ENGINE SOUNDS KINDA DISAPPOINTING

[FZG_Immel]

Probably the first time I've heard that said about us. Tomcat fame must be getting to our heads :D

 

The crux of the matter is that I won't say; "Yes- that will improve!" when we have no plans to revisit or revise.

That would just end up being a lie. We're not going to rip apart the entire sound gamut and re-mix everything. We're close to final.

 

Those who are unhappy with our design choices to provide sound feedback and skew the mix have the option of very simple .sdef or sample edits to adjust. It's a sucky answer, but we're knee deep in subjectivity on that front.

 

Expecting vast improvements in all facets of a module just because there is an Early Access tag on it is not quite the expectation I'd hope you have. If we're satisfied with something, we won't revise it just because it's EA.

That said, close to final does not mean final. Flyby sounds will see some improvements, so will wind noise with the canopy jettisoned, or appropriate volume changes based on canopy status.

But by far and wide, we feel that both external and internal sounds are in a good place. Even moreso, we're proud of them and feel that it sounds great.

We'll try to do what we can to alleviate for those who don't agree, but never at the expense of honesty through false promises of some future overhaul that won't happen.

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

ok. but again, compare your 'fly by' to the fly by of the hornet or the mirage. It's not a matter of quality of the sound. it just that it comes all at once with a delay. there is a bug to be fixed there.

 

 

 

Edited March 26, 2019 by FZG_Immel

[Cobra847]

ok. but again, compare your 'fly by' to the fly by of the hornet or the mirage. It's not a matter of quality of the sound. it just that it comes all at once with a delay. there is a bug to be fixed there.

 

Yes, that's a bug.

We don't know why it happens yet. We're investigating.

 

If you hit F3 again, you'll get a flyby without the bug.

[fl0w]

What's with such the demands now going to HB? It's like a sudden anger attack after all of the praise and "omg REALISM!!" posts.

[FZG_Immel]

Yes, that's a bug.

We don't know why it happens yet. We're investigating.

 

If you hit F3 again, you'll get a flyby without the bug.

 

yes, I noticed that.

 

I posted a serie of videos to illustrate the difference. the F-14 sounds artificial in the way it approaches. I am not a specialist but I think this guy spotted the issue.

 

I've been poking around with it, and made some good progress: couple of things HB needs to address before I even think about a release of any kind;

 

Most of the external samples are played at any speed, even when the aircraft is stationary, like the "Flyby" sounds for both front/rear. These need to be activated past a certain speed threshold, like the Hornet's. Otherwise things sound overpowered - not to mention not very immersive. I had this issue in ArmA; I overcame this by activating a threshold at which the audio would play. I guarantee that this can be done in DCS - because I've delt with it before, but I don't have the ability to make such changes myself (nor does the rest of the modding community).

 

Sound load times: the aircraft seems to take several seconds before loading the external sound sets in-game while switching between internal/external cameras. Say you are in-cockpit and switch to F3/F11 views, it will take the sim a few moments to load these samples (unlike the Hornet where it is pretty instantaneous).

 

If HB can polish up how the sim handles these samples I would be happy to assist in getting things polished more/more immersive sounding, but there's not much I can do when you can hear flyby sounds as the aircraft is taxing around the apron.

 

I wish I can do more, but until these things are addressed - I am a bit stuck, unfortunately.

Edited March 26, 2019 by FZG_Immel

[FZG_Immel]

What's with such the demands now going to HB? It's like a sudden anger attack after all of the praise and "omg REALISM!!" posts.

 

not an attack at all. Simply pinpointing a sub optimal part of the module that is otherwise better than most in most aspects

[ryak84]

No.

 

That will be corrected.

 

Regarding engine whine not being audible in the real tomcat due to the ECS; we know. We intentionally kept the whine audible as a feedback cue.

 

Ok so it is only a bug :smilewink: that makes me happy ty!

[Southpaw]

While the sound set may be unrealistic, I think the interior sound does a good job of making one feel connected to the plane. As mentioned earlier in this post, there is no haptic feedback for those without elaborate sim pits, force feedback, etc..

 

I do wish the "hear like in helmet" option hushed the switch clicking a little, but I would still want to hear it. Before I installed my AB detent I relied heavily on the throttle click, and I still rely heavily on hearing the cockpit shake to know when I'm pushing the envelope.

 

I do agree about the sound difference between canopy open/closed is disappointing and I hope that will be addressed.

 

I believe there is some tweaking to do, but the sound set is a great start to bridging the gap between the former operators/elaborate sim pit users and the more casual desktop users. I for one love to turn off the ECS on approach and hear the subtle nuisances of the engines...realistic, no...immersive, yes.

[Boris]

What's with such the demands now going to HB? It's like a sudden anger attack after all of the praise and "omg REALISM!!" posts.

 

I guess it's a testament to the module's quality that THIS is the stuff people complain about.

 

I'm German you'd say: "Jammern auf hohem Niveau"

[REDEYE_CVW-66]

While waiting for the esteemed modders to tweak things a bit, I went into the mods/aircraft/F14/sounds/effects/aircrafts/cockpits folder.

 

Here, I found the 4 files that has "ECS" in them. I opened them up in a simple sound editor (goldwave) and quadrupled (X4) the volume. I was very pleased with the result. You get a REALLY loud ECS (As per the SME's accounts), but you can still hear (barely) the engine whine, and button clicks below. All sounds are still audible, but the ECS totally domintates the soundscape now, as I think it should.

 

You mileage may vary due to different sound levels set in DCS. I also use "Hear as in cockpit". Be sure to make a backup if you decide to try yourself.

[SonofEil]

What's with such the demands now going to HB? It's like a sudden anger attack after all of the praise and "omg REALISM!!" posts.

 

Nobody’s angry though. Well, one guy was kind of rude, but almost everyone that’s posted in this thread has praised HB’s Tomcat. And this isn’t sudden. The sound quality has been mentioned since HB started posting videos at least a year ago. They’d say “placeholder” or “wip”, but now that the module is public people are giving feedback, as they should.

 

While waiting for the esteemed modders to tweak things a bit, I went into the mods/aircraft/F14/sounds/effects/aircrafts/cockpits folder...

 

Interesting. I’ll have to play with those when I get home...at the end of the week. : (

[Boris]

I opened them up in a simple sound editor (goldwave) and quadrupled (X4) the volume.

 

You don't even need to edit the sound file. You can increase the volume in the sdef files. Every sound file has a corresponding sdef file.

[birdstrike]

cant really comment on fly-by sounds or external sounds in general, because of,...well im sitting in the cockpit of the f-14....and there i have to say, they have imo the best sounds of all the modules i own...some things might be overdone, like the sound volume of flicking switches...BUT: this is all there to give us feedback we have in real life, but not in a simulation. same with the buffeting sounds. in real life we will feel it with our butts, with our hands, heck with the whole body once you bull g's.

 

 

 

the F-14 has by far the best sounds when its about getting feedback from from it. i love it tbh, and i cant quite get why this thread even exists, especially since cobra pointed out, that fly-by sounds are not final...for the cockpit part...i think they nailed it, or at least made the best possible with the current dcs sound engine, which is not good to begin with.

[Donut]

I agree, the cockpit sounds are incredible and serve to add to the immersion and overall awareness. It makes up for the loss of other senses we lose with this being a desktop simulator and not being in an actual cockpit.

 

The external sounds may need some improvement and the change in sound with canopy open/closed needs to be fixed but overall, amazing work!

[TXGrunt]

I have to say, the interior sounds do sound good IMO. However, the exterior sounds leaves a lot to be desired. My only complaint right now is the engine idle sounds. Sounds ok'ish from the front of the aircraft. Moving to the back is a different story. It sounds like the afterburners are on full blast while idling on the ramp.

 

Anybody else observe this?

[F14luvr]

The interior sounds are better than any module currently in DCS.

[1Shot1KiLL]

Was kinda hoping the whistle from the turbines would be alot more intense.

 

have you got a good 7.2 - 5.1 surround system or good earphones ? it sounds amazeing to me mate.

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/JBL-Floorstanding-Speakers-Bookshelf-Subwoofer/dp/B07JBK673X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=jbl+surround+sound+system&qid=1553621879&s=gateway&sr=8-1

 

or the JBL beatbox makes it sound pretty damn awsome to :)

 

turn up the bass a little :=)

Edited March 26, 2019 by 1Shot1KiLL

[Supertaquito]

ok. but again, compare your 'fly by' to the fly by of the hornet or the mirage. It's not a matter of quality of the sound. it just that it comes all at once with a delay. there is a bug to be fixed there.

 

Jesus, failed reading comprehension much? Did you even read his response? They are working on the flyby bug.

[key_stroked]

Probably the first time I've heard that said about us. Tomcat fame must be getting to our heads :D

 

You'll die before you please everyone. The sounds are fantastic, and from what I've heard and read the majority of your customers think the same.

[CobaltUK]

You'll die before you please everyone. The sounds are fantastic, and from what I've heard and read the majority of your customers think the same.

 

Are you a combat jet pilot ? Seems some who ARE disagree with you. There is no need to shout down reasonable discussion. If 100% satisfied you might be better in game than in forums ?

[Banzaiib]

IMO, the idle howl of the engines is too high pitched. Source: I lived 3 miles from Oceana NAS in the 90's. Just listen to a modern block 50 F-16 at idle. That's what it should sound like in a F-14.

[fl0w]

Are you a combat jet pilot ? Seems some who ARE disagree with you. There is no need to shout down reasonable discussion. If 100% satisfied you might be better in game than in forums ?

 

What you are implying is that its still worth arguing over a mere percent of users on sounds. I am very satisfied with the module, but that does not mean I am not allowed to express my feelings here. I just talk way too much and get annoying. :D

[Victory205]

I think sonic boom was gone over a year ago.

 

I've been reading this forum's F-14 discussion for about 6 months now and HB sounds pretty arrogant firm, when compared to ED's Hornet for example. They just think it's okay like this and not listen to paying customers. Kind of bad business to me.

 

Are you mad? Heatblur arrogant? Best bunch of blokes I've come across in a long time. Heatblur is listening and are adamant about getting it right.

 

Good grief, there is someone on the Hornet team that is so full of himself and condescending that I can't stomach listening to for more than thirty seconds.

[Tinkickef]

Pffffff. All of us over on stable branch would love to be able to comment on the sounds, and indeed anything else........

 

Still waitin...

[3poch]

The interior sounds are better than any module currently in DCS.

 

By what metric? Because if you’re judging the sounds on accurately representing what it’s like to sit in a Tomcat cockpit then it’s already been established by real world F-14 pilots that the current sounds don’t meet that metric. HEatblur has even said that wasn’t their goal unfortunately.

What you’re actually saying is that you like the sounds more. Good for you.

[mytai01]

Not much will change on the sound front- I think we're close to final. I'm pleased with where we are at present, especially inside. Expecting a Hornet howl from a Tomcat is somewhat unfeasible.

Fly-by sounds may see some improvement down the line- but again- we can't give it some sort of special sound that it didn't have in reality.

 

The external sound of the DCS F-14 is far too loud! It's many times louder than a real F-14 especially at idle power...