Advanced Sound Effects

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Yes, definetly!

54 (78.3%)

Don't care really.

10 (14.5%)

What ever

3 (4.3%)

Nope!

2 (2.9%)

Total Members Voted: 66

[Lighthouse]

Hi all,

I was just looking at COBERA's post a while back (http://www.shipsim.com/ShipSimForum/index.php/topic,484.0.html) and then today it hit me, I wonder if these sound effects issues members requested on his topic page could be added to the game in a patch?

So please have your say,

Would you like a patch to be released that will improve the games current sound quality?

For example,

Your sailing in rough seas and when your ship or small vessel such as the pilot boat goes over the top of one wave the ship structure, creaks and groans as it slams into the next wave. Along with the russeling of water on the windsheild.

All comments welcome and please leave here also your request on what new sound effects you'd like in the proposed patch.

Bon Voyage,

Lighthouse

[Lighthouse]

Hiya,

Come on guys, surely you what some sort of patch that improves the sound quality of Ship Simulator.
If I have to I'll get this topic going, okay?

I personally would like to maybe see the simulator using EAX. Its a type of sound software that most modern sound cards utilize and it works out what sort of sound you need depending on where you are.

For example: If you were sailing through a narrow river or in a tight space such as in between buildings with the tug let's say, the engine would be vibrated and reverbed in just the right amount to give realism and depth to it. Many games have already incorporate this.

Also like what I said in my first post, when sailing a small vessel in rough seas as the vessel goes over the top of one wave the ship structure, creaks and groans as it slams into the next wave. Along with the russeling of water on the windsheild, I'd really like this to be added.

Once again all comments welcome and please leave here also your request on what new sound effects you'd like in the proposed patch.

So if I haven't made it clear already, the things i'd like to see in a new sound effects patch would be the use of EAX and advance sound effects such as creaks, groans and russeling of the water on the windsheild.

Bon Voyage,

Lighthouse

[Mad_Fred]

Well, it's a bit pointless to have polls like this one, but yeah, of course....

I think EVERYONE would say yes if they told you the game or sim you love to play would become better...

So better sound, better looks, better effects, better physics, better frame rates, better, nice, bigger, faster, smoother whatever would always be welcome.. And anyone that does not agree, is a nuttcase. 

I think VSTEP allready do all they can to make their product better and better. And also think they allready pretty much know about things like EAX because a load of other games and sims have allready used it for quite a while, so I reckon they don't really need lists of possible feature requests.

Fred

[Lighthouse]

Mad_Fred,

How is this poll pointless?? I'm asking the forum population if they would like a patch to be release, which will improve the sound quality of the sim.

That said, you've had your say which I appriciated and am greatful for as you've given your point of view while I have mine.

Oh and I two believe that should a patch be released it will with out a doubt not only make this simulator better but additionally more realistic.

With the matter regarding the EAX program I was just suggesting that this software should be used in this proposed patch as like i said, it changes the sound depending on you location and surroundings, which once again adds a hint of realisim.

Bon Voyage,

Lighthouse

[Mad_Fred]

Well what I mean with pointless is, that I think there is only one answer possible to your question, and as such a poll is pointless.

Don't get me wrong, I am with you. I would applaud more realisme, I would love to have this sim get better all the time.

But as I said, I think EVERYONE would.  No one would say "no thank you!"  if they offer them a patch to make the game better.  That's just what I wanted to say. The people that say they don't care or even don't agree, sure wont pass up on a patch when they are offered, so they just voted dumb.

[mvsmith]

Using advanced sound can also be a big headache for VSTEP, and keep DJM very busy.
 Take Trainz, for instance, which delivers six-channel surround sound. Countless posts complained that the sound was dropping out. In many cases, players who had only two speakers had their computers configured, incorrectly, for surround sound. The result was that often sounds were sent to non-existent speakers.

This would also open a can of worms concerning the compatibility of sound cards and on-board systems.

To be really effective, EAX requires multi-channel surround speakers, as well as a subwoofer. Not everyone has the gear to benefit from it.
I think that, at this moment, a cost/benefit analysis would put advanced sound at the bottom of the queue.
Marty

[shipfan55]

http://www.sounddogs.com/   Tat website haz gawt frekkin aawwwsuuumh sound uff-ects.'dem soundz's iz grate. (Translation from tenneessean**:that webist has got frikkin awesome soun effects. the souns are great.)

Regurdz,
 sh!pf@n55

[Lighthouse]

Mad_Fred,

I see what ya mean now, it's pointless because most likely everone would say they want this patch, right okay, got lost in translation there.

Despite being pointless I though this topic might give VSTEP a few hints on what patch us players would like next, sure this topic in due time will go dead but I just hope someone from VSTEP looks at this poll and see how many people would actually like to have a new sound effects patch, and take into account what new features they (us players) would like in this patch.

For me it be the EAX software since I have surround sound speakers and a subwoofer  as well as the creaks and groans I suggested in my first post on this topic.

Bon Voyage,

Lighthouse

[mvsmith]

At my age, I have enough creaks and groans, thank you.

[Lighthouse]

Hiya,

Ha, Ha that's a good one Mvsmith.

Anyway I'm back here on this topic to make one final feature request for this patch that I am suggesting. I've heard on many topic pages that there is an issue with the start up of the vessels engines. From what I gather when you start the vessels engines it doesn't sound like an engine starting but is accually the volume level of the engine going from mute to normal levels.

So I'm sure there is alot of members out there find this to be a bother so in conclusion, The final feature that would well suit this patch is for the engine starting up sound to be more realistic rather than pure basic, mute-normal volume, it just doesn't work. So what do you guys think, would you like the features suggested on this page to be placed in a patch for download?? I've done my bit in suggesting features for this patch so now it your turn, leave a request or place a vote in the poll. From here on in it's time for you guys to have your say!

Bon Voyage,

Lighthouse

[Mad_Fred]

I don't really understand...We just list what we want and request a patch... just like that?  ...uhm.. I don't think the VSTEP people will spring into action and make whatever you would like to see just because we request these things. Any idea how many feature requests there are in total on this forum? (or indeed any other sim forum) They can never accomodate all that, specially things that are a pain in the butt to implement into the sim.

How are you gonna suggest it?.. Can you pull certain strings? influence at VSTEP?  Otherwise it will be nothing more then another wishlist as far as I am concerned, of which there are countless allready. With stuff they may eventually implement, but not because we request it as a patch, but because it's a logical step in their progress of making the sim better. And as said above, it's not like implementing something that takes them a day or two, some of this stuff is a pain in the butt to get working flawlessly.

No matter what we all vote for or say, I think it has much less impact on VSTEP than you obviously think. We don't make the plans, we only have suggestions and ideas. They decide what they do, or what is plausible on short or long term. Sure they will listen to their customers to an extend, but I could make 20 lists of features that would make a nice patch, doesn't mean they'll drop what they are doing to give it to us. Well, that's my 2 cents anyway.

So yeah, it's good to keep those ideas coming along, but don't get your hopes up for a quick fix, is all I am saying.

Fred

[Lighthouse]

Mad_Fred,

Ok, if that's what ya want to call it, This page is just yet another request page isn't it??!! And where's this idea of VSTEP spring into action? I never suggested VSTEP should stop what their doing to make this patch, all that I said was that I hope, HOPE that VSTEP would think about creating this patch to improve the sound quality of the simulator, isn't that what you've been saying Mad_Fred, for this game to get better?? How do you think VSTEP will fix or improve the simulator if the don't hear consumer feedback??!!

Look, you have your opinion and I have mine, I created this topic for users to suggest what sound effects they would like in a new patch. Notice I said would, fine VSTEP may never create this patch but I believe this is the only way for VSTEP to get any idea of what us consumers of there product would like in the simulator.

I hope things are all clear now!

Bon Voyage,

Lighthouse

[Mad_Fred]

Yeah I know what you mean, sorry, I didnt mean to come off all negative, forgive me.

[Lighthouse]

Mad_Fred,

It's good we both got our say in and no need to be sorry about the negative comments, we all have a few of them now and then

I'm glad you accually see where I'm going with this post as this is usually the same way you go with yours, with matters regarding what we would like in the game for future improvement.

May I ask out of curiousity, is there any specific mod. you'd like if this patch should ever be created? No, not really?

Bon Voyage,

Lighthouse

[Mad_Fred]

Well I don't have the equipment to benefit frokm EAX fully, but I wouldn't mind if they would use it..

But other than that, I would just like to have the sounds be more realistic... more alive, if you will.

The horns sound fake, they should have some reverb. There could indead be some creaking and moaning in heavier conditions and yeah water spraying onto the wheelhouse and those kinda things would be nice.

Also, maybe some ambient sounds. A harbor is a very busy place, apart from the ships there's tons of sounds..  Constant noises of transport and loading equipment. Other ship horns. Just stuff to make the environment more immersive and alive, if you know what I mean. Doesnt have to be much, just some more life around me.

And maybe some intergrated radio communications.. like Flightsim has with the ATC. That would make a skipper feel less alone out there.

[TerryRussell]

Hi Mad Fred and Lighthouse.

Actually the inbuilt sounds (when you're in the wheelhouse) make me feel very much not alone. They were all recorded not far from here, in Portsmouth Harbour. In fact, I know the owners of some of the voices. They feel like celebrities when I play their own voices back to them!

But, yes, some interactive sounds would be great. Some interaction with the harbourmasters in each port would be wonderful. Engine start up sounds would be excellent (they have them in the ageing MS Train Simulator, so it CAN be done).

Personally, I find Titanic's absolute lack of engine sounds to be most unreal (mind you, taking the Titanic to almost anywhere except the bottom of the Atlantic is most unreal). Some really deep, throbbing engine noises would be much better. Anyone know how this might be done?

As a suggestion for a business model, perhaps VSTEP could consider charging a modest amount for all future upgrades and improvements. If that helped finance more and better upgrades, I'd be happy to pay. Don't do it for free, chaps. Your efforts have real value. Charge for the input, please.

[Mad_Fred]

Actually the inbuilt sounds (when you're in the wheelhouse) make me feel very much not alone. They were all recorded not far from here, in Portsmouth Harbour. In fact, I know the owners of some of the voices. They feel like celebrities when I play their own voices back to them!

Yes, the radio chatter.. but I don't have that on, because after ten times, the repetitious nature of the recordings get a bit old, to be honest.

And the fact that they are really not suited for every other environment doesn't make me a big fan of those either. Was fun to have them on for a while, but I got bored with them. Same stuff over and over and over, specially on longer missions, which I prefer.

So now I usually put some music on instead.

[TerryRussell]

Fortunately, I can turn on the handheld ships radio I have here and listen to real-life chatter.

But I have recorded a number of diferent messages and turned them into mp3, which I believe ShipSim can use.

I am just writing a small program which will swap the sounds while the game is playing. That should stop the repetition. I will tie that program to a scheduled task in Windows, (run every 5 minutes) which will cause the program to select new sounds (from a list or at random) and swap it/them with the existing chatter files in the ShipSim folder.

It should also make the existing chatter sounds run in their proper sequence (one set tells a complete story about a near collission with the outer distance marker and the accusations that fly until the culprit - who is known to Queens Harbour Master - says sorry).

If this works OK (not quite finished yet) then perhaps we could collect sounds from people living near the actual Port locations, and set up a sound bank? Would anyone be interested?

[Traddles]

Personally, I find Titanic's absolute lack of engine sounds to be most unreal

Terry, the "Titanic" was a steamship and would really have been very quiet. The only noisy steamships were turbine driven and they whined terribly. Most people nowadays are used to motor ships which do chug away, but never a steamer with triple or quadruple expansion engines.

[TerryRussell]

I stand corrected!

From titanicmovie.com:

"Titanic had stopped in Cherbourg, France to pick up additional passengers....
The seasoned transatlantic passengers were deeply impressed by the new ship. She was so massive that they barely felt the movement of the sea at all. Her huge, powerful engines produced almost none of the annoying vibration common on other steamers, and their noise was barely perceptible."

Thanks!

[Stuart2007]

As a suggestion for a business model, perhaps VSTEP could consider charging a modest amount for all future upgrades and improvements. If that helped finance more and better upgrades, I'd be happy to pay. Don't do it for free, chaps. Your efforts have real value. Charge for the input, please.

At last! Someone else with some common sense 

[Lighthouse]

But I have recorded a number of diferent messages and turned them into mp3, which I believe ShipSim can use.

I am just writing a small program which will swap the sounds while the game is playing. That should stop the repetition. I will tie that program to a scheduled task in Windows, (run every 5 minutes) which will cause the program to select new sounds (from a list or at random) and swap it/them with the existing chatter files in the ShipSim folder.

TerryRussell,

Do I read correctly, is it possiable to import custom sounds into Ship Simulator? You said your working on a small program which will swap the sounds while the game is running, what software are you using to do this? I'm really intrested in find out how it can be done.

Bon Voyage,

Lighthouse

[TerryRussell]

Hi Lighthouse.

The chatter sounds are mp3 files held in the ShipSim2008\Data\Radio folder.

They seem to be copied into another folder called "cache" when the game runs. If I swap the mp3 files before I start the game, the radio chatter is the new files!

But, I want to swap them while the game is running and that will take a bit more research.

I think it may be possible to detect the specific environment that Ship Sim is using (e.g. Solent or San Francisco etc) and swap a set of sounds that actually match that environment. At the moment this is conjecture as I haven't had time to try it out for real.

I intend to give a bash over the next week or two.

The actual program to do this can be almost anything from a command batch file (.bat) which is called up at specific times and which merely copies sound files from another location, through to something with more intelligence. I may do this in machine code (yes, it is possible to write a machine code program that works in Windows) or perhaps in Visual Basic or similar.

[Lighthouse]

TerryRussell,

That sounds quiet an interesting and some what complex task, anyway thanks for taking the time to explain it to me and good luck with converting the files to the game while it's running.

BTW feel free to post on this topic of how your going cus what you are doing is kind of an Advanced Sound effect I created this post for.

Bon Voyage,

Lighthouse

[lipslide100]