Request [iOS] [Android] Increase the audio compression bit rate for better-quality audio

[haj]

Ohhh I'm all for this! Please please take it into consideration! Stereo would be killer but even mono, clearer audio will make the experience whole a lot different for sure!

...and as a side note please redo the ball rolling sound which is very unrealistic.

 

[superballs]

Ohhh I'm all for this! Please please take it into consideration! Stereo would be killer but even mono, clearer audio will make the experience whole a lot different for sure!

...and as a side note please redo the ball rolling sound which is very unrealistic.

I think at best for most tables we can ask for stereo mechanical sounds, but it should be a narrow field stereo since the table is right in front of you.

Most (if not all) tables output mono sound as it is so stereo ROM sounds is not a realistic request.

 

[MonkeyGrass]

Sounds like a ****e graphics card since I get good game play at moderate settings on a core 2 duo laptop with only 4gb.

Does it not have vga out? You could play the pc version on your 52 inch

It's got a display-port (hdmi) out. And I would do this... why... when I already have my PS3 hooked up to my 52" - complete with wireless controller and both season packs already purchased.

Just not seeing the value here, IMO. I already own all these tables on multiple platforms and the PC version just isn't *that* much more-awesomer to make me want to buy everything a FOURTH time. Sorry, just my opinion. I know lots of people are fired up over it. Just not me.

 

[superballs]

Well you wanted to see if the sound was better quality. But if you don't care I don't care.

 

[LanceBoyle]

Sounds like a ****e graphics card since I get good game play at moderate settings on a core 2 duo laptop with only 4gb.

It's probably using an Intel Integrated Graphics chipset. Which is weird since in my case it runs at 60FPS and it's a Core i3 laptop, with 4GB RAM, and the graphics chipset's 32MB.

...admittedly, I do run it at low-to-mid settings (800x600 fullscreen, low ball reflections, 4x AA) but still.

 

[switch3flip]

In my amateur ears the sound is great, have no problems with it. I even like the "tinny" sound. At least you don't have to be distracted by all the sounds from surrounding arcade games and sugar-high kids like at the local arcade. Even if the arcade is empty there's a T2 shooting game which turns a sound loop on by itself every 5 minutes or something really loud, I hate it. At least we don't have those kind of realistic implements.
By cutting out certain devices farsight are cutting out sales and therefore profits, so investing in higher quality sound to earn less money is not highest up on their priority list I would imagine.
I would only wish for the sound volume to be a little lower as my lowest possible volume setting is a little bit too loud both with and without earphones. And can't find any working app that makes you lower the volume.

 

[starck]

The low sound quality needs to be addressed on all platforms.

I have tried bringing this up multiple times in the past and have yet to see farsight acknowledge or address the issue. I even provided sound samples and HD videos of real tables to compare the sound to TPA. Still nothing from farsight.

To me, certain tables are simply unplayable due to how bad the sound quality is (cough whirlwind, for example).

 

[starck]

Also, I will say that having played, for instance, both monster bash and attack from mars in person, there is a noticeable lag in the sound effects and music on both iOS and PS3.

 

[switch3flip]

You know what, I've changed my mind, I do agree the sound could be improved. The flipper sound could be a lot more realistic and the replay knock is a joke on TPA.

 

[Roo]

At least you don't have to be distracted by all the sounds from surrounding arcade games and sugar-high kids like at the local arcade. Even if the arcade is empty there's a T2 shooting game which turns a sound loop on by itself every 5 minutes or something really loud, I hate it.

Oh god, tell me about it. I actually found some real machines to play the other day and there was this obnoxious Dance Dance Revolution machine blaring away next to them, even when no one was playing it. I would say it was making noise 80% of the time while idle. Also, some of the pinball machines were set too quiet to even be heard over the other pinball machines, let alone that thing.

You know what, I've changed my mind, I do agree the sound could be improved. The flipper sound could be a lot more realistic and the replay knock is a joke on TPA.

I think the sound on PC is pretty good...as good as can be expected given the sources of 20-30 year old ROMs, anyway. I agree the flippers could use more oomph, though. They are quite loud in person. Maybe if that was adjustable separately.

Edit: oh and at least the TPA knock sound is better than the horrible fake electronic "knock" sound the new Stern machines make. It sounds like the sound system is going to break (along with my ears).

 

[switch3flip]

Oh god, tell me about it. I actually found some real machines to play the other day and there was this obnoxious Dance Dance Revolution machine blaring away next to them, even when no one was playing it. I would say it was making noise 80% of the time while idle. Also, some of the pinball machines were set too quiet to even be heard over the other pinball machines, let alone that thing.

There's a friggin dance game right next to spiderman pinball at my local arcade too!!! At least it doesn't go on while idle and it's rarely used, but sometimes some crazy kids just run in and jump on it just pretending to play! If I'm like, "do you mind? " I get distracted cause now I engaged in some kind of conversation and if I ignore them I'm just boiling inside! And once this lame dude popped in and was like pro and he was trying to impress his girlfriend he was going off jumping like crazy I was just thinking this isn't happening.
But the worst is this downie dude who just pops out of nowhere and puts his hand out right in front of you and says hello waiting for you to shake his hand and your like in the middle of a multiball or whatever! I'm like Don't disturb me! then I feel bad cause he's got like downs syndrome, and argh!!!!!

 

[jaredmorgs]

Apparently Farsight is looking into the audio quality issues (see the sister thread about audio pitch). No official word as yet.

 

[danivempire]

Apparently Farsight is looking into the audio quality issues (see the sister thread about audio pitch). No official word as yet.

Would be awesome!
When I play on my tablet the sound is just okay... but when I play late at night I use a headset and there I hear the quality is not good at all...

 

[Mike Lindsey]

Currently there are no plans to increase the bitrate of the audio on iOS and Android. It’d require a lot of heavy lifting in the engine code and our resource compiler. It’s not as trivial of a change as one might assume.

 

[jaredmorgs]

Currently there are no plans to increase the bitrate of the audio on iOS and Android. It’d require a lot of heavy lifting in the engine code and our resource compiler. It’s not as trivial of a change as one might assume.

Thanks for replying, Mike.

That's disappointing to hear.

I do appreciate you taking the time to clarify Farsight's position on this, though. At least mobile users can stop wondering about this situation.

 

[Shaneus]

I'm wondering if there'd be that much of a problem if as many sounds as possible were emulated rather than being called from a sound bank like it is currently? I obviously have no idea how much more drain that would have on CPU usage but I would think that it'd be something for the guys to look at (unless it really is taxing on the CPU/a pain to implement). I mean, I have a video game player on my iPhone that plays Genesis music fine (which uses a similar sound chip to what was used in most pins from the Sys 9 up to WPC95) and doesn't appear to stress it too much.

 

[soundwave106]

I'm wondering if there'd be that much of a problem if as many sounds as possible were emulated rather than being called from a sound bank like it is currently? I obviously have no idea how much more drain that would have on CPU usage but I would think that it'd be something for the guys to look at (unless it really is taxing on the CPU/a pain to implement). I mean, I have a video game player on my iPhone that plays Genesis music fine (which uses a similar sound chip to what was used in most pins from the Sys 9 up to WPC95) and doesn't appear to stress it too much.

Android might be a challenge for any emulation. Both due to CPU issues (the Android version of Pinball Arcade sometimes get a bit choppy), and the fact that the audio API for Android frankly stinks so the core engine would have to do all the heavy lifting. (There are more possibilities in the Android API if you just stick to predefined media clips.)

iOS has a *much* better audio API, which is why you see far more iOS-only audio apps. Might be possible on that platform (and the consoles / PC of course). But I would have doubts for Android especially.

 

[MegaDrive (Mark Wyda)]

Better Sound On Mobile

I was directed to a thread in the Android section that addresses this, but I could not find that thread.

Black Rose has such a sick sound package. Easily my favorite so far on Pinball Arcade. And with Black Knight 2000, music and sound is more important than ever.


It's something I knew for a while, when Pin*Bot and White Water released, that was when I -really- took notice, but I tuned it out, because I was too busy enjoying the game to care, I just forgot about it. However I fired up my 360 of all things recently and, wow, the difference in sound quality is huge. Now there's no going back, and it's detracting from my Black Rose experience..

The only reason they aren't patching in high fidelity sound I can come up with is that Farsight wants to keep the file sizes small on mobile. After all, the complete game now is hovering around 1 gig. Which is a lot if your phone is memory starved...

However, why not at least offer an option for those of us with the space, for high quality sound?

Farsight is always looking for ways to improve the game. And this seems like it would be something very simple to implement (correct me if wrong). It's something I don't see talked about very often. If you're feeling the same way, if you want better quality music/callouts/in game effects (I'm not talking about Mechanical sounds, that's an entirely seperate discussion) then let's make a little noise and let Farsight know it's something we want.


-PS- my next post will be a gush over Black Rose's sound package, just a fair warning

 

[Stuart Webster]

Just to direct you to the thread:

http://digitalpinballfans.com/showt...compression-bit-rate-for-better-quality-audio

 

[Jeff Strong]

Threads merged