Audio Tweaking (dev branch)

[supercereal4 29]

Thanks for the kind words but that video - NO NO NO just NO! It nowhere represents the difference in volume between the initial BANG/discharge and the response from the environment. Also there is absolutely NO low noticeable low end to be heard, which is a typical sickness of the youtube videos. They just don't have the microphones to properly record a gun with all the frequencies and a proper dynamic range.

It doesn't help that they were firing blanks in the video.

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

Ok, not going to lie, turn up your volume. It helps so much. I am currently having a small firefight on Mount Stemna with the TRG, and using Lexemann's reverb mod. It sounds perfect. If BIS could add some kind of sound effects like actual reverb, it would be amazing. The sounds are getting better.

[instagoat 133]

I like where this is going, especially the range of the sounds is great already. I went out as far as 1.5 kilometers and still could hear gunsounds, which is good. I hope the sound attenuation will improve, and another thing that the sound system needs is reverb and echo seperate from the gunshot. Those come from the environment, really, and not the gun itself as it is now.

For example, firing a weapon indoors sounds exactly like it was outdoors and vice versa. I also hope that the sounds are not so bassy anymore in the future that they make speakers crackle with overload and aliasing artifacts.

[Brisse 78]

For example, firing a weapon indoors sounds exactly like it was outdoors and vice versa. I also hope that the sounds are not so bassy anymore in the future that they make speakers crackle with overload and aliasing artifacts.

In my opinion the bass was spot on in the dev-branch update. Got to be careful though. A lot of gamers are using stupid shitty sound equipment with unnatural bass response, so it might sound over the top for a lot of people, but actually sound really good for people who have serious sound equipment with natural and flat response over the entire spectrum.

By the way, for those of you who have no experience of guns: The most prominent part of the sound of a gunshot is the mid bass. It's not the low end rumble you hear when you visit your local cinema. It's "punchy", not "rumble-ish" :)

Sadly, a lot of the modern cheap and mid end sound systems are focused more towards that low end rumble, and often lack mid bass.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Brisse

[maddogx 13]

I wonder how much effort it would take for BIS to add a "bass adjustment" slider to the audio settings. Surely an appropriate APO (audio processing object) must exist. :)

(Not that I would use it; as far as I'm concerned, the new sounds sound great and are a huge step in the right direction.)

[Brisse 78]

I wonder how much effort it would take for BIS to add a "bass boost" slider to the audio settings. Surely an appropriate APO (audio processing object) must exist. :)

Very few people actually know how to use an equalizer correctly, and will more likely screw up even more. Also, what you are proposing is effectively an equalizer with only one band. Pretty useless in my opinion. My soundcard drivers have a 10 band EQ which I'm sure works much better than anything BI could ever put in the options menu.

[maddogx 13]

Very few people actually know how to use an equalizer correctly, and will more likely screw up even more. Also, what you are proposing is effectively an equalizer with only one band. Pretty useless in my opinion. My soundcard drivers have a 10 band EQ which I'm sure works much better than anything BI could ever put in the options menu.

All true. It would probably do more harm than good.

[laxemann 1673]

Those come from the environment, really, and not the gun itself as it is now.

I arrogantly assume that you picked that up from my Enhanced Soundscape?

Well, anyway, you won't find any other game where this is the case... an actual, algorithm-based simulation of stuff like that would be a performance overkill.

[Bouben 3]

I arrogantly assume that you picked that up from my Enhanced Soundscape?

Well, anyway, you won't find any other game where this is the case... an actual, algorithm-based simulation of stuff like that would be a performance overkill.

Of course. It would be sufficient to blend different types of reverbs to mimic the environmental impact on echoes.

[mamasan8 11]

I arrogantly assume that you picked that up from my Enhanced Soundscape?

Well, anyway, you won't find any other game where this is the case... an actual, algorithm-based simulation of stuff like that would be a performance overkill.

I dont know if its something like these sounds you mean.

Think I read somewhere that its not just an doppler effect and the devs had a hard time figuring it all out. How to make it sound that good.

[chops 111]

For my 2 cents, I'd really like to see those "spent casing falling on the ground" sounds removed.

In reality you never hear it on grass or dirt or even concrete. For me, it's distractingly unbelieveable. Or maybe they can be arranged in the config so they're easily modded out?

That said, I'm impressed with the new samples released and very pleased to hear (geddit) that the sounds in ArmaIII are getting some attention - please don't forget those AAA cannon sounds :)

[roberthammer 582]

For my 2 cents, I'd really like to see those "spent casing falling on the ground" sounds removed.

In reality you never hear it on grass or dirt or even concrete. For me, it's distractingly unbelieveable. Or maybe they can be arranged in the config so they're easily modded out?

On grass or dirt maybe but on any hard surface like concrete the brass cases makes a clear noise - thats quite realistic

[St. Jimmy 272]

For my 2 cents, I'd really like to see those "spent casing falling on the ground" sounds removed.

In reality you never hear it on grass or dirt or even concrete. For me, it's distractingly unbelieveable. Or maybe they can be arranged in the config so they're easily modded out?

That said, I'm impressed with the new samples released and very pleased to hear (geddit) that the sounds in ArmaIII are getting some attention - please don't forget those AAA cannon sounds :)

Well one of the problem with that sound is that "fup" sound that is at the beginning of the sound when the case hits the ground. Check the MegaSound Mk 20 woops I meant TRG-21 shooting in the video for example and compare that to vanilla in game and you know what I mean. I just realized that yesterday how bad the vanilla case hittting the ground really is. It reminds me of CoD hit sound when you hit someone.

Edited January 29, 2015 by St. Jimmy
TRG-21 not Mk20...

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

As for casings, i suppose your right. It would be better to improve the visuals of casings rather than the sound. For now though, the best sounding gun improvement when my volume is turned up, is the TRG.

---------- Post added at 15:30 ---------- Previous post was at 14:55 ----------

I dont know if its something like these sounds you mean.

Think I read somewhere that its not just an doppler effect and the devs had a hard time figuring it all out. How to make it sound that good.

Theoretically, this feature is already in game. It's not as noticeable as in Arma 2 though for some reason.

[megagoth1702 252]

Shell casings are fine sounds, they just need their volume reduced in the configs.

[St. Jimmy 272]

This is what I hear when a case hits the ground. Very weird sound if you ask me especially if you fire auto it's "fupfupfupfupfupfupfupfupfup". I'd expect clinging at least on some hard ground but nope.

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1u2NWWdj33G

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

This is what I hear when a case hits the ground. Very weird sound if you ask me especially if you fire auto it's "fupfupfupfupfupfupfupfupfup". I'd expect clinging at least on some hard ground but nope.

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1u2NWWdj33G

That's a good point, that should only be hear on certain surfaces, if that's the casing's sound though. What i think that is though, is actually the sound of the shot echoing, expect its in the sound of the gun shot and not an actual echo.

[Maxzy 12]

That's a good point, that should only be hear on certain surfaces, if that's the casing's sound though. What i think that is though, is actually the sound of the shot echoing, expect its in the sound of the gun shot and not an actual echo.

Exactly. This indeed sounds like a casing fall on some soft dirt. But you hear it on every surface from dusty Stratis hill to wooden floor of some abandoned shack. And I too (I don't remember exactly what took me to that conclusion) considered the possibility that it is a shot echo.

[x3kj 1247]

sounds more like a bullet impacting in the distance...

[2nd ranger 282]

please don't forget those AAA cannon sounds :)

Hands down, worst sound in the whole game.

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

Hands down, worst sound in the whole game.

Don't forget this is the same sound in the A-143 Buzzard's cannon, it sound utterly disgraceful. The best way to design sound is from real life assets, BIS learned this from actually recording sounds from existing platforms (MD-900/SAAB J-39 Gripen), and designing them based on.

[megagoth1702 252]

@ Shells - yep, that fup is a shell casing sound, not the gun echo. 100%, look at the files. And I still think the volume needs to be lowered greatly so that it does not annoy that much.

[St. Jimmy 272]

sounds more like a bullet impacting in the distance...

Well you can hear it only with guns that don''t shoot caseless and that sound plays even if you shoot the air. Also the lower stance the quicker you can hear it after shot. I also first though the sound is a distant hit but seems like it isn't.

With pistols and SMGs (and maybe TRG) there's clinging sound and the sound I linked and some other variations randomized everytime. So Rifles and MGs case hit sounds might be even bugged because it plays only that one sound that doesn't really sound what it should be.

Edited January 29, 2015 by St. Jimmy

[supercereal4 29]

On the subject of shell casings hitting the ground (which I agree are way too loud) The mk200 has the same shell casings "fup" sound, but it doesn't show any shells being ejected. The IRL comparison of the mk200 is the LSAT, which fires either cased telescoping rounds or caseless rounds. From the looks of the belt in-game, it looks like it uses the former. So I'd guess that either the shell sound needs to be removed for that weapon or empty cases need to be added

[KeyCat 131]

I like where this is going, especially the range of the sounds is great already. I went out as far as 1.5 kilometers and still could hear gunsounds, which is good.

Haven't tried yet but this is what I'm been waiting for! Must get some time in Dev version over the weekend.

/KC