Curse

Loki Gladius · Mar 14, 2006, 09:19 PM // 21:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sectus

At least we know anet is working on a solution. Now we just gotta wait for it be fixed.

Well that is good news, i just hope it is fixed rather soon. Sad as it may seems but i cannot play Guildwars right now because the sound issues just enoys me that much

Hope its fixed soon, they should just revert the update and then apply it again when the issues are fixed.

koa_Torqual · Mar 14, 2006, 09:29 PM // 21:29

What would be awesome would be an 'Enable Improved Sound' button in Options. This would enable those people that want the new 'improved' sound to check it, and those who loved the game sound exactly as it was to have that.

Moving the slider does not give you as-was sound, because as-was sound was positional audio from the camera. Even without sound errors, the new 'style' sound is undesirable to me, the customer and future Factions buyer.

Please, please, it's really simple ANet. We didn't request these changes and are unhappy about them. Restoring what we had before would make so many people happier and putting effort blindly and stubbornly in trying to make the new sound work (and changing/challenging everyone's systems and settings in the process) is really counter-productive and damaging your customer relations.

Please just give the option to have sound exactly as before. I feel like many, like we have had something taken from us. Nothing in it's place will be as good as it was previously. Don't waste time and effort, just give us the option. Please.

Formina · Mar 14, 2006, 09:44 PM // 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sectus

I asked a few friends who has the same sound problems as me and they told me what sound cards they're using. Those mentioned were Sound Blaster Live and different versions of Sound Blaster Audigy (1, 2 and 2 ZS). I asked a few people without the sound problems, and they were using an integrated AC'97 sound card.

Sounds like the problem is most likely related to Sound Blaster cards.

I'm using an intergrated AC'97 sound card - and i'm still having problems.

Sectus · Mar 14, 2006, 09:51 PM // 21:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Formina

I'm using an intergrated AC'97 sound card - and i'm still having problems.

Well, so much for my theory then :s

Ensign · Mar 14, 2006, 10:43 PM // 22:43

To sum up the problems with the 'new, horrible sound':

*The music cuts out after a single track, pretty much nullifying the point of having music in the game.

*Many sound effects now loop after playing (or not playing) once, giving maddening echoes. Many skills in the game have distinctive sound cues, and they are made useless if they're going to auto-loop and play every two seconds whether those skills are being used or not.

*Pseudo-surround sound works ok if you have a good pair of headphones that can take advantage. If you're not using a good pair of headphones, but instead are using desk speakers or the like, the new feature is not 'pesudo-surround sound', but 'it sounds like shit if the action isn't right in front of your character.'

*If you're using a good pair of headphones the directional sound detracts from the game and disorients instead of making the game more immersive. This is for the reason koa keeps harping on, because the surround vector uses your character instead of the camera. If you play zoomed out and scroll around your character to scan the battlefield during a fight (as most good players do) the directional sound gives you nothing but bad information. Just as a simple example, if I'm playing zoomed out and an enemy attacks me from behind, all of the attacks sound as though they're behind me even though I'm staring right at the people hitting me. That isn't immersive, that's disorienting.

*Adjusting the 'sound quality' slider does not address any of these issues at all. With the sound slider all the way up, I hear a looping, metallic Vampiric Gaze noise on my desktop speakers with stunning clarity. Turning the slider up does not fix the sound issues. All it does is reaffirm that the new sound engine is crap in stunning clarity.

Right now, the only slider that can adjust the disorienting, buggy, looping, metallic sound is the 'volume' slider, set to off. I don't know who thought that launching a broken sound system on the live servers was a good idea, but my feeling right now is that person should be having ideas for a different company.

Peace,
-CxE

The Muffen Man · Mar 14, 2006, 11:05 PM // 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

To sum up the problems with the 'new, horrible sound':

*The music cuts out after a single track, pretty much nullifying the point of having music in the game.

*Many sound effects now loop after playing (or not playing) once, giving maddening echoes. Many skills in the game have distinctive sound cues, and they are made useless if they're going to auto-loop and play every two seconds whether those skills are being used or not.

*Pseudo-surround sound works ok if you have a good pair of headphones that can take advantage. If you're not using a good pair of headphones, but instead are using desk speakers or the like, the new feature is not 'pesudo-surround sound', but 'it sounds like shit if the action isn't right in front of your character.'

*If you're using a good pair of headphones the directional sound detracts from the game and disorients instead of making the game more immersive. This is for the reason koa keeps harping on, because the surround vector uses your character instead of the camera. If you play zoomed out and scroll around your character to scan the battlefield during a fight (as most good players do) the directional sound gives you nothing but bad information. Just as a simple example, if I'm playing zoomed out and an enemy attacks me from behind, all of the attacks sound as though they're behind me even though I'm staring right at the people hitting me. That isn't immersive, that's disorienting.

*Adjusting the 'sound quality' slider does not address any of these issues at all. With the sound slider all the way up, I hear a looping, metallic Vampiric Gaze noise on my desktop speakers with stunning clarity. Turning the slider up does not fix the sound issues. All it does is reaffirm that the new sound engine is crap in stunning clarity.

Right now, the only slider that can adjust the disorienting, buggy, looping, metallic sound is the 'volume' slider, set to off. I don't know who thought that launching a broken sound system on the live servers was a good idea, but my feeling right now is that person should be having ideas for a different company.

Peace,
-CxE

And that company shouldnt have anything to do with games or sound!!

EF2NYD · Mar 14, 2006, 11:30 PM // 23:30

They should really change it back to the way it was before instead of leaving us with broken sound until they figure out how to make it work. Aren't there testers for this?

DaerunAxis · Mar 14, 2006, 11:53 PM // 23:53

GW sounds like it is underwater now. I found that with sound quality all the way to the left, it sounds better (at least on my speakers) and i don't lose any sound effects

koa_Torqual · Mar 15, 2006, 02:29 AM // 02:29

Glad to hear that my harping sunk in somewhere

Just finished this evening's session.

Impressions from playing with my E/N:

Was Rotting Flesh supposed to make a sound? It doesn't for me.

I think I did hear this Healing Signet loop for the first time, on a Snow Ettin that was using it.

Large parties are bad, especially with lots of hitting all at the same time near your character. You want to turn the volume down and quieter sounds are lost.

Fire Storm and Phoenix are really quiet now.

After 30 mins I was ready to switch off.

After 1 hour I had grown more 'tolerant' - I only wonder if someone did a little work on the sound engine tonight (surely not) because I seemed to feel less despondent as the night went on. Maybe it's because the memory of how good the sound used to be was wearing off. Or maybe because I was able to show myself I could still enjoy the game with crap sound.

Actually it's probably because I made a couple of changes:

OLD POSITIONS:-
Music slider 75%
Background slider 75%
Sound effect slider 75%

NEW POSITIONS:-
Music slider 100%
Background slider 75%
Sound effect slider 50%

It's the beginnings of a coping strategy, I guess.

A friend of mine with 5.1 sound (4-speakers) said he quite liked the new positional audio. He had lost his music however. I told him I have 2-speakers and I don't like it, and don't have music either.

The answer is relatively simple I think. Allow user to:

1) Specify whether they have 2, 4 or 6 speakers
2) Choose whether they want positional sound at the character or the camera

This is much better than assuming that everybody suddenly now has 4 speakers instead of 2 and wants to hear in the first person.

Another alternative is of course the much-desired 'roll back to old sound' button.

NOTES:
Was using Dell Dimension 8250, Soundblaster Audigy 4, DX Sound Accelearation FULL, GW Sound Quality slider FULL RIGHT

TheOneAndOnlyX · Mar 15, 2006, 04:06 AM // 04:06

Look At The New Update Your All Saved

blue cheez · Mar 15, 2006, 04:10 AM // 04:10

Dude!!! They also got rid of the "clink-clink" sounds made by a sword and axe, and changed it into like a punching noise! The next time you have a bunch of warriors balling up on you, listen to it! D:

jimmy_logic · Mar 15, 2006, 11:10 AM // 11:10

All I heard was me swinging my axe in thin air... woosh woosh... even if I was hitting the person. Let me guess we are beta testing the sound engine for them?

TideSwayer · Mar 15, 2006, 11:10 AM // 11:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue cheez

Dude!!! They also got rid of the "clink-clink" sounds made by a sword and axe, and changed it into like a punching noise! The next time you have a bunch of warriors balling up on you, listen to it! D:

That's the 'miss' sound normally, but for some reason the new sound sometimes makes weapon hits sound that way too. I was just in Vulture Drifts in the desert fighting Sand Wurms and all I could hear was the damn 'swoosh' sound every swing. I also heard it the other day in Elona's Reach when I was fighting Dune Burrowers. I wonder if it has something to do with monsters being off your screen?

Other than the 'miss' sound appearing for 'hits' now a lot of the time, I haven't noticed anything different with the sound. I have a Soundblaster Live card btw.

GraceAlone · Mar 15, 2006, 11:47 AM // 11:47

Quote:

Update - Tuesday March 14

Fixed a bug that caused some users to experience sound dropouts.
Fixed a number of audio glitches and performance problems in the Fire Island Chain.
Fixed an issue that caused DirectSong to stop playing music after the first song.

I haven't been able to play since this update, has it made any difference?

wolfe2dale · Mar 15, 2006, 11:53 AM // 11:53

No, sound problems still exist as of last night...Come on Anet, are you going to be one of those companies that let's the bugs spiral out of control until noone wants to play anymore?

Ensign · Mar 15, 2006, 11:55 AM // 11:55

It addressed a few of the problems. The 'feature' problems are still there.

I've identified the bizarre directional audio a bit better. It apparently uses the position of your character, but the vector of your camera. So if you're wanding something and swing the camera around so that the target is right in front of you, it'll sound like it's far behind you.

It still sounds like utter crap if the action isn't happening right in front of you.

They fixed the maddening Healing Signet / Vamp Gaze / whatever echoing so that's a good start, though.

Peace,
-CxE

koa_Torqual · Mar 15, 2006, 01:23 PM // 13:23

Ensign you're correct.

OK I have downloaded the update and trialled for half an hour.

Positives:

The music is back outside of towns (although there seems to be a very long pause between each track)
Couple of things like Rotting Flesh spell and some Fire spells now make a noise again

Negatives:

There are still severe balancing issues - some combat sound effects (such as hits landing) are still EXTREMELY loud - others such as Necro/Elem/Ranger skills are really quiet. Meanwhile the music seems quieter than before.

In the old sound I had Music, Background and Effects sliders all nicely at 75% and everything was balanced perfectly. Now I have Music at 100%, Background 75% and Sound Effects 50%, and it's still not comfortable.

The annoying positional audio remains in effect. I have the feeling this will never be rolled back - but - Arenanet PLEASE give us a button. This new 3D sound really doesn't work for anyone with two speakers. Look, it's not just me complaining!

In Summary:

Thankyou for restoring the music.
Please reduce the sound level of hits landing (esp near your character) as it drowns out music, spells and other skills.
Please boost the music volume to its original level.
Please introduce CHOICE around positional audio.

NOTES: Soundblaster Audigy 4, Sound Quality Maximum, DX Sound Hardware Acceleration Full

swiftygem · Mar 15, 2006, 04:31 PM // 16:31

Before the recent patch, it was quite fine for me, except for the positional audio obviously. But now, I can't hear the hits landing, until I move the audio slider to the middle and the back to high position. What a great audio fix.

Loralai · Mar 15, 2006, 05:27 PM // 17:27

Interestingly, I was having no problems pre-yesterday's patch. Now, I have become the "silent killer." My attacks make absolutely no noise, nor do those of my enemies. The only "melee sound" I am hearing is that of interrupts.

DABhand · Mar 15, 2006, 05:36 PM // 17:36

I was wondering why my hammer was making a "hitting a pillow" sound..

:P