Feedback Squad Battles 4.03 sound update

[Sunbather]

Hey there,

I just found out the tremendous changes (for me) that came with the 4.03 update. Of the revamped titles I only own Winter War so far but as soon as I heard about the update, I downloaded the new version immediately.

I love the new ambience sounds, they really add to the immersion. I also very much like that it isn't just distant battle sounds anymore which didn't make much sense in a lot of the scenarios. Overall, the new gun sounds are excellent as well. What I like most though is that sound now plays even when the speed is increased to 256! Some months ago I lamented how slow the new titles played but that I didn't want to miss out on the sound either and that the old titles did this much better. So yes, all in all this update alone might make me buy Eagles Strike and the both Eastern Front titles!

Still, things are not entirely perfect yet and so please allow me some quick feedback:

1. Ambient sounds are too quiet compared to footsteps and gun sounds. I have to turn up the volume to hear the crickets but then the other sounds become deafening. Three possible solutions: a) increase ambient sound significantly b) include two types of background sounds and let us choose in the options between "Background sounds default" and "Background sounds increased", or c) give us some sort of official mod to download for all the revamped titles with ambience increased.

2. As good as the ambient sounds are, they are too short! Some tracks have very distinct patterns of bird noises in them and so when it repeats, one can tell that one just listens to a sound loop.

3. It is weird that the ambience plays for 2 minutes (for the length of the track) and then the background just goes silent. After 15 minutes or so, the track starts again which might be even more odd when you're in the middle of a fierce firefight. Would birds really start to chirp when hell breaks loose around them? (I am aware that this combines with my argument of point 2: I advocate having ambience sounds of at least 5 minutes, preferably with some quieter moments in between (i.e. less bird chirping) and then play them continuously.)

4. The volume of the sound of the DP-27 is about twice as low as that of Mosins and SMGs.

[Strela]

Thank you for the feedback.

All the new sound work was created in the last month or so before release. We had added the new sound engine and found that there were a lot more capabilities than was available previously. Please do keep in mind we are novices when it comes to sound generally, so there is a learning process underway.

Firstly, regarding volumes. We are adding a control that should solve the issues you are mentioning in the next update.

Post 20240428_01.jpg (13.81 KiB) Viewed 410 times

That should help with getting a balance between the background and battle sounds. You are right regarding the type of ambient sounds used. We only used the battle sounds when forces started engaged or it was an urban fight. More often than not, moving to contact had the 'countryside' sounds and we also had a sounds for night as well as rain/thunderstorm. You will also hear the seaside for water borne scenarios. There is more than that included in the builds.

The primary reason they are not longer (most are about 5 minutes) is that sound files take up quite a bit of space. We usually limited the range of ambient sounds to 2 or 3. We have more clips and longer samples, so maybe there is value in creating an optional download pack for those that are interested? This is essentially what you were suggesting as your option c).

For the ambient sounds going quiet/stopping, yes we have noticed that and need to have a look why. It does seem to occasionally finish, and then randomly start later. As I said this is a new engine and we need to see where it may be challenged with our current code.

Finally, I will have a look at the DP-27. I have the original files and can adjust if required. All sounds were created from the actual weapons firing and its great how Squad Battles plays the various weapons when fired.

[Sunbather]

Thank you for the feedback.

All the new sound work was created in the last month or so before release. We had added the new sound engine and found that there were a lot more capabilities than was available previously. Please do keep in mind we are novices when it comes to sound generally, so there is a learning process underway.

I hope my feedback didn't come across as too harsh, me being a German and not a native speaker and all ; ) I think the fact that you're working so hard on "old" titles is ridiculous and absolutely laudable. I mean, adding a whole new sound engine! I can already see in the data editor how much the code has been improved! And to reiterate: the immersion it adds to the battles when you play a scenario that is set on an island and you hear waves against the shore is really something!

Firstly, regarding volumes. We are adding a control that should solve the issues you are mentioning in the next update.

Absolutely insane! I didn't even think a 'simple' thing like a volume slider would be possible!

More often than not, moving to contact had the 'countryside' sounds and we also had a sounds for night as well as rain/thunderstorm. You will also hear the seaside for water borne scenarios. There is more than that included in the builds.

I'm not sure if you consider this a good idea but I always thought the Panzer Campaigns and the Panzer Battles would benefit from something like this as well! Sure, they are on a much greater scale but it always bugged me that there is no visual or audible notion when it turns night. I think there are rain and thunder sounds already but they were too few and more often than not you would be stuck with the battle background sounds.
Last year I also tried to make a sound mod for the Panzer Battles for Normandy. And it worked really way until I got stuck regarding the background sounds and some other quirks. For example, I edited in machine gun sounds for heavy arms units. As you know, infantry units have a sound for attacking infantry (machine gun) and a different sound for attacking vehicles (swoosh! rocket launcher!). When I edited in my new MG sounds, it did override the whole thing and so the respective unit would play the machinegun sound both when attacking an infantry unit and when attacking a vehicle which made the whole purpose of making the sounds more realistic pointless. And don't get me started with the Panzer Campaigns! Trying to get a different MG sound for the Germans (MG42!) and the Americans (Browning!) is impossible!

I don't want to ramble on so to make a long story short: I hope the other titles get a new sound engine as well! If it is any similar to what we have now for the Squad Battles would allow us to at least mod in a more nuanced soundscape.

The primary reason they are not longer (most are about 5 minutes) is that sound files take up quite a bit of space. We usually limited the range of ambient sounds to 2 or 3. We have more clips and longer samples, so maybe there is value in creating an optional download pack for those that are interested? This is essentially what you were suggesting as your option c).

If it isn't too much to ask, I of course would love to have an additional, optional sound pack with longer ambient sound files!

I also had a closer look at the sound files and the data regarding the ambient sounds and with the vast improvements you made, it makes it also very easy to mod in longer ambient tracks.

For the ambient sounds going quiet/stopping, yes we have noticed that and need to have a look why. It does seem to occasionally finish, and then randomly start later. As I said this is a new engine and we need to see where it may be challenged with our current code.

I am relieved to hear that this isn't intentional. What you have now is still a far cry from the implemention of ambient tracks in the Campaign Series where every new turn triggers a new ambient sound file which in my opinion completely defeats the purpose of an ambient sound. (To be sure, I love the Campaign Series games just as I love the WDS ones ; )

Finally, I will have a look at the DP-27. I have the original files and can adjust if required. All sounds were created from the actual weapons firing and its great how Squad Battles plays the various weapons when fired.

Great, thank you for that!

[Dion]

Sounds promising! Adjusting the sound through Windows really didn't work very well, but being able to adjust the sound in game should make a big difference.

[Strela]

Hi all,

We now know what the issue is with background sounds going quiet/stopping. There are timers that pause the ambient sounds when enough combat sounds are played. There are built in delays of approx 30 seconds+ that impact playback. With the addition of separate volume controls we expect this to be a non-issue, so we are testing removing the timers internally. More soon!