Audio Bugs

Gargath · March 2016

I just had CTD during looting some random urn inside and near the entrance of Hall of the Dead in Wildhelm (veteran). PC EU, 64 bit. No combat. Crash report sent.
It was a minute after I logged into a fresh game.
And before CTD an ambient music started to play and stopped.

Niaver · March 2016

ZOS_CaseyCoffman wrote: »

https://youtu.be/MJA2mo480lk

So even devs are getting bad fps right? Only 25 when the fight isn't even big.

Pyr0xyrecuprotite · March 2016

Random noises and static/hissing on 64-bit client (Hews Bane mostly, but I was zapping around to several other zones), was so bad that I switched to using 32bit instead. However, in Hews Bane/Abah's Landing, there are still a lot of mysterious miscellaneous random noises at times. As this is a new zone for me, I don't yet recognize if some or all are intentional environment noises, or bugs. (i.e. on 32-bit client). I suspect that at least some are either unintended, or much louder than they should be.

Xantaria · March 2016

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

We're looking into these, everyone. If you are able to provide any additional specific examples, please do! It would be helpful to know what you're hearing, where you're hearing it, if there was any action associated with triggering the sound, and whether or not you're using the 64-bit client or 32-bit client. Thank you!

Last boss vMoL, whenever somebody get's the red aoe on him that explodes after some time it causes a crushing sound that completely deletes all other sounds for the next 4-5 Seconds.

Happening on both 32 and 64 bit.

Annalyse · March 2016

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

We're looking into these, everyone. If you are able to provide any additional specific examples, please do! It would be helpful to know what you're hearing, where you're hearing it, if there was any action associated with triggering the sound, and whether or not you're using the 64-bit client or 32-bit client. Thank you!

I can't remember all of the audio issues I had with the 64 bit (they were plentiful) but since I went back to the 32 bit I have been having one constantly. When my nightblade attacks with the skill Surprise Attack there is no sound. It used to make an appropriate dagger-attack (she is dual wield with daggers) sound but now there is nothing more than maybe a barely audible woosh. All of her other skills still make the usual sounds so I find it rather bothersome as I keep thinking that the skill isn't working.

This particular audio bug also happened when I was playing the 64 bit, but apparently isn't limited to that client.

Highstake · March 2016

While using 64bit client, i have strange random sounds, some of them funny (squirrel sound when succesfully picking locks), some annoying, and many persistent, static, beep, cut voice, blablabla, etc.
Or just the sounds arent synched, late.
The video is cool, lags close to the city border, but meeeeh, after a couple of hours things, more and more stuff becomes pink...
Random dcs, loading screens when off from dung to city, frozen screen.
About 32bit client, it crashes almost every 30 minutes after launch.

emeraldbay · March 2016

For the benefit of the ongoing investigation into these issues, I've recorded a short thing that shows exactly what I deal with when I run the 64 bit client.

Listen here!

This is a clip of one of my characters (PC / NA / EP) running around and interacting with things in Abah's Landing. Strangeness ensues.

Annalyse · March 2016

emeraldbay wrote: »

For the benefit of the ongoing investigation into these issues, I've recorded a short thing that shows exactly what I deal with when I run the 64 bit client.

Listen here!

This is a clip of one of my characters (PC / NA / EP) running around and interacting with things in Abah's Landing. Strangeness ensues.

I was laughing so much after just 30 seconds of that.... I can't imagine playing with that happening constantly! I'd have to play with no volume or I'd just be laughing all the time at the weirdness.

emeraldbay · March 2016

Annalyse wrote: »

show previous quotes

emeraldbay wrote: »

For the benefit of the ongoing investigation into these issues, I've recorded a short thing that shows exactly what I deal with when I run the 64 bit client.

Listen here!

This is a clip of one of my characters (PC / NA / EP) running around and interacting with things in Abah's Landing. Strangeness ensues.

I was laughing so much after just 30 seconds of that.... I can't imagine playing with that happening constantly! I'd have to play with no volume or I'd just be laughing all the time at the weirdness.

Luckily, it doesn't happen 100% of the time. It does happen fairly often, however—here's hoping it's fixed next patch!

Arthmoor · March 2016

The only audio problems I've run into so far were the dialogue lines Malacath was supposed to be delivering when lighting pyres in Old Orsinium. They were getting cut off or only playing the last parts. 64 bit client, and the dungeon was packed with people so that might have had something to do with it.

Epona222 · March 2016

@ZOS_CaseyCoffman - interesting thing I noticed today. I get these issues on the NA server only, I played a bit on the EU server today (also using the 64bit client) and had no sound or texture issues whatsoever. On the NA server the audio disturbance is frequent - ranging between every few seconds to every few minutes the audio will do strange things.

For additional information, I am closer to the EU servers than the NA servers (play on both though as I have friends on each) - my ping on the EU server varies between 50-100, and my ping on the NA server is around 150-200. I also have been having some trouble logging in on the NA server since the update earlier this week with "Server connection timed out" errors, but only on the 64bit client. No issue on the 32bit client on NA or either client on EU. So starting to wonder whether the 64bit client is somehow exacerbating latency issues.

DaveMoeDee · March 2016

Selstad wrote: »

show previous quotes

ZOS_CaseyCoffman wrote: »

Hi Dreyloch (and others!), I couldn't agree with you more about combat sounds being crucial to reaction time. As Jess mentioned, we are looking into this. The biggest help we could use now are video captures of sounds not playing in Cyrodiil, (ideally with no non-game sounds playing) from users like you!

(Edit for clarity. Ideally we're looking for videos of JUST sounds missing in Cyrodiil, as we're of the mind that the static/random sounds issue is a separate one, linked to 64 bit clients)

Not to be rude but, shouldn't that be part of the quality assurance before you release something? I could understand if it's the odd bug here and there but from what I've experienced and gathered from other players, it seems to be immensely wide spread and it's quite the wonder that it made it past the testing stage in this stage.

Is it happening on the 32-bit client?

Fortunately, the fixes since TG have resolved all visual problems for me. The sound problems happen quite a bit though. I suppose I could try recording some gameplay tomorrow and send in sample.

I'm also getting regular dropping of lines of dialogue.

Icy · March 2016

@ZOS_GinaBruno

Here's my example from just a few hours ago. This is Trueflame, NA PC/Mac, 32-bit client. The whole party seemed to experience issues at the same time, not just me.

You'll notice that the music continues while the battle combat noises disappear. Eventually the music stops as well if the sound vanishes for long enough. The sound issues occur when two groups come together in close proximity.

Examples at 0:22-1:00, 3:30-4:45 and 10:20-10:40.

Hope this helps!

https://youtu.be/h6tytyKBEMg

ProfessorKittyhawk · March 2016

I thought I saw a cliff racer in Alik'r. But it was just a bird who had become bright neon pink. And don't even get me started in the static sounds and pink horses and guars and arches around cities and one of my characters (a Redguard, no less) having his face turned bright neon pink while the rest of my characters remain dressed and normally colored. I do hope there's a fix for all this on Monday, as well as the broken quest in Alik'r where you give npc's antidote for snake bites. Been broke since TG update went live.

KhajiitiLizard · March 2016

The only audio issue that is getting to me is that woosh at the end of combat. As a nightblade it constantly does that because you instagib most mobs.

sirinsidiator · March 2016

As promised, here are the two videos.

The first one shows the sound cutting out in PVP during a big fight in Trueflame EU (version 2.3.5.1280234).
It always gets back to normal once I leave the area where the fight is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObT8XLsoTvw

The second one has some random background sounds playing especially loud on PTS (rc 2.3.4.1274629).
This happens everywhere, regardless of what I do. From riding alone through the desert, to exploring a dungeon with others, to fighting players in Imperial City.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUi7ExLR9zI

Both were taken with the 64-bit client.

nostrudel · March 2016

I am also having a near-constant stream of bizarre sound effects layered over the normal soundtrack since the update. It is most noticeable in Wrothgar, but it's not restricted to that zone. I get flopping noises, weird bird calls, running water, hissing or steam noises, horker calls (where there are no horkers), clicks, skipping record sounds, snatches of music, squishing sounds... you name it. On the other hand, sound effects that I SHOULD be hearing, like attacks or footsteps, are either delayed or are MIA altogether. I put a ticket in and they suggested I reset all my audio settings to default. This appeared to fix it until I logged off then back on. Now they are back in full force. Anything in the works to fix these annoying audio bugs?

Myrnhiel · March 2016

@emeraldbay : that mirrors exactly my experience. And I would really be funny, if it wasn't so annoying.

And I should have added in my previous post: I'm on EU and I was just walking around Rivenspire (Cadwell's Gold) - exploring and fishing.

Selstad · March 2016

DaveMoeDee wrote: »

show previous quotes

Selstad wrote: »

ZOS_CaseyCoffman wrote: »

Hi Dreyloch (and others!), I couldn't agree with you more about combat sounds being crucial to reaction time. As Jess mentioned, we are looking into this. The biggest help we could use now are video captures of sounds not playing in Cyrodiil, (ideally with no non-game sounds playing) from users like you!

(Edit for clarity. Ideally we're looking for videos of JUST sounds missing in Cyrodiil, as we're of the mind that the static/random sounds issue is a separate one, linked to 64 bit clients)

Not to be rude but, shouldn't that be part of the quality assurance before you release something? I could understand if it's the odd bug here and there but from what I've experienced and gathered from other players, it seems to be immensely wide spread and it's quite the wonder that it made it past the testing stage in this stage.

Is it happening on the 32-bit client?

Fortunately, the fixes since TG have resolved all visual problems for me. The sound problems happen quite a bit though. I suppose I could try recording some gameplay tomorrow and send in sample.

I'm also getting regular dropping of lines of dialogue.

No, the 32 bit client is stable and functional, it's the 64 bit client that messes up.

magnusthorek · March 2016

ZOS_CaseyCoffman wrote: »

@magnusthorek
We are currently tracking that, and the issue where a quick burst of static can play as a separate issue than what I've described above for Cyrodiil. Can you tell me if you're using the 64bit client?

Yes I am

maboleth · March 2016

It's like the movement itself is causing all recorded effects to play for a brief time. I can hear dog barking, squeaking, burst of various weapons, hissing, cymbals etc. All in 64bit flavour.

Sadandyrkaar · March 2016

Same problems for me with 64bit client
occasional static, various sounds repeating over and over (like the unlocking chest sound, sounds associated with dolmens, footsteps playing at an annoyingly loud volume etc)

Drishtan · March 2016

Ive mainly only loss sound when large grps come together!

ITS ZOS/s NEW LAG REDUCTION PLAN IN MOTION!!!!!!

babylon · March 2016

I opened a chest and it barked at me!

I think you've got everything cross-referenced incorrectly...ambient noises maybe assigned to menus and operations, so they end up random whenever you open a bag or whatever?

Also hearing random and loud static at times. Can go for ages with no weird sound bugs then get just one or two, or many all in a row.

Win 7 64bit client. Nvidia Drivers through HDMI.

AnnieBeGood · March 2016

Selstad wrote: »

show previous quotes

DaveMoeDee wrote: »

Selstad wrote: »

ZOS_CaseyCoffman wrote: »

Hi Dreyloch (and others!), I couldn't agree with you more about combat sounds being crucial to reaction time. As Jess mentioned, we are looking into this. The biggest help we could use now are video captures of sounds not playing in Cyrodiil, (ideally with no non-game sounds playing) from users like you!

(Edit for clarity. Ideally we're looking for videos of JUST sounds missing in Cyrodiil, as we're of the mind that the static/random sounds issue is a separate one, linked to 64 bit clients)

Not to be rude but, shouldn't that be part of the quality assurance before you release something? I could understand if it's the odd bug here and there but from what I've experienced and gathered from other players, it seems to be immensely wide spread and it's quite the wonder that it made it past the testing stage in this stage.

Is it happening on the 32-bit client?

Fortunately, the fixes since TG have resolved all visual problems for me. The sound problems happen quite a bit though. I suppose I could try recording some gameplay tomorrow and send in sample.

I'm also getting regular dropping of lines of dialogue.

No, the 32 bit client is stable and functional, it's the 64 bit client that messes up.

I use only 32bit..... and in Cyro in a group, on ts, it happens at the same time to all of us. Sound just vanishes. (ps/eu/32bit)

Selstad · March 2016

On the 32 bit as well? Hm, peculiar, I only notice the problems on the 64 bit version. Sounds like it's even worse than I thought.

ZOS_CaseyCoffman · March 2016

Hi again folks. I'm trying to read and respond to everyone in line here. Its a very early Saturday morning for me here on the east coast, so if I happen to miss one of you, I promise it's not intentional!

@Pyr0xyrecuprotite

Pyr0xyrecuprotite wrote: »

Random noises and static/hissing on 64-bit client (Hews Bane mostly, but I was zapping around to several other zones), was so bad that I switched to using 32bit instead. However, in Hews Bane/Abah's Landing, there are still a lot of mysterious miscellaneous random noises at times. As this is a new zone for me, I don't yet recognize if some or all are intentional environment noises, or bugs. (i.e. on 32-bit client). I suspect that at least some are either unintended, or much louder than they should be.

Thanks for this. As far as we've been able to determine so far, the Static and Random sounds is only occurring on the 64bit client. The new sounds you're hearing in hew's bane are likely coming from the critters that are new in this patch, the Dragon Frog critter, for example makes some very different sounds and also shoots fire occasionally.

@Xantaria

Xantaria wrote: »

Last boss vMoL, whenever somebody get's the red aoe on him that explodes after some time it causes a crushing sound that completely deletes all other sounds for the next 4-5 Seconds.

Happening on both 32 and 64 bit.

Hi Xantaria, what you've described here sounds like a separate issue than any of the others going on here. I've got a hunch as to what is causing this and we're looking into it now. Thank you for this!

@Annalyse

Annalyse wrote: »

*snip* ...but since I went back to the 32 bit I have been having one constantly. When my nightblade attacks with the skill Surprise Attack there is no sound. It used to make an appropriate dagger-attack (she is dual wield with daggers) sound but now there is nothing more than maybe a barely audible woosh. All of her other skills still make the usual sounds so I find it rather bothersome as I keep thinking that the skill isn't working.

This particular audio bug also happened when I was playing the 64 bit, but apparently isn't limited to that client.

Hey Annalyse, thanks for this. What you're describing here sounds to be ability specific. We're looking into this now. Thanks again!

@Highstake

Highstake wrote: »

While using 64bit client, i have strange random sounds....*snip*

Thanks for confirming this while using the 64bit client!

@emeraldbay

emeraldbay wrote: »

For the benefit of the ongoing investigation into these issues, I've recorded a short thing that shows exactly what I deal with when I run the 64 bit client.*snip*...

Hey Emeraldbay, thanks for confirming this on the 64bit client. We're 99.999999% positive at this time that this particular issue is isolated to the 64 bit client, and continuing investigation.

@Arthmoor

Arthmoor wrote: »

The only audio problems I've run into so far were the dialogue lines Malacath was supposed to be delivering when lighting pyres in Old Orsinium. They were getting cut off or only playing the last parts. 64 bit client, and the dungeon was packed with people so that might have had something to do with it.

That's no good! Do you recall roughly how many other people there were in the area with you? Adding this to the list and investigating.

@Epona222

Epona222 wrote: »

@ZOS_CaseyCoffman - interesting thing I noticed today. I get these issues on the NA server only, I played a bit on the EU server today (also using the 64bit client) and had no sound or texture issues whatsoever. On the NA server the audio disturbance is frequent - ranging between every few seconds to every few minutes the audio will do strange things.

For additional information, I am closer to the EU servers than the NA servers (play on both though as I have friends on each) - my ping on the EU server varies between 50-100, and my ping on the NA server is around 150-200. I also have been having some trouble logging in on the NA server since the update earlier this week with "Server connection timed out" errors, but only on the 64bit client. No issue on the 32bit client on NA or either client on EU. So starting to wonder whether the 64bit client is somehow exacerbating latency issues.

Interesting. From what we've been able to determine the random sounds/static issue appears to only occur on 64bit clients, BUT it doesn't always occur. We're still investigating why that is. Thanks for your info! (love the username by the way!

)

@Icy

Icy wrote: »

Here's my example from just a few hours ago. This is Trueflame, NA PC/Mac, 32-bit client. The whole party seemed to experience issues at the same time, not just me.

You'll notice that the music continues while the battle combat noises disappear. Eventually the music stops as well if the sound vanishes for long enough. The sound issues occur when two groups come together in close proximity.

Examples at 0:22-1:00, 3:30-4:45 and 10:20-10:40.

Hope this helps! *snip video*

Hi Icy, thanks a bunch for the video. This is great help!

@KhajiitiLizard

KhajiitiLizard wrote: »

The only audio issue that is getting to me is that woosh at the end of combat. As a nightblade it constantly does that because you instagib most mobs.

Hey KhajiitiLizard, are you using a particular ability more often than others when you notice this happening? Let me know, and we can investigate the ability or abilities in question.

@sirinsidiator

sirinsidiator wrote: »

As promised, here are the two videos.

The first one shows the sound cutting out in PVP during a big fight in Trueflame EU (version 2.3.5.1280234).
It always gets back to normal once I leave the area where the fight is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObT8XLsoTvw

*snip video 2*

Both were taken with the 64-bit client.

That first video is fantastic, sirinsidiator, Thank you very much!

@nostrudel

nostrudel wrote: »

I am also having a near-constant stream of bizarre sound effects layered over the normal soundtrack since the update. It is most noticeable in Wrothgar, but it's not restricted to that zone. I get flopping noises, weird bird calls, running water, hissing or steam noises, horker calls (where there are no horkers), clicks, skipping record sounds, snatches of music, squishing sounds... you name it. On the other hand, sound effects that I SHOULD be hearing, like attacks or footsteps, are either delayed or are MIA altogether. I put a ticket in and they suggested I reset all my audio settings to default. This appeared to fix it until I logged off then back on. Now they are back in full force. Anything in the works to fix these annoying audio bugs?

Hi nostrudel, for now the best suggestion I can give you is to run the 32bit client instead of the 64. While there are still issues that occur in larger battle settings, the random sounds and static you mention has not yet been encountered or reported to happen on the 32 bit client.

As for anything in the works to fix these, you bet! We're doing everything we can now to get them squashed.

@magnusthorek

magnusthorek wrote: »

show previous quotes

ZOS_CaseyCoffman wrote: »

@magnusthorek
We are currently tracking that, and the issue where a quick burst of static can play as a separate issue than what I've described above for Cyrodiil. Can you tell me if you're using the 64bit client?

Yes I am

Thank you for confirming. For the mean time my suggestion would be to swap to the 32 bit client until we can push a fix for the random sounds/static issue.

Thank you all for submitting info and especially big thanks to those of you contributing videos, this is very helpful!

Apoxsee · March 2016

Casey,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to as many people as you could. I am sure the rest of ZOS reads the posts made by forums users but it sure is nice to see someone reaching out to as many as possible during this clean up phase of the most recent patch. I know it is frustrating for the gamers (and I know for sure it is stressful on you all at ZOS) when the issues arise but this communication is the finer touch that is need now..

Thanks again!

Selstad · March 2016

At least there's more interaction between developer and users on this game, which is a lot more than can be said for other MMOs, such as Blizzard. Thumbs up from me as well to Casey, despite I'm questioning things, it's still nice to see that the developers are working with the players

Tabbycat · March 2016

I had to completely stop using the X64 client.

My experience:

Falling through the world and getting stuck in the Harborage (logging out fixed it).
Pink textures.
No hands or weapons in first person.
Weird sounds and lack of expected sounds.
My character getting stuck in block pose.
My character being stuck in some weird looking pose with her hands looking like she's holding horse reins during conversations.
Being stuck in third person mode during conversations.

It's just super glitchy and actually worse performance than when I was playing the beta during Psijic testing. I'm honestly surprised this was released without further testing.