Author Topic: Wafflesounds and skins  (Read 18386 times)

Offline Waffle

  • HTC Staff Member
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 4849
      • HiTech Creations Inc. Aces High
Wafflesounds and skins
« on: November 15, 2004, 05:12:46 PM »
New website for all of Wafflesounds and some skins.

You can get to the site here: Wafflesounds and skins

Check the news section for updates to specific planes.

Offline Waffle

  • HTC Staff Member
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 4849
      • HiTech Creations Inc. Aces High
News 11/29/04
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2004, 07:53:28 AM »
11/29/04

Well, it's been a long road to hoe so far to this point, so why stop here? I'm currently gathering some more authentic recordings to round out some more of this sound pack. So hopefully you should see some of that come to bear fruit within the next few weeks/ month of the holiday season.

I've been receiving a lot of emails about why I have undertaken this sound pack and what is the driving force behind it. I only have one answer - Honestly I do it it for my own enjoyment.

I'm trying  to get the most accurate sounds per plane as I can within the AH2 directx sound engine. Now, granted I personally have never been flying in a period piece, but I have had some luxury of being able to listen to  actual cockpit recordings of some aircraft. Some of these higher quality recordings make it into the soundpack. Some of the lower fidelity recordings provide a basis to "create" a sound for a certain aircraft or vehicle.

The rate of fire issue was a big thing for me and made me realize how much little things make a difference. Right now I feel the guns are almost perfect. there's some small personal issues that I have with a few sounds, but nothing is really out of whack.

I'm not trying to make a "gamey" sound pack - I want accuracy - if the plane had electric motor driven flaps/gears or hydraulic systems. I'm trying to research the mechanicals of the aircraft, and if I don't have an authentic recording - then I will try to "guess-timate" and create on that would fit. Take the p47 for example - the gear sound is from an actual gear retraction cycle from a p47. Same with the p38 cannon. Mustang engine - taken from in flight. A6Ms - taken from inside cockpit of a zero with the Sakae 21 engine.

One thing that I am currently bound to, as in the fact that I like the results - is the blending of the internal engine sound with the prop noise, light doppler of the external aircraft sounds. Since the AH2 sound engine doesn't use separate internal/external files - the blending that I do, to me, creates a good "perception" of aircraft flying by from an external listening position, as well as sounding decent when flying from an internal perspective.

Also, I wil be normalizing and going back to a set sounds config of all levels at 80 for the next version. To try to combat some of the volume discrepencies between aircraft.

 

Anyway - I'm open to suggestion and thoughts about the pack.
« Last Edit: November 28, 2004, 09:54:02 AM by Waffle »

Offline thebest1

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1226
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2004, 09:13:34 AM »
I believe that the FM2 and the F4F-4 had manual flaps that was deployed by a hand crank,  I dont believe it was electronic.

Offline nopoop

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3074
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2004, 10:53:21 AM »
Waffle thanks for your effort. I imagine on speakers they rock. On a cheap set of labtec head phones they don't. They're flat, too much treble and no midrange.

I fiddled with settings on my end and just couldn't get it right. As a side note ALL of the soundpacks being released by sound guys with the exception of mitsu's have the same problem. Realplayer and CD's on cheap headphones rock, so I know it's in the "mix".

As an experiment, pick up a set of 25 dollar labtecs take a "plane" and fiddle the values on your end. When the mix on cheapo's is right, see how it transposes to speakers. Do a mix to the lowest common denominater. Akin to HT playin the game on a 800 P3.

I'd be interested in the result and would love to be able to incorporate your sounds into my game.

Thanks for your contributions, I just wanna use them :D

nopoop

It's ALL about the fight..

Offline Waffle

  • HTC Staff Member
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 4849
      • HiTech Creations Inc. Aces High
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2004, 11:22:14 AM »
I'm currently using the planetronics to do all the editing/mixing on as of now - Haven't heard them in surround or on a system with a subwoofer.

I originally started this pack series as:

1.) something different than what was available.
2.) Something that had real sounds in it..not stuff complied from other games, ect....(this is the toughest one for authenticity - i'm still fighting it :) )
3.) A soundpack that wouldn't interfere with vocal transmissions.
 

It's funny that you say they have to much "high-end" because most sounds have a low pass filter set to around 6-10k. (otherwords - rolled back the treble. I was doing this to "simulate" using headphones in the plane...originally. Lately though, with the new guns I've stepped back from this. Seems the treble will give more attack for impacts and guns - where the volumes dont need to be so loud.

I know one thing that is different from some other packs is that I'm not boosting the volume so much as to create digital clipping. I'm trying to preserve some of the actual sound wave, which in turn, gives the files room to "breathe", if that makes sense. But as some folks notice, this is going to be a lower output volume than what everyone is used to. It was a long/debate here on my end. For example, you ever notice how some music cds are louder than others? Some folks at the cd mastering labs/record labels think that when their song comes on the jukebox - it needs to be louder than others or stand out more. Well they compress it and boost the levels so much, that you end up having a loud "flat" sounding record. Becuse they've boosted/compressed, ect...to get it loud, they sucked the life and dynamics out of it. Take a current rock band say like "Jet" vs some one like Chris Isaak or Nora Jones.  So you put in Jets album and  get it to a good decent level, then put in one of the others. Your going to have to turn them up. BUT what you can hear when you turn up the later twos albums is that you're "in" the room. It sounds more natural to the ear. You can her nuances in dynamics that you loose when you compress and boost volumes.

It's a big can of worms, and I'm dealing with it and trying to improve some of levels and the way the interact. Hence going back to the levels set at 80. that way I can set it by gain in the individual wav file, then people can tweak to their liking. Again folks will say the flaps and gears are probably to low, but from the recordings I've heard, flaps and gears are noticible, but they dont jump out. But again, they have more of a tactile feel to them
as you know when they are actauted by the way the airflow changes.

anyway - off on a tangent :)

Try this sound config: This is the one im currently using with the plantronics headset/mic.


you can copy this. then open up your Aces High/Settings / sounds.cfg (used notepad) delete what's in there and then past the below settings in.

1.000000,Master
0.900000,eng
0.800000,engstart
0.800000,engoff
0.850000,damage1
0.850000,stall
0.950000,hit
0.950000,hit_1
0.950000,hit_2
0.950000,hit_3
0.950000,hit_4
0.950000,hit_5
0.950000,hit_6
0.950000,hit_7
0.950000,m2
0.950000,m2
0.950000,weapon
0.800000,tire
0.800000,gear
0.900000,flaps
0.900000,stress
0.900000,wind
0.800000,veng
0.800000,vstart
0.800000,vstop
0.850000,tread
0.850000,explode2
0.850000,explode1
0.850000,explode3
0.850000,explode4
0.800000,beng
0.800000,bstart
0.800000,bstop
0.800000,wake
0.850000,check6
0.800000,jeng
0.800000,jstart
0.800000,jstop
0.800000,rato
1.000000,eng
0.800000,engstart
0.800000,engoff
0.800000,
0.800000,veng
0.800000,vstart
0.800000,vstop
0.800000,wheel
0.800000,beng
0.800000,btart
0.800000,bstop
0.800000,
0.800000,jeng
0.800000,jstart
0.800000,jstop
0.800000,
0.800000,veng
0.800000,vstart
0.800000,vstop
0.800000,tread
0.700000,gstrike1
0.700000,gstrike2
0.700000,gstrike3
0.700000,gstrike4
1.000000,m2
0.800000,whistle
0.800000,train
0.800000,wheel
0.800000,airraid
0.750000,warning
0.800000,reng
0.800000,rstart
0.800000,rstop
0.800000,
0.800000,reng
0.800000,rstart
0.800000,rstop
0.900000,scrape
0.800000,Slat
« Last Edit: November 28, 2004, 11:30:41 AM by Waffle »

Offline nopoop

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3074
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2004, 12:51:24 PM »
Like the way you have the "doppler" in with the engine sounds. Good stuff, I'll fiddle it.
nopoop

It's ALL about the fight..

Offline 6GunUSMC

  • Parolee
  • Nickel Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 424
      • http://www.fasteasynet.com
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2004, 01:17:28 PM »
Waffle,

I have a suggestion, again its the low volume on the flaps, gear, slats, etc.  I understand that in real life the engine noise drowned out pretty much everything... But one advantage in real life is that when flaps were lowered, a pilot could 'feel' it physically... in spite of the best efforts to date the feel that pilots experience is not simulated at all.  But more volume would help make up for the lack of the feel... I really like your sound pack and even after reducing engine volume it can be difficult to hear in a fight with the radio channels going, check 6's and gunfire.  - just a suggestion... Thanks for all of the effort!

Offline sullie363

  • Nickel Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 784
      • Birds of Prey
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2004, 04:30:24 PM »
I've had the pack for a while now and I don't have any problem hearing the flaps or landing gear.  Even if you do have problems, your gauges are only a glance away.
Birds of Prey Raptors
Birds of Prey Film Making Team
Birds of Prey Trainer Corps

<S> PaulB


Offline Waffle

  • HTC Staff Member
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 4849
      • HiTech Creations Inc. Aces High
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2004, 03:43:40 PM »
oy - the work to do...lmao


I decided to go back to setting levels as based on the default setting of sounds at 80. Thats in the sounds setup or your sounds config. Unfortuneatly, I did some editing when I had my settings messed with so I'm in the process of changing levels and normalizing sound files to fit withint he new stock set levels.

Currently things are going well. I've tried a few of the planes that I've done online and they seem to work good with Vox communications without having to use the "vox effect" slider, where the sounds drop out when some one talks on vox.


I will also be normalizing and rediting some of the envioronmental sounds of explosions, ect... looking at the idea of having a few different explosions from bombers which would have the higher alt "thunder sound" instead of the high attack explosions due to proximity.

All in all, it's a complete overhaul of the previous pack, since I have to change levels. So while i'm changing levels, I'm also editing stuff...Should hopefully have it close to done by 15-21st of Dec. Never know - might be sooner.

So fars heres a fix list of what has been accomplished for the next pack

Tempest / Typhoon - new engine start sequence as well as new engine sound, rework of the hispano sounds in these birds.

109G6 / 109 G2 / 109 G10 - Authentic New engine start/shutdown sequences, as well as new authentic engine sounds
(sampled from Black 6, with db605 from Duxford England)
New flaps as per operational sound from Black 6,
Edited gear and slats for level/tone as well.
Increase some of the air disruption  in the stall for all ge planes
Lowered pitch of stress. New rocket sound for all GE planes
Slight editing to cannon tones and gun levels to appropriate levels.


109E4 /F4  - New engine sounds as wells as changes listed above for the other 109s.

Me163 - increased pitch of rocket/engine..edited flaps.

Me262: edited start/shutdown sequence, New engine sounds. New flaps sound as well as edited gear sound.

FW190s - New start sounds for all the 190s. Adjusted guns as wells as flaps/gears for volume
Adjusted all Engines sounds for some more prop noise as well as higher RPM

JU88 - new engine sounds and start shutdown, flaps, gears adjusted

Ju87 - new start/shutdown - engine sound reedited for rpm.

P38 - New Engine sounds and  start/shutdown sequence. Edited Gears/Flaps. Tailored bomb drops and Rockets sounds. (sound samples from Lefty Gardners p38)

P51d - New Engine sounds and start sequence. New flaps. (sound samples from Bob Love's p51d)

Offline SuperDud

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4581
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #10 on: December 08, 2004, 10:06:08 AM »
Hi Waffel,
I was wondering if you could do a quick post as to how to install your sounds and skins? I downloaded the complete pack but to be honest don't know what needs deleted (if anything) and where I place these new items? If yourself or anyone who reads this and knows how could do a quick run through I'd really appreciate it. Thanks:)


EDIT: OOOPS! Just saw the installation guide on the web site. DUH!:rofl All installed, sounds amazing Waffle:aok
« Last Edit: December 08, 2004, 10:09:19 AM by SuperDud »
SuperDud
++Blue Knights++

Offline 214thCavalier

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1929
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2004, 05:15:43 PM »
Waffle love your sounds with a big but.

I am getting game lock ups with them, infrequent but, i never get lock ups using Mitsus old sound pack.

I have replaced one sound and thats the stall sound only.

As i nearly always fly F4U it of course is the only vehicle i can comment on.

Anybody else suffering or just me ?

Offline Waffle

  • HTC Staff Member
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 4849
      • HiTech Creations Inc. Aces High
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2004, 06:15:58 PM »
yeah - i noticed some of the larger stereo files will cause that when they first are played...sometimes the winds / stalls will cause that. I had some in there that were 16/44hz, which I've changed back to 33kz, and some of the larger stereo files, I dropped to 8bit to try to remedy this with next version,

Offline Waffle

  • HTC Staff Member
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 4849
      • HiTech Creations Inc. Aces High
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2004, 02:09:43 PM »
3.2 is out and available at wafflesounds site  - link in first post or below in sig.

Offline Waffle

  • HTC Staff Member
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 4849
      • HiTech Creations Inc. Aces High
Wafflesounds and skins
« Reply #14 on: December 13, 2004, 11:40:26 PM »
3.2 Download - Make sure you delete your "sounds.cfg" file from your settings folder! Then you can increase external engine sound to 100.