Forum Discussion

Lynart's avatar
Lynart
3 years ago

Can we please get better sound engineering?

Some pretext: I'm comparing this to iRacing, ACC, and real life. I've also posted this same thing on Steam forums.

In all 3, I'm able to "hear" a car or motorcycle getting closer and use that to prep for defense and visualize where my opponent is (so I do not cut off their line or kill myself going into their line.)

I've spent 3 full races in F1 22 and realized.....I can't hear that, at all. I was wondering what was missing and causing me to smash into AI when defending and it's literally because the sound engineering sucks. I've adapted by focusing on the blind spot indicators.....but this is not optimal as it takes my eyes away from braking points, corner exits, etc. etc.

Best way to describe the sound: all engines make a certain noise at certain RPMs. When a vehicle approaches behind, it is obviously because another faint engine sound will merge with yours, and this distorts the original sound (which you will 100% be listening to, passively or actively, to shift correctly.) The clash of frequencies is enough to get my heart racing because I know someone is there now, and I can adapt where I'm blocking or know how close they are from the sound. This is literally needed for motorcycle racing because we have no mirrors. 

I understand that F1 is not a sim but it makes it hard af to pass and makes VR sound like *.

f1 22

10 Replies

  • Hansenhaus's avatar
    Hansenhaus
    New Veteran
    3 years ago
    @Lynart I was wondering just how much F1 drivers actually hear in the cockpit. They have in ear monitors that seal up their ears and a thick helmet over their heads. How much sound from another car can they actually hear? I play the game with the driver mix and I love it but you are correct I don't hear other cars around me enough to be useful. It is also hard to hear the tire's squealing during a lock up or spin out. I wish we could do custom mixes of the tires, cars and track sounds.
  • Lynart's avatar
    Lynart
    3 years ago

    @HansenhausI've raced motorcycles. I have earplugs to protect my hearing, and a helmet. The hearing is dulled out enough that everyone knows to not talk to another rider while the helmet is on.

    I can hear approaching motorcycles.

    On cars, with no earplugs, it is very audible.

    From the above experience, I think an F1 driver can hear other cars unless another F1 driver corrects me lol

    Tire sounds are kinda okay but yeah very faint.

  • Hansenhaus's avatar
    Hansenhaus
    New Veteran
    3 years ago
    @Lynart Oh wow. That is cool and interesting to know you can still hear sounds of opponents bikes.
  • FG44141's avatar
    FG44141
    3 years ago

    Even in cinematic mode and 'other cars volume at 10' hearing other cars around you is terrible, everything is so quiet in the game.

    Its even funnier switching to 'driver' sound mode when sitting on the start grid, a grid full of 20 F1 cars, its hilariously quiet sounding lol 

  • KVNR01's avatar
    KVNR01
    3 years ago

    @LynartI think this is a great point and not something I've ever thought about. This is would be a great opportunity for improvement, even if only for next year's game.

    As someone who drive almost entirely in cockpit view, it can be especially hard judging where other cars are and this would be a great additional cue. 

  • Lynart's avatar
    Lynart
    3 years ago

    @KVNR01 

    Good point mentioning cockpit view.

    I only drive in cockpit view for any game because I use sims to train for real life. Forgot this was not what most people do so they can see other cars in other views lol

  • Hansenhaus's avatar
    Hansenhaus
    New Veteran
    3 years ago

    Cockpit view for life. Doesn't feel immersive enough otherwise. 

  • allemands311's avatar
    allemands311
    New Vanguard
    3 years ago
    @Hansenhaus wrote:

    Cockpit view for life. Doesn't feel immersive enough otherwise. 

    Preach!

    I just started playing F1 just 3 months ago. Started with one of the views behind the car. I've never played a ton of racing games, but when I do, it's always been that view.


    Started reading up a lot and watching YouTube videos and seeing the affinity for the cockpit view by so many, like yourself.  So I tried it out, absolutely hated it. I'm surprised I stuck with it with how much I disliked it.

    I finally got used to it and now I basically can't stand every other view, especially the behind the car views lol.

  • Amioram's avatar
    Amioram
    3 years ago

    That's one of the most glaring issues in VR. You cannot hear other cars so you don't know where they are. In real life you possess a kinesthetic sense that informs you of where other objects are relative to yourself but naturally in a game you cannot simulate such a thing so the only real sense you can rely upon to understand where other cars are (especially if they are in a mirror's blind spot) is hearing. In F1 22 you simply cannot. it's impossible to understand where a car is - or is approaching from - in relation to yourself by sound. You can in ACC, RaceRoom, RF2 etc. but you cannot in F1 22.

    This is something that CM should really work upon, especially now that they have introduced VR mode. I don't want to use proximity arrows, they not only are immersion breaking but they are also annoying and distracting in VR.

  • Lynart's avatar
    Lynart
    3 years ago

    To add, it's not only immersion breaking...it's straight up dangerous/disadvantageous. 

    One of the first things we were taught when I went for motorcycle racing training was to not look at your dash. They even disabled the dash entirely. The reason? People would crash if they do because taking your eyes off the road at 300km/h on a backstraight = a good story but a bad time.

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