Dynamic Music Combat

[Kalden]

Need more tracks for Combat music in the dynamic music system.  The same one will get old over and over.  Watching Games4Kickz and it played the same one nearly every time.

[Boidster]

All new music system in A19. https://7daystodie.com/a19-official-release-notes/

[JCrook1028]

What's really needed is a way to turn the combat music (or any type) and leave the rest on. Already just from watching 1 day of streams I already know I will turn the entire music system off just to avoid the combat music. Which is a shame because I love the exploration and trader themes. Even the home base music is fine.

[Fenris]

I'm also hoping we can turn off the nighttime "mood" music without having to go through all the steps it took in the past.

[Roland]

On 6/26/2020 at 2:30 PM, Kalden said:

Need more tracks for Combat music in the dynamic music system.  The same one will get old over and over.  Watching Games4Kickz and it played the same one nearly every time.

They're just getting started.

[Adam the Waster]

4 hours ago, JCrook1028 said:

What's really needed is a way to turn the combat music (or any type) and leave the rest on. Already just from watching 1 day of streams I already know I will turn the entire music system off just to avoid the combat music. Which is a shame because I love the exploration and trader themes. Even the home base music is fine.

i think something like this would be nice. Maybe if we talk about it enough the team will give us a option. i love the music but IMO i think the Combat music plays to much for such a small horde, Maybe during bloodmoons and Screamer hordes its fine. but for 5 zombies... a little bit much. say if you're in the wasteland! that will play every 5 seconds!

 

but like i said. maybe if we talk about it enough we can get a change like that.

 

"dynamic music settings"

 

Background music. ON or OFF

 

Combat music: ON OR OFF

 

[danielspoa]

combat music is the most common complaint so far. We asked in the stream if it was possible to split it from the rest, like enabling other musics but disabling this one specifically. Not possible and not in their plans. We asked if we could set the volume separated. Nope again. We asked about modding it in XML. Maybe it could be exposed for modding later.

So thats what we have.
-----------------------------------------
now whats my first feeling on it, doesn't represent other players and comes just from watching streams

- much louder than other themes, like REALLY louder. Hard to balance a single volume meter for everything
- it fits more of a doom style game and not suspense. If I were to go rambo it would make sense, but I cant imagine myself playing a silent crossbow style and having that music pop up out of nowhere.
There was  a the dev stream they were in a skycraper showing the suspense music, and suddenly it switched to combat. It felt out of place..

 

[Roland]

It switches to combat when zombies see you and are moving to eat you. I noticed when watching streams that it doesn't feel very impactful but when playing it gives a nice panicky feeling at times. My bet is that streamers have also kept the music at the default % of occurance during a day. I turn mine down to 10% and it is really good in my opinion. The combat music is designed to be louder because it is part of the startle/panic/jump scare reaction it evokes. When you aren't aware you have been noticed and then the music starts its great (when YOU are the one playing).

1 hour ago, danielspoa said:

- it fits more of a doom style game and not suspense. If I were to go rambo it would make sense, but I cant imagine myself playing a silent crossbow style and having that music pop up out of nowhere.

It would ONLY switch to combat from suspense if your stealth got blown. Remain unnoticed and the music won't switch.

[danielspoa]

2 hours ago, Roland said:

[...]

but Roland, thats one of the problems. If you didnt notice the zombies, I want them to remain unnoticed. That to me is part of the atmosphere, and while its just my opinion, its how I like to keep the things on my server.

 

when I mentioned the silent style, I dont go unnoticed all the way, specially in a skycraper. I do advance slowly and take zombies from stealth when possible, but I often have zombies drop from somewhere or be hidden behind a desk I didnt notice. And suddenly BAM BAM BAM.
The example in the stream was good because at least it show how radical the change of theme is in a simple step.

 

I think some people will like it, and I hope the feedback is considered for the others. Maybe it gets moddable at some point, even if just true/false for the theme.

with all respect

[Darthjake]

12 minutes ago, danielspoa said:

but Roland, thats one of the problems. If you didnt notice the zombies, I want them to remain unnoticed. That to me is part of the atmosphere, and while its just my opinion, its how I like to keep the things on my server.

 

when I mentioned the silent style, I dont go unnoticed all the way, specially in a skycraper. I do advance slowly and take zombies from stealth when possible, but I often have zombies drop from somewhere or be hidden behind a desk I didnt notice. And suddenly BAM BAM BAM.
The example in the stream was good because at least it show how radical the change of theme is in a simple step.

 

I think some people will like it, and I hope the feedback is considered for the others. Maybe it gets moddable at some point, even if just true/false for the theme.

with all respect

That and some of those POIs that have the block stealth issue, where you enter a room and they ALL wake up. 

 

Has that been addressed in A19, or is something that's still being worked on?

[Laz Man]

I like to call the combat music the "horror/dread" track.  I feel it's most effective when in a POI and several sleeper zombies are closing in on you in a confined space.

 

It doesnt have the same feeling out in the open when you see several coming at you in an open field.

 

Perhaps there are more tracks but the the loud "rheeeeeeeee" track seems to be the most notable combat tune.

[MechanicalLens]

If anybody dislikes the combat music (I'm personally fine with it, but the repetition will get to me at some point), I suggest trying it out first, and if it gets old, then turn off music during horde nights and during POI raids; you don't exactly need music during those times anyway, and the combat music will occur the majority of the time during those events.

This is not an order for silence, just a suggestion and one that I'll be practicing. 😛

[Sellsents]

As good as the themes overall may be, after seeing several streams I will definitly turn the music completly off.

 

If I like A19 then I will play it for the next couple of months on a regular basis and I can´t imagine listening to that battlemusic for 2h to 4h a day. That music is simply annoying as f...

[Boidster]

14 hours ago, Roland said:

It switches to combat when zombies see you and are moving to eat you.

Ooh, that's too bad. I will very likely turn all music off after playing with it for a little bit just to hear it. Do not want any additional clues that I have been discovered; the zombie alert noises are plenty. The music should not, IMO, be a character in the game which can affect my behavior.

 

If they made it so combat music started the moment my weapon causes damage, fine. Or when an attacking zombie is within 3m with direct line-of-sight perhaps. A little combat atmosphere is great.

 

I'm interested in the Venn diagram of "I don't want any obvious hint that a non-dismembered zombie is dead" (people who don't like XP pop-ups or obvious death animations) and "I don't want the music to clue me when a zombie has seen me". I tend to not mind the XP alerts, but I do mind the music clues. Imma do a poll...

[JCrook1028]

15 hours ago, Roland said:

It switches to combat when zombies see you and are moving to eat you. I noticed when watching streams that it doesn't feel very impactful but when playing it gives a nice panicky feeling at times. My bet is that streamers have also kept the music at the default % of occurance during a day. I turn mine down to 10% and it is really good in my opinion. The combat music is designed to be louder because it is part of the startle/panic/jump scare reaction it evokes. When you aren't aware you have been noticed and then the music starts its great (when YOU are the one playing).

It would ONLY switch to combat from suspense if your stealth got blown. Remain unnoticed and the music won't switch.

I'd rather find out the hard way if I am ignoring my surroundings. By being hit. Not by loud music blasting out of nowhere at me.

[Roland]

I’m not sure at what range it occurs. Could be a fun test. 

[beHypE]

40 minutes ago, Boidster said:

Ooh, that's too bad. I will very likely turn all music off after playing with it for a little bit just to hear it. Do not want any additional clues that I have been discovered; the zombie alert noises are plenty. The music should not, IMO, be a character in the game which can affect my behavior.

 

If they made it so combat music started the moment my weapon causes damage, fine. Or when an attacking zombie is within 3m with direct line-of-sight perhaps. A little combat atmosphere is great.

 

I'm interested in the Venn diagram of "I don't want any obvious hint that a non-dismembered zombie is dead" (people who don't like XP pop-ups or obvious death animations) and "I don't want the music to clue me when a zombie has seen me". I tend to not mind the XP alerts, but I do mind the music clues. Imma do a poll...

Totally agree. The trigger of combat music should be you hitting a zombie or the opposite. At no point the game should make you aware that a fight is happening before you noticed it for sure yourself.

[Fenris]

39 minutes ago, JCrook1028 said:

I'd rather find out the hard way if I am ignoring my surroundings. By being hit. Not by loud music blasting out of nowhere at me.

Exactly! I have no problem with the quality of music either. I just get more immersed in a game if the only music is coming from radios or such. If I'm making noise or not paying attention then that zombie deserves to get the upper hand. Having music on in game constantly reminds me that I'm in a game and feels a bit arcady to me. I find combat music and the night time music a way of artificially creating tension. Turning around and seeing a wandering horde steps away from me because I didn't pay attention adds more tension for me than combat music letting me know I'm in danger.

[Laz Man]

4 hours ago, Boidster said:

Ooh, that's too bad. I will very likely turn all music off after playing with it for a little bit just to hear it. Do not want any additional clues that I have been discovered; the zombie alert noises are plenty. The music should not, IMO, be a character in the game which can affect my behavior.

 

If they made it so combat music started the moment my weapon causes damage, fine. Or when an attacking zombie is within 3m with direct line-of-sight perhaps. A little combat atmosphere is great.

 

I'm interested in the Venn diagram of "I don't want any obvious hint that a non-dismembered zombie is dead" (people who don't like XP pop-ups or obvious death animations) and "I don't want the music to clue me when a zombie has seen me". I tend to not mind the XP alerts, but I do mind the music clues. Imma do a poll...

The heavy combat music one sounds more like for a boss fight now that I think of it.  I'm sure they will tweak it some more.  It's definitely better then A18 imo.

[BeatKitano]

I love the music in this alpha, it adds to the experience... except combat music. It's bad.

It's repetitive (it's basically a very noticeable loop, contrary to the other music), it never really stray from THAT theme, it doesn't fit the rest of the "soundtrack" (it's very heavy synths while most of the music is acoustic/ambient with very little synthetic sounding instruments).

Either add more variety/make a toggle for combat music, or just replace it with something much less jarring to the audio experience.

 

-Trader music is awesome.

-To be honest I'm wondering if less "automated compositing with loops" wouldn't be a better choice, the music I like the most is what sounds composed rather than randomly selected music segments.

Maybe add more composed tracks to be chosen at random ?

 

-On another note: The game would benefit GREATLY from a amped up atmospheric soundscape.

The game feels a bit static, more birds, insects, env sounds (water etc) would be really good.

 

If the Funpimps read this (I hope so): minecraft has a fantastic soundpack "ambient sound mod" which is all pretend sounds but ADDS SO MUCH to the suspension of disbelief that this is a static world. Please look into it.

[Kalden]

On 6/28/2020 at 1:05 PM, JCrook1028 said:

I'd rather find out the hard way if I am ignoring my surroundings. By being hit. Not by loud music blasting out of nowhere at me.

I like the current system, but think we need more variety in the current "combat" tracks.  But I do agree that tweaking when combat music starts would be good.  Upon first taking damage would be a good change.

[Sydious]

On 6/27/2020 at 5:30 PM, Roland said:

They're just getting started.

That's good to know after 7 years.  At least the players know where the stand now.

[Roland]

7 years? Try 7 months. The music system was first implemented in Alpha 18 with only a few exploration tracks. Now there are several exploration tracks and only one or two tracks for other situations such as combat. Those were added over the course of the last 4-6 months. 

 

Not all features were started 7 years ago. Some are much newer additions.