Melee battle sounds in recent TW games

[SonOfCrusader76]

In Rome and Medieval II, when there was a battle going on, it sounded like a real life battle, with swords clashing, blows on shields and through human flesh - with each clash of swords, each stab through someone's abdomen and each crashing blow on a shield having its own sound. In Shogun II however, it sounds as though it's just a 'generic' battle sound - and that's a real step backwards from Rome and Medieval II. Haven't played Empire for a bit, so I can't remember what it was like in that, but I think it was more like Shogun II than Medieval II/Rome.

What do you guys think? For me, it detracts from the visceral nature of the battles a bit.

[ChomeChome]

I'm not sure what you mean because I hear the sounds of battle incredibly clearly. Everytime a naginata slides through an ashigaru's gut, a samurai slashes the neck of another and cavalry charge home with their yari and katana into a line of infantry, it comes across incredibly clearly on my sound system. So clear that I can hear the individual weapons, individual actions and events as though they were happening all around me. I hear the thumps of arrows ramming inches deep into the limbs and thronging bodies in the melee as well as the ground around them, the cry of no dachi samurai as they scream "For the honor of our lord" in Japanese and charge across the grass and flowers while I hear the rumbling of the feet of thousands marching in unison. I can hear the trotting of my horses and the samurai walking alongside crunching leaves and branches beneath their feet as they sneak up through the dense forests of a mist covered valley.

When the muskets fire its like the sounds of a force of nature erupt and speed across the field toward my enemies and as the battle moves from one place to another, I can hear the moans of the dying and ding of battle in the distance. I can hear the terrified screams of ashigaru and samurai alike as an entire army turns and routs when all hope is lost and they die by arrows and blades to their backsides. I can hear the clangs and bangs as matchlock ashigaru try to impossibly fend off katana samurai with their own untrained blades and matchlocks. And at the end of the battle, there is a peaceful moment of silence before the ambience of nature settles back in with the absence of the loud noise of battle, with the sounds of the running stream water and birds calling to one another again. Above the thousands of bodies you can hear the cries of black crows as the few unlucky to still be partially alive die an agonizing death as they breathe their last breath.

From start to finish it is a symphony of both Japan and Total War. Not to mention the actual music that plays while you fight a battle.

Sorry but I cannot understand what you are saying because I can just hear everything so well from the ring of metal on metal and metal on flesh to the quick quips of funny Japanese banter that go back and forth before battle begins as well as the primal cries of the soldiers in battle.

The sound is just fantastic.

[Raimeken]

I can also hear everything as well, from the slice of a katana through lamellar, to the clang of a naginata slapping metal. The roar of battle is one of the chief sounds in the mess, but if you listen hard, you will find that the battle sounds are there. I have no recollection of battle sounds in M2, but I do remember some in RTW, which were sorely exaggerated shield clanging

[dowdpride]

you can hear screams?

[ChomeChome]

you can hear screams?

Yes, whether its the screams of soldiers fighting one another or the screams of terror as men break and rout and are chased down. Another nice touch is that men that break scream "Tesshu!" ie. Fall Back!

[Nordmann]

Must be your sound card, because I'm hearing battle sounds perfectly, including screams.

[Caleb_141]

I think that the game works by having a generic sound played over when a unit engages e.g. the yelling, but also has single sound effects for different animations.

[SonOfCrusader76]

Strange - I'll check my sound card's settings then - not too sure what could be causing sounds not to be heard though - and before some smart arse says something about my hearing, I can hear the sounds fine in Rome and Medieval II.

[Thefallenhun]

Im looking forward to battle speeches, those better last 2 minutes and thoroughly expound upon the enemy's drunkeness and inadequecies

[ChomeChome]

Strange - I'll check my sound card's settings then - not too sure what could be causing sounds not to be heard though - and before some smart arse says something about my hearing, I can hear the sounds fine in Rome and Medieval II.

Maybe it is the drivers? Or it could have just been the demo. It doesn't have the broad system compatibility and optimization the final release will have so perhaps it is simply a matter of waiting for the full game to hear those cheers of your victorious armies (^ ^)

[SonOfCrusader76]

Im looking forward to battle speeches, those better last 2 minutes and thoroughly expound upon the enemy's drunkeness and inadequecies

I wouldn't mind being able to understand all the shouts and commands - my Japanese is a bit rusty - read 'non existent'. Apart from hello, goodbye and a few random words I've learned from Japanese people I know.

[SonOfCrusader76]

Maybe it is the drivers? Or it could have just been the demo. It doesn't have the broad system compatibility and optimization the final release will have so perhaps it is simply a matter of waiting for the full game to hear those cheers of your victorious armies (^ ^)

I hope so - it seemed to be the same in the retail video, but to be fair, that didn't zoom in on one on one combat, and I think that's the only time you can really tell.

[Thefallenhun]

watch a few seasons of just about any anime and you'll pick up all the macho challenges you need to know.

[ChomeChome]

Im looking forward to battle speeches, those better last 2 minutes and thoroughly expound upon the enemy's drunkeness and inadequecies

I'm hoping the Japanese voice actors threw in some personal things, like jokes that are distinctly Japanese. I already get a laugh out of listening to the idle chatter of your troops when they are idling waiting for orders.

I am also really looking forward to the general's speeches.

I wouldn't mind being able to understand all the shouts and commands - my Japanese is a bit rusty - read 'non existent'. Apart from hello, goodbye and a few random words I've learned from Japanese people I know.

Maybe some of the Japanese speakers on this site could throw together for you and everyone else some of the highlights of the Japanese in the game. (^ ^)

[ReignTerror]

I'm hoping the Japanese voice actors threw in some personal things, like jokes that are distinctly Japanese. I already get a laugh out of listening to the idle chatter of your troops when they are idling waiting for orders.

I am also really looking forward to the general's speeches.



Maybe some of the Japanese speakers on this site could throw together for you and everyone else some of the highlights of the Japanese in the game. (^ ^)

I'll probably be getting tons of requests to translate... but uh yea... it's not too hard to pick up on some of the more commonly used terms in this game

[Thefallenhun]

I'm going to be hearing alot of "IKUZE!"

[ChomeChome]

I'll probably be getting tons of requests to translate... but uh yea... it's not too hard to pick up on some of the more commonly used terms in this game

Ah so you are a Japanese speaker? Very nice.

失礼ですが、日本人ですか。

I have only joined very recently. Are there many other Japanese speakers on TWCenter?

[IGdood]

There are certainly more various sounds than Empire Total War, which only seems to play a limited amount of sounds for some reason. I'll hear bayonet stabbing sounds, but no screams. Or I'll hear screams, but no clinks and clanks from the clash of musket to bayonet. The Atmospheric Battle Mod does a great job at remedying this, however.

Napoleon seems better with the sound distribution, and Shogun 2 has no problem.

[SonOfCrusader76]

Well, I'll find out soon enough - I reckon the game will come on Monday.

[dutch81]

Well, I'll find out soon enough - I reckon the game will come on Monday.

Tuesday, sorry buddy but one more day!