Forums » General Pantheon Discussion

Community Debate - Game Sound, how important is it to you

    • 28 posts
    February 8, 2020 12:39 AM PST

    stellarmind said:

    monk:  ohm and thwapish

     

    OK you got me, what does thwapish sound like?

     

     

    • 416 posts
    February 8, 2020 12:15 PM PST

    Vandraad said:

    Kilsin said:

    Community Debate - Game Sound, how important is it to you, do you have it on or turn it off and why? #MMORPG #CommunityMatters

    Music is off.  It's nice to hear the first time, but after that it is just repetitious and annoying.

    As for environmental, atmospheric, combat, etc, I like to have that on but at a level that doesn't interfer with voice comms.  Positional audio can greatly expand your awareness of your surroundings as well as telegraphing actions to which you might need to respond. 

    Awareness in these games is built upon 3 options:  Visual, Text and Sound.  If you're facing off against an NPC, a cleric class NPC for example, you want to be mindful of it trying to cast a heal.  If you're looking right at the NPC you will see the spell effects, see the 'A_Cleric_NPC begins to cast Heal' in your chat window and you'll hear the sound of the spell.  Face away from the NPC and you still have 2 means by which you can know what is happening.  You might be in a situation where an NPC comes up behind you and starts to cast a spell, you'll see the text and hear the spell.

    Sound is a critical means by which you can be notified of your surroundings and is one that I find I am more attuned to.

    Vandraad sums up my sound preferences perfectly.

    • 1428 posts
    February 8, 2020 2:34 PM PST

    gertdoggy said:

    stellarmind said:

    monk:  ohm and thwapish

     

    OK you got me, what does thwapish sound like?

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_AJTgxBqpg

    bruce lee thwap fluflufluflulufsh whap phfth pthft woaaatahh

    • 287 posts
    February 8, 2020 8:24 PM PST

    I like to play with the TV on in the background so usually have game sound muted

    • 1399 posts
    February 8, 2020 10:20 PM PST

    I think more important than the actual sounds are the volume controls for each and how they relate from zone (area) to zone. I want ambiance music faint in the background, but I don't want to have to keep adjusting it every time I enter a new area.

    I disagree and am not concerned about "balance" in a lot of combat issues in an mmo, but volume for the different types of sound, that's a balance I can be concerned about.


    This post was edited by Zorkon at February 8, 2020 10:21 PM PST
    • 124 posts
    February 13, 2020 6:09 AM PST

    For me it depends on the function of the music. 9 out of 10 times i will be listening my own music while i play, or have no music playing since i need to communicate to my friends in the group (voice programs). 

    In games where sounds play a vital role to my succes or failure, ill have it turned on, ofcourse to an acceptable level so that the rest of my household doesn't get the same triggers. In past MMO's, about the first month that i keep the sounds on, after that they're off.

    The weather system in Pantheon from what i've seen tho could however convert me to keeping my sound on if it means i'm more likely to survive ;)

    • 7 posts
    February 13, 2020 6:23 AM PST

    I usually cut the music way down.  I don't need that as much.  But the ambient and combat sounds are vital to immersion

    • 888 posts
    February 17, 2020 8:33 AM PST
    Great sound is rare, but can absolutely make a game immersive. Diablo I's sounds and soundtrack absolutely had that effect. The music was so good I actually bought the soundtrack.

    Far too many games have too many sounds or are too loud / busy. Most sounds should be background to allow important sounds to stand out. In Diablo, the sound of a ring dropping really stood out. It had a great hollowness to the sound design.

    I completely tune out too many games--they sound like a 4 year old playing with a soundboard. This makes these games less immersive and thus less real feeling.
    • 133 posts
    February 17, 2020 10:30 AM PST

    If the sound is done right, I will listen to it for a while. Most times, if I am not listening to my Husband speak or for something else, then I will have it going for a bit. Usually by the end, the music gets grating and repetitive and can get annoying; so I will usually put my own music on and play like that. Ambient sound is what usually keeps me interested in a zone or area. While the initial music, again if done right, gets me very interested in a zone or area, the ambient sound of it keeps me there to see what else I can hear. Will I hear the reeds in the wind, will they whisper and sing? will I hear the snow crunch beneath my feet? Will I hear a babbling brook off in the distance? Will I hear different creatures at different times of the day and night? Will I hear the thunder off in the mountains and the rain hitting the tree canopy? All of these types of things are what keep me interested in an area. I will easily stay in an area just to hear what other ambient sound I can hear.

    • 2 posts
    February 17, 2020 10:36 AM PST

    I love good orchestral music. The EQ2 Commonlands theme is one of my favorites. 

    • 217 posts
    February 17, 2020 12:09 PM PST

    I will echo what Vandraad said.