Very disappointed with the game's sound design

[Johannex]

Hello, dear talented developers and fellow gamers!
First of all, let me congratulate on a job well done - despite the things I'm about to point out, the game has a huge potential and, without a shadow of a doubt, is very fun to play. I'm very much looking forward to any future content and improvements you will hopefully bring to the table further down the road.

With that said, there's a huge elephant in the room I just can't seem to brush off, as it gets in the way of my enjoyment of the game and more often than not ends up being a real immersion-breaker. One of those is the fact most maps are ridiculously small for some reason... The other, which I'm hoping will get addressed if your time and budget allow it - is the sound design.

The sounds in PC2 are, for the lack of a better word, extremely underwhelming (especially compared to how polished all the other elements of the presentation are, such a beautiful title you've delivered here!). They lack any "punch", the "oomph" factor, do not convey the feeling of an actual battle being waged. The biggest offender and a fine example of the dire need of improvement in this area, as far as I'm concerned, are the mere sounds of units moving around. Such a simple thing to do, right? Wrong.
I mean, this is what a tank moving around the battlefield sounds like in Panzer General 2: (7:39)
https://youtu.be/3MmrOOR1rzg?t=459
A truck in Order of Battle:
https://youtu.be/yCFXzL6Tx6g?t=155
Infantry fighting:
https://youtu.be/yCFXzL6Tx6g?t=214
Panzer Corps 1:
https://youtu.be/yC0m8ufITpg?t=42

Please pay attention to all the other sounds in the videos above. I do realise they're not the best examples, but hopefully, you get the picture. Now, let's compare it all to Panzer Corps 2:
https://youtu.be/PrjyM-Qj4eA?t=427

Er.. Why do tanks sound like ordinary trucks? Why is the engine barely audible? Where's the sound of tank tracks etc.? It's a heavy vehicle, not a civilian Honda Civic going "brooom", yet it does sound like it....
The same criticism applies to all the other units - Opel Blitz trucks, halftracks, assault guns/tank destroyers, armoured vehicles and so on. They all sound like ordinary cars driving down the road. Even the gun/battle sounds don't compare to what PG2, Panzer Corps 1 or Order of Battle had to offer. There's no grit. No excitement. No character to it all. Everything sounds muffled, flat, quiet, quite frankly boring for the most part (there are exceptions). Such a missed opportunity as far as I'm concerned, considering - as I've pointed out earlier - how wonderful the actual maps and unit models are. Too bad the audio hardly complements the visuals.

I don't want to sound like a negative nancy since it's not ALL bad, but it really does hamper my enjoyment of the game. Proper audio design is what gives a gamer that elusive adrenaline rush, and it's solely missing here. Any chance of even a slight improvement in this area? Or should I abandon all hope (maybe mods will fix it)?

[gokkel]

I kinda agree, the sound effects really feel a bit underwhelming and uniform. Some things are kind of cool, like the Stuka dive attack sound, but even still it kind of lacks a bit of an oomph as you described it.

[Rudankort]

Thanks for feedback. I'm not 100% happy with all sounds either, and will try to improve things. Just need the post-release dust to settle down a bit.

[ADMIRAL3]

Agree 100% sound is poor and tracked movement is silent in certain pc systems. There is a lot of work to be done to reach the level of OOB WW2 and not merely in audio issues. I would recommend to designers and modders (DMP included) to maintain the momentum exploiting quicly all the great potentialities of this magnificent masterpiece otherwise PZC2 will soon lose its fans.

[Prosecutor64]

Yes, the bomber sounds are poor and too similar to smaller planes. The Stuka doesn´t sound as intimidating as it really was.

[Johannex]

Thanks for feedback. I'm not 100% happy with all sounds either, and will try to improve things. Just need the post-release dust to settle down a bit.

That's fantastic to hear! Thank you for your hard work, we all know how it is, with deadlines and such. What I can say is I'm enjoying the game a lot, hence want it to be as perfect as humanly possible.
The more bombastic and "lively" the sound effects, the better (and memorable, especially when it comes to difficult fights) the entire experience!

[giffin]

Thanks for feedback. I'm not 100% happy with all sounds either, and will try to improve things. Just need the post-release dust to settle down a bit.

That's fantastic to hear! Thank you for you hard work, we all know how it is, with deadlines and such. What I can say is I'm enjoying the game a lot, hence want it to be as perfect as humanly possible.
The more bombastic and "lively" the sound effects, the better (and memorable, especially when it comes to difficult fights) the entire experience!

Love this game so far! I too wish for better sounds of vehicles and tanks.

[Mordan]

Indeed the sounds are very weak.

Hopefully this can be addressed very soon.

[Johannex]

Any news on that front, if I may ask?
I had been hoping that some improvements to the base game would arrive with the release of the first DLC, alas, that is not the case..

[kverdon]

While you are at it could you fix the sounds for Naval Bombardment? Instead of a screaming, roaring thunder it sounds like weak firecrackers. Of course, given the overall lack of effectiveness of naval bombardment in PC2, that may be appropriate.

[nexusno2000]

I'm quite happy with the sounds.

Not all of them are amazing, but really, they are good enough for me.

[Rhaeg]

While it is not anything game breaking or something that makes me want to go to the devs' homes with torches and pitchforks, I do agree with OP's remarks.

It feels very underwhelming bombing a city with strategic bombers and not hearing Order of Battle's siren go off... come on, let's get this in game

[asuser]

I like the new PC2 with graphics design and overall UI environment. Installed normal version and first DLC.

Sad but true the sound is extremly weak on my desktop... It's an older machine (8 years) and I have try to put the sound options to maximum. But only the music and the normal "clicks" are really loud, battle sounds something non existent.

Other games like OOB, PC1 or simulations working well.

Something I can do?

[Ezequiel1996]

i agree with the sound im not satisfied with the sound, also with the soundtrack, i mean it's good but it kinda make a war more happy, maybe something more dramatic would work better

[Retributarr]

Get "Musicians" _ The 'MUSIK'-Industry/Rock-Band... or... What-ever... to get their input!:

These specialized-creative talented Musician and Sound-Magic Special-Effects Engineers that are utilized for various tasks such as for T.V. ... documentaries... etc... etc... can surely offer some ideas or solutions?.

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[uneducated]

Thanks for feedback. I'm not 100% happy with all sounds either, and will try to improve things. Just need the post-release dust to settle down a bit.

There are military fans around the world who collect audio recordings of war machines in action and some of these are available under a free licence. The point Johannex makes has been raised here before. I hope the audio battlescape improves.

[Retributarr]

"quote:_uneducated" "I hope the audio battlescape improves".
[Ret:] I... 2nd-that with a... "Yaaauuuhhh!!!"

[NightPhoenix]

+1

[ChristianC]

Yes to everything you said. Soundtrack is awful too.

[ADMIRAL3]

Battle and movement sounds still unchanged even with the last update despite a superb background music....I wonder if it is too complicate or impossible to do... this game is worth a major effort!