The Sound Team.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Considering it looks like we'll be getting SF 1.3 sooner than I thought, I think it's time to start considering what kind of content is going to go into future releases.  One of these, is new/improved sound content.

Since sound and music are more or less my specialty, I'd like to head up the overall developement of SF's new sound, and thus, would like to get a 'Sound Department' sorted out.

Said sound department will have the following focus.

1: Gameplay sounds
   a: High quality, high fidelity effects that bring a cinematic feel to the action that suspends disbelief without becoming annoying.
   b: The addition of the 'distant effects' field of sound for effects that occure 'offscreen'.   

2: Interface sounds
   a: Pleasant, unstartling effects that are crystal clear, easy to understand, and fit the setting.
   b: Interface 'ship' ambiance to help improve that feel of being in command of your ship.

3: Interface and Gameplay Voice
   a: Comm traffic chatter/ game event messages.
      I: Delivered in barely audible radio crackles
      II: Delivered in clearer 'Command' Messages
   b: Interface voices  (We get enough, we can get custom types)

4: Music
   High quality soundtrack (I've already started on it as we know.) bringing old songs up to date and giving Stellar Frontier that 'feel'.


EDIT:
A good example of a sound cinema using all the sound fields:
http://www.sheezyart.com/view/1506219/

[ChillFactor]

for gameplay and interface we can use sampling packs,   I'll try to find some...

As for interface voice we perharps someone can record their vioce and we can vote on the comm samples?... Just a thought

[NiteHawk]

I agree with most of this, it would enhance it greatly.

I disgree however on voices, would be nice but maybe in the future, but I don't think it's needed just yet. Wouldn't be to hard to 'code' though.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

The sooner we start planning, the more time we'll have to work on things.

The comm chatter I'm imagining will be kind of barely audible over normal sound...


Right now I'm imagining an overlapping 'sound field' based on priority.

Field A:  Interface/Computer sounds.  Right up front.  You hear your interface clearly beeping when you click on things, and you can hear computer vocal input right next to you.
Field B:  Foreground ship sounds.  All sounds related directly to your ship.  Weapon firing, impacts, thrust sound. 
Field C: Background sounds, but all events ON the play screen.  Comm chatter, other ships being shot, other ships firing, other ships exploding.  Adds a realm of depth to identifying events.  You hitting them won't sound as 'urgent' as with your taking hits and hearing the field B sounds.
Field D: Distant Events.   Sounds like far off firefights, all things that don't happen Onscreen... I know sound doesn't travel in space, but the feel immerses the player.  If there's a firefight going on two screens away, you can hear small (quiet) popping noises from shots being fired, thumping of impacts, and deep thrumming echoes from explosions.  I could probably actually run foreground sounds we find through my filters in Reason and create custom tailored 'distant' sounds that match how it would degrade in real life perfectly.


Sound interesting?

[NiteHawk]

Yep, Field A to C shouldn't be hard to adjust in game wise. D will require some work. Right now as it stands I don't think you hear anything that isnt' around you.

[Staker]

Anyone got the HOMEWORLD sound track... It has vocals for one of the music track...

Here's a thought... Vocals when leaving Dock, Departing from Earth, and even for sensors... (Enemy Seen At a Far Distance)

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

To simplify, each field is distance.

A: is YOU.
B: Is your ship.
C: Is other ships and objects around your ship.
D: Is offscreen.

Just play SOLDAT... They execute distant object sounds quite well.
http://www.soldat.pl/

[Staker]

Sort of like Call of Duty 4 and World at War XD

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Here's an idea.  I know we have a few 'automated commands' that are used... why not think about the voices used in good RTS games and kind of cross them over.

For example, if you get killed and respawn (Give you a respawn as- option as well) as a battleship...  You get a booming commander going 'Battlecruiser READY!


And for these voices, the size of the ship and the likely rank of it's Senior Officer would be reflected in the voice.

For example, fighters would have young, gung-ho sounding pilots.  Light ships would have young, but more serious sounding officers.  Medium, medium-heavy ships would have booming 'In charge' sounding commanders, while the heaviest ship and starbase have authoritative and grizzled sounding commander voices.

I'll think about the kind of messages you would recieve that add to it, but aren't so repetative that they become annoying.

[ChillFactor]

I'll se if I can find a mic and try to get some possible samples...

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Found something cool out.

I was watching the bonus features for WALL-E, and they had something on building sounds for the world of the movie.  And they did something neat for EVE's laser cannon.

If you can get your hands on a slinky (get both a metal and a plasic one.)   Rest it on the ground and stretch the top to the top of a six foot stepladder.  Place the mic up at the top as well.   Then get a stick and just TAP the base of the slinky. 

Would be perfect for a nice clear production quality sound effect for one of the energy weapons.

If I can get my hands on a slinky first, that's what I'll do.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Okay guys, a little sound sampler is up:

http://www.sheezyart.com/view/1961657/

I you guys like, I'll do the voice of PINHEAD, the interface's Priority Information Network Handling Evaluation Assistant Device.

PINHEAD will deliver critical messages throughout the game.  Logins, logouts (and it will identify between allies, and enemies.

PINHEAD will also inform you of critical event messages, such as planet captures or losses.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Docking and Undocking Sound effects complete.  I wish this forum allowed larger attatchments, I don't want to megaupload the wavs.

[DarkSun]

How large would you want the size limit to be?

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Max of ten meg to WAV files only.  MP3s twenty meg if you want.

I'll probably never use the max, but I preffer some leeway in the event I do something large.