Starcraft 2 soundscape very disappointing

I think this has been the same thoughts as the community since they announced the Zerg trailer. SC2 soundscape seems to have gone downhill since then.

Watching the youtube beta movies, it just feels like noise, lots of it. When it's a zerg base, you hear a lot of sloshing noise. If it's a terran, you hear a lot of mechanical noise. None of which are distinct or anything.

In SC1, you could hear the welding tools of SCVs, the gnawing of drones, the weird noise of probes. While Protoss still has that probe sound, terran and zerg have seemingly "improved" to just mechanized or organic noise.

This is further added onto the fact that Marines now have a generic machine gun noise, not the cool 50 cal thunder from SC1. Considering the new marines have a larger muzzle flash, one can imagine a much better sounding gun than what they have now.

Also lets not talk about Hydralisks, which have lost their distinct sound and just sound like they're flinging rocks. Zerlings sound like seagulls still. Roaches just have a sloshing noise and Ovies have lost their Elephant roar. It's now more like a bored grunt as if it doesn't want to be in the game.

Siege tanks, the once great sounding deployment which put fear into people, now have really no distinct sound. Their once unique attack sound "pop, pop" and the artillery strike sound is now replaced with boring and generic cannon fire. Even Vikings have a boring sound, just another MP5 like machine gun, or rockets that sound the same as regular rockets (not the crazy rockets from SC1, which had a weird radar like ping every time)

I understand sound is the last thing to be worked on, but seriously, I really hope these are placeholders.

I agree but I think it goes beyond the soundscape.
The music is disappointing.
The speech is really silly, very monotonous.

The music and speech seem fine to me (I'm assuming voice acting for main characters will be more exciting in the campaign etc.)

I agree that the sound effects for the game in general, though, are very disappointing. I too hope that there are a LOT of placeholders currently in the game. Right now the game looks great, but sounds average.

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Originally Posted by Wankey

Also lets not talk about Hydralisks, which have lost their distinct sound and just sound like they're flinging rocks.

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To be fair to Hydras, their SC1 attack sound effect and animation was from a time when they were supposed to be spitting acid, I believe. Only later did they change the lore to shooting spines instead of acid, but the animation and sound effects stayed the same. :]

The music is great. All other sounds are monkey hurlage.

Definitely game looks amazing. Art team has really done a great job (except for Carrier *ahem*) The sound team... are sleeping at the wheel.

Also I don't know why Hydralisks are spitting spines. You need ammunition for spines, acid you can just keep making.

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Originally Posted by Wankey

Also I don't know why Hydralisks are spitting spines. You need ammunition for spines, acid you can just keep making.

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Well, they apparently have hundreds of them in their upper carapace, and I imagine they'd grow back like a shark's teeth :p.

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Originally Posted by Wankey

Also I don't know why Hydralisks are spitting spines. You need ammunition for spines, acid you can just keep making.

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Lore-wise hydras have been spitting spines since SC1 IMO the problem right now is the attack animation and sound effect. According to SC1 manual hydra's spines are shot with enough force to pierce through several layers of steel in the BC's armor, but the actual animations shows the spines being fired in a parabolic arc and that doesn't seem really capable of hurting anything at all.
I also agree that the sound needs to be reworked thay might be trying to improve realism but it's better when each unit has an iconic sound effect.

I'm hoping a lot of the sound is filler. A lot of the actual unit voices are lame IMO. I prefer Sc1's unit voices by FAR. There's a few that are actually good -- but not enough. And their actual scripts are terrible.

Music is generally great to excellent.

Has anyone tried posting this complaint at the source? i.e. the bnet beta forums? This might get their attention more there, and Blizzard might act more quickly based on that.

Overall I agree with the sound sentiment: The zealots have lost their clinking-sword type zealot attack. Dark templar have their laser-blade sounds done perfectly, but zealots need to be reworked.

Also, the tanks need more depth to the explosion sound - it sounds too much like hitting a tin can for some reason. Also, hydralisks need a major rework, maybe not like SC1 sounds but if they wanna improve it, maybe give the impact of the spines a sound if they wanna keep the "pfft" of the spines - also, freaking change that flying mouse pointer to an actual sharp projectile or a series of them!!

Just found this on the SC2GDF: http://forums.battle.net/thread.html...02981&sid=3000

Hate to say it, but I feel like many of these Zerg voices suck. Especially the zergling and hydra.

The music I'm quite fond of, however. Protoss seems rather lacking in the music dept, but the rest are great.

I'd have to agree, I'm very disappointed with most of the unit voices and especially the zerg adjutant. Man is that whispering witch voice going to get annoying really fast. I'm especially disappointed after hearing those zerg voices, they either sound like some sort of cutesy little bugs, or someone with an upset stomach. These are supposed to be the stuff of nightmares? The damn hydralisk sounds like someone on a respirator struggling for air. Sheesh, I really hope this placeholder rumour is true. I'd rather they used the SC1 sounds for the returning units if they are going to do such an injustice to them.

EDIT: The Queen I liked however, sufficiently alien and interesting for my tastes.

thank you blazur...

carrier has surprised me...great(except design)

first voidray was great... why they needs to change...terrible

phoneix...so-so!

god finally someone brings this up. its been bugging me ever since sc2 was announced. but yeah hydralisks lost there spitting sound for some weird sound. id prefer original voices for original zerg units. Pilots and warriors might change for SC2 but not a strain of zerg..

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Originally Posted by Nenol-phoenix

Lore-wise hydras have been spitting spines since SC1 IMO the problem right now is the attack animation and sound effect. According to SC1 manual hydra's spines are shot with enough force to pierce through several layers of steel in the BC's armor, but the actual animations shows the spines being fired in a parabolic arc and that doesn't seem really capable of hurting anything at all.
I also agree that the sound needs to be reworked thay might be trying to improve realism but it's better when each unit has an iconic sound effect.

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+1. Their death sound should also come back.
The attack animation should be thousands of small green spines thrown with green goo going at bullet speed. (at least that's what I could say SC1's animation was or could be interpreted as with the current lore.)
As you say, current one is just like an archer's arrow, with similar physics.

I hope Carrier model will be improved, at least like this:

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/595/bigbetter.jpg
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2153/bigbetter2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...rierAttack.jpg

Although the new Thor model rocks when compared to the old walking box/wall

About the music I think it's fine, I've heard some of it through YouTube replays (HDstarcraft is doing a fine job showing us the look and feel of SC2)

EDIT
P.D. those carriers are fanmade, even the last image is fanmade.
You can find the maker in this thread

I never had a problem with the carrier model, until I saw ^ those versions.
Also so that I'm not complaining about everything, I actually do like the music :D

Only good sound I've heard is the zerg music. Everything else is horrid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOA3P...eature=channel

LMAO!!!

I have to admit the Zergling thing made me laugh.

I liked most of the Terrans. I'd say they're mostly good enough to ship.

The Protoss...ugh.
Ok, I like the Carrier. The voice is the best by far. The Mothership sounds pretty good too. I was fine with the Phoenix. Everything else is lackluster at best.

I'd say what they need most is more to make them sound ethereal and alien.
The High Templar in particular needs to sound more aloof and surreal. Archons need that reverberation that made you *feel* just from hearing them that they're powerful.

The sound effects on the Void Ray sounded good enough, but the lines made me cringe.

lol zerlings fart.

They are seriously not taking serious eh? Zerg sounds like slapstick comedy. Sounds like bowl movements.

I think the Sound guys are just having some fun. Some of the Terran sound for Medivac, Viking, Ghost, Banshee, all are pretty well done / funny. There are some obviously unfinished ones. I have faith in terms of voice overs.

Just the sound scape doesnt seem too interesting.

I haven't heard one person in-game complain about the carrier model. Just FYI

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Originally Posted by Carsickness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOA3P...eature=channel

LMAO!!!

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That's not even funny to me...it's just stupid. And how the hell can that even be considered a growl? I think just about all the Zerg voices annoy me. None of them sound menacing, but rather like a slug choking on a hairball.

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Originally Posted by Hamshank

I haven't heard one person in-game complain about the carrier model. Just FYI

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Mainly because people in game are trying to use the unit, not caring about its looks.

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Originally Posted by Carsickness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOA3P...eature=channel

LMAO!!!

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LOL! at the Zerglings fart ahahaha.

The voices are soo important, because that's all you ever get to hear from the units. They're just not intelligent or memorable like previous games. Even Wc3 did a pretty good job with this, though Sc1 was great..it's not the "need a light" etc.

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Originally Posted by Blazur

That's not even funny to me...it's just stupid. And how the hell can that even be considered a growl? I think just about all the Zerg voices annoy me. None of them sound menacing, but rather like a slug choking on a hairball.

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Zergling should sound like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSuW-Yls4Ow
0:00 - 0:10 and 0:40 - 0:59 ..now that's menacing!

You know what's strange, when I first played War3 (as Orcs) I distinctly remember thinking how all the voices weren't as good as War2 and how all the Orc units sounded too similar.

Years down the road, I've gotten used to it and even come to appreciate the voices. If worst comes to worst and these SC2 voices are final, then I think that we'll eventually become fond of them :].

Except for the Zerg announcer. If that stays, I may have to stop playing Zerg :p.

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Originally Posted by GRUNT

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Except for the Zerg announcer. If that stays, I may have to stop playing Zerg :p.

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Hehe! Is that such a bad thing?

Welcome to the dark side! Protoss rules!:cool:

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Originally Posted by protoswarrior

Welcome to the dark side!

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The dark side? The hoighty toighty protoss? Surely they're the light side compared to Zerg. Come back to the really dark side! We have cookies.

The orcs sound okay. I think a lot of these voices are still placeholders for now I hope. I mean Viking, Medivac, Banshee, SCV, Marine and Ghost all sound *okay*. I'm hoping they are the ones that are done, and the rest are still shoddy versions.

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Originally Posted by Blazur

That's not even funny to me...it's just stupid. And how the hell can that even be considered a growl? I think just about all the Zerg voices annoy me. None of them sound menacing, but rather like a slug choking on a hairball.

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I have to agree with you. Based on the videos I've seen of unit sounds/voicovers, this one has to be a fan dub. Notice the lack of reaction in the unit portrait as compared to other videos of this sort.

Note: I am not in the beta, so this is pure speculation based on what I've seen in youtube links, but I really feel we've been had by this one. Farting zerglings are beneath Blizzard's humor dignity.

Wait a minute... did I really just use Blizzard and dignity in the same sentence referencing their sense of humor? Oops! Lol.

It's kinda sad when you realize that the sounds they developed 11 or so years ago sounded amazing compared to this generic stuff they are throwing at us today. You guys can cry "You're being nostalgic!" all you want, but deep down inside, you know that the sc1 unit sounds are superior, only because Blizzard was very "hungry" and passionate for making new games way back then. Go listen to the Zealot talking back to you for a minute or so, then listen to its psi blades thrusting into something for another minute.

I really don't know why they don't try to just port some of the music or sounds over to some units. I'd love for a few of the original tracks playing in the background and for units like the zergling and marines to sound the same.

And yes, the L4D 2 hunter sounds sound great and unique. Since they are making an FPS game, they can afford to focus on its soundscape more. Still, it's no secret that Valve takes its soundscapes more seriously than Blizzard is atm. WoW is getting a little more love in that department.

Also, zealots used to grunt when thrusting psi blades. It was super zealous sounding.

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Originally Posted by Wankey

Also, zealots used to grunt when thrusting psi blades. It was super zealous sounding.

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I wish the old stabbing animation was included with that sound!
I don't care if the other animations are kept as long as that one is added with the old sound revamped.

Some animals can shoot their spines in real life? What would be so hard to believe about a hydralisk being able to regrow spines in a matter of days. How long does it take shark to grow teeth?

Also I started playing SC1 and it really does have an awesome sound track. I think SC2 should sound a bit more like SC1. Kind of a dark techno IDK. I like it though.

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Originally Posted by flak4321

...has to be a fan dub. Notice the lack of reaction in the unit portrait as compared to other videos of this sort. ...

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Self Correction: none of Zerg portraits show a visual reaction. I might be wrong about the fan dub comment. If so, this sucks.

Just played some more on my 5.1 surround. Tweaked the sound settings around a bit, sounds seem to be better quality. There is still a huge amount of noise in the sounds since they are so generic, a big battle just sounds like noise overlapping each other.