Info > Feedback and Suggestions

Removal/replacement of passive sonar

(1/3) > >>

Squidslinger Gilder:
Music...it is ok if we have some action music during fights but really, it's utilization as a sonar tool has long since gotten old. Lot of folks just turn it off entirely till they realize it is like a sonar tool to tell you when someone is near. Which isn't needed. The system needs a redo. Not calling for complete removal, just redesign so it isn't necessary to use it in competitive games.

JaegerDelta:
I think the music is great. the passive sonar is an unfortunate consequence but the tension it provides is invaluable to the experience of the player. with out it being there you would either have people being on high alert all the time which wears the player thin, and in competitive people are on high alert all the time anyway, or you have people blundering around until they are surprised by one another.

It is a great subtle cue to direct the gameplay toward conflict. even without knowing the sonar properties, anyone that has been exposed to audiovisual media in their lifetime responds to the music. with out it the atmosphere of the environment is crippled. 

each match has a clear arc of play. the no music low tension beginning simulates the feel of the crews thinking its going to be an easy no nonsense raiding/salvage/patrol mission. then the quiet drums build tension as the enemy nears and the player, again as a consequence of natural human responses to the audio and visual elements working together even with no prior knowledge of the sonar side effect, responds to this tension by looking around more, sticking closer to the guns, flying the ship more cautiously.  then the enemy is spotted and the battle begins and the music is more intense fleshing out the sounds of gunfire and images of explosions to a greater sense of urgency and intensity. followed by the cathartic explosion of the enemy or the distressing red glow of your own ships demise.

the music has to be there. its part of the artistry of the experience. would the opening crawl of a star wars movie be the same without john williams' iconic fanfare?

if you dont want the sonar side effect in competitive play, make it a rule to have music off in matches, because competitive play is no longer about the experience of the environment but about maximizing the math behind it to produce a win. both styles of play have their merits, and a player is granted the freedom to approach the experience as he or she wishes, but do not cripple the experience of the majority of players for the sake of the few who play in a community developed special game mode.

Echoez:
Well, this feature is quite nice and Jeager stated, just make a 'No music' rule, of course you can't be sure if everyone will follow it, but hey, maybe it can be a special feature that can be selected for the match itself, game should ask you if you want the music enabled in this game or not and will automatically mute it for all players in the game for the competative matches.

I too believe in a serious match, the music indicating that enemies are close is a dead give away and ruins ambushing, but let's not completely remove it.. make it an option in match creation.

Squidslinger Gilder:
You can't enforce that. Come on, get real.

Artistry of the experience is crap, you don't need sonar music happening to achieve the same goal. What you do is have a standard track playing at all times that keeps the mood mellow but tense enough so people are on their guard. Then it ramps up the moment action starts.

Also, I find more often than not new players have the music off because they get tired of it. Some even don't want to turn it on even after you tell them it is passive sonar. So there is little point to even having it. Heck I used to play with it off all the time. Doing that fostered a need to be on guard at all times when flying, watching all angles. Having to turn it on again after I realized it was sonar developed a bit more laziness in flying.

Echoez:
Well I did propose a match creation option to have the music muted, on a more casual level people might actually enjoy it, you just take it off.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page