Halo 5: Guardians Discussion

[Ramirez77]

Question to ya'll... Do you like Halo 5's Sound Design? Especially for Multiplayer?

 

I mean, you liked they changed the shields recharging, the energy sword lighting up, general weapon shots, etc?

 

It's good that there's more audio feedback for things like shields reaching full, getting kills and assists, being low ammo, so on.

 

I can't say I particularly like the sounds themselves.  Also there's so much unnecessary audio clutter that exists just for the sole sake of HOLY SHIT BRO, SHIT IS HAPPENING BRO.  Spartans yelling constantly, everything being announced, explosions reverberating through the entire map loudly, etc.  Whereas in the original games you can go with long periods of nothing but footsteps and map ambience between firefights, ambience which would clearly get overshadowed now.  I guess they figured people would get bored if it didn't feel like a REEL WARZONE!!11  Dunno.

 

Also every last sound is high pitched and chirpy instead of low pitched to give the game a more generic sci-fi feel to conform with all their other visual changes to make the game more generic sci-fi.  Blegh.

[xSociety]

Fuck it, just outsource the audio to DICE, because the audio in Halo 5 is it's worst aspect. You read that right, they fucked up the audio more than they fucked up the aiming, or the gameplay in general.

 

I think the DICE games and the Metro games are the ones I think of when I think of great audio, Halo 4 and 5 are the two I think of when thinking of the worst audio.

[LeandroTrooper]

Honestly, I agree a lot with almost everything you all said. Also, you guys brought up really good points I've completely missed.

I'll be completely honest, I was asking because I made a video not too long ago and wasn't sure how well it was or if I missed something. And holy hell after reading those comments I feel like my video is super simple and is missing so much information (without mentioning the lack of proper structure, proper glue to keep examples/points together, and proper script)
 

It was an interesting topic so I decided to make a video about it and man, there's way more than a simple "Shooting sound effect", anyway I wanna share my video so y'all could check it out and give me feedback.

Not trying to spam or anything, sorry if it's against the rules. But I'm legit curious about how I expressed myself (with a thick spanish accent) and how well/bad the video presents some of the things I don't like with Halo 5's Sound Design. I honestly should analyze the game way more like you guys, damn, I missed so much info!

[arglactable]

Fuck it, just outsource the audio to DICE, because the audio in Halo 5 is it's worst aspect. You read that right, they fucked up the audio more than they fucked up the aiming, or the gameplay in general.

 

I think the DICE games and the Metro games are the ones I think of when I think of great audio, Halo 4 and 5 are the two I think of when thinking of the worst audio.

 

As an audio designer, I could not agree more. Halo 5's sound effects are actively unpleasant to listen to. It's the only game I can think of where I actually need to turn the game sound down significantly, because it's just so fatiguing to listen to after a few minutes. A prime example of over-blown, super real sound design with minimal restraint. Even bodies hitting the ground do so with a resounding, metallic crash.

 

By contrast, CoD WWII sounds great. Shame about the gameplay.

[MultiLockOn]

As an audio designer, I could not agree more. Halo 5's sound effects are actively unpleasant to listen to. It's the only game I can think of where I actually need to turn the game sound down significantly, because it's just so fatiguing to listen to after a few minutes. A prime example of over-blown, super real sound design with minimal restraint. Even bodies hitting the ground do so with a resounding, metallic crash.

 

By contrast, CoD WWII sounds great. Shame about the gameplay.

I wouldn't even say its realistic sound design.  It's just, weird lol. And bad.

[TBCT]

I think your body hitting the ground is legit one of the worst sounds. Just the clinking of the armor is so over the top and annoying, IMO.

[S0UL FLAME]

If there is ONE thing that sounds good in the Halo 5 audio, it's the sound you get when you Perfect a player. A regular headshot does the pop, but that crackling pop just sounds really satisfying, along with the one line Jeff Steitzer says in his classic announcer voice. "Peeerrrfect" 

[MultiLockOn]

If there is ONE thing that sounds good in the Halo 5 audio, it's the sound you get when you Perfect a player. A regular headshot does the pop, but that crackling pop just sounds really satisfying, along with the one line Jeff Steitzer says in his classic announcer voice. "Peeerrrfect"

I've literally never even noticed it. Which would imply that the sound mixing is shit.

[arglactable]

I wouldn't even say its realistic sound design.  It's just, weird lol. And bad.

 

I don't mean realistic. I mean it tries to be more than realistic. Hyper realism might be a better term? Gunshots that sound more like gunshots than the real thing. Which, honestly, is how sound design tends to work and fire arms in particular, but a lot of more recent weapon sound design has trended towards higher dynamic range and pseudo-realism. Even then, Bungie's Halo games had much more appealing sound design, imo.

[MultiLockOn]

I could do to sleep listening to the H3 BR being fired at a distance. It's almost soothing.

 

 

 

And then wake up in a cold sweat when I hear a ground pound.

[Moa]

I could do to sleep listening to the H3 BR being fired at a distance. It's almost soothing.

 

 

 

And then wake up in a cold sweat when I hear a ground pound.

GREAT GROUND POUND SPARTAN

[MultiLockOn]

GREAT GROUND POUND SPARTAN

My favorite is rare because fuel rods are rarely on maps but

 

"Great use with the rod!"

[Basu]

Everything has been said already, but I really want to double down on how fucking LOUD everything is. It's the equivalent of the loudness war in music where everyone crushes their mixes to hell and back to get another 0.3 dB out of it. Why the fucking hell does a body falling on the ground have to be equal in volume to a gunshot?

 

One thing I have to say though is that H5 is a sliiiight step in the right direction from H4 (just look up some H4 AGL tourney footage on youtube and proceed to have your ears raped). The H4 BR, DMR, Sniper and especially the melee and body-hits-ground samples give me legit PTSD. Just downright terrible.

[Apoll0]

If there is ONE thing that sounds good in the Halo 5 audio, it's the sound you get when you Perfect a player. A regular headshot does the pop, but that crackling pop just sounds really satisfying, along with the one line Jeff Steitzer says in his classic announcer voice. "Peeerrrfect"

That's probably my favorite sound in the game. I describe it as the "Arrow through an apple" sound. And the ONLY new medals I am ok with are reversals and perfects. And reversals are questionable. I still don't understand why headshots need a medal. Both could probably be shown in the kill feed instead.

[Hard Way]

If something like that took you out of the running, would those dating prospects have really been worth it all said and done??

 

 

..... yeahhhh.... probably....

 

I said promising, but I probably should have said likely. I wouldn’t want to date anyone that can’t handle a man with a hobby.

[Hard Way]

My senior project was on game physics systems, complete with a Warthog launching showcase on Zanzibar.

I remember writing a persuasive essay for my senior year English class, right after H2 came out, about why CE was better. A.

 

And just to avoid a triple post, I must be pretty tolerant of sound design. My only issue with H5 sound is how you can’t hear vehicles approaching from behind, at all. But the moment you die from a splatter, you hear everything. Shit pisses me off to no end.

[xSociety]

I remember writing a persuasive essay for my senior year English class, right after H2 came out, about why CE was better. A.

I remember when my friend, who was by far the best CE player in school, almost got beat by a much less skilled friend in Halo 2. When in CE it would have been 25-0, it was 25-20 in Halo 2. I knew right there something was off but it was the new hotness, and had online play so I played the absolute shit out of it anyway.

[SweetNSavery]

I once did an entire speech in speech class on the history of Halo and how they changed over time and how they revolutionized the console FPS genre. This was like 10th-11th grade.

 

 

 

I remember thinking halfway through what a terrible idea it was but I kept going.

[Apoll0]

I remember last weekend when i was watching halo and i told my wife how happy i was that MLG was back and the production was top notch and she just looked at me and said "yeah great talk".

[Snipe Three]

Fuck it, just outsource the audio to DICE, because the audio in Halo 5 is it's worst aspect. You read that right, they fucked up the audio more than they fucked up the aiming, or the gameplay in general.

 

I think the DICE games and the Metro games are the ones I think of when I think of great audio, Halo 4 and 5 are the two I think of when thinking of the worst audio.

I mean I think the sound design is poor in H5 but lets be real for a second. If aiming doesn't work well in a first person shooter nothing can eclipse how fucking bad that actually is. Good sound design and graphics are good and do bleed into gameplay in some cases but we're talking about the way you interact with the game and play it not working well. Absolutely everything is secondary to that

[ChieftaiNZ]

That's probably my favorite sound in the game. I describe it as the "Arrow through an apple" sound. And the ONLY new medals I am ok with are reversals and perfects. And reversals are questionable. I still don't understand why headshots need a medal. Both could probably be shown in the kill feed instead.

 

INSTANT GRATIFICATION

[S0UL FLAME]

For any of you toggle crouchers out there, we have our own way of Thrust Sliding.

 

http://xboxdvr.com/gamer/The%20S0UL%20FLAME/video/44702276

[Hard Way]

Who’s the best CE player in this thread?

[Dalahi Lama 2]

Who’s the best CE player in this thread?

 

obviously me

[xSociety]

Who’s the best CE player in this thread?

Patch probably posted in the thread awhile back.