Volume discrepencies...

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.morrowind (More info?)

I don't know if it's just my speakers, or if there's some really weird
discrepencies in the volume in this game. While most of the game runs at a
relatively moderate volume, (the NPC voices are a bit too quiet, no matter
how I set the game volume, but that's not the big problem.) there's certain
things that are really loud. The worst is lightning storms. The first time
the thunder cracked I about jumped out of my seat. (I must admit, the sound
is quite realistic. I live in Florida, so normally that sound is a sign to
turn off the computer to avoid it being fried in a lightning storm...) In
this game, the thunder is much louder than any other sound effect in the
game. No spells, combat sounds, monster roars, or other effects come close.
(Note this does NOT happen with the thunder-like sound you get from using
Propylons.) The other discrepency happens only in Ancestral Tombs and
Dwemer Ruins, but not all of them. Often in one of these places, I will
hear a loud buzzing sound like a swarm of bees. It only lasts for a second,
and doesn't fade in or out, just on then off again, and it seems really out
of place. (Especially since as far as I know, there's no creature in the
game that makes that noise.) It's not just a random speaker-buzz. I think
it's actually a sound effect in the game, which is supposed to be playing
just as ambient noise and is somehow jacked WAY up in volume. Has anyone
else experienced these phenomena? Or is it just my speakers?

 

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Archived from groups: alt.games.morrowind (More info?)

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 21:57:41 -0500, "Darrel Hoffman" <i.dont@think.so>
wrote:

>I don't know if it's just my speakers, or if there's some really weird
>discrepencies in the volume in this game. While most of the game runs at a
>relatively moderate volume, (the NPC voices are a bit too quiet, no matter
>how I set the game volume, but that's not the big problem.) there's certain
>things that are really loud. The worst is lightning storms. The first time
>the thunder cracked I about jumped out of my seat. (I must admit, the sound
>is quite realistic. I live in Florida, so normally that sound is a sign to
>turn off the computer to avoid it being fried in a lightning storm...) In
>this game, the thunder is much louder than any other sound effect in the
>game. No spells, combat sounds, monster roars, or other effects come close.
>(Note this does NOT happen with the thunder-like sound you get from using
>Propylons.) The other discrepency happens only in Ancestral Tombs and
>Dwemer Ruins, but not all of them. Often in one of these places, I will
>hear a loud buzzing sound like a swarm of bees. It only lasts for a second,
>and doesn't fade in or out, just on then off again, and it seems really out
>of place. (Especially since as far as I know, there's no creature in the
>game that makes that noise.) It's not just a random speaker-buzz. I think
>it's actually a sound effect in the game, which is supposed to be playing
>just as ambient noise and is somehow jacked WAY up in volume. Has anyone
>else experienced these phenomena? Or is it just my speakers?
>
I don't think it's your speakers. I get really loud thunder as well,
also loud animal footsteps. I'll hear footsteps like something is
right behind me, but there is nothing in sight. I have heard the
buzzing sound in tombs and ruins when I am near a body that has been
there a while. You know, those Dead Adventurers you run across once
in a while. The buzzing is flies.
--
Nyctolops

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.morrowind (More info?)

> I don't think it's your speakers. I get really loud thunder as well,
> also loud animal footsteps. I'll hear footsteps like something is
> right behind me, but there is nothing in sight.

Well, I know what that is. This game has a problem with sound and distance.
As in, distance does not effect volume - at all. A Cliff Racer way off on
the horizon just within hearing range makes the exact same sound at the same
volume as one just about to smack you in the back of the neck. Makes it
very difficult to tell if there's something close to you or not. One fact I
find particularly annoying when there's about a dozen of them within hearing
range and all you're hearing is non-stop Cliff Racer screams, no stereo to
indicate which direction, no volume to indicate distance, and they only make
one sound, over and over. You'd think with as few actual monster types as
there are in this game they'd be able to make more than one sound, just for
variety's sake...

> I have heard the
> buzzing sound in tombs and ruins when I am near a body that has been
> there a while. You know, those Dead Adventurers you run across once
> in a while. The buzzing is flies.

AHAH! That would probably explain it. Strange how loud they are, and also
the way the sound starts and stops very suddenly, rather than being a
constant buzzing whenever you're near them, but then that would require
distance-controlled volume, which we already know they don't have. The
range for this particular sound effect must be very small, though, or else
I'm just running past the corpses so fast I don't even notice. (Maxed speed
plus 200 from BoBS has its disadvantages at times...) I also think that it
only applies to dead bodies which were placed there by the game designers.
Anything that you killed or witnessed being killed doesn't do it, which
would explain why it's only in tombs and ruins.