Idea for a whale-sounds mod

[Paajtor]

I just watched Bill Oddie on BBC again.
He was visiting Vancouver Island, and had a great time listening to killerwhales singing in the bay.

I remember when SH3 got released, that I made a few grammophone-tracks of whale-songs.
But it just didn't feel right, having to switch on the grammo, to hear whales "by coincidence".
I really would love to hear them through the hydrophone!
And maybe even through the hull of the sub, when they're really big and close!

So my question is:

Is it possible, to create sound-objects travelling random, below the surface?
Just like AI-subs, but with no 3D-model...only a virtual object, which only produces sounds?

I know a Blue Whale produces like 130db, for example.

Here and here are a few recordings to be found.

[ReallyDedPoet]

Originally Posted by Paajtor

I just watched Bill Oddie on BBC again.
He was visiting Vancouver Island, and had a great time listening to killerwhales singing in the bay.

I remember when SH3 got released, that I made a few grammophone-tracks of whale-songs.
But it just didn't feel right, having to switch on the grammo, to hear whales "by coincidence".
I really would love to hear them through the hydrophone!
And maybe even through the hull of the sub, when they're really big and close!

So my question is:

Is it possible, to create sound-objects travelling random, below the surface?
Just like AI-subs, but with no 3D-model...only a virtual object, which only produces sounds?

You would think it would be possible, be a nice touch. Through the grammaphone kind of defeats the purpose.

[Mush Martin]

I wont be able to hear the whales for the Led Zepplin LOL

"Say Beeker do we have any torpedos with a stun setting out back?"

MM

[Safe-Keeper]

Invisible submarines with whale calls as their propeller noise. Should be doable, right?

[Paajtor]

Yeah, something like that...just not to frequent.

Cool Idea, but why not create a real whale? We have dolphins, so why no whales?

[Cheapskate]

The whale song (IIRC the Humpback) was actually done in the very early days of SH3. The problem..for me..was that it was included in an ambient underwater sound file. This meant that you heard it in areas where you wouldn't normally get whales, like the channel! Very offputting was that!

Cdre Gibs had started a project: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...t=whale+sounds

where the whales actually featured like dolphins, in the game but with the sounds attached. His artwork was excellent and I was looking forward to this mod possibly as part of GWX expansion. Never happened though.

Have noticed in some other threads that Privateer has some talent in this direction, maybe if we ask nicely, he might do us some underwater fauna - once he has sorted out his airship and barrage balloon projects that is!!

[ref]

Originally Posted by Nippelspanner

Cool Idea, but why not create a real whale? We have dolphins, so why no whales?

I even have a model Cdre. Gibs gave me some time ago, the problem is to animate it.

Ref

Originally Posted by ref

I even have a model Cdre. Gibs gave me some time ago, the problem is to animate it.

Ref

Yeah, but if we place them strictly underwater (200m...) and let them sing, the player will never see them. Ok, maybe with external cam, but I think its better to have a non-animated whale whos singing instead of no whale at all...

[Paajtor]

Ok, so how about giving them no 3D-model at all, like I explained above?

The dolphins we have - allthough modded to the best level possible, I think - still look weird, when travelling at the surface....their sounds work great, though (I've heard them in GWX).
If it was up to me to choose, I'd prefer invisible submerged whales over visible surfaced whales, just for the kick of hearing them on occasions.

Having no 3D-model also may be better fps-wise, and you'd have less impact on performance, if the player would encounter a family of lets say killer-whales, or spermwhales.
The occasions that you would encounter some of them, should be limited (like Cheapskate also said): many whales avoided the busy convoy-routes during WW2.
Cold seas (= rich in food) are primary locations for feeding-grounds, and warm areas (Saragossa Sea, for example) are primary locations for whales to give birth.

[Mush Martin]

Who wouldve figured it would be someone here at subsim

but I can see it now after a long nite of splicing together

sound files and its finally ready who ever it is is going

to get to the end when the finished product is ready

and when they hit save they will literally

"Save the Whales"

well some good at least will come of it people have been
calling for that for years.

LOL
MM

[Cheapskate]

Originally Posted by Nippelspanner

Yeah, but if we place them strictly underwater (200m...) and let them sing, the player will never see them. Ok, maybe with external cam, but I think its better to have a non-animated whale whos singing instead of no whale at all...

Agree totally with that, Nippelspanner.....half a loaf better than none etc

@ Ref
Did Cdre Gibs only model the Orca? or did he do some others?

[Paajtor]

Hey, another thing...
I know some whales - especially bulls - hover motionlessly beneath the waves at 20-30m or so, to sing their song.
I've seen great footage of humpbacks, doing this...the sound actually made the chest vibrate of the guy who was filming!

[Mush Martin]

AAaAaaaAAAaaaAaaLLllllLLLlLLLLAAAaaaaaaAAAaaRRRrrr rrrrrrmMmmMMM

[Paajtor]

The more you post, MM, the more I get the impression you're not sober. :rotfl: