Sound issues with skills in Update 11

Drummerx04

While playing as my sorc, I noticed that many sound effects from the skills are corrupted or otherwise altered. Casting surge sounds like a powerup from an 80s arcade game, and many of the other sorc skills (like ward) sound like scratching a record or like the effect is played in an echo chamber, and casting overload sometimes unleashes a high pitched screech from hell that actually causes physical discomfort (Like someone is stabbing my brain).

I'm running the 64 bit client for windowns and already tried running a repair from the launcher. Is anyone else experiencing this issue? Why were the audio effects changed or was the change even intentional? If the change to skill audio was intentional PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF WHATEVER RELIGION YOU FOLLOW CHANGE IT BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

This problem is so bad I won't be able to play the game with sound... which is sort of a big deal for me.

Phinix1

^
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rrmhQ2RLdU

Stovahkiin

The NB cloak ability is also making a strange noise for me, although I really don't know how to describe it, but it sure as hell ain't the same as it was lol.

ZOS_BillMueller

Hey guys,

Thanks for reporting this, we are currently investigating. Any chance you can give us any other info? Can you describe what you were doing before the problems started to happen ( for example were you using the Blade of Woe before the problems started to happen, or did they happen right away? ) Are you all using the 64 bit client? Thanks a bunch.

Bill Mueller
Senior Sound Designer

Capsaica

Stovahkiin wrote: »

The NB cloak ability is also making a strange noise for me, although I really don't know how to describe it, but it sure as hell ain't the same as it was lol.

Agreed. Cloak is making a sort of enhanced echo of the usual cloak noise a bit after you cast it. It is quite distracting and unnecessary and a bit too loud. Not by any means gamebreaking, but just irritating.

For reference, I did nothing except log in. I was already in Cyrodiil when I logged in, and the cloak noise was present from the beginning. I believe it was making this noise on the PTS as well.

Edited to add that I was using the 64-bit client.

tonemd

Glad I wasn't the only one hearing this. It's like Street Fighter 2 CE for the Genesis audio (yeah I'm old).

I'm using the 64 bit client on a WIndows 10 PC. It's most noticeable for me whenever I use Retreating Maneuvers and Vigor.

peniku8

ZOS_BillMueller wrote: »

Hey guys,

Thanks for reporting this, we are currently investigating. Any chance you can give us any other info? Can you describe what you were doing before the problems started to happen ( for example were you using the Blade of Woe before the problems started to happen, or did they happen right away? ) Are you all using the 64 bit client? Thanks a bunch.

Bill Mueller
Senior Sound Designer

Sorcerer Skill "Critical Surge" causes high Frequency noise (5khz+) on x64 (I didn't test x32).
Happens for me while using it in combination with any skill (it might be the critical heals which cause that sound).
I really hope this will be fixed soon because I'm playing with a muted game right now

Xerton

peniku8 wrote: »

ZOS_BillMueller wrote: »

Hey guys,

Thanks for reporting this, we are currently investigating. Any chance you can give us any other info? Can you describe what you were doing before the problems started to happen ( for example were you using the Blade of Woe before the problems started to happen, or did they happen right away? ) Are you all using the 64 bit client? Thanks a bunch.

Bill Mueller
Senior Sound Designer

Sorcerer Skill "Critical Surge" causes high Frequency noise (5khz+) on x64 (I didn't test x32).
Happens for me while using it in combination with any skill (it might be the critical heals which cause that sound).
I really hope this will be fixed soon because I'm playing with a muted game right now

Can confirm that. Thats just torture. My ears are bleeding!
But its not just critical surge on mage. There are other skills on DK too. Just can't tell yet which are.
PLEASE FIX THIS!!!

ADarklore

ZOS_BillMueller wrote: »

Hey guys,

Thanks for reporting this, we are currently investigating. Any chance you can give us any other info? Can you describe what you were doing before the problems started to happen ( for example were you using the Blade of Woe before the problems started to happen, or did they happen right away? ) Are you all using the 64 bit client? Thanks a bunch.

Bill Mueller
Senior Sound Designer

I noticed that Critical Surge... someone (sound department) seems to have been 'tweaking' the sound effects... and what noise we're hearing, IMO, is the changed sound effect. When you activate it, the character raises his arm in the air and that's when the high frequency noise comes- as part of the 'activation' sound effect. From the complaints, it sounds to me (no pun intended) that someone in the sound department was tweaking sounds but not listening to them at louder volumes.

Drummerx04

The first thing I do when I log in to a new patch is to cast all of my equipped skills to see whether they still work, and the instant I did I noticed sound effect changes on:

1. Hardened Ward
2. Powered Surge
3. Energy Overload
4. Blockade of Lightning
5. Healing Springs
6. Restraining Prison
7. Dark Deal
8. pretty much all of them

This was for the 64-bit client, but I just logged in to test the 32-bit and it has the exact some issues. The weird thing (and why I asked whether the change was intentional) is that the sound effect from surge plays the old effect – the quick and sharp static pop [good] – about a third of the casts and the "new" effect for every other cast.

I do appreciate the effort to fix this issue.

Erro

i was getting similar sound issues on the mac client, along with image/texture issues (some things are black).
just had a new client download ( after the o.o.d. client message ).
STILL having audio clip issues and image/texture blackness...

ZOS_BillMueller

Thanks for the info guys! There have been no tweaking of sounds, this seems to be a code/data issue that is effecting the playback engine which we are still tracking down but getting good information from you guys which is a huge help. As a sound guy I understand how frustrating it is for sound not to work, so trust me we are on this today. Thanks again!

Bill Mueller
Senior Sound Designer

Delpi

Erro wrote: »

i was getting similar sound issues on the mac client, along with image/texture issues (some things are black).
just had a new client download ( after the o.o.d. client message ).
STILL having audio clip issues and image/texture blackness...

I'm a mac user too and yes, this is happening. I also have static noises coming from nowhere, very annoying. I had to turn the sound off because my ears were bleeding! :P

maboleth

Happens on power surge also. Like some low bit rate echo ( phone like ). All 64bit no addons.

Erro

so, i messed around with the Settings..Audio..General..Sound a little bit...
moving the bars for ambience, effects, footsteps, and interface Do Not affect this "feature" for me.
( it seems to be a constant cycling thru "effect" sound clips: water, pets, scraping, etc )

turned down the master volume, and turned up the music...

still have the black-outs on stuff ( which makes me think memory issues, but i'm guessing )

Saturn

Phinix1 wrote: »

^
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rrmhQ2RLdU

This happens with a lot of my characters too, all of them in fact, the shrill piercing sound is really bothering me even with 30% master volume.

Sedrethi

I believe it may have already been noted, but the Nightblade's Relentless Focus (and likely the base skill Grim Focus and the alternative morph Merciless Resolve, which I've yet to test for this issue) is causing a high-pitched, echo-y screech.

EDIT: I should mention that I am on the NA 64-bit client.

Kronuxx

Xerton wrote: »

peniku8 wrote: »

ZOS_BillMueller wrote: »

Hey guys,

Thanks for reporting this, we are currently investigating. Any chance you can give us any other info? Can you describe what you were doing before the problems started to happen ( for example were you using the Blade of Woe before the problems started to happen, or did they happen right away? ) Are you all using the 64 bit client? Thanks a bunch.

Bill Mueller
Senior Sound Designer

Sorcerer Skill "Critical Surge" causes high Frequency noise (5khz+) on x64 (I didn't test x32).
Happens for me while using it in combination with any skill (it might be the critical heals which cause that sound).
I really hope this will be fixed soon because I'm playing with a muted game right now

Can confirm that. Thats just torture. My ears are bleeding!
But its not just critical surge on mage. There are other skills on DK too. Just can't tell yet which are.
PLEASE FIX THIS!!!

Same with Volatile Armor for DK's. And yes, the sorcerer critical surge is really grating on my ears. Like, finger nails on chalk board grating. Or teeth scraping on metal silverware grating. It's seriously giving me a headache. @ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_JessicaFolsom Please have this changed ASAP. This is one quality of life change that can make it or break it for me in this game unfortunately. It's that torturous and painful to listen to, for me at least.

Troneon

I noticed sound glitching out on healing skills for templar too. Especially any that are last more than a few seconds or aoe...

Drummerx04

@ZOS_BillMueller This is the kind of responsiveness that leads people to think that you care.
You admitted that the audio change was unintentional and that you are working on the problem, and that honesty and openness is a beautiful thing to see from the green text.

Thank you for paying attention and addressing our concerns!

Dracane

The sound bug when placing daedric mines is so awesome ! Please don't fix that, it sound 100 times better than the original

ZoM_Head

Engulfing flames, igneous weapons, mount (horse) sound...all sound as if they are muffled.

Vildebill

I have the same issue with surge, ward, bound aegis and igneous weapons. First the sound is muffled, then directly after the sound there is some kind of high-pitch sound.

martinhpb16_ESO

Camo hunter now sounds like squeaky railway car disk brakes!

Smasherx74

ZOS_BillMueller wrote: »

Hey guys,

Thanks for reporting this, we are currently investigating. Any chance you can give us any other info? Can you describe what you were doing before the problems started to happen ( for example were you using the Blade of Woe before the problems started to happen, or did they happen right away? ) Are you all using the 64 bit client? Thanks a bunch.

Bill Mueller
Senior Sound Designer

Yes, I've said this before for what I know it happens on

Vigor, Netch and various enemy deaths, and a bunch of different abilities.

This isn't some specific problem, it's a problem with audio across the board for various things.

TAGGARDWARF

Thanks for acknowledging that you guys are working on this, I'm playing without sound right now as well =/. The sound for Vigor is unbearable.

Attifiett

I thought I was the only one. Thanks to god I found this thread.

It was 2 days ago when I first heard this strange high-pitched sound right after casting an ability. I noticed this bug when I created a new templar character, since I'd never heard this strange noise before with my DK stamina character. (strangely even after Update 11, but maybe that's because I haven't tried all the abilties yet, since I just logged in and did nothing else with him after the patch)

Also this sound does not occur only with some abilties, but also with some sound effects, like the collapse of rocks or other animations (especially during the Main Quest [I recall the collapse a pile of rocks during "Daughter of Giants" where Lyris Titanborn hits the pile with her ax])

I tried LITERALLY everything to fix this: launcher repair, using sounds add-ons, desabling all my add-ons, changing headset, putting my headset device directly behind my case, updating my sound chip drivers. Then I got tired and I prayed that I would've figured out it was a game bug.

I hope ZoS will fix this asap, since it not only annoys me, but also gives me headache.

altemriel

ZOS_BillMueller wrote: »

Hey guys,

Thanks for reporting this, we are currently investigating. Any chance you can give us any other info? Can you describe what you were doing before the problems started to happen ( for example were you using the Blade of Woe before the problems started to happen, or did they happen right away? ) Are you all using the 64 bit client? Thanks a bunch.

Bill Mueller
Senior Sound Designer

rally sounded pitch high somehow one time

Phinix1

altemriel wrote: »

rally sounded pitch high somehow one time

Yes, many abilities do sound a but "tinny" this patch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gwXJsWHupg

Thanks for the update, @ZOS_BillMueller .

Drummerx04

This is how the sound bug went down:

"The sound is all screwy!" - us
"Really? How so? Can you provide info?" - Bill
"Skill casts make bad noise!" - us
"Thank you for pointing that out, that was not intended and we will address it" - Bill

*Fixed in next incremental patch

CRISIS OVER

This was nice @ZOS_BillMueller, thank you

ZOS_BillMueller

Hey!

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for replying in this thread, it was a huge help in finding the issue. It was resolved in yesterday's patch, so all of your abilities and other sounds should be back to playing correctly. Thanks again, we always appreciate the feedback, we are always listening ( hehe we sound guys get it!...sorry) so keep it coming!

Thanks!