PlanetSide 2 Audio & Music - Page 2

Lonehunter · 2012-05-25, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by Rodney Gates

We're just starting to make use of some DSP in game, such as low and high pass filtering, different reverb settings based on distance, etc.

I think this is what my question had to deal with. Will ground forces be able to hear the firing of larger projectiles from a distance? Like Tanks on the ridge, Libs behind the clouds, can I hear a distant thud before the streaking boom?

ringring · 2012-05-25, 09:39 AM

Welcome and good job.

I was going to ask about faction distinction in the sounds but reading further down the threas you answered before I asked.

Brilliant!

Pozidriv · 2012-05-25, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Rodney Gates

Thank you all,

The big thing we are focusing on now is faction distinction - from the weaponry, bullet flybys, vehicles, etc. We want to you to know who is firing at you on the battlefield without having to even see them.

The game is in 5.1 surround and depending on your hardware, will also decode in Dolby Surround and DTS.

We've taken care to ensure that you as the player will be treated like any of the major shooters out there that we can be compared to. Your weapons are powerful 2D stereo with some subwoofer kick thrown in for good measure. Your first-person vehicle cockpits are in 4.0 quad that you can snap out to third-person exterior with the audio following suit. From the ground as a soldier on foot, the vehicles sound even more different still; more aggressive, with doppler and engine distance treatment.

We're just starting to make use of some DSP in game, such as low and high pass filtering, different reverb settings based on distance, etc.

There is a lot of crossfading of 3D audio files you'll hear in the world, with close and distant treatments that will differentiate how far the sounds play from you. I can tell you the play tests are starting to sound fantastic as we get things tuned up! :-)

A lot of this tech didn't exist in our game engine before PlanetSide 2, so we're excited to be bringing this level of attention and quality to SOE's players.

We will be planning an official announcement on the music for the game soon enough - but I can tell you this: You will be treated to three soundtracks in the game, depending on what faction you play, with very distinct music styles for each.

Exciting stuff - stay tuned!

- Rodney

The bolded part is something i am really liking! (among all the other goodies ofcourse)

How the battlefield sounds is something that can make or break a whole level of immersion IMO. The only games that have had a high attention to audio detail (that i know of) have been the Battlefield series from BC1 - BC2 and BF3.

I can still remember the crazy firefights i had in BC1 and BC2, with good quality headphones and wartapes on (an audio setting) it was just pure eargasm

.

Personally im hoping for something like this for the audio and feel for TR, if you can't fire 900 rpm then you are doing it wrong!

Also, words cannot describe how i feel about all the detail you are adding to the sound department, so i will let this express my feelings.

SurgeonX · 2012-05-25, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Rodney Gates

Thank you all,

The big thing we are focusing on now is faction distinction - from the weaponry, bullet flybys, vehicles, etc. We want to you to know who is firing at you on the battlefield without having to even see them.

That's great to hear Rodney, the attention to detail sounds pretty astonishing.

Even from the canon clip that Gary posted up the other month, you can tell that faction distinction is something you are all working towards.
So I'm really pleased that this is being extended across the board.

For anyone who missed it.
Can you work it out?

http://soundcloud.com/injectedsenses/cannon-comparisons

cryosin · 2012-05-26, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by Rodney Gates

Thank you all,

The big thing we are focusing on now is faction distinction - from the weaponry, bullet flybys, vehicles, etc. We want to you to know who is firing at you on the battlefield without having to even see them.

The game is in 5.1 surround and depending on your hardware, will also decode in Dolby Surround and DTS.

We've taken care to ensure that you as the player will be treated like any of the major shooters out there that we can be compared to. Your weapons are powerful 2D stereo with some subwoofer kick thrown in for good measure. Your first-person vehicle cockpits are in 4.0 quad that you can snap out to third-person exterior with the audio following suit. From the ground as a soldier on foot, the vehicles sound even more different still; more aggressive, with doppler and engine distance treatment.

We're just starting to make use of some DSP in game, such as low and high pass filtering, different reverb settings based on distance, etc.

There is a lot of crossfading of 3D audio files you'll hear in the world, with close and distant treatments that will differentiate how far the sounds play from you. I can tell you the play tests are starting to sound fantastic as we get things tuned up! :-)

A lot of this tech didn't exist in our game engine before PlanetSide 2, so we're excited to be bringing this level of attention and quality to SOE's players.

We will be planning an official announcement on the music for the game soon enough - but I can tell you this: You will be treated to three soundtracks in the game, depending on what faction you play, with very distinct music styles for each.

Exciting stuff - stay tuned!

- Rodney

5.1 surround is gonna rock thanks for keeping us posted

Pyreal · 2012-05-25, 08:29 AM

/e cheer

Good sounds add so much to a game! I still remember the sound of the beach at Hebian-to in Asheron's Call.

Glad to know there an emphasis on having good sound effects.

Thanks guys!

kertvon · 2012-05-25, 08:32 AM

Awesome work with the sounds. I see you stated there will be announcements pertaining to the soundtrack, but can you verify the original theme song(or modified variant) will be in the game?

I loved this theme song!:

**Rodney Gates** · 2012-05-25, 10:57 AM

You won't be disappointed! :-)

**Rodney Gates** · 2012-05-25, 10:59 AM

Hmm, that didn't work - I was replying to kertvon about the PlanetSide theme, but it stuck my post at the end of the thread.

Sledgecrushr · 2012-05-25, 08:37 AM

Ok now I have a reason to buy a good sound card and some bad assed surround sound speakers.

Novacane · 2012-05-25, 08:45 AM

The audio really does sound excellent from what videos have been out there. It's always good when you can feel those explosions and the throatiness of an engine as it goes by. It adds tons of depth to the world.

**Rodney Gates** · 2012-05-25, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Sledgecrushr

Ok now I have a reason to buy a good sound card and some bad assed surround sound speakers.

Sledge, indeed you should! The game runs surround natively if you hook up all of those mini-jack speaker outputs you find on most computers nowadays, or if you use one of the sound cards out there that has Dolby Live or DTS encoding enabled.

We use Auzentech sound cards for our PCs running through Pioneer receivers that decode whatever signals we send it from the sound card's control panel (we often flip between Dolby / DTS / and PCM stereo to check fold-down).

- Rodney

onwee · 2012-05-25, 11:16 AM

Like many others, I just wanted to say thanks for paying attention to detail and doing a very good job. I LOVE the idea of distinct sounds between factions.

It seems like every aspect of this game is getting a lot of attention from some of the best people in the industry. That makes me feel good as a player, and makes me realize that the team really cares about the game just as much as many of the players.

I think you all know you're about to finish something that is groundbreaking. You're not cutting any corners, especially sound development.

Again, thanks and good job. Going to go change my diaper now.

TerminatorUK · 2012-07-20, 02:46 AM

Originally Posted by Rodney Gates

Sledge, indeed you should! The game runs surround natively if you hook up all of those mini-jack speaker outputs you find on most computers nowadays, or if you use one of the sound cards out there that has Dolby Live or DTS encoding enabled.

We use Auzentech sound cards for our PCs running through Pioneer receivers that decode whatever signals we send it from the sound card's control panel (we often flip between Dolby / DTS / and PCM stereo to check fold-down).

- Rodney

Awesome - I knew my investment in an Auzentech X-Fi Home Theatre HD was a good idea

By far the best sound card I've ever owned - quality is simply amazing (better than the X-Fi Xtreme Music it replaced by a mile)

One bit of feedback - I did feel that in Higby's latest gameplay video that the Vanguard's engine noise lacked any 'roar' to it...

CrystalViolet · 2012-05-25, 08:55 AM

The game is sounding really good from the bits I've seen. The DSP stuff sounds really exciting, especially the low-passing to convey a convincing sense of proximity. It's always very noticeable when games use a "close" and a "far" set of sounds with no real transition between the 2. Variable low passing is a great way to handle this problem.

Also, can't wait to hear the music.