The sound thread

[OPER8R 10]

Agreed.

[afp 1]

Stereo sounds are something that are already in games for X years so it is nothing new. In ArmA series for sure but it has drawbacks besides the graphics and unique gameplay. Before someone says about BF3/4 being unrealistic - I don't talk about gameplay. Listen to that sound engine, I think something like BF Bad Company 2 sound engine would be possible to adapt by a dedicated sound team (with tweaked distance sound obviously). Im not here to bash anyone but I talk about facts. While stereo sounds and filters are nice - it is nothing new, groundbreaking in the game industry. Well, screw "the groundbreaking" - it has to be said that sound engine is not on pair with games from 2010. Sound samples are really top notch but you can hear how they struggle when these are processed by the sound engine. Sound flanging is one of the major immersion killers in here.BTW. Maybe in ArmA 4 <troll_mode_off> :p

I think the ArmA 1 could be have been a much higher success if it had good sounds. ArmA 2 had better sounds still not at the mods level. Now it seems that the individual sounds are much better but the balance and overall usage still full of flaws.

[Zorg_DK 10]

It really annoys me that you can't hear gun shots very far away, I hope BI will increase the audible ranges.

[Steakslim 1]

It really annoys me that you can't hear gun shots very far away, I hope BI will increase the audible ranges.

That goes for a number of sounds, even vehicle sounds that you could hear from a distance are quiet or silent.

[Zorg_DK 10]

That goes for a number of sounds, even vehicle sounds that you could hear from a distance are quiet or silent.

Yes, it's obvious that it needs tweaking.

[Smurf 12]

I think is too late now to expect major improvements on this, sadly.

Why?

It's not an engine limitation; It's not lack of good professionals (or at least I hope); Time? The 2012 game's reimagination can't be the excuse for this; Is it by design?

[Zorg_DK 10]

I'd imagine it's a matter of fine tuning some variables/settings?

[karbiner 11]

Havent read the whole thread but anyway: Them helicopters sound pathetic! Only the Mi-48 sounds halfway decent but all the others sound like weak chirping chirpchirps.. Its almost insulting towards ArmA 2 where the choppers where loud and thumping machines!

[Smurf 12]

Look at this start; the ingame videos is not even on and I'm already shitting my pants:

Sounds in this type of game should be scary not complacent or "cool".

Another thing that was brought earlier in this thread, High Dynamic Range Sound. Is it possible?

[tremanarch 6]

i dont understand why sound samples should be stereo? its a mono source the placement in the world should rendered to our ears independeendly and so be "stereo" .. but stereo soundfiles to start with is wrong by design.

[NeuroFunker 11]

stereo sounds were made, to avoid making echoing, reverberation filtering in real time. And mono sounds alone, do sound very low end in a 2013 game. I think thats not a big deal, to simply convert the files to mono later, if necessary, when they finally going to implement real time echo and reverberation.

[fragmachine 12]

Directional sound is still awful. I can't for the life of me hear shots fired, vehicles etc. in left channel, if i turn to the sound source with the right channel it is loud as hell.

i dont understand why sound samples should be stereo? its a mono source the placement in the world should rendered to our ears independeendly and so be "stereo" ***.. but stereo soundfiles to start with is wrong by design.

Stereo sounds could be only in use when we directly look in front of the soundsource. If we turn to the left or right it should became mono.

Example:

Looking in front of the soundsource 100% Stereo

Looking slightly to the left 40% L channel 60% R channel

The problem is to not make things loud as hell in one of the mono channel and to not make the other muted it should be balanced.

When I mean 40% L channel 60% R channel I dont mean 40% L channel master volume - but only that one certain - vehicle engine sound or rifle firing.

Even if we turn completely to the left that way right channel will face the soundsource, left channel still should recieve sound coming from the soundsource (to some degree, plus additionally and desperately needed for that lone channel from different directions (btw. the sound is reflexing off nearby trees, buildings and comeback to its source). Otherwise it won't sound natural.

stereo sounds were made, to avoid making echoing, reverberation filtering in real time. And mono sounds alone, do sound very low end in a 2013 game. I think thats not a big deal, to simply convert the files to mono later, if necessary, when they finally going to implement real time echo and reverberation.

Even if there won't be vanilla dynamic audio - there is nothing to worry about. Look up Advanced Combat Sound Environment - they are working on A3 sound engine extension. It will have it's default sounds but it will be possible for soundmodders to make their own dynamic soundmod.

-Indoor sounds

-distance script

-different interior/exterior vehicle sounds (feature for ArmA2, already possible in A3)

-different environmental settings (forest, forest with buildings nearby, desert, desert with buildings nearby, urban, field).

-dynamic echoing and reverbering

-speed of sound simulation

-occlusion

-doppler (i believe it was mentioned in some of the posts by the author - zGuba was implementing the script)

-many more to come :)

It is FPS friendly as the author states.

Also it is worth to look into JSRS2.0 by LordJarhead. His soundsamples are far superior to vanilla and by what he said scripter that works with him on the mod has made great improvements towards old ArmA2 version. We will see :)

Edited August 30, 2013 by fragmachine

[Zorg_DK 10]

In case the devs are not aware, sometimes you can't hear radio talk when you're inside vehicles.

[spanishsurfer 58]

JSRS is the solution to all audio problems in Arma.

[Steakslim 1]

JSRS is the solution to all audio problems in Arma.

it's a work around, a very nice work around, but truly a solution would need to come from BIS. There's only so much that jarhead can do, hopefully the new sound tech and scripts in arma3 will give him a lot to work with.

[spanishsurfer 58]

Have you tried his recent update for arma 3? Sounds pretty damn good, what does it matter if its a workaround or not? I wouldn't put my hopes on BIS for a soundfix, 10 years with this game now and sound has NEVER been their focus.

[Steakslim 1]

dont' get me wrong I love jsrs and i'm loving his current wip, but most can agree any fixes/additions from bis is more than welcome.

[Lucasmnunesk 2]

The main issue i have with the sounds is that sometimes i can't hear enemy fire but still hear the cracks, and most times it happens i don't believe they are that far that would make the shot sound being inaudible, but i didn't saw anyone complaining about this on the forums... So is anyone with me here?

[Zorg_DK 10]

My main gripe also, rifle sounds cut out at like 300-400 meters (?). Not exactly how it is in reality. :)

Edited August 30, 2013 by Zorg_DK

[ScratcH334 10]

My main gripe also, rifles sounds cut out at like 300-400 meters (?). Not exactly how it is in reality. :)

I think it's even less, more like everything over 100 or 150 meters... which is quite annoying, especially when you want to create a scenario with an atmosphere of a large battle going on. No distant gunshot sounds, not even as ambient sound...

[heruon 1]

The main issue i have with the sounds is that sometimes i can't hear enemy fire but still hear the cracks, and most times it happens i don't believe they are that far that would make the shot sound being inaudible, but i didn't saw anyone complaining about this on the forums... So is anyone with me here?

I'm totally with you! Read a few pages back, it's been talked about. You can also vote for the ticket second from the bottom in my sig :)

[Lucasmnunesk 2]

I'm totally with you! Read a few pages back, it's been talked about. You can also vote for the ticket second from the bottom in my sig :)

Thanks for point this out for me, was thinking to make a ticket for it, just was checking if it was a isolated issue and i don't know a lot about weapons in real life. I've read vaguely about it but never saw a real discussion.

Hope it is a know issue, i saw some large improvement on sounds when they launched Altis, so i believe for launch these things will be resolved! Voted the tickets!

[Zorg_DK 10]

Maybe a dev can chime in on this issue?

[afp 1]

The main issue i have with the sounds is that sometimes i can't hear enemy fire but still hear the cracks, and most times it happens i don't believe they are that far that would make the shot sound being inaudible, but i didn't saw anyone complaining about this on the forums... So is anyone with me here?

I've never heard in real gunfire shooting in my direction but I'm pretty sure that cracks are highly exaggerated while you don't hear the gunshot sound almost at all. However, I have been in a city during extensive firefights and the distant sounds where less like cracks and more like "boom"s, pretty much like here:

This is not how it is in ArmA right now... I suppose there are enough people here that can help adjust the balance of cracks and gunfire sounds to make it more real.

[fragmachine 12]

IMO LordJarhead making his dynamic soundmod with his own scripts and possibilities that ACSE offer - would be mindblowing! But im not so sure if he will want to make his version for ACSE in the future when it will be released. I know that he makes his soundmod version for various mods so I can see possibility.

I've never heard in real gunfire shooting in my direction but I'm pretty sure that cracks are highly exaggerated while you don't hear the gunshot sound almost at all. However, I have been in a city during extensive firefights and the distant sounds where less like cracks and more like "boom"s, pretty much like here:

This is not how it is in ArmA right now... I suppose there are enough people here that can help adjust the balance of cracks and gunfire sounds to make it more real.

In urbanised area there is alot distant directional echoes caused by the gunfire. If not overdone it could sound authentic.