In-game sound needs to be re-worked

[omgwtfbbq (DayZ) 1069]

Sound in general seems to be a big issue right now. Before the shitstorm of "alpha" comments, I am merely suggesting that in the next update, sound is what the dev team focuses on. There are still many glitchy/bad sound effects that need to be reworked, and the reason they take priority is because sound plays a major part of survival. Making a sound can give away your position to another player or zombie, so it would make sense to have sound and visibility be among the most smoothed-out features. 

 

As many of us know, there are some weird sounds that can be heard while running around Chernarus. The ones with the prefix "random" occur when the object in question is not anywhere near. Here is a list of the weird or out of place sounds I know of, and it can be added to if others mention more:

 

- random can opening sound

- random chain link fence sound

- random garbage can being kicked over

- random rice eating sound

- random reloading sound

- random zombie yells when no zombies are around

- random sound of combining stacks of bullets

- random sound of eating food

- random gunshots or sound of melee weapon (very rare, and occurs when no other players are around)

- random sound of stick breaking (possibly from my feet while walking through a forest)

- rabbits make zombie sounds when near

- female characters make male grunts and panting

- character eats way too god damn loud

- new magnum sound sucks

- melee weapons still make bullet ricochet sounds when swung

- when sprinting (not fist running) character's feet do not line up with the running sound

- sound does not always play when eating or using an item

- when hurt, character endlessly repeats profanities (and yet doesn't say "ow")

- vomit does not create a sound (minor gripe, listed only under "weird")

- rolling while prone makes no sound

 

 

Yeah, it's a big list. At least there's no ambient helicopter sound like in the mod. I would like to see these issues ironed out in the next few months.

 

 

Addition for sound: On-screen directional sound indicators AT LEAST UNTIL the surround sound can suffice for specifics around you. In other words, if specific directional sound is not refined, indications of sounds near you are needed. It isn't easy mode, it provides situational awareness.

 

Similar to ArmA's on-screen white circles to indicate squadmates or enemies, there would be white circles to indicate general sound direction and distance.

 

These white circles would indicate specific directional sound, not well represented through headphones/speakers. In real life, imagine an object one foot behind you on the floor making a sound. You can tell at the very least two things. First, it is behind you. Second, you could tell it was coming from the floor a close distance away. 

 

The reason I suggest this is because I find it far too easy to lose my friend I was running next to. Especially on first person servers, where my backpack may obscure my view, and I would lose them even though they were within ten feet of me. The same would apply to zombies, cars, or any other sound. The circles would vary in size depending on how far or close the sound was. However, and this can be up for opinion, it would or wouldn't show an indicator if the sound was in front of you.

 

The point is to increase spacial awareness. Not to make locating a gunshot sound easier, or making it harder for someone to follow, but to make me more aware of what is going on outside my field of vision. 

Edited February 10, 2014 by omgwtfbbq

[gerbilschooler 229]

Random chain link fence sound is from the mod and intentional...

[louist 163]

I don't disagree.

[applejaxc 2500]

Sound design and other forms of "Polish" should be reserved for mid and late-game development.

 

And I can't take you seriously with a signature like that. >.>

Edited February 2, 2014 by Applejaxc

[Hikurac 115]

My guess is that the server handles a lot of the sounds and when someone opens a can you might hear it server-wide. Same with other various sounds. Again, just a guess.

[louist 163]

Sound design and other forms of "Polish" should be reserved for mid and late-game development.

And I can't take you seriously with a signature like that. >.>

Coming from a brony? :p

OPs point is that it isn't simply polish, that sound is integral to gameplay, and situational awareness.

[djporternz 644]

TBH, I like the can and eating sounds. Sometimes it is the only indication I get that I'm not, in fact, playing a Single-Player game. They also add to that pervading sense of paranoia that SHOULD be the background for DayZ.

 

Most, if not all the issues you list will be sorted in there own time during the development process.

 

And because no one else has, yet... ALPHA!

Edited February 2, 2014 by DJPorterNZ

[Dchil 829]

Already confirmed that the sounds will be reworked. Specifically because it has been said multiple times that they are "Place holder".

[Human Hunter 6]

TBH, I like the can and eating sounds. Sometimes it is the only indication I get that I'm not, in fact, playing a Single-Player game. They also add to that pervading sense of paranoia that SHOULD be the background for DayZ.

 

Most, if not all the issues you list will be sorted in there own time during the development process.

 

And because no one else has, yet... ALPHA!

 

its random though, not like there was anyone around you

 

i would say sound in the dayz standalone is the feature that could use the most improvement

[mtclipz 31]

Sound design and other forms of "Polish" should be reserved for mid and late-game development.

 

And I can't take you seriously with a signature like that. >.>

 

So you think we should hear constant cans popping and reloading so you can never know if a player is or isn't in the area until late-game development?  That is a great way to properly test a product...

 

You realize fanboyism is the most detrimental thing to any game whether alpha or full release right?

[illville502 44]

- melee weapons still make bullet ricochet sounds when swung

 

I have nightmares of this sound. Freaks me out every darn time!

[louist 163]

- melee weapons still make bullet ricochet sounds when swung

I have nightmares of this sound. Freaks me out every darn time!

I've been dealing with this since the mod, and it still sometimes catches me off guard. If I haven't played if a few days, and miss an axe swing on a zombie, the ricochet sound sets off all kinds of internal alarms.

[Mos1ey 6301]

They're having a proper sound team come in and sort everything out a bit further down the line. Pretty sure it's in one of the stickied topics.

 

Edit:

 

'While some changes have been made we just hired a dedicated audio designer who will be teamed up with an audio programmer to completely revamp the way sounds work. We feel sound is very important for DayZ so we are really committed to this.'

 

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/153994-early-access-important-information-known-issues/

Edited February 2, 2014 by Mos1ey

[sausagekingofchicago 4711]

Sound in general seems to be a big issue right now. Before the shitstorm of "alpha" comments, I am merely suggesting that in the next update, sound is what the dev team focuses on.

 

Coders and artists make terrible sound designers.

[Beck (DayZ) 1768]

They're having a proper sound team come in and sort everything out a bit further down the line. Pretty sure it's in one of the stickied topics.

^This. I heard they hired a full time sound guy.

 

Bee Tee Dubs

ALPHER

Edited February 2, 2014 by Beck

[fitzee 248]

Addition for sound: On-screen directional sound indicators from the mod

 

Okay, what the hell is he talking about? In the mod, there were white circles on the screen. However, this is pure speculation as to what these did, and if they did not do what I think they did, then I will remove this portion of the thread.

 

Hi.

 

In ArmA these indicators were used to show you which direction off-screen squadmates and/or targets were. I didn't even know they were in the mod(maybe it depended on your ArmA difficulty settings), but I would guess it showed other players or zeds that you had already spotted.

 

Regards.

[AnarchyBrownies 1383]

I was playing today for the first time in a while and I just want the random sounds to end, especially the random zombie sounds. I felt like they were really interrupting the experience of the game. Highly distracting. I can wait for BETTER sounds, but can't the current team fix the sounds that occur for no reason? Why would that require a sound team? While it's a problem related to sound, it seems more like a specific programming problem... if I'm explaining that properly :p 

[sausagekingofchicago 4711]

So, this seems like the perfect place to put my insanity on display.

 

Since day one, I've always assumed the "random" sounds of opening cans, stacking ammo, popping the top off a nice and warm soda, eating, and the random zed sounds were actually generated by other players within your character's neatwork bubble.  The changes in volume for each depended on the players distance from your character.  If you pay attention, these sounds will always play louder in high population areas.

 

This, so far, perhaps by pure luck, has allowed me to judge the distance of anbther player.  Judging the volume of the random sound along with my location on the map, I could usually guess where the offending player was.  So far, it's been rather accurate.  Again, this could be purely a coincidence.

 

I've been known to be a bit off at times so take this with a grain of salt.  I live by it but you guys shouldn't. 

[omgwtfbbq (DayZ) 1069]

They're having a proper sound team come in and sort everything out a bit further down the line. Pretty sure it's in one of the stickied topics.

 

Edit:

 

'While some changes have been made we just hired a dedicated audio designer who will be teamed up with an audio programmer to completely revamp the way sounds work. We feel sound is very important for DayZ so we are really committed to this.'

 

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/153994-early-access-important-information-known-issues/

 

This answers the question of whether or not it is going to be looked at nicely. Hopefully this thread can be used for reference on what specifically needs to be fixed.

[DeatHTaX 1217]

I can't wait for the sound to be finished. It will change the gameplay 10 fold

 

I can't tell you how many times a sniper would have been doomed had the sound actually been coming from where he was actually shooting lol xD or I have been unable to hear people 10 feet behind me at a full sprint, or I almost stab someone because that stupid zombie glitch noise WONT SHUT UP!

 

lol xD

Edited February 2, 2014 by DeatHTaX

[napalmdog 71]

TBH, I like the can and eating sounds. Sometimes it is the only indication I get that I'm not, in fact, playing a Single-Player game. They also add to that pervading sense of paranoia that SHOULD be the background for DayZ.

Then you should be LOOKING around more, because the can-popping and chewing sound like it's taking place in front a bullhorn...

[weedmasta 784]

Sound in general seems to be a big issue right now. Before the shitstorm of "alpha" comments, I am merely suggesting that in the next update, sound is what the dev team focuses on. There are still many glitchy/bad sound effects that need to be reworked, and the reason they take priority is because sound plays a major part of survival. Making a sound can give away your position to another player or zombie, so it would make sense to have sound and visibility be among the most smoothed-out features. 

 

As many of us know, there are some weird sounds that can be heard while running around Chernarus. The ones with the prefix "random" occur when the object in question is not anywhere near. Here is a list of the weird or out of place sounds I know of, and it can be added to if others mention more:

 

- random can opening sound

- random chain link fence sound

- random reloading sound

- random zombie yells when no zombies are around

- random sound of combining stacks of bullets

- random sound of eating food

- random gunshots or sound of melee weapon (very rare, and occurs when no other players are around)

- rabbits make zombie sounds when near

- female characters make male grunts and panting

- character eats way too god damn loud

- new magnum sound sucks

- melee weapons still make bullet ricochet sounds when swung

- when sprinting (not fist running) character's feet do not line up with the running sound

- sound does not always play when eating or using an item

- when hurt, character endlessly repeats profanities (and yet doesn't say "ow")

- vomit does not create a sound (minor gripe, listed only under "weird")

- rolling while prone makes no sound

 

 

Yeah, it's a big list. At least there's no ambient helicopter sound like in the mod. I would like to see these issues ironed out in the next few months.

 

 

Addition for sound: On-screen directional sound indicators

 

Similar to ArmA's on-screen white circles to indicate squadmates or enemies, there would be white circles to indicate general sound direction and distance.

 

These white circles would indicate specific directional sound, not well represented through headphones/speakers. In real life, imagine an object one foot behind you on the floor making a sound. You can tell at the very least two things. First, it is behind you. Second, you could tell it was coming from the floor a close distance away. 

 

The reason I suggest this is because I find it far too easy to lose my friend I was running next to. Especially on first person servers, where my backpack may obscure my view, and I would lose them even though they were within ten feet of me. The same would apply to zombies, cars, or any other sound. The circles would vary in size depending on how far or close the sound was. However, and this can be up for opinion, it would or wouldn't show an indicator if the sound was in front of you.

 

The point is to increase spacial awareness. Not to make locating a gunshot sound easier, or making it harder for someone to follow, but to make me more aware of what is going on outside my field of vision. 

 

No, white circles were a problem in the mod too, and it is one of the worst features and immersion killers out there. Why does everyone want easy mode?

[somethingbloody 118]

I would give beans, because you are right about the sounds, but the on-screen indicators is not happening and would be awful. It's not even a sound issue, really. You want a more informative HUD, and that's not the immersive direction DayZ is taking.

But yes, the sounds are fucked. I've noticed that the random noises from zombies, cans opening, reloading etc. are awfully common on fully populated servers.

I'd just like to add that the volume levels for sounds near you are broken. You can be watching the NEAF from the tree line and not hear shots down at the hangar. Echoing gunfire at long distances would be great. I fired a shotgun today in the Elektro supermarket, and my friend at the church one block away didn't hear a thing.

The replacement of placeholder sounds will take a while, but I agree that some values regarding distance would be a nice thing to see in a near-future patch.

[hells high 676]

A lot of what you posted are bugs. Just saying.

 

Also visual indicators for sound is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard, considering the two are completely different sensory cues and sticking them together is one HELL of an easy mode crutch. NO THANKS. In ARMA 2 its used to simulate catching movement in your peripheral vision. If you keep losing your friend maybe you need to look around a little more.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Hells High

[omgwtfbbq (DayZ) 1069]

If you keep losing your friend maybe you need to look around a little more.

 

The issue is that my character stomping around is louder than my friend when they are more than five feet away