Wow, did I just stumble across something...

[MONOLITH]

Every now and then I go back and play a really good game that I haven't played in awhile. The last two nights, I was replaying a really great Ubisoft game that I won't name yet, but it has nothing to do with subs.

And I'm at this one part, listening to the sounds, and guess what I hear. The exact, and I mean exact, sound file that is the subs creaking hull noise from SH4. In a completely unrelated game from about 2 years ago.

UBI's recycling files from other games; in this case, sounds. It makes sense I suppose. Why redo something you already have? Need an ocean sound? Go back to a previous game and get it. I'm not knocking it, because it makes perfect sense, it just really caught me by surprise.

I'll see if any can guess where the creaking sub noise came from. Here's a clue...

It's a major title for Ubi. The sound is in the second mission, which also involves a ship, but a surface one.

:|\\

[orangenee]

Well if you look at the files in SH4 you'll probably be able to work out in minutes it's an upgraded SH3, but it works (most of the time anyway.) There's probably quite a few games around that have poached stuff from older titles.

[WernerSobe]

yes this is not unuasual. Not just sound, textures are often recycled too. In some cases even 3d models.

[MONOLITH]

Like I said...

It makes sense I suppose. Why redo something you already have? Need an ocean sound? Go back to a previous game and get it. I'm not knocking it, because it makes perfect sense, it just really caught me by surprise.



I just think it's a neat bit of trivia, especially when I tell you where it's from.

[Ducimus]

Ummm Far cry?

[Swede]

I think he is talking about splinter cell.

There is an oil rig mission where they use "sub sounds"

[Reaves]

Anyone remember Dark Forces by Lucasarts?

The sound when you fell to your death has been reused in so many movies and advertisements that it makes Jenna Jameson seem fresh.

[seaniam81]

I think it might be a rainbow 6 game

[WernerSobe]

ive even heard counter strikes "need backup" in tv

[maerean_m]

The Romanian studio of Ubisoft is standalone and does not interact with the teams in other Ubisoft studios.

Was the game you mentioned also created in Romania?

[EAF274 Johan]

Recycling happens a lot in the industry, and why shouldn't it? Why spend time and money on recording new sounds if you have good quality stuff that can be used from previous projects?

I found that the flightsim Falcon 4 uses some explosion sounds that are also in Sid Meier's Civilisation 2 (both were by Microprose) :)

[nomdeplume]

Anyone remember the sound of doors (and platforms, maybe) in Doom? That sound turned up all over the place back in the day.

[MONOLITH]

I think he is talking about splinter cell.

There is an oil rig mission where they use "sub sounds"

Close!

2 games later though.

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.

2nd mission, you start on the bow of a cargo ship. In front of you are the large cargo containers you see pulled off ships by a crane.

Sit next to those containers, and the sub creaking noise plays. Definately the same file too.

It's just the first time I've noticed a sound from a different game, somewhere else.

[SteamWake]

Its older than a couple of years.

Morrowind used the 'creak' sound

and thats a Bethesda softworks title.

[mookiemookie]

Its older than a couple of years.

Morrowind used the 'creak' sound

and thats a Bethesda softworks title.

No matter how much I play SH3 and Sh4, everytime I hear that creaking sound, I think I'm in Dwemer ruins in Morrowind.

[SteamWake]

and everytime Im in a Dewmer ruin I keep wondering why my sonar doesent work :p

Funny thing is I just recently picked back up my morrowind game that Ive been playing for about 3 years :o

[mookiemookie]

and everytime Im in a Dewmer ruin I keep wondering why my sonar doesent work :p

Funny thing is I just recently picked back up my morrowind game that Ive been playing for about 3 years :o

Oddly enough, I recently reinstalled it as well while waiting for the 1.3 patch. I never did make it all the way through Bloodmoon.

Great times with that game! :up:

[SteamWake]

and everytime Im in a Dewmer ruin I keep wondering why my sonar doesent work :p

Funny thing is I just recently picked back up my morrowind game that Ive been playing for about 3 years :o

Oddly enough, I recently reinstalled it as well while waiting for the 1.3 patch. I never did make it all the way through Bloodmoon.

Great times with that game! :up:

In my opinion at least it was and is the best RPG ever created. Oblivion while better graphics and somewhat batter AI couldent hold a candle to it. In spite of the freakin cliff racers.

But were drifting a bit off topic so .... uhh yea its the same sound bit.

[MONOLITH]

I'm a big Oblivion fan that never played Morrowind. What did Morrowind have that Oblivion doesn't, that made it better? I just might be interested in picking it up.

Some people had told me one of the things they liked better about Oblivion was a bigger population of characters in a busier world; That in Morrowind they spent a great deal more time wandering around empty landscape. I wouldn't know though.



(Might as well stay off topic. You can only say so much about replicated sounds, and it's my thread anyway. :p )

[SteamWake]

First let me start by saying MW is truely an open ended free form RPG. You dont even have to do the main quest at all and still have fun just exploring. Oblivion holds your hand and 'guides' you on your path.

Its hard to put my finger on it but the 'world' seemed more real to me although I must admit the NPC AI is somewhat lacking. The same NPC stands in the same place day/night rain or shine. The world had a gritter more rustic 'feel' to it. But the regions and varied architecture between the different races kind of make sense. Vvanderfal is a big island with about a dozen or so major 'cities' and hundreds of camps and wandering adventurers. "Look its a naked Nord ! Wonder what his story is !".

But just wandering about the country side and exploring the literally thousands of dungeons scattered about. Not the "Oh gawd another freakin oblivion gate". You never know what your going to run accross or find. "Oh look theres a ship wreck, wonder whats inside !" climb into the ship and may find a skeleton there, check the skeletons 'pockets' and WOAH ! a Diamond ! sweet ! Or you might find a rusty piece of crap knife. Nearly every thing in the world can be 'picked up' from plates and cups or napkins to a flaming glass longsword. Just be careful who is watching they may take offense at you trying to steal there longsword.

I like the way arms and armor was handled with individual pieces which would get banged up and require repair. Let them get banged up enough and they will be destroyed making your precious holy sheild becomes a piece of junk. (happened to me last night :damn: )

I also liked the way you 'leveled' up skills that you actually use instead of getting some points to put into whatever skill you saw fit. For instance 'athletics' will increase from running, jumping, and swimming.

The 'story' quest was much deeper, longer, and more involved. It will have you saying "Well Ill be dammed" at times. Not to mention the plethora of side quests. It almost made me sad When Caius left town... but then again he kinda creeped me out.

Even though all the dialog is in text the charecters have a personality. Wait till you meet Fargoth :p

As I said before Ive been playing the game on and off for nearly 3 years and still find new stuff to do and see.

I suppose the weak aspects of the game is the combat system. It is basically a click fest. Inventory control is a bit of a pita you open your inventory and you are confronted with dozens of potion bottles, weapons, scrolls, etc. You literally have to hover your mouse over each one to find out what they are. After a while you learn whats what but it takes some time. On the other hand they handled 'burden' well and its a constant struggle "Do I really want to pick up that frosbite warhammer ? That sucker weighs 80 lbs" you pick it up "oof I cant move" you drop it making a note to come back for it later.

The other weak point is the journal system. You will find yourself at times flipping back several pages to find info on your current quest as several journal entrys have been made since you got the quest.

It is an older game so the graphics are not on a par with Oblivion but frankly there pretty damn good, they sky and stars in particular, and all the dialog is in text and the 'static' NPC's make this game not for everyone. If your more interested in gameplay and a deep RPG experence you will enjoy it. If you like more action oriented FPS style game then its not for you.

Oh and there are TONS of mods available.. Id start with the signpost mod and better bodies. Oh and the cliffracer extermination mod if your so inclined.

If you do decide to get it try to get the GOTY (game of the year) edition which comes with the two expansions and patches up the game as well.

You can probably pick this game up for a very low price these days... if you can find it.

Warning you may become addicted and spend many many hours. I finished Oblivion in about two weeks. Im still playing MW after several years and have never even finished the main quest.

[mookiemookie]

Off the top of my head, reasons why I like Morrowind better than Oblivion:

While Oblivion's inhabitants felt more like a living world, Morrowind had it hands down in terms of quests. Oblivion has 4 factions with questlines, plus the main storyline. Morrowind has 3 guilds, 3 great houses, the Morag Tong assasin's guild, the Imperial Cult and the Imperial Temple as well as the main storyline. Granted, Oblivion's faction questlines felt more tied into a coherant story and less random, Morrowind beats the pants off it for sheer numbers of faction based quests.

Morrowind also has greater customization with skills. Oblivion got rid of Axe, long and short blades, medium armor and spear skills. Yeah its a small gripe, but I hate how simplified games are getting.

The world in Oblivion is beautiful but it sometimes feels like someone just went into the game editor and hit the "generate terrain" button. In Morrowind, it seems like every cave and tomb had a story to tell, and many of them had unique weapons or items in them whereas the ones in Oblivion were more or less pretty generic.

The questline in Oblivion got to be quite tedious and repetitive. Morrowind was a bit of everything.

You can probably pick up Morrowind with the two expansion packs for pretty cheap. I highly recommend it.

[Captain Scribb]

This such a coincidence. I just recently started playing Morrowind again as well.

It is better than Oblivion, because there is more exploration, no leveled items or npc's (i.e. you can actually find end-game equipment at any time, as opposed to junk), better travel system, deeper storyline, more quests, more of a true rpg than a first person hybrid, more original artwork, and it is much DARKER, overall. jmo.

[orangenee]

Ahhhh Morrowind, I bought the GOTY edition and never did get round to playing even Tribunal, it just wasn't easy enough to get around in that game, so once I finished the original plot I never went back, plus I used to get a lot of CTDs.

[Nafod81]

I'm pretty certain there are sound content providers that exist solely to license sound bytes to whoever needs them. Probably a similar set-up to Getty Images for those of you in advertising or any other material/video production occupation.

Just a guess.


Naf

[letterboy1]

I'm pretty certain there are sound content providers that exist solely to license sound bytes to whoever needs them. Probably a similar set-up to Getty Images for those of you in advertising or any other material/video production occupation.

Just a guess.


Naf

You are absolutely correct. In the big-budget world of major Hollywood films, a sound studio can afford to use custom recorded and edited sounds. But when you are on a tighter budget and deadline, you usually use commercially available libraries of sound effects. This also applies to "canned" music, filler video footage, and as you pointed out, image libraries like Getty.