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View Full Version : Where did all the bad voice sound quality go?


nWeCinematics
09/29/2009, 01:52 pm
Forgive me if nobody else noticed this...

But I just finished playing through Chapter 3, which was a fun, hilarious, depth-defying, crazy character-filled, piratey puzzling game of utmost greatness, except for one thing:

THE VOICES SOUNDED GOOD.

I could hear all of the dialogue and there was no distortion or crazy sibilance. Maybe it is just my speakers acting up?

Sarcastically (duh),
-Confused in Los Angeles

P.S. Thank you TT. LotL really shines.

JedExodus
09/29/2009, 01:54 pm
Noticed this one too, could be because there's a few less areas (or at least it seemd it to myself) so more room for sound data. Or I could be talking cobblers :)

nWeCinematics
09/29/2009, 01:56 pm
In all seriousness, the size of the voice archive for chapter 3 was larger than chapter 1 and both releases of chapter 2. So either there is a lot more dialogue, or they've decreased the compression (or both). It certainly sounded better.

Either way, I'm guessing it's making a lot of people very happy!

SHODANFreeman
09/29/2009, 02:13 pm
Well, they did say they've been severely optimizing their compression techniques for other parts of the game, so I imagine slightly less compression in the voices is a result of that.

nWeCinematics
09/29/2009, 02:18 pm
I did also noticed a significant increase in overall performance of the game.

ChemBro
09/29/2009, 02:37 pm
I didn't noticed it, because... the sound quality was good (and the story and everything in this episode).

JedExodus
09/29/2009, 03:17 pm
I didn't noticed it, because... the sound quality was good.

Erm, well then you did notice it I think ;)

Rather Dashing
09/29/2009, 03:27 pm
Did the last episode have individual volume sliders? Because I noticed those in the Settings menu. I can't really remember, but if they're new, that's great!

WDeranged
09/29/2009, 03:44 pm
I was impressed at the vocal quality too, especially considering the download size..maybe they've finally cracked the issue :)

Mike Haley
09/29/2009, 03:47 pm
The updated version of Chapter 2 replaced the old compression algorithm/codec (Speex) with an OGG Vorbis substitute. I assume that was carried over to Chapter 3, and that is the difference that people are hearing.

OutlawJim
09/29/2009, 04:19 pm
I did also noticed a significant increase in overall performance of the game.

I noticed that also, I was able to increase the graphics quality with no noticeable effect on gameplay. Too bad I only tried to over half way through the game X3

RMJ1984
09/29/2009, 04:57 pm
The sound / voice quality in Episode 3 was good, i didn hear any problems what so ever.

I do believe they messed up by accident on episode 2, also why they released the higher voice patch, because that was really mediocre sound. and i bet they also reliased what we said, when their voice actors do such a great job and spend so a huge amount of time doing these great things, nobody sane would throw it away with lousy compression or whatever, because that is just plane stupid :D

Paintbrush
09/29/2009, 11:56 pm
I noticed while installing the latest chapter that there was some longer "unpacking" of some files (I think sound ones)- I didn't noticed that while installing other chapters. Maybe this is it? Better installation compression-smaller setup file?

Jake
09/30/2009, 12:17 am
Did the last episode have individual volume sliders? Because I noticed those in the Settings menu. I can't really remember, but if they're new, that's great!

Those have always been in Tales.

And the lower voice quality in Ch. 2 was a mistake.

der_ketzer
09/30/2009, 02:21 am
I noticed that the background in the lab of the Marquee looked alot better then in ep. 2.
Voice quality went from good to verry good. But the performance got a little worse for me. meaning I had a little bit of loading time in the first scene whenever I started the game. But it was perfect after that even if the scenery changed.

Iron Curtain
09/30/2009, 07:42 am
I noticed that the background in the lab of the Marquee looked alot better then in ep. 2.

I think you mean "Marquis".

This is a Marquee: http://www.staxowax.com/marquee.jpg

Rather Dashing
09/30/2009, 09:00 am
Those have always been in Tales.
Ah, my mistake. Then I should have been turning up the Music slider all along!

thatdude98
09/30/2009, 09:34 am
I never heard the supposedly bad sound quality anyway, so...

Yohmi
09/30/2009, 12:27 pm
I just want to say, as I’m a very long time complainer about sound quality in telltale productions, that indeed, the sound quality just reached the «*just perfect*» sound quality it needed. I have played it with my big headphone, as I’m compelled to do, and it was just perfect.

So I just want to thank telltale for that huge improvement, it really improved the overall gaming experience.

Yes, I’m very happy*:) (and this episode was quite long and beautiful, I’m in love with Telltale.)

Pirateguybrush
10/01/2009, 03:30 am
Ahh, damnit! I LIKED the hissing and crackling! I say we start a petition to make Telltale put it back in! Who's with me!?

SHODANFreeman
10/01/2009, 05:12 am
Ahh, damnit! I LIKED the hissing and crackling! I say we start a petition to make Telltale put it back in! Who's with me!?

http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/funny-pictures-cat-sees-what-you-did.jpg

salmonmax
10/01/2009, 06:04 am
I was going to start a thread in praise of Telltale finally resolving the sound compression issues... but I guess I don't need to.

So I'll just add this thought... you guys rock!!

(Could we ever dream of a patch for episode 1, or am I pushing my luck?)

der_ketzer
10/01/2009, 10:56 am
Ahh, damnit! I LIKED the hissing and crackling! I say we start a petition to make Telltale put it back in! Who's with me!?

I am. *hisses*

JedExodus
10/01/2009, 10:59 am
Here's a question, do the DVD releases come with superior sound quality?

LogicDeLuxe
10/01/2009, 12:13 pm
Either way, I'm guessing it's making a lot of people very happy!Including me. Thanks for that!
nobody sane would throw it away with lousy compression or whatever, because that is just plane stupid :DNobody? Unfortunately, there are many audio engineers, producers, managers whatever, which do exactly that: http://www.dynamicrange.de/
Well, it's not exactly about compression as in data reduction, but about insane dynamic compression, which is just as bad.
Here's a question, do the DVD releases come with superior sound quality?Unless they rerecord all the music with live musicians, I don't see how.

JedExodus
10/01/2009, 02:15 pm
Unless they rerecord all the music with live musicians, I don't see how.

I was more on about the dialogue, the vast majority (if not all) of the music is midi in TOMI, but I was thinking that they would keep the master tapes or some kind of loseless audio format backed up and then compress it. SO when it comes to DVD time when you've got up to 8GB of data depending on the format we could be treated to higher bit-rate audio.