Audio Dev Letter – Forum Discussion - June 24, 2024

Thank you for the update. Sound is quite an important part of the PlanetSide experience. We appreciate that you are getting to know the game (and hopefully enjoying it) as you work to expand and improve it.

Going to chime in and cherry-pick the topics of interest or relevance. I'll make it as cut and dry as possible.

Yes... I understand how the Audio Department is going to want to work on music. However, out of all the concerns this game has, music is by far the least important. I say this simply because most gamers at this point turn in-game music off, and would rather listen to their own third-party genre of music while playing.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Find something else that players can directly benefit from and enjoy.

Despite my harsh criticism above, I wish to offer a compliment to their redesign of the M20 Basilisk, G40 Ranger and Skyguard sound effects. These quality-of-life improvements were wholly unexpected when I first encountered them on the PTR.

Matter of fact... The SFX redesign during the Sunderer Update wasn't even mentioned in the notes. I am glad I noticed them and offered praise when I had realized they were introduced.

Although I had offered praise in a previous thread regarding the SFX, but I'll offer it once again. Excellent work, they sound great.

There is a dilemma to this request... Many weapons, particularly vehicle weapons, require a redesign or revamp. Why make new weapon sounds and then have that weapon feel the same or obsolete?

Keep in mind this is but a few examples from many weapons in PS2 that just feel unremarkable.

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The Hellion G20 Nosegun for the Valkyrie.

• Yes, the audio redesign sounds better than it once was. However... Very few Valkyrie pilots use it. Why? Because the damage, range, low projectile velocity and exposure time remains dismal as it always has.
  
  
• Result? Every Valkyrie pilot continues using the Valkyrie Pelter Rocket Pod. Why? Because the Hellion G20 still feels underwhelming even if the Audio team did work upon it. Behold, a half-baked potato.

The M20 Drake Tailgun for the Liberator.

• The M20 Drake had its sound redesigned recently alongside the M20 Basilisk. Although I am pleased with its new sound, the problem is... it remains the same old M20 Drake Tailgun. The M20 Drake is a single-barrel heavy machinegun. There is nothing overwhelmingly remarkable or exciting about it for those who use it... And that's the problem - a gunship should feel like a gunship.
  
  
• If I was a Dev... I'd take the M20 Drake Tailgun for the Liberator, replace its model with the M20 Wyvern (from the Valkyrie) and give it explosive ammo like the L-24R Spur Maingun for the Liberator. Why? Because the Liberator isn't a solo vehicle. The Liberator is a crew-served vehicle which is ideally utilized through teamwork and the M20 Drake Tailgun remains underwhelming despite the improved sound effects it has obtained. Once again... A gunship should feel like a gunship.

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Oh... And my last bit of advice for the Audio Department...

Before you create or edit any sound... First check to see if it has been in existence since PlanetSide 1. If the weapon existed since PlanetSide 1, take the essence of that original sound file and try to recreate it as much as possible in good taste in the modern era.

After all these years, many weapons are unrecognizable to the unique sounds of their predecessors - a failure upon former Dev's.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSFlThBMX8I

These are sound guys, not core gameplay dev guys.

They are employed regardless, and are attempting to refresh the game in the areas of their expertise - you know, audio stuff? Not core gameplay dynamics.



I've listened to the in-game music since 2012. I have on occasion listened to third party music but it's not often. I'd welcome a music refresh, especially for NC.

I like the sound updates that the sound team has made with the weapons. Most of them sound a bit richer. Some maybe even a little more realistic. As far as the music soundtrack you made it nice. Sounds great. However when I play I prefer to hear the pitter patter of the feet of my enemy, the sounds of the infiltrator turning the cloak on and off, the sounds of what weapons are being used in my Area of Operations. In other words the battle sounds of the game. The game music is turned very low to zero most of the time.

The sounds in the different chats are important to me too. This game needs better communications. The game should force a specific voice level for everyone so they don't have to be adjusted on a daily basis. Make it a server solution not a client one for each coms channel so at client side we can increase/decrease to what we want to hear. I should not have to hit the plus or minus keys to adjust everyone I talk with on a daily basis.

It is good to see you devs are working on the game and giving more compressive details on what you have done and what you are doing. Thanks

so yall just took scrapped audio that wrel made but didnt wanna use and then added it now? huh.

Considering the roadmap and forums, I cannot find a mass out calling for new audio. Anyone else notice that this was not something people were looking for in recent developments?

Because FPS or poor Construction interferes with the game. But with old sounds and sometimes its disappearance, it doesn’t really ruin the game.

So you guys asked for thoughts... Matter of fact, I've got one for you. Something actually worthwhile. I'd dare say this suggestion is ambitious - an actual project even for the Audio Devs to handle.

But first, listen to this little story...

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Upon one late night on Hossin at Nason's Defiance, an epiphany had struck me. While running across the open Courtyard outside, I found myself audibly surrounded by enemy gunfire and explosions. Yet, I was wholly unable to discern if the enemy gunfire was around the corner of a nearby wall outside, or simply part of the cacophony of gunfire in the basement below me at the "C" Point indoors.

That's when the realization hit me...

... PlanetSide 2 does not have any form of sound effects for weapons and explosives while they are used indoors. There's no muffling, no distortion and no echo within its buildings, structures and hallways.

There's no way to audibly tell if the enemy is firing from indoors or outdoors. It is identical with no difference.

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You want a serious suggestion? Well, there you have it. Have the Audio Dev's embark on a project to design a system where whenever players are within a known building or structure, the SFX switches over to indoor audio for a more immersive gameplay experience.

Even a basic and generalized system would be a noticeable improvement.

Its great to see the game getting updated and a good updated while your team learns the game coding,

Is there anything that can be shared regrading if any of these updates being worked on will make it to PS2 on console? as the game hasn't been updated in a long time.

You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Much of the Audio issues PS2 is currently facing is obviously when they switched over from DX9 to DX11. Many of the audio files were simply not updated to supplement the changes.

#1 50% of the gaming experience is actually audio. If you can't solve latency and performance. Nothing else matters. Stability and playability are imperative points to keep in place.

Examples:

-Getting shot at and not even hearing the weapons fire both from infantry or vehicles. Dying instantly from a tank shell and the explosion noise hit after you had already died can be a aggravating experience, same goes with the guns.

-Sounds stutters as population level increase beyond 48+.

-Directional sound based on distance and trying to differentiate what is hostile towards you from projectiles can often get muffled and trying to figure out distance of shots from long to close often confusing.

-Vehicles able to run you over and you never hear them coming till after they run you over or fly over you or at you.

-A footstep sound system that needs serious updating.

#2 There are plenty of music scores that can be drafted over from the original Planetside game or digitally remastered.

#3 Give vehicles and aircraft some balls when your driving them. Screeching of tires at dead stop, better sounds of aircraft on take off, descending, afterburning, clunky tank noises that tanks make such as track noises, magrider hover noises need to be improved.

4. I've said it for years. Attachments, attachments, attachments. Different barrels with different noises. Why just one suppressor? There should be so many variations. Your dizzy.

i think a revamp on the audio system is most welcome. the two gentlemen above described quite nicely the issues, it's pointless to enumerate the same thing. directional sound was always trash, hopefully the new guys do better.

Because in the game, the sound travels right through the walls. An explosion above you would feel like an explosion near you, rather than a vibration from the ceiling with the muffled sound of explosion. Every sound whether it's a voice or a gunshot feels the same if it's above, near or under you despite the thickness of the concrete between you and the source of the said sound.

And I do agree with you, my dear Amador, if the sound team would like a challenge, here it is, right there - sound physics.

And I also join myself to your complements : skyguard and basilisk sounds were, indeed, an improvement, at least for my taste.
However, seeing the way the updates are done, I'd say they were a lucky strike.

When will you guys look into the bullet impact and explosion sound effects?
For attempts to improve immersion? To amplify the sounds of war. The underwater sound effects may give an idea here.
You know, rather than making a random gun go dee dee, instead of doo doo.
Though this request won't be easy, it may take multiple updates and it'll never be perfected.

Oh yes! And engine sound effects, I see some bring it up here... That should definitely be looked into. Hearing engine sounds more clearly will definitely add to gameplay.

The cheating on the Asian server has become rampant, seriously damaging the normal gaming experience of players and causing the vast majority of people to retreat. The Vanu camp even has less than 100 players online during prime time. You must start taking action now, otherwise this game will be completely destroyed soon.
I have a way to limit cheating to the maximum extent possible, as long as you have the ability to implement it. You can set up a voting and kicking program, where any squad leader from any faction can initiate a vote to kick a player suspected of cheating out of the server. Then, the most recent hour's data of that player will be displayed to all squad leaders with 6 or more teammates in all factions. The squad leaders will decide whether to kick out the suspected player. Once the approval rate exceeds 60%, the suspected player will be kicked out of the server and banned for 24 hours for verification.
This method can completely restrict high-profile cheaters.