[REL] Watchtower1001 FH2 v2.4 Sound Conversion - b1

[Watchtower1001]

Watchtower1001 FH2 v2.4 Sound Conversion - b1

Released - Version 1



Size - 82.6 MB

RE Online Play:

- Your client will not be altered, original FH2 sounds will not be overwritten. 
- Tested without any kicks/bans/problems on many servers, including 762 1 & 2, Wolf Gaming, WaW, Forgotten Honor, and the tournament servers and others.

---About---

This is my "beta 1"  of my sound mod. 

It may contain some small errors and issues.  At this point I consider the conversion a work in progress and is lacking a few things that will be added in my next version.

However, I'm ready for public feedback as I continue working on it.  If you don't like it and have nothing constructive or helpful to say, please don't.

Features for RC1:

-  Near Complete Weapons Replacement for British, Italy, U.S. & Germany from Pistols, Rifles, SMG's and MG's.
-  New Tank & Vehicle and emplacement weapon sounds
-  New Explosions
-  New Distance Effects
-  New Material effects
-  Reduced all Victory and Loss music by -5 db;  End round music now fades out to allow chatting afterwards.


--What I'm working on--

- Major WIP with Materials and some Effects going on at the moment
- Still tweaking some weapons


Install Instructions:

1.)  Extract the downloaded zip file to Battlefield 2\mods
2.)  If asked, overwrite any files.  A backup of clientarchive.con will be extracted to Battlefield 2\mods\fh2
3.)  Play!

Removal Instructions:

1.)  Delete Battlefield 2\mods\watchtower1001 folder
2.)  Delete Battlefield 2\mods\fh2\clientarchives.con
3.)  Rename Battlefield 2\mods\fh2\clientarchives_backup.con to "clientarchives.con"

My sound mod contains small bits and pieces from HYDR4's release, as it was the inspiration and a starting point.
Check out his Soundpack for v2.3 here:  http://fhpubforum.warumdarum.de/index.php?topic=14919.0

Thanks for checking it out, and enjoy!  Check back for updates.  If you see me in game, lemme know what you think!

[LHeureux]

I'm on it 

[Oberst]

I am downloading it, will test it this evening.

[LHeureux]

Ok coming with some feedback :

M1 Garand : It's not loud enough, sounds like the sound is coming from behind you, and the sound of the gun is genrally bad. Too generic, if you play Darkest Hour you would see that they got the perfect sound for it.

No.4/No.1 First person : It's pretty strange, not enough crack like the old one. The sound is too "puff".
No.4/No.1 Third person : It sounds pretty good.
K98 : Same thing as No.4/No.1, good in 3P from a certain distance but lacks alot of "crack" in it. The Red Orchestra one is just perfect.
MP40 First person : Needs to be louder.
MP40 Third person : Needs to be louder too.
MG34 : Just plain AWESOME.
Vickers : The sound is too weak, the old one was way better, it was the right sound.
Bren First person : Need to be louder, the one from HYDR4's release was perfect.
Bren Third person : Awesome.
Lewis : AWESOME.
BAR : It's bad, it looks like the sound was cut somewhere, not enough metalic sound in it.
The 900rpm version doesn't fit the bullets fired.
M1 Carbine : Needs more "crack" in it, sounds like you are firing it from behind, too weak.
G43 : Again, more "crack" and louder.
US Sniper : Louder, it's really too weak right now.
.30 : Meh, old one was way better, this one is too weak. EDIT : Really too weak.
Thompson : Back to puberty with a new little touch, it's not that good, too weak.
Thompson 1928 : Old thompson sound from 2.3, the one from HYDR4's release was great.
Mortar : It sucks, the old one was WAY better. This one is too weak.

Tanks :
Marder reload sound : Awesome
Marder cannon sound is too distant, too generic.
German tanks coaxial machine gun : Awesome, really good.
PZIV/Stug cannon : lol, it's really bad, sorry 
Panther sound : The old one was perfect, this one sounds really not loud enough and too generic.
All shermans cannon sound : Bad, they sound like the original M1 Abrams sound from vBf2.
Same thing for churchill.
Cromwell machine gun : Really good
Cannon : Same as before?
Crusader/40mm cannons : No reverb, it's just shoot and it's over.
PZII : The old one was right on it, but it isn't that bad.
Flak 88 : It's just wrong, nothing special about it, too distant, need a new sample.

Planes sounds : All good in overall 

No feedback on distant sounds and effects as they aren't as noticable as the guns sounds. I got some samples for you :

Kar98 : Put at 1:00 for some fire  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GveA2_kfhwk&feature=related
M1 garand : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHaRqKEbPTw

EDIT : Some new feedback

Sten : Nice, sounds like the old one but with a really nice touch.
STG44 : Really good! Needs to be a tad louder though.

All 3P tanks cannon sounds are awesome, the problems is the 1P sounds.
Grenade effect is awesome
Distant sounds are really good
All effects sounds are good.

[Watchtower1001]

Thanks for the feedback, sounds like you are a RO fan, I don't own the game so I have never heard the audio in a clean clear way. 

You'll hear some older FH2 sounds which I happen to prefer in the mix, since I primarily made the pack for me, you'll hear my tastes rather than what I think the masses will enjoy.  Everyone's tastes are different for sure, some people will love some sounds, others will revolt in terror.  It's interesting as the author to hear the love/hate and try and find some middle ground, and to also go...well, I like it, so it stays.    Either way, thanks for checking it out.  The best feedback so far is running around with players and them just kinda commenting as the game goes.

I'll try and go through everything you mentioned and listen for what you're saying, Although I 100% acknowledge a few things (like the vickers, 40mm tanks) need some work.   I tried however, to focus my attention on the more commonly used infantry weapons first, so less time would be spent on a mounted vehicle gun that people use to make noise like the vickers versus something like the Bren.  I try not to use too much effect like reverb as it tends to make sounds hollow and washy, and in many areas, very very fake.  I prefer drier, tighter sounds that let the Engine try and do the work.

Volume level is a painful issue because everyone plays at various volume levels, with headphones, speaker types, setups, etc.  Simply making the sound louder will eventually clip the levels and make it sound like a loud fart, and the small details are lost.  There are a few weapons that generally could be louder and I'll do my best to even them out with everything else.  30cal is a good example of something that is overall too quiet which I've heard from live feedback as well.

thanks again LHeureux

[LHeureux]

Alright, but hey, it's still a beta  .

About the bren, don't change it  , I played for with it and I love it, I have the impression that the gun is more accurate with that sound! Sounds have alot of impacts on me.

I noticed that the No.4/No.1 and K98 were some kind of mixed version of the original ones, like the sten. Personnally I like the No.4, but the K98 is really not on my taste, I'll just change it back to the original.

[Oberst]

My opinion so far:
Disclaimer: I have no idea how to mix sounds or what to do with them, I will just give my personal opinion on sounds:

Mp40: Nice sounds, better than the vFH sounds, but not loud enough.
stg44: The 2.4 sounds are awesome, but yours is even better.
bren, zb.26, mg34: nice work! Coaxial Mg34 needs to be a little louder, same goes for 3p tank MG sounds.
mg42: The distant sound seems to messed up, atleast I never recognize a Mg42 shooting at more or near me. If you are close up it sounds like the original, which is good, but  some steps further I dont recognize it anymore. Same goes for most machine guns distand sounds. Didnt tested 1p of Mg42 though.
sten: Little tweaked 2.4 sounds, which is good.
Besa-MG(Coaxial of british tanks, except for the Shermans): Nice sound, much better, than the original one. I love this little metallic "clinging".
Most tank guns: In 2.4 the tank guns were louder and sounded more dangerous and such, although, I need to test them much more and have to test the original sounds again, to have better comparision.
M1 Thomson: 2.3 sounds, which is just bad. The new sounds, which came with 2.4. , were very nice. I loved to shoot the thompson then.
1928 Thompson: Not better, not worse than original sounds, seems like jsut little altered vFH sounds.
No4 and K98: Somehow seems to be the same, but after some more playing I begin to notice the little differences. Although they sound generic in my ears.
M1 garand: Nice sounds, better than 2.4., but needs to be louder and a little more "boom". Feels not mighty enough, not like a full rifle.



Thats my experiences so far, some of them may change during more play with your sounds.  As I still need to get used to all the new sounds. Keep the work up! It is very nice, that you try to alter all the sounds of such a big mod, and so many weapons! A lot of the things I heard are very enjoyable!

PS: I hope more people will give there opinion on your work. The better it will get for all!

[Watchtower1001]

Thanks for all the feedback I've gotten to numerous people in game and out.  Very fun to have people say hey in game and tell me they are diggin the sounds.  Glad to see some are enjoying this.

For the next version:

-Updated Garand
-Updated K98 (now more distinct from Lee Enfield)
-New G43
-New Thompson
-New MG42
-Many small and minor adjustments

-Added indoor/outdoor effects for _1p weapons
-New effects test emulating Bad Company 2 style/ speed of sound.  Weapons distants will now have a slight to long delay.  This will make distance sounds much more audible without changing the sounds.


Thompson Preview  -
http://youtu.be/GiwKUMaHvm0
This sound is a recording of a real 1928 thompson with another sound mixed in to boost the volume and bass.  If the thompson in FH2 actually fired at 700 rounds a minute versus the 625 in-game it would sound more accurate.

MG42 preview (looking for feedback - like/dislike?)
http://www.youtube.com/user/PatrickRourk?feature=mhsn#p/u/3/rNHAXNr-kN4
Sadly getting an accurate mg42 sound is near impossible at only 900 rounds a minute.   It just doesn't sound nearly as aggressive as the actual rate of fire at 1200 rpm.  This sound is a sample from the tail shot of a real mg42, mixed with another sound to boost and give it air.

Just as a general note - using graphic equalizer and a headset will allow you to hear my soundpack as I hear it and as it is pretty much intended.  Having no active EQ will drastically lower your sound quality.  Also, enabling SVM or Smart Volume Management will improve the quality of your sound.

I recommend EQ settings similar to this image for any and all things...music, games, movies.

[LHeureux]

Both the thompson and the MG sounds are awesome . But the thompson got a weird sound after the shooting, you hard a kind of "bump"

[Sgt.Collins]

Hey Watchtower1001,

It's me, Cpr.Collins (ingame). You wrote on in game tchat there will be an update today, so I wonder why you're not releasing it.

And by the way, which graphic equalizer is it? I use Realtek one, but there is no scale, so I can't have the same settings that you have.

Note for admin: I know this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days, but it should be updated.

[Watchtower1001]

Hey Collins,

Finishing the last touches on v2, thanks for asking.  Thought I'd be able to finish it that day but still undecided undecided on a few things.   I'm trying to improve the distance sounds but running into some major stumbling blocks because of the engine restraints.

For the most part however, it is 99.99% done.

I'm committed to this week.

I'm not sure what you mean by "no scale" in regards to the graphic equalizer, but here's a few things:

Realtek EQ


Creative Fatality, etc. Series



Most PC graphic equalizers are the same (and have the same amount of adjustable channels) if you can manipulate the individual bands or "sliders" for that frequency (example 16k).

My recommendation of a graphic eq. setting on your eq, should look (at least visually) similar to this (doesn't have to be perfect):


Note the slight Bass increase, slight mid drop, and Treble increase (never the top) forming a distintive "V" shape or looking kinda like a stick figure bird. 

As a audiophile, it's just how I recommend you set your PC Graphic eq., or, any EQ that you have (home theater audio, guitar amp, car, etc.)   It just gives audio a nice crisp, clear sound.  In fact that is what is often referred to the "Classic V" setting and is kinda an industry standard for mastering audio.

An example:


Secondly, my sound pack is "optimized" for that eq setting in the sense that, because that is what I hear (how I have mine set) that is what I want anyone downloading this pack to hear as well.  Kinda like the "author's original intent" kinda deal.

If your eq is flat, you are not really hearing what I want you to.  I can however, release an alternative pack that makes up for people who cannot adjust their audio eq on their pc. 

If I were to do that, anyone who is using an equalizer would basically be getting a double dose and it would sound awful and rat out your speakers, so it'd be strictly for those with no adjustment possible.

But I'd have to get a few requests for that before I would decide to do the work.

[CHRISTIEFRONTDRIVE]

Been after a sound mod for a while now, looking forward to it. Good luck!

[TASSER]

Yeah I'm really looking forward to trying this out, going to wait for v2 though. 

I love the dedication Watchtower! Thanks very much for sharing with everyone!