JUST AS I TOLD CHALLNGE........If you run into "PRICE" Walls, as to acquiring Authentic Sounds...I WILL Donate Funds!!!!!!!!!!!!! He never hit me up? YES...I am weird like that....this would be a + towards my game play experience.
That IS mighty big of you. And while I appreciate the offer, as anyone should, it may be a good idea to not talk about money. Rarely is anyone going to afford how it really should be done.
I'm long winded. I'm going to try my best to condense the book of War and Peace into a post. This may explain why (if at all) we may end up getting authentic recordings how ever we can, mostly likely internet based. They cannot come from another game. I consider cockpit recordings on youtube to be "authentic", proper sound in proper AC. OR as someon else mentioned, buy a CD.
Some repeats here.
He took on a lot for one person, over-whelming, and he did good. It would be most economical to just fix the errors. A massive shortcut.
This is a small team type job. The reason game sounds sound really good, but after a while not great, even exhausting,..the affordability to do it exactly right. Even they will grow old too. It's the constant long term listening that's burning it out, not the quality. I don't see major problems with the sounds, they could be tweaked a touch.
I'm confident that if I had real well done recordings, and the proper time to process them, that if you closed your eyes you would say "ya, I'm there", that would be the goal. The invoice would be staggering.
To Record AC Live
You have ONE $hot at getting it right. Plan for that accordingly. There are infinite variables.
As a team we would decide the definition of "Right". Is the end EQing to be realistic or theatrical, or a mix of both? Plan for both. Is the sound going to be with or without pilot headset on? Which mics will be used in which placement. Design the same system to be used on every object.
First expensive mics do not mean better. A lot has to do with sales. I prefer Shure mics, most widely used mic in the industry, most under $300, they EQ really easy, and flatter response. Sennheisers are expensive and quality (not a big fan), but EQing is like driving a truck with no power steering. Experience is the shortcut. This is where I could have been help to Chalenge. It CAN be done with 1-2 mics, but with money spent for the occasion, don't risk having to trash the recording as not usable. Go over-board. One shot-one-kill. This is how we do live productions, concerts or corporate events. we think of everything that could go wrong, we lose sleep over it.
I'm not even going to touch on the psychology of sound and why something you listen to constantly needs to be flawless and NOT compressed. A book all by itself.
Professional Recordings
I want that AC for 1 hour (rent?), I own it and everything within 100ft for one hour. The entire runtime of the engine is 5-10 minutes, the rest is setup time. If I could get a 5 minute ride recording that would be better. Also, it would have to be done on windless days. That said, sound reflections from concrete,..if I'm going over-board it would be done with the AC over carpet under the front half of the air-frame
Microphone positions
Mic pairing gives the full spectrum (two sets of ears) and can be mixed together as one, full, rich, sound.
Recordings with closed canopy and motionless pilot, warm engine.
All mics into one mixer, with 6 outputs to recorder, each output on it's own track. The gear can be rented.
Interior Sound
3 Mics
A Shure 91 (or PZM) and Shure 81 Condenser suspended from the top of the canopy with rubber bands.
A Shure Lavalier (used on TV news) mounted inside the headset muff, comm system turned off.
Exterior Sound
3 Mics, with proper windscreens
AKG 414 condenser at a 45 degree angle at the side of the prop.
Shure 52 and a Shure 81 condensor for the engine/exhaust. All must be outside of prop air flow.
You have 99 other AC and Vehicles to do,.. you ARE NOT going to get them all, simple fact.
Processing
Not only would you have that mass expense above, gear, travel, lodging, meals,...
It will take at least 40-60 8 hr days to process 200-400 files. 60 X $425 per day = $25,500.
Lets not talk money, unless someone is going to throw 200k in the bucket. For a game that we cannot even confirm will be around for another 2-3 years? However, such a thing could breathe more life. Yin-Yang. Pick your poison. Gamble?
This would be the ultimate in sound immersion.
What Chalenge did is priceless. If we can fix it kewl, if not, we'll just have to do the best we can with what ever we can acquire, even then it's a big project. I would not put all this on one person, it would be best to have a team tackle this. Acquiring files, sign-off on the EQing and volume mix, testing.
I'm still battling with my approach, I have very few answers.
