[Flashblade]

I have been away from FS2 for quite a while and no one can't notice how impressive FSO has become on the graphics side of things with the inclusion of evermore cutting-edge technics into the engine and of course the Media VPs with all the HTL models, effects, anis what have you, but has somebody ever concidered to do something with the sound part of the engine. More concretely speaking what I think would be very cool if really loud sounds would drown out not so loud sounds. For example as soon as the atomic sound file plays when a Sathanas goes or the Colossus you wouldn't hear anything but that and you would have trouble hearing comm traffic. As it is now ironically atomic which should be the loudest sound in the game often times gets drowned out by secondary explosions which doesn't make much sense logic wise (rule of cool logic not realism). Maybe we could have varying degrees of drowning out depending on whether a destroyer or a juggernaut goes boom. Could the emp static be a basis to work from maybe? thoughts?

[zookeeper]

Sure, there could be a way to make certain sounds drop the volume of everything else, meaning that with extreme values you'd be able to do an effect like the SW EPII seismic charges.

[Flashblade]

I was thinking of a situation in Battlefield 3 where at the beginning of the campaign ( I know not very good, moving on) you are firing a 50 cal machine gun and a building starts collapsing next to you. As the building collapses you can't hear the 50 cal firing at all nor any other environmental sounds. Freespace has situations that are similar to this as I already said Colossus, Sathanas and station explosion and when the Capella supernova is rumbling towards you.

I am fixated on explosions right now but I think its an area where improvements can be made and the soundscape can be broadened. How about including a few more booms than what is available right now. As of now FSO has 5 sounds:

Atomic = dedicated big capship and station explosion sound
Boom1 = fighter explosion and main explosion for everything capship ranging from transport to corvette
Boom2 = dedicated missile explosion
Boom3 = fighter explosion and capship secondaries
Boom4 = dedicated flack explosion

I think dedicated secondaries for capships and a dedicated sound for small to medium capships main explosion is not a bad idea at all and maybe a third fighter boom.

[Alan Bolte]

I never really thought about it before, but the sound of fighters blowing up does get a little repetitive.

[Phantom Hoover]

If the MVPs incorporated sound updates that would be amazing.

[mjn.mixael]

FSU has already at least once updated the explosion sound effects.

[Flashblade]

FSU has already at least once updated the explosion sound effects.

I noticed that, but it is not what I am talking about, since the number of sound effects in this regard has not increased. It is still the same number only better (matter of opinion though, personally I think you made some worse actually, ex boom1 sounds like a cannon shot and not like an explosion). Not to even talk about the first suggestions I made which sadly do not seem to generate much of an interest here.

[The E]

The problem is that there isn't a dedicated sound code guy amongst us at the moment. I certainly do not know enough about our sound system (and the OpenAL backend it is powered by) to comment on whether or not this is feasible, let alone possible to do.

[Flashblade]

I see how that would throw a wrench in the whole machinery. Damn shame that.