Save My Little Eardrums

[Fenrisulven7]

Is there ANY way to lower the volume on the character generation screen?

Whenever I log in I get blasted by a drum and horn intro, it's akin to getting an electric shock whenever I want to play DDO

I found that if I go to sound and lower the Music Volume, that makes it tolerable, but now the music volume is too low in quests.

So I spend alot of time reaching for the speakers, lower the volume before I switch toons, raise the volume back up after I log into the game, lower it again before I switch toons, etc ad naus.

Oooops. I forgot to turn the volume down before changing toons, and now the entire house is awake at 3am. Thanks SSG! :p

Seriously, is there any other way?

Or perhaps we are due for a pass, with new intro music that doesn't ZAP me everytime I hit the character gen screen?

[Nebless]

I generally just use my computers MUTE button at times like that and then turn it back on when it's past.

[Fenrisulven7]

I don't have one of those. Plus, I would prob still get blasted before I remembered to mute.

Maybe next pass they could dampen the volume to be in sync with the rest of Music Sound. Same for the wind on airship decks, its out sync.

Sometimes when I've avoided logging in to DDO for a spell, I wonder if it's because subconsciously I don't want to get zapped again.

[iamsamoth0]

Lol, I was replying to the Chronicle, and this is one of the ideas I decided not to mention. To avoid sounding exceptionally whiney. The music at log-in is horrid, blaringly loud, jarring. I hate myself when I forget to turn the music down, and I silently curse SSG, and devs who don't play their own game, with more open eyes.
I so, so agree.

Please ,@SSG, turn down the intro music, and make the character selection screen work with arrow keys(This one I have also asked for for a long time).

and, I love your kobold banner, @Fenrisulven7. I'd love to use it on my DDO discord page for FTP banner.... :)

[PsychoBlonde]

I found that if I go to sound and lower the Music Volume, that makes it tolerable, but now the music volume is too low in quests.?

To make it even worse, different areas of the game have WILDLY different effective volume values for the music. Sharn is LOUD AS HECK. Some areas I didn't even know they HAD music, it was so quiet.

So, devs, if you're listening and need something to do while code is compiling or whatever, go through the area music files and do a volume rebalance. I have no idea what's involved in this, whether there's actually an internal setting that can be changed or if you'd have to create one and all the music just uses some sort of default, but some of it is SUPER LOUD and some of it you can barely hear.

As for how to deal with the blasting music . . . use headphones and don't put them on until you're all the way logged in?

The worst offenders are definitely a.) the intro screen b.) sharn c.) the sound for the cinematic you get after Spinner of Shadows.

[Fenrisulven7]

and I love your kobold banner, @Fenrisulven7. I'd love to use it on my DDO discord page for FTP banner.... :)

It's not mine, I snagged it from another player on the forums. But I don't think it's copyrighted or anything like that, so feel free to use?

[Stoner81]

Obvious solution is to turn off all in game music which is what I have done since I started playing :)

Stoner81.

[Fenrisulven7]

Yah, that's what I wound up doing after my initial posting here. Too bad about all that time and energy spent creating music files, I guess.

The only set I really miss is 3 Barrel Cove's

[Mizyrlou]

Since I used to do the sneaking staying up late to game as a kid, I got into the habit of playing with the sound off. As I got older and all, it ended up being a courtesy thing to not disturb the household. I know I could use a headset but for how many years of going to Heavy Metal concerts and working in call centers, my hearing's already taken some heavy hits.

[Ausdoerrt]

The music at log-in is horrid, blaringly loud, jarring.

Seriously? I love DDO Music, intro included, and I always sing along. MotU era music is particularly good (which is when the intro is from, I believe). The volume balance is indeed an issue across the game, but don't insult the music itself :)


To make it even worse, different areas of the game have WILDLY different effective volume values for the music. Sharn is LOUD AS HECK. Some areas I didn't even know they HAD music, it was so quiet.

There's an issue with volume balancing across DDO. It's not just music, it's also DM voices and sound effects. Not sure why it's so hard to normalize / equalize the volume across the board. And also do something about voice / microphone volume in the process.

Some other offenders would be, e.g., the Acute Delirium "airship construction" sound, the "plinkplinkplink" of repeaters etc.

Sharn I don't find so loud, you might just dislike it because it starts on a fairly strong / characteristic trumpet signal.

[PsychoBlonde]

Yah, that's what I wound up doing after my initial posting here. Too bad about all that time and energy spent creating music files, I guess.

The only set I really miss is 3 Barrel Cove's

Someone pulled the music files from the game (somewhat dated now, so missing some stuff no doubt) and put them up on the forums as a .dat file, you could always go get those and play the ones you like on your PC in the background.

This thread: https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/482228

[PsychoBlonde]

Sharn I don't find so loud, you might just dislike it because it starts on a fairly strong / characteristic trumpet signal.

Nah, I love the music, it just blows my ears out. It may wind up at different volume depending on whether you've got surround sound or EAX enabled or whatever. That can happen.

[Fenrisulven7]

I guess part of the problem is my gaming area setup. We have both computers on the floor next to a big table, with monitors, keyboards, mice and Saitek controllers.

The speakers for both systems are mounted on the walls above and behind the computers, to save space. So having to adjust the volume means standing up and reaching over the table every single time.

Too much trouble to change that gaming setup (and not enough space to put them closer) so I guess I will just have to run DDO without the background music.

Again, the biggest problem is the login screen, where you get blasted by drums and horns. It's a pain when you are just tooning and doing alt maintenance.

Maybe I'll just go play some Civ instead.

[PsychoBlonde]

You do understand that headphones exist and don't require you to adjust the volume on SPEAKERS across the room, right?

[Fenrisulven7]

You do understand that headphones exist and don't require you to adjust the volume on SPEAKERS across the room, right?

Yah, I'm a Mechwarrior vet player. Been gaming for about 20 years. Headphones hurt my head, I only use them when I need voice comms.

[SirValentine]

This game has music?

[iamsamoth0]

..... the "plinkplinkplink" of repeaters .....

this, and it is duplicated with the the 'Blade Barrier' spell, I can't watch DDO on Twitch because of that sound sometimes. I hate being grouped with it. The plink just climbs up my spine....and it doesn't stop

[SilentRunning]

Fenrisulven7

Yah, I'm a Mechwarrior vet player. Been gaming for about 20 years. Headphones hurt my head, I only use them when I need voice comms.


MechWarrior here too.

I enjoy the music in DDO, but there are some musical scores that are kind of loud. I have my settings set a certain way for all my games so I end up just turning down the volume in windows.

As for the plinkplinkplink sound someone was referring to, LOTRO has a filter system for loot you don't want, sounds you don't want to hear and quests (usually festivals and other little events throughout the year).

Maybe SSG could implement a system like that for DDO.

[Fenrisulven7]

MechWarrior here too.

You didn't happen to be around for Brian's MWL ladder leagues, back when Mektek was making mods to the game?

[SilentRunning]

I played both MWL and NBT Hardcore at that time and that does sound familiar.

[Fenrisulven7]

LOL what team were you on at MWL?