New Sound Fading Effects

[karma99]

Have yet to really test properly in high activity areas but I imagine there won't really be much of an FPS hit if at all. The only potential problem is that due to this fading, sounds have to be activated a lot further away than usual, 5200m is the figure I'm using based on my fading calculations so that potentially means more sound blueprints loaded at once.

5200m is rather high indeed! Don't you think it could be possible to implement this effect with activation distances under 1000m? I don't expect a train to be audible from longer distances.

I think the point of this "fix" is that the train isn't actually audible at 5200m, but that is the point that the RW engine needs to start monitoring and assessing the audio so that it can play it "correctly" at distances of 1000m or so, rather than starting from 200m away.
Until we try a lot of instances at once we're not going to know if it has too bad a performance hit.
The ideal overall solution is that RW take the changes that pushing the distance out this far achieves and builds it into the sim engine so it effects all the default and existing stock - this would however mean you'd probably hear Richards locos from the other side of the world and he'd have to change his back

[rabid]

Wasn't there a AP wagon sound set available for RS?
Would be great if this was updated for RW with the new "fix".

[Neptune50006]

This is fantastic. A great advance to the sounds IMO. Just what a real railway should sound like. As others have said, this definitely needs implementing into the core sim by RWC ASAP.

[Blackpatch]

That is a huge step up. Congratulations to all involved. Any feedback from users of the upgrade on game performance?

[scefhwil]

For those not up to speed with the original thread in the Sounds forum, the method Richard has applied to his packs is a work-around what is almost certainly a bug in RW, ie the auto attenuation is far too aggressive. The best solution would be for RS.com to fix the code, but who want's to wait till they are grey (as would be the case for me, if it doesn't all fall out first!). So it will be up to us to provide "fixes" as it requires changing the audio control blueprint. I've been testing this method for sometime as part of the my particles project and have had no noticable performance effects. That said, I'm only activating at a max distance of 900m (for steam loco whistles and safety valves which as the sound is fired up into the air travels the farthest in real life), slightly less for chuffs, and much less for ancillary noises (each audio control has it's own activation distance). Not at all sure why Richard is using a figure of 5200m, unless it is a typo and he means 520m? If it is 5200m then I would suggest he refines his volume curve as that figure really is unnecessarily high, unless you have ears as sensitive as a animals and can hear a .wav file reduced to below 1% of it's original volume, and then above all the other louder sounds nearer by. I know for sure that I can't.

Stuart

[phat2003uk]

5200m was used because that's when the fading calculations begin for how I've implemented it. This all about having the nuances of that slight rumble in the distance and I'm not saying at all that at 5200m you start actually hearing the sound, that is just when the sound comes out of silent mode and ever so gradually rises. Of course if there is background noise, the sound won't be heard until a lot closer but the RailWorks world isn't exactly a very noisy one in terms of background sound. I admit that this may seem like overkill but it is so people who have their sound systems at realistic levels can say, plonk themselves at a station, and hear the build up in the distance of a train approaching. By having this high activation distance, it ensures this is the case. Having a lower activation distance could just result in the sound, albeit very quiet, just cutting in when the train reaches a certain distance away which spoils the realism. I have also heard Class 37s working hard from 2-3 miles away. The same goes for horns. I honestly don't really think it's going to matter too much having such a high activation distance either. Of course if there are reports of problems things might have to be changed but my tests have led me to conclude there is not much of a problem in this regard.

Regardless of the above though, we just have to look at two questions:
1) Does my current setup sound realistic in game?
2) Does it hit performance disproportionately?

If the answer to 1 is yes and the answer to 2 is no, I can't see a problem.

On a totally separate note, I have this implemented with the 101 sounds and hopefully there will be a chance to put this in an update over Steam.

[msdejesus]

Just wanted to say thanks again for your efforts and for making the patch available so soon.

Manuel

[phat2003uk]

No problem Manuel. Can't wait to see some videos showing the update .

[msdejesus]

No problem Manuel. Can't wait to see some videos showing the update .

I am afraid you wont have to wait for long, a vid(s) featuring the update should come soon...

[styckx]

I've bought two scenario packs from Mr. Armstrong here but never the sound packs as while the sounds were indeed better (youtube demos on the page) it just didn't fill that void in the atmosphere of the game I wanted. This fills that void perfectly. Coming up on my days off I'll probably plunk down for the 37 sound pack and see how that + this patch do. If I am pleased I'll just batch purchase the others.

[phat2003uk]

Just for reference, all packs on the site have now had this update added to them so if you do decide to purchase one, there will be no need for you to download the patch too .

[styckx]

Very nice. I will also say thanks to all the people involved in bringing this to light so those who have the means to do so can implement it in rolling stock rather fast. While the sound packs aren't free, the method of how to do it came free. From what I read it was buried in the wiki and Mr. Stuart was nice enough to let the cat out of the bag. Free information like this that expands the game to this degree in the audio department is just the same as a freeware locomotive to me.

[pspvoyager220]

Hi all

A patch is now available at http://armstrongpowerhouse.com/free_dow ... tch_RW.zip. This covers all sound packs released for RailWorks. This will need to be reinstalled every time Steam updates. A more formal announcement on the website will be put up soon but thought I'd give you all the link as soon as possible .

Enjoy!

Thank you very much - about to try these now.
Will these be also overwritten when Steam updates?

[Neptune50006]

I've just been carrying out some tests on the Test Track route with my diesel loco's and found the patch gave the following results...

Class 08...It worked
Class 20...It worked
Class 24...It worked
Class 25...It worked
Class 37...It worked
Class 40...It worked
Class 45...It worked
Class 47...It worked
Class 55...It worked
Class 60...It didn't work.

The 40 and Deltic sound particularly good powering off into the distance.

Lets hope we can get the same for the steamers.

[Neptune50006]

Thank you very much - about to try these now.
Will these be also overwritten when Steam updates?

Yes.