaring sounds would be nice. but actual sounds are not so impresive

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

- Ok, sorry for the wall of text. But sounds are what makes or breaks environments and game maps.

As Dennis mentioned, sounds within an environment are sometimes 'tricky' to get right.
- Does object sound have a 'distance to listening target' delay?
- Does the terrain cause any echo or reverberation?
- What would be the radius of different sound sources?
- Are the sounds directional?
- Do the sounds also come with vibrational ground effects? (hindering some sensors)

With the next 'Industrial City' / 'Mech Factory' map there needs to be quite a few 'still automated' items functioning.
- All these should produce some form of sounds.
- Most factories in this timeline were nearly fully automated, depending on location, as long as the raw materials were present they continued to function. Transports, conveyors, movers, disposal, recycle, all still doing what they do.
- If not external objects producing sounds then specific buildings or locations should contain these noises.

The 'Jungle Map' does indeed need ambient noise.
Yes, the near jungle residents for any 'large sound source' would leave the area, but there would be some form of 'danger' sound produced by these creatures when and as they leave. Almost like a 'tracking' sound source for any stealthy listening scouts.
Jungles are 'Very' noisy environments, sometimes nearly deafening.
- We absolutely need the 'crunching' sounds of trees and material being broken from Mech's moving through any of this terrain.
- If there are any flying animals presented, they should/would immediately fly away as a Mech approaches.
(visual clues of movement at distance)
- We need 'destructible objects' present, most trees would not stand up to collisions with any Mech. Again visual and sound clues of movement.
~ Unless we are talking of the 'Pandora' sized trees. (Avatar reference)
With this type of terrain there should also be some form of 'penalty' to movement if the Pilot decides to traverse through this dense environment, it should slow the Mech's speed or run the risk of loosing balance. (not modeled yet, as we have seen with water having no effect to movement)

All this is great for the gameplay and additional emersion, but at what cost?
- How many sounds can be present and played at the same time?
- Will some players suffer hits to performance depending on the sound format and how there systems render them?
(we already see some problems with 'Betty' and delays in info being presented during intense combat.)
- Should there be additional sliders designed for these environmental effects?
- Would most players just 'turn them off' to gain an edge in battles?
- Should they even be allowed to be 'disabled'? Or part of the map and everyone would have to deal with them?
(don't want this to go like the 'trees' and just be eliminated for 'Meta gaming play'.)

With each new item that produces sound there may need to be some additional art objects created, this now starts to 'cost' various departments research, design, engineering, and testing time. For just emersion effects, or possible future gameplay items, and PGI may be somewhat limited in it's available task time with these different departments. I see lots of meetings here to establish what can be built for sounds with minimal 'expense and time' and still be useful and viable within the game.
- But do I want more sounds? Absolutely!
- Simple 'impact' and 'collision' sounds need to be 'reintroduced'. (running into or bumping a building or object.)
- These machines should wreck havoc on the environment as they move through them, in combat formations and postures.
- Battlefields and areas of conflict should be the noisiest places to be, once the engagements start.


Just some ideas and suggestions,
9erRed

Edited by 9erRed, 19 August 2014 - 08:36 PM.

[ImperialCrusader]

Also inside an armoured vehicle you almost cant hear stuff outside, heavy armours supress high pitch sounds, only impacts or vibrations are heard

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

@ imperial

Understandable, and that's todays machines and equipment, and the crew must wear hearing protection, CVC helmets and Comms sets, just to be understood by the rest of the crew.

- The Mech would be more comparable, in the cockpit, to a fighter aircraft and not a ground vehicle. Every system of the chassis is designed to provide the Pilot an environment that he can function in and still use every feature his Mech can provide.

- This is the BattleTech future, in a machine built and designed specifically for a single Pilot. The Mech itself has numerous external and internal sensors. All designed to sense, categorize, interpret, filter, and send these signals to the Pilot. All in an attempt to provide the Pilot with a better understanding of his surroundings and possible hazards. Exterior sound is only a single item available, and probable very helpful when stopped and listening for contacts.

From Real Life, I remember quite a few years ago, in the Armoured Corp. we had one series of Helmets that had amplified hearing sensors built into the helmet. When on, you could hear two solders quietly talking across a parking lot.
- All designed for battlefield use in detecting advancing vehicle and personnel movement.
- Even with the Tanks engine running (Leopard tank) they still worked. (probably lostech now in this timeline.)

@ Dennis,
Yes, birds are in and around combat zones, they are territorial in and by there nature. They will fly away when events happen, but will normally always come back. Larger predators will stay at the boundaries of the immediate conflict but they also will venture in to see if there may be any "free meals". Insects, it seems, are drawn to these areas. What the heck is up with that! Well actually movement or outside presence doesn't seem to effect these creatures much. Fire may scatter them but again very territorial.
- With most animals it's the food source, terrain, or location that dictates there presence.
- Temporary conflicts, unless it devastates the area, are passing and the animals will adapt.

Just some info,
9erRed

Edited by 9erRed, 19 August 2014 - 07:43 PM.

[ImperialCrusader]

9erRed, on 19 August 2014 - 07:35 PM, said:

Greetings all,

@ imperial

Understandable, and that's todays machines and equipment, and the crew must wear hearing protection, CVC helmets and Comms sets, just to be understood by the rest of the crew.

- The Mech would be more comparable, in the cockpit, to a fighter aircraft and not a ground vehicle. Every system of the chassis is designed to provide the Pilot an environment that he can function in and still use every feature his Mech can provide.

- This is the BattleTech future, in a machine built and designed specifically for a single Pilot. The Mech itself has numerous external and internal sensors. All designed to sense, categorize, interpret, filter, and send these signals to the Pilot. All in an attempt to provide the Pilot with a better understanding of his surroundings and possible hazards. Exterior sound is only a single item available, and probable very helpful when stopped and listening for contacts.

From Real Life, I remember quite a few years ago, in the Armoured Corp. we had one series of Helmets that had amplified hearing sensors built into the helmet. When on, you could hear two solders quietly talking across a parking lot.
- All designed for battlefield use in detecting advancing vehicle and personnel movement.
- Even with the Tanks engine running (Leopard tank) they still worked. (probably lostech now in this timeline.)

Yep seems reasonable, i forgot timeline , im aware about sensors outside a mech. But im not sure about hearing faint sounds, maybe you are going to hear them at the beginning of the match, on calm moments and at the end looking for the last one, or when you are sniping far from the action.
Also talking about action, you are going to be able to hear combat beyond the natural hearing range, so fainter sounds would be again nullified or at least muffled by impacts, lasers, humming reactor and artillery.

Edited by ImperialCrusader, 21 August 2014 - 11:08 AM.