Anyone using Syrinscape?

[MNBlockHead]

Originally Posted by Cornelius

So I am interested in what others who do use sounds feel that it adds to the storytelling.

For me, most sound effects would be distracting, but "mood music" could work. I really like the Witchwood sound sound effect, a free sample that comes with the Syrinscape demo. Nice, not overly intrusive mood music, with some light "spooky woods" effects. Adding the raining again layer is nice as well.

Good quality sound tracks like this for a variety of scenarios could be quite nice, so long as I don't have to fiddle with software too much during the game.

What I really have little interest in are the special effects that require me to trigger when somebody does something in the game, like "fire spell", "ice spell", "gasp", etc. I don't want to turn my game in to an old-timey radio show and I don't want to play DJ. I have enough to manage during the game.

Another example of what I *don't* want is the "Bugbear Battle" sample. I would like it if I could stip out the vocalizations. I like the battle music and also like how I can switch up the tempo and heighten the mood with the "Defeat is Imminent" option. But the growls and shouts distract. One, because...well, is that how you hear bugbears in your minds ear? No. Too bad. But also...I can just imagine that I'm narrating the battle or discussing with a player what his character is doing only to be interrupted by a loud, guttural, growl. Distracting. There is a no swords option, but there isn't a non-vocals option.

IF Syrinscape has lots of music only and non-distracting background sounds options AND IF I can easily launch this from realmworks with minimal fuss, then I could that it could add to the game.

One additional benefit that I just thought of is that good mood music and REDUCE distraction? How? Well, during more lengthy battles there is often side discussion among players that is appropriate, but creates background chatter. The music may actually make that background chatter less distracting. You would think it would be just another distraction, but at least I find it much more difficult to concentrate in a dead quiet college library with a couple of students whispering to each other a few tables away than I do in a loud coffee show with music playing and lost of normal-to-loud conversations happening around me. Music has away to blend all surrounding conversations into the background making it easier to focus on the one you are having with someone (one reason why restaurants play music, I assume—less distracted by conversations at other tables and by the sounds of people masticating their food).

[Dark Lord Galen]

As others have already noted, I have little need for a sound for every spell casted or weapon brandished... to me this just turns it into a PC gamer mentality.

With that said however,
I do utilize a lot of background sound effects.... having a dedicated room to game in helps to do that.

However..... there is nothing like utilizing the surround sound under the table to add background of a loud market place as the PCs search around, or the creeks and drips of a dungeon crawl, or the tranquility of birds in the woodlands as they quest to thru the elven realms. To me this helps my players immerse to full effect.

On special occasions (we call them Game-a-Thons) twice a year, I do prep a special track to use in conjunction with the events..... A nice explosion from out of no where as the evil wizard arrives or a well timed battle music by Two Steps from Hell, brings the barbarian in the group to life! I have even on occasion, had Gregorian chants in the background when they visit a church or monastery, or howling winds as they went through the frozen north or high seas.....

The trick is that the sound should add, not become the game.. IMO

just my 2cp
DLG

[Farling]

Originally Posted by MNBlockHead

I can just imagine that I'm narrating the battle or discussing with a player what his character is doing only to be interrupted by a loud, guttural, growl. Distracting. There is a no swords option, but there isn't a non-vocals option.

Each of the components of the overall sound can be turned off (e.g. growls) by sliding the individual volume to the left. The settings will remain until you click on one of the other predefined settings (e.g. the "No Swords" button).

[Bobifle]

Originally Posted by Dark Lord Galen

As others have already noted, I have little need for a sound for every spell casted or weapon brandished... to me this just turns it into a PC gamer mentality.

I'm a PC gamer and I don't really see what you mean by that

Apart from PC games, there are plenty of areas where sound effects are used to immerse people:

- movies (especially hollywood movies)
- theme parks
- casinos
- theatre

Role playing is also about setting up a scene, sound effects could be part of it, why not. It is far from being used only by the video game industry.

[Erdrix]

If I did this right, here is an example of a soundscape I use with Scene Sound. Go to Scene Sound open package. Plains_Day

[Dark Lord Galen]

Originally Posted by Bobifle

I'm a PC gamer and I don't really see what you mean by that

Your point on industry use are certainly true,

For clarification, in the world of Roleplaying games, I have noticed through the years (35 plus) a progressive mentality to turn RPGs into what I refer to as PC game types. Even here within RW forum, there is a movement to turn a DM world maintenance tool into a VTT (which is certainly a cousin to the PC game genre). When even the designers have stated more than once, they didn't build it with that in mind.... but that is another story....

It started with Wolfenstien, progressed to others like Pool of Radiance, to the bard's tale, to the Ultima series, to MMO types such as Everquest and World of Warcraft and so on.... Don't miss read this as a negative, I can see the appeal and enjoyment of such games, it is just an observation of how technology has effected even the gaming world. But in counter to those creations, they hardly have the versatility of a good RPG. To make up for that lack of versatility, the producers (IMO) add, better and better graphics, and sound to add to the experience.

But lets face it .. there is only so many choice options in Knights of the Old Republic (yea I have played all the possible variable choices of light and dark). That is why manufacturers continue to sell the user on a newer and better "widget" to snare the faithful, once again, in the net of past glory. With the hope of a new and more varied experience.

Not to say WOC hasn't done the exact same thing, constantly creating "new core rules" to pry the $ from your pockets. But that approach appeals to some, some like the "newest" whatever or they wouldn't stand all night out infront of whatever store to have it first... And to others (like myself) find it a poorly disguised money grab. In the case of RPGs, iF it were not the case of the latter being more true, the success of Paizo's Pathfinder, Frog God, Green Rohin, etc would not exist in the successful state they currently enjoy. Even WOC/Hazbro had to coincide they have lost market share to third party companies because of a poor business model decision of more core books = more $ than good supplements of existing core works.

Anyway, I have deviated, sound within the game......

Again IMO by adding sounds to it could cascade to everything from the casting of spells like Magic missile, or drawing a sword, shoot an arrow, ect. In a PC game these are integral to the program because of its story line limitations. They add a different element to the experience, immersive sound effects, in exchange for the narrative limitations.

When does it become cumbersome and a distraction? Do we start to have voice emulators instead of the Player taking on that role?

To each his own and I'm not implying any one way is better or worse... For me too much "representative sound" for sake of "entertaining" misses the point of a true RPG.

hope that clarifies,
and to lastly clarify, I enjoy PC games, I just don't limit my RPG games to PC game shortcomings (lack of broad storyline choices and true interaction).

my 2cp
DLG

[Dark Lord Galen]

Originally Posted by Erdrix

If I did this right, here is an example of a soundscape I use with Scene Sound. Go to Scene Sound open package. Plains_Day

Good JOB Erdrix....

I would use something like that.. good background, but not distracting!
My druid will try to strike up a conversation with all those birds

[Bobifle]

Originally Posted by Dark Lord Galen

To each his own and I'm not implying any one way is better or worse... For me too much "representative sound" for sake of "entertaining" misses the point of a true RPG.
DLG

This is maybe where we clearly disagree. To me, nothing can better describe a sound that the sound itself. It's not about entertainment, it's about accurate description.

Talented story tellers (which I'm not) with their extend vocabulary can actually do perfectly the job. That does not mean the actual sound would not.

However I'm not using sound effects at the table because:

• it's too much prep
• no room for improv

[Vargr]

Well, I see the RPG to be more like the book - vivid descriptions fleshed out by the imagination of the reader - eh - player.

I don't think I would want to use sound effects (except as background such as silent rain, moody low music) - at least not continously, rather as a once per session at the climax.

[Erdrix]

Here is Forest_Night.