Request: play ambient music only occasionally, and filter for ambience

The constant background music takes away from the experience, and sometimes does not fit the ambience of a scene. I suggest only playing it occasionally, and rigorously muting it when it does not fit a scene. Also turn it off whenever an interaction takes place.

 

Different music for different areas on the order of UO

 

I turned the music off long ago.
The only time I use music in game is when Avatar's Radio is doing a party.
I have enough to already distract me, and the ear worm I get from in game music makes my brain mushy.

 

Generally speaking, the tunes of SotA are far from bad, but having them play in an endless loop does both the tunes and the game a tremendous disservice.

I guess what I would like to have is what Ultima 7 had: a few beautiful tunes, each specifically composed for a given place or situation, played only when triggered.

 

The simple solution in my opinion that would greatly improve the feel of the soundtrack would be to make it only play 1 song upon entering a scene, and to have large gaps of silence with and occasional quiet ambient song before more silence


Also combat music. Which i’ve heard is in the works ^^

 

Unless its changed, Richard did not want ambient music. When I was submitting my music for my player owned town I made ambient music and was abruptly shut down. It is just not what he wanted. He wanted music. Here is my ambient music, It was a blast to make.

 

@JPNotADragon

Yea, it would make sense. I've also suggested things like different music at different times of the day, like a night time tune... because you might get some jaunty, colorful music when things are quiet and it clashes with the game ambience. See this thread.

 

This is great, but it already contains footsteps and other ambient sounds (love the hooting owl) and so does not mix with game-generated ambient sounds. That's probably why they couldn't use it.

 

Adding to the idea of a rework of the music system, I think we really need good ambient sounds for better immersion. For example in Zelda Breath of the Wild, you get a really good feeling for beeing part in the world.

You hear the different strong type of winds rustle through the grass, birds chirping, different styles of rain...


I know Breath of the Wild can't be the benchmark, it's exceptionally brilliant done, but a bit in this direction would be great

 

We do have a new music/sound dev btw.....

 

Wow dude.. that is really good!

 

SotA actually seems to have nature sounds, though their relative volume is simply too low. But it could stand to have more, lots more and in more variety, true; and it needs something like sound propagation maps to avoid mistakes likes chirping birds being heard through thick stone walls.

 

Wow

 

You mean Portalarium has a new hire ?

 

When I made this it was before the biomes where made. I had envisioned an explorer walking in the dark hearing these eerie sounds. My lore is that of an evil lich lord and my town was meant to house evil RP characters. Explores first walking in would hear their footsteps, and rockslides. Hear chanting in the background. Hear people falling to their deaths. This music fit my idea of my underground evil city perfectly.

 

Why arent we pursuing this?

The new Dev's name is:

@Bread Vendor

 

She's been around awhile...
She is handling all the sounds etc....

Pretty new though..

Im sure shed be happy to hear what you did!

@Bread Vendor

 

Her post:

Hi, hello, greetings! The new soundsmith here!

There are definitely quite a bit of sounds (including current VO!) that I'd like to make improvements to, so your thoughts and concerns aren't falling on deaf ears (which in general would be terrible for a sound person)! The balance of revising existing content (especially early, front-end experiences for new players) and supporting new content is a weird dance!

A fair chunk is certainly temp, so many thanks for your patience as new sounds slowly make their way into your ears <3.

 

And that greeting was 5+ months ago. What has he actually done to improve the soundscape of this game? I can't believe it launched sounding the way it does today.

 

Look at her posts.. shes changed alot of things.