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Driftwood
Joined: 04 Apr 2004
Posts: 289
Location: Western NC
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 Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2004 5:14 pm Post subject: Headphones...... Yes or No? |
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| In preparation for DW's release I've been considering a pair of headphones (w/mike of course). There are some new ones out there with everything from 5.1 surround sound to Force Feedback. Was wondering what everyone's opinion on the subject is. Do headphones help or hinder gameplay and the experience? |
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Egan
Joined: 21 Sep 2001
Posts: 2325
Location: Red Clydeside
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| Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2004 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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My only experience of using headphones in Sub Command lasted until I heard some active sonar (This was before they sorted out the loudness in a patch.) My ears still haven't recovered....
Having said that I have toyed with the idea of getting a set of 5.1 cans. Force feedback ones I have never heard of but it sounds very cool. I might have to take a look at them myself. |
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Driftwood
Joined: 04 Apr 2004
Posts: 289
Location: Western NC
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Smuook
Joined: 13 Jan 2004
Posts: 112
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2004 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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I own a pair of Sennheisers and I like them very much. These let me hear the sound at a good level and not disturb others in the house. The sound quality is very good and the mic works well. Sometimes I forget I have them on. These are not cheap though...
Here's what I own:
http://www.sennheisercommunications.com/pr-pc155.html |
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Driftwood
Joined: 04 Apr 2004
Posts: 289
Location: Western NC
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:42 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Smuook!  These look pretty good! In keeping with this topic I'm wondering if having a good set of headphones can actually help when you're listening for sonar contacts? Seems like (at least for a rookie like me) that most of the sonar work is done visually and not by audio, at least when you're searching for faint contacts. Any thoughts? :hmm: |
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Angle
Joined: 09 Nov 2003
Posts: 88
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 11:57 am Post subject: |
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| Egan wrote: | My only experience of using headphones in Sub Command lasted until I heard some active sonar (This was before they sorted out the loudness in a patch.) My ears still haven't recovered....
Having said that I have toyed with the idea of getting a set of 5.1 cans. Force feedback ones I have never heard of but it sounds very cool. I might have to take a look at them myself. |
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Which patch fixed the ping loudness? I'm running 1.08 and it is really loud.
I noticed that I could lower the volume in the sound options but lose volume with several of theo ther instruments. Is there a way to just lower the volume of pings? |
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Zerogreat
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Posts: 819
Location: Czech Republic, Prague, coordinates are sumthin like 50,10 North 14,25 East, not much accurate
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Angle"] | Egan wrote: | | Is there a way to just lower the volume of pings? |
Yes, it is. Open subcommand.ini in notepad (or other plain text editor) and look for something like:
.MaxPingVolume 40
That number is maximal sound volume of a ping. You can enter any number you want, lower nomber, less louder ping sound. |
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Skybird
Joined: 21 Sep 2001
Posts: 4131
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Angle wrote: | | Egan wrote: | My only experience of using headphones in Sub Command lasted until I heard some active sonar (This was before they sorted out the loudness in a patch.) My ears still haven't recovered....
Having said that I have toyed with the idea of getting a set of 5.1 cans. Force feedback ones I have never heard of but it sounds very cool. I might have to take a look at them myself. |
]
Which patch fixed the ping loudness? I'm running 1.08 and it is really loud.
I noticed that I could lower the volume in the sound options but lose volume with several of theo ther instruments. Is there a way to just lower the volume of pings? |
Look in to the ini-file, there is a reading with a value of 80, entitled sonar or something, reduce it to let's say 50. |
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Fish
Joined: 21 Sep 2001
Posts: 2412
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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| lrankine wrote: | | Thanks Smuook! These look pretty good! In keeping with this topic I'm wondering if having a good set of headphones can actually help when you're listening for sonar contacts? Seems like (at least for a rookie like me) that most of the sonar work is done visually and not by audio, at least when you're searching for faint contacts. Any thoughts? :hmm: |
Yeah, your right, its all visually. |
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Driftwood
Joined: 04 Apr 2004
Posts: 289
Location: Western NC
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the reply Fish! That answers my basic question. There doesn't appear to be any gaming advantage to using headphones. Although it's probably an advantage when issuing voice commands. Can't tell you how irritating it is to issue a voice command for a depth change and have the AI respond "SURFACE, SURFACE!" :huh: |
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sonar732
Joined: 03 Jul 2003
Posts: 1358
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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| lrankine wrote: | | Thanks Smuook! These look pretty good! In keeping with this topic I'm wondering if having a good set of headphones can actually help when you're listening for sonar contacts? Seems like (at least for a rookie like me) that most of the sonar work is done visually and not by audio, at least when you're searching for faint contacts. Any thoughts? :hmm: |
In RL, it was a mixture of both. You could get a rough estimate of speed and TPK by listening to the contact. I spent many hours in a simulator with just a pair of headphones on listening to recordings for this purpose. However, this is in another topic.
In 688(I), Sub Command, and now Dangerous Waters, the sonar console is mostly visual. I just like the memories of ultizing everything. |
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Egan
Joined: 21 Sep 2001
Posts: 2325
Location: Red Clydeside
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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I had to set the INI setting really low to get any benefit. About 25 or so but i'm pretty senstive to noise and I like the creepy sound of a distant ping over the rest.
lrankine: Thanks for the link! They look great and not too expensive. I think I might get a set when I upgrade my computer. I used to use a pair of Senhausers that I bought when I used to DJ but I was never over keen on them for playing games with. (Mind you, they were the best phones I ever had for DJ'ing in a club on a saturday night with- totally rock solid and loud enough that you could hear what you were doing without any irritating distortion. ) |
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Driftwood
Joined: 04 Apr 2004
Posts: 289
Location: Western NC
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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Good info Sonar! Seems like you should be able to utilize both the audio and the visual since that's RL and this IS a simulation. I'm guessing that's something that might be outside the envelope for this game engine..........Hey Jamie, if you're listening (no pun intended) any thoughts?
Last edited by Driftwood on Wed Nov 17, 2004 3:09 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Angle
Joined: 09 Nov 2003
Posts: 88
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Skybird wrote: | | Angle wrote: | | Egan wrote: | My only experience of using headphones in Sub Command lasted until I heard some active sonar (This was before they sorted out the loudness in a patch.) My ears still haven't recovered....
Having said that I have toyed with the idea of getting a set of 5.1 cans. Force feedback ones I have never heard of but it sounds very cool. I might have to take a look at them myself. |
]
Which patch fixed the ping loudness? I'm running 1.08 and it is really loud.
I noticed that I could lower the volume in the sound options but lose volume with several of theo ther instruments. Is there a way to just lower the volume of pings? |
Look in to the ini-file, there is a reading with a value of 80, entitled sonar or something, reduce it to let's say 50. |
Thanks Skybird. I've been in the ini before and just plain overlooked it. thanks! |
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Fish
Joined: 21 Sep 2001
Posts: 2412
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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| lrankine wrote: | | Thanks for the reply Fish! That answers my basic question. There doesn't appear to be any gaming advantage to using headphones. Although it's probably an advantage when issuing voice commands. Can't tell you how irritating it is to issue a voice command for a depth change and have the AI respond "SURFACE, SURFACE!" :huh: |
Gaming advantage! Sure there is, no kids no wife, no nois from the neighbours. Its just you and the ocean.  \ |
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