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(Undecided)
11-07-2006, 06:31 AM
Alright, first of all my computer is not so good. Among the default settings, sound was set to low. I thought before BF sounded pretty good, but after trying high settings the sound is amazing!
While looking at BF2142 movies from various sources, I noticed one thing: the voices. While the sound was crisper overall, I noticed that there were MANY more voice overs, "throwing frag!" "Go, go, go!" and the like. I could even hear soldiers talking without their radios! On low settings, there is no depth to the voices, you only hear the messages in your radio so you can't tell where it is coming from, and there is only one message per command (on low settings spamming "need repairs" only gets you a stream of "need repairs", instead of "need mechanic" or "Grease Monkey!").
The reason I am posting this (besides the fact that the game sounds so freakin awesome) is because... my computer can't handle it! On high, my computer will freeze for one or two seconds, then go on at a good frame-rate until it happens again in another twenty seconds. Not much, but it is enough to let some sneaky guy knife you in the back.

I suppose this is a rant, but I just cannot convey the amazement at what I have been missing (and will not be hearing for sometime). I used wonder why people emphasized the importance of learning the Russian word for grenade, because I never heard it in-game! My method of learning when enemies are spamming nades is to always keep one eye on the text messages on the side of the screen, and the other on my cross-hair. When I see red letters I quickly check to see what the enemy soldier was saying. If "frag", or "grenade" appears in the corner of my eye, I start looking around so I know which direction I should be running. Being able to hear the vocal warning and pick out the spammers location through sound is a MAJOR advantage. No wonder I get killed so often by grenades. Is anyone else impressed with the sound in this game? Maybe I am biased by the low quality precedent and subsequent reveal, but still; it sounds amazing! I cannot convey the sense of elation I felt when my soldier shouted "requesting supplies!" with slightly more urgency than I was used to.

FPS[VT_NERD]
11-07-2006, 06:51 AM
I didn't know enemy chat for "grenade" appeared with the normal radio chatter, but maybe it does appear when set to low so you have the same advantage as people with sound set on higher levels. I've always heard the enemy actually shout "grenade" so that was my system for watching out.

I don't know what kind of system you have, but a moderate sound card should allow you to at least run at medium or high and take the load off your CPU and motherboard (I'm assuming you run low because you also use your motherboard's onboard sound card). If you've got an open PCI slot I would look into getting one as they can be had for probably $50 or so (I didn't check prices so this is just a guess).

Goodolddany
11-07-2006, 08:03 AM
Sound is an advantage, having your sound on extreme high and having surround with your haedphone is a major advantage!

hobiecatter
11-07-2006, 08:07 AM
Just before BF2142 came out my onboard sound went out and I had to use an old and crusty sound card for BF2. I got used to it after a few weeks. Then when I got my RMA replacement motherboard and had full on sound again, I was in amazement at the difference it makes. For the first week I kept looking over my shoulder thinking someone was there.

oh and headphones FTW!

FPS[VT_NERD]
11-07-2006, 08:09 AM
Just before BF2142 came out my onboard sound went out and I had to use an old and crusty sound card for BF2. I got used to it after a few weeks. Then when I got my RMA replacement motherboard and had full on sound again, I was in amazement at the difference it makes. For the first week I kept looking over my shoulder thinking someone was there.

oh and headphones FTW!

Yes, surround sound headphones (or speakers) give a definite edge when it comes to avoiding the sneaky guy trying to stick a knife in your back.

kenof2142
11-07-2006, 08:12 AM
It would be worth the upgrade, even a 60 dollar audigy2 zs sound card is WELL worth the upgrade. I can play on medium settings with hardware rendering.

gundamfan
11-07-2006, 08:33 AM
I love most of the sound effects in this game. The vocal sounds are very well made, including the Russian, which adds to the immersion. However some phrases are repeated a lot and get annoying (like "Medic!" in Russian).

I like the gun sounds as well. Though they're still projectile weaponry, they sound futuristic.

miika
11-12-2006, 09:52 AM
I always find myself grinning when I hear the EU-guy in a vehicle shouting "Greek monkey!", although I doubt there are any monkeys in Greece, at least not with the ice age coming :laugh:

My theory is that with the vehicle breaking down and the lack of faith in the EU team (PAC is way better IMO) results in childhood nightmares (of evil monkeys met in the zoo when visiting Greece back in the days) popping up in the soon to be dead pilot ;)

More seriously, decent headphones (I use Sennheiser HD25-1:s, that's 155eur;)) and an X-FI (1.5 years on the market and still no linux support..doh) really give an advantage since it's easy to hear where things are happening.

Flt. Sgt. Powderhound
11-12-2006, 09:57 AM
I can run the sound high with an SB audigy 2ZS- but best of all I have the Creative HS600. £20 was alot for a headset but it's sooo 1337!

spLaTes
11-12-2006, 11:18 AM
I always find myself grinning when I hear the EU-guy in a vehicle shouting "Greek monkey!", although I doubt there are any monkeys in Greece, at least not with the ice age coming :laugh:

It's grease monkey, not greek monkey ;)

A grease monkey is slang for a mechanic.

Svartberg
11-12-2006, 11:47 AM
I always found the sound effects balance in BF2 and BF2142 aweful ... the voiceovers are too high and footsteps are too low, gives it an arcady feeling.

Would be nice if the voiceovers could be controlled, damn they are too damn loud.

orcus2
11-12-2006, 01:25 PM
Yea, the sound rocks. In the "making of bf2142" they sent me for pre-ordering, the sound designer explains how they went to 44hz as opposed to 22hz with bf2. Want to hear the difference? Go back and play a game of bf2 and listen... you'll be suprised.

miika
11-12-2006, 02:27 PM
It's grease monkey, not greek monkey ;)

A grease monkey is slang for a mechanic.
Oh, my bad. What I actually thought it could be was something like "Quick, mechanic" or something (badly pronounced) but apparently it really _is_ "Grease monkey". Is that American or British English slang (or just universal)?

MrChris_CJ
11-12-2006, 02:28 PM
ultra high sound quality with my xfi is heavenly

|D|-Max
11-12-2006, 04:46 PM
Yea, the sound rocks the guns are loud and stuff, not like BF2 where the guns sounded like p shooters:p