I also have half a mind to dig up that aero discussion that SamH locked on us. In fact, I would if I did not suffer from amotivational syndrome.
This is a great idea, however I have reservations about it's efficacy. I say that because I remember reading that the pulse sample makes little to no difference to the actual outcome. The theory is sound though; I would imagine the pulses would vary alot even under congruent conditions - let alone diverse conditions. Would be interesting to try.
dave: nice idea, but not really there yet. keep it coming
I think a fairly simple and cpu-friendy way to make the engine sound better would be having two layered "channels" instead of one.
The other could be the exhaust simulation as it is currently.
The higher frequencies could be produced with noise generator and / or sample, that could be filtered according to different engines / intake systems.
This way the engine pulse sample itselft wouldn't have to change during game, but we would still have more harmonics.
I believe making engine volume relative to revs would also be very simple. Just use some pre-set or adjustable curve for amplitude vs. rpm. Saturating the engine sound after some point in the rpm-curve could be the answer to more "scream".
For the first two tests, this is already simulated to a certain extent in LFS. The cars tend to have a quiet idle volume unless you boost the "idle volume boost" tab.
In your 3rd test, what Bob said was correct, it has nothing to do with the volume of the car, LFS only plays the sound up to a certain distance away (which is not really a good thing imo).
For the rest of your points, yes, good ideas. I think backfiring wouldn't be too much trouble, it would be similar to the popping sound you get with engine damage / TC.
Yep, these too need work. But we need these re-recorded, and not just taken from videos, in order for better results. Skid sounds too.
I don't mind you chatting about other stuff if it's still basically on topic.
I now understand what you're saying. IMO, it's a great idea. Could be very interesting. Unfortunately I can't "preview" how it would sound though. One interesting thing you would probably like to hear, when I made the sample for the RAC from white noise, first I put it through a specifically set band pass filter to get a reasonable tone in LFS, then I tried cutting an adequate length piece of sound to use as a sample. Now the interesting bit is the although the clip of (now filtered) white noise I took samples from was basically the same noise throughout, each sample I took from it sounded different each time in LFS. So your idea could give some interesting results.
Have you tried to use a pink noise instead of a white noise ?
I feel you may get more body overall and also, maybe, you'll get rid of this synthetic thingy at high revs.
i know i eventually gave up on trying to toy around with the sound engine after i figured that it more or less sounds the same regardless of the pulse sample
no idea what causes it but its definately a "problem"
The shape of the first few "waves" in the sample really determine how the engine will sound in LFS. So if you have a Edit: 0.08 seconds long sample, and you delete the first 0.005 seconds of it, the engine tone in LFS changes noticeably.
Another thing worth noting, is if you have a sample with a constant volume (so when you loop it you just get noise), it sounds the same as if you slope the volume to 0 in the sample (giving a popping noise when looped) in LFS.
@Lotesdelere: By using white noise, I can essentially change it to whatever "flavour" / type of noise I want. Strangely though, if you use a sample with a very broad frequency range, LFS doesn't like it at all, and you get constant clipping. This is why I played around with different bandpass filters to get the best range.
hm i might want to toy around some more and see what i find
im not exactly sure if i get your point there
btw concerning white noise
keep in mind that the whiteness of the nosie doesnt determine the volume density so theres one more degree of freedom to play around with
in my tests with pure white noise i only got serious clipping issues with uniform white noise ... gaussion worked rather well
hi dave and others, after readign this post i've tried to modify the files, and i'm came up with this after messing all the day.
they sound much similiar to the original ones, but are more lively and growly without being harsh or stressing. Another difference is that the inside and outside sound of the car now is more different and loud when in external view.
try the lx6 and 4 too, with closed roof too
these are not all cars, tried some of the ones i use most.
Sound nice and rough, but too much clipping, and imo the power off volume is too low, try adjusting the volumes a little.
Look at the attachments. The first file is pure white noise cut to a pulse length. The 2nd one, is that white noise ran through a bandpass filter. The 3rd one is the same as the 2nd one except for the volume of the pulse goes from max at 0 seconds to 0 at the end. The last one has been through the same procedures as the 3rd one, but cut from a different place in the white noise I have. In theory, the 2nd and 3rd ones should sound different, and they sound the same. The 4th one should sound like the 3rd, and its completely different.
as I understand sample is very short single pulse tone - i havent played with sound engine but - the pulse is singular blast so... have you tried clipped samples (in some frequencies)? just an idea
I have tried hundreds of methods of getting a sample, and taking one from white noise and running through different filters etc gives the best sounds in LFS. If by clipped you mean distortion, I've also tried that, and LFS cannot cope without rediculous in game clipping.
Now that I'm forced to use patch X, I have paid more attention to the sound (notice, not the sounds).
I think the left to right short delay used to create the pseudo stereo when using the cockpit view is creating phasis problems to the whole sound thus makes other sounds hard to heard (skids, horns, cars brushing a wall, etc...).
In chase view the engine sound is centered and everything sounds much more clear.
Phasis problems create holes in the stereo image and are also destroying basses and trebles, which is exactly what we have now in cockpit view: no real center, lack of 'body', strange high frequencies. If you still have a version < U31 just compare and you'll see (hear) what I mean.
Still, I'm not talking about a specific sound but about the whole global sound.
I'm not sure we can solve that with the Shift+A settings as it seems to be hardcoded.
just an idea