4.11 Development Update

[Lagarto]

Team, have you ever considered dealing with engine/gun sounds? Apparently there are people who like the stock stuff, so maybe the best solution would be to 'de-hardcode' these sounds and put them in folders, like the current speech packs, so that everybody has a choice? I'm sure people would quickly come up with downloadable replacement sounds, to everyone's joy

[EJGr.Ost_Caspar]

This can be misused by players (cheating)... it, however, can influence the gameplay.

Its the same with default skins.

[JimmyBlonde]

Originally Posted by Lagarto

Apparently there are people who like the stock stuff,

You must be joking right?

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by Lagarto

Team, have you ever considered dealing with engine/gun sounds? Apparently there are people who like the stock stuff, so maybe the best solution would be to 'de-hardcode' these sounds and put them in folders, like the current speech packs, so that everybody has a choice? I'm sure people would quickly come up with downloadable replacement sounds, to everyone's joy

It's not that the stock sounds are the "best ever"... it's that they are acoustically done in a proper way. They may sound aweful but they are done right. Whereas many sound mods sound great but they don't sound right from all angles or when a plane is flying in a specific situation.

Recently I've heard some better ones...but I haven't really checked them all out yet.

The other problem is that some sound samples are copyrighted (the recording, not the sound) and while it's ok for a mod team to take and modify... it's much harder for TD to authorize that officially. Not to mention that being allowed to modify sounds in the stock game could lead to cheating in competitive (or even non competitive) circles. The lengths that people will go to cheat is often incredible.

[Lagarto]

Being a dedicated offline campaigner, with practically no online flying experience, I don't quite understand how one can cheat by using a different sound engine. Anyway, it's tragic that such people through their behavior impose limitations on the game development.

[EJGr.Ost_Caspar]

Originally Posted by Lagarto

Being a dedicated offline campaigner, with practically no online flying experience, I don't quite understand how one can cheat by using a different sound engine. Anyway, it's tragic that such people through their behavior impose limitations on the game development.

I'd first just disable own engine sound, so I cannot be surprised anymore.
I agree, that this wouldn't be as intense as a pink default skin for enemy planes and I don't say, that anyone would be doing it at all... but we do care, not to leave such ways open.

[Lagarto]

Thank you Caspar very much for the explanation. It still beats me how anyone can enjoy flying with no sound and shooting at pink planes
Let me modify my original question then - is there any chance that the Team improve the hardcoded engine/gun sounds, or is it outside your scope?

[EJGr.Ost_Caspar]

Its mainly, what IceFire said. We have technical and - even more - legal restrictions. If we could handle these problems, I'd be very happy, but currently its out of our possibility.
What we need is a WW2-airwar-enthousiast, who is at the same time sound expert (means who can provide and work with legal samples - preferably recorded by himself).

EDIT: I recently bought a Medusa NX headset to work with my simple 5.1 onboard sound device, instead of my old stereo desktop speaker.
I was astonished, how nice the in game sounds are with this now! They are not only more intense on treble and bass, but I can also hear more different sounds.

I know, it is still not sounding like a true airplane, but you can do a lot already with such a low budged setup.

[Lagarto]

Maybe David Gilmour of Pink Floyd? He used to own a P-51 Mustang

[Treetop64]

Originally Posted by IceFire

It's not that the stock sounds are the "best ever"... it's that they are acoustically done in a proper way. They may sound aweful but they are done right. Whereas many sound mods sound great but they don't sound right from all angles or when a plane is flying in a specific situation.

Recently I've heard some better ones...but I haven't really checked them all out yet.

The other problem is that some sound samples are copyrighted (the recording, not the sound) and while it's ok for a mod team to take and modify... it's much harder for TD to authorize that officially. Not to mention that being allowed to modify sounds in the stock game could lead to cheating in competitive (or even non competitive) circles. The lengths that people will go to cheat is often incredible.

^^ This ^^

Most of the mod sounds are good if you're watching YouTube videos, but just doesn't sound right in the game.

Moreover, the default sounds are decent with an aftermarket sound card and adjustments. As it is I prefer the default sounds to modded sounds for now, but that may change in the future if some real quality stuff is made, either by mod or by TD.