View Full Version : Why do cars in video games ALWAYS sound wrong?
Sebringmgb
10-09-2006, 09:55
I have never played a game where the car engine/ exhaust note sounds sound right (with the exception of f1 games) SOMETIMES they sound ok when idling, but the higher the rpms go, the worse they sound... what technique do they use to create engine sounds, and why has nobody done it right? its especially aparent in the exhaust note.
I think generally the cars I have played sound very accurate, apart from about 5.
leighton
10-09-2006, 10:19
i have 4 cars - two sound fantastic. The zonda and the ford GT. Absolutely flippin fantastic
Sebringmgb
10-09-2006, 10:25
I totally dissagree.... (obviosly) in not cutting you down, im just saying, ive been around a lot of these cars at the monterey historics, and various other places. I dont claim to have driven or riden in any significant number of them, but i do know what they sound like. and a very good example, my father owns an e-type, which i have spend a lot of time riding in, and driving... and the e-type in the game doesnt sound anything like an e-type... (nor does the one in gt4) the muscle cars dont sound like throbing v8's. dont get me wrong, there is a disctinction, and one might be able to say, yeh, that car sounds more like an american v8 than the Ferrari, but as for replicating the actual engine / exaust sounds of real cars, i dont think any driving game has got it right. they always seem to have a certain quality about the sound that makes it wrong...
Crazed_Dodgem
10-09-2006, 10:29
i stand by the fact that i love Live For Speed's sounds
Axe_Gaijin
10-09-2006, 10:32
Heck the sounds could be worse... could be Forza... rolleyesa
Anyhow, not knowing how "accurate" it is the best sound I've heard so far in this game was when I was test driving the Jaguar XJ220. O... MY... GOD... what a noice! mdr1
Well, they all sound superb to me I must say! :) I agree that the Jag XJ220 sounds superb, as does the Zonda, especially the whining when you let off the gas :bravo:
Jimster71
10-09-2006, 15:12
The sound you hear in the game will be dependant on the recording equipment that the sound team used, the compression routines they used on the samples and, most obviously, the sound system you have at home.
A lot of variables to alter the sound there. All of the sounds were signed off by the manufacturers, so at least they were happy with them :)
ChrisKob11
10-09-2006, 15:16
Because it's a game and not the real life. :respect:
And further I will not comment this thread because I have bad memories about "sounds in the game" threads :noooo:
craigie22
10-09-2006, 15:33
Because it's a game and not the real life. :respect:
And further I will not comment this thread because I have bad memories about "sounds in the game" threads :noooo:
so do i :(
bad times, very bad times :(
irR4tiOn4L
10-09-2006, 16:59
I have never played a game where the car engine/ exhaust note sounds sound right (with the exception of f1 games) SOMETIMES they sound ok when idling, but the higher the rpms go, the worse they sound... what technique do they use to create engine sounds, and why has nobody done it right? its especially aparent in the exhaust note.
The technique normally used is to record an engine sound, then resample it to simulate a higher rpm sound. Thats of course why it sounds so wrong - but to get a sound for each notch of rpm is untenable.
The other major technique starting to get used today, including the 'staccato' engine used in various sims, simulates the engine sound entirely - you feed it an engine type and engine note, and it will simulate the sound of the pistons and general engine workings.
The advantage of this technique is that it is loses less accuracy at higher rpm, and its easier to incorporate into a sim (rather than recording a lot of engines), but it sounds artificial and generally wrong.
As far as i know, thats about as much progress as this area has seen. Your right to think they sound off.
herr_lehmann
10-09-2006, 21:57
irrational is right here.
the simbin guys have put a lot of effort into the sound by using multiple samples at different rpm which resulted in a great sound at different rpm values but with the drawback of audible translations between the different samples.
I think the developers did a good job there :atari: ...i dont care if they are not 100% authentic.
Maybe because i dont know[Ignorance is Bliss tonguegre ], but tdu sounds pretty nice compared with other racing games.
My personal worst "Need for Speed MW" *ugh* :cry:
Heck the sounds could be worse... could be Forza... rolleyesa
Anyhow, not knowing how "accurate" it is the best sound I've heard so far in this game was when I was test driving the Jaguar XJ220. O... MY... GOD... what a noice! mdr1
I agree as well, its one of my favourate cars that i own (ingame) :nuts:
birger999
10-09-2006, 23:17
I understand what you mean, but it is just an illusion of the real life where you have the exhaust making the sound.
reece_sis
10-09-2006, 23:35
Well, they all sound superb to me I must say! :) I agree that the Jag XJ220 sounds superb, as does the Zonda, especially the whining when you let off the gas :bravo:
You know how to drive a zonda, luv sneakin up behind cars, racin past and letting it whine down its :eek2: :eek2:
Sebringmgb
11-09-2006, 01:02
i was quite surprised at the zondas low redline, given how it sounds and drives...
KoenigViper
11-09-2006, 03:14
Most of the cars are pretty dead on. Only a few have certain issues such as the SL65 and SLR who sound wrong. The S7TT is also too quiet at high RPMs.
Other than maybe 2 others, they all sound pretty good, and accurate.
This game has the best sounds ive heard in a car game to settlem that straight... and i havent even played the game. The sounds i hear from videos are amazing and each one i can tell there is a difference iin every car. I have a 5.1 sourround sound system and i love every minute of it. mdr1
have you ever heard the ascari in game...speechless i was...speechless :nuts:
The Murci..how do you spell that again..murcielago..hmmm....anyway there's a new video of that on the old youtube which sounded just like the genuine, obviously not an exact but I could probably tell the car if I didn't see it on the screen. I also have 5.1 hooked up to my PC though, maybe this makes a difference. I should be playing in a week with 5.1 on the TV so I'll tell you then if they are any good. From the vids I've seen they are quite accurate as far as games go.
irR4tiOn4L
11-09-2006, 10:38
irrational is right here.
the simbin guys have put a lot of effort into the sound by using multiple samples at different rpm which resulted in a great sound at different rpm values but with the drawback of audible translations between the different samples.
Interesting, I didnt know the Simbin guys did that. Certainly though, Simbin games have top notch sound, including bumps, backfiring, wind, road etc. They put a lot of effort into that front.
As for other games and their engine notes - TDU and more modern games have actually gone to the effort of making quality recordings of the real thing, which was not very common a few years ago. So in comparison, they sound great, and im quite satisfied.
For those sim players looking for a real engine sound, this area has not progressed much though.
Also, i must say that you guys shouldnt judge how 'real' the sounds are on pretty poor computer setups. I own $400 headphones, three stage audioline front speakers and two stage rears (no subwoofers necessary or wanted) connected to two seperate amplifiers and an Xfi (which still doesnt sound half as good as a dedicated CD player), and i can tell you that only recently recordings have been made properly. It sounds good enough, but not real.
BeardoUK
11-09-2006, 10:48
Well it depends on YOUR sound system too.
Try something with a sub-woofer, really brings out the puuuurrr.
I can't say I have a problem with the exhaust sounds, they are great.
The only prob I have relating to sounds are the horns really make me laugh. I mean you get into a £1,000,000 car and press the Horn. It's like it has a Fiat Panda horn in.
TOP GAME!!! A CONTENDER FOR GAME OF THE YEAR!
Interesting, I didnt know the Simbin guys did that. Certainly though, Simbin games have top notch sound, including bumps, backfiring, wind, road etc. They put a lot of effort into that front.
As for other games and their engine notes - TDU and more modern games have actually gone to the effort of making quality recordings of the real thing, which was not very common a few years ago. So in comparison, they sound great, and im quite satisfied.
For those sim players looking for a real engine sound, this area has not progressed much though.
Also, i must say that you guys shouldnt judge how 'real' the sounds are on pretty poor computer setups. I own $400 headphones, three stage audioline front speakers and two stage rears (no subwoofers necessary or wanted) connected to two seperate amplifiers and an Xfi (which still doesnt sound half as good as a dedicated CD player), and i can tell you that only recently recordings have been made properly. It sounds good enough, but not real.
That's all well and good and I'll take your word for how good the sounds are as I'm yet to play the game, also the vids will have a loss of quality in sound. I don't appreciate you calling my setup pretty poor though, the sound setup I have here is far from poor. I have a Denon setup which cost well over a grand. I'm not talking about 6 inch high speakers which sit on the desk either. This setup makes the street shake.
Sebringmgb
11-09-2006, 11:23
:nuts: Well it depends on YOUR sound system too.
Try something with a sub-woofer, really brings out the puuuurrr.
I can't say I have a problem with the exhaust sounds, they are great.
The only prob I have relating to sounds are the horns really make me laugh. I mean you get into a £1,000,000 car and press the Horn. It's like it has a Fiat Panda horn in.
TOP GAME!!! A CONTENDER FOR GAME OF THE YEAR!
LOL... i would say the horn sounds ARE accurate... irony :nuts:
my father's etype horn is comical... sounds very similar to the one in the game, but seeing as how its the original horn, its getting a bit worn. The pitch wavers a bit.... i say it sounds like a sick goose :)
i do have to comment on the other sounds.... the wind, and the tone change with the windows up or down is very well done!
irR4tiOn4L
11-09-2006, 13:40
Guys, the first two responses after mine were defending your setups or attacking mine. Thats not the point here. But in answer -
First, a subwoofer distorts the sound, its as simple as that. Thats fine for most purposes, but where we are trying to get sound as accurate as possible, thats not good at all. Its also not necessary - my speakers are three way, with the bass driver being the size of an average subwoofer anyway.
Onto the next point - because i dont even have the game, and i dont even have an Xbox 360, i naturally (but incorrectly) assumed that you guys were talking about PC 5.1 setups. Im sorry, but if you bought a PC speaker setup in the last two years from a major department store, you were probably ripped off in comparison to a setup you could create for far less yourself.
Naturally, thats not relevant to you two, because you have home theatre setups - which are much better than PC 5.1 setups. I will spare you the speil about why older equipment before the 'home theatre craze' is better.
That denon setup sounds great, and its a moot argument whether you could have done better spending that $1000 dollars on custom researched, matched and hunted down second hand equipment - its still a great setup no less.
The main point i want to make here is this - the Xbox 360, and soundcards, are not good at all. You will not be able to get out of them the cacophany of a Mercedes V12. Its simply pointless to try.
Even more, they are not even good enough to accurately portray a recording. So for most games, if you have a halfway decent recording of the real engine, most people will be unable to tell its quality vs a great recording anyway.
All this combines to mean one thing - computers games have never had HiFi sound, and will not for years to come. If there is a message to the normal consumer out there that i want to get across, it is - dont fall for computer speakers and soundcards - they are ****!!
Sebringmgb
11-09-2006, 13:55
.... watching vidoes of the game online is hardly a good way to decide if the car sounds are realistic, as most of the time i sit and drive them. also, your soud system is irrelevant. (other than the fact that it may be another opertunity to go on the internet and say, blah blah, i have a $3,000 b&o surround sound system) having better surround sound does not make the game sound more realistic. If im watching top gear, i dont think: gee my crappy tv speakers really make these cars sound fake. rolleyesa
I agree with you there Irrational. Thanks for taking it as it was intended, as a correction of an incorrect assumption. I respect your opinion as what I've read of your posts seems to be sound and well founded.
Seb. I see that as almost a personal attack. I don't make a point of arguing over a forum, it's a pointless waste of emotion and time. I agree with the sound system being irrelevant but what I don't agree with is that statement in brackets after that. As stated in an ealier post of mine "I also have 5.1, maybe this makes a difference". If I was the type of person to take the opportunity to say blah blah, I have...... I would have done it at that point don't you think? As in that post you have me doing here, I was correcting an incorrect assumption in the best way I can. Now, go back through my posts and you will see I'm not this type of person. In 200 posts this is the first time I've mentioned money or the toys I own in any way shape or form apart from my cars which aren't even impressive in any way. If you or anyone assume something which is wrong I'll correct it. Irrational seems to be rather rational in his response, you however, don't. This may seem harsh but that post is basically an attack. Any more like that won't get a resonse from me, I havn't the time or energy to bother.
irR4tiOn4L
11-09-2006, 15:30
.... watching vidoes of the game online is hardly a good way to decide if the car sounds are realistic, as most of the time i sit and drive them. also, your soud system is irrelevant. (other than the fact that it may be another opertunity to go on the internet and say, blah blah, i have a $3,000 b&o surround sound system) having better surround sound does not make the game sound more realistic. If im watching top gear, i dont think: gee my crappy tv speakers really make these cars sound fake. rolleyesa
Seb, i explained how games do their sound systems, and as herr_lehmann pointed out, the best your gonna get is Simbin with their multiple recordings resampled for various RPM technique. That explains pretty well why the sound in games is off.
As for the rest, well you made the thread right? What do you want to hear? Are you trying to say that when you hear these cars on TopGear they have accurate engine sounds, while games do not? Or are you trying to say that both cant capture the 'meaty' feel of these engines?
If your trying to say only games get it wrong, then my response is how games make their sound explains why. If you want to change that, find a better way, or lobby for more careful work in this area.
If your trying to say that both get it wrong, then my response is - why are you surprised? Who cares? Its unreasonable to expect an Xbox that weighs a hundredth of a V8 to capture its essence, isnt it.
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