I just got finished watching the recent interview with David and Dylan. It was an awesome vlog with some interesting news tidbits concerning the future of Arkadia and the game. One of the things that struck me most was the tone of excitement and pride in their voices as they revealed each detail. You could occasionally see a genuine smiles cross their face as they spoke of upcoming events. These guys care. You can tell. They have spent time weighing the impact of each decision and have planned some things that may provoke change in the community for the better. A community needs to be engaged. Engaging a community is no easy task, that is certain. IFN Advancement, ranked clothing and dropships are realizations of goals that are easily obtainable and will hopefully be cherished by the community as the rewards they are intended to be. The ominous nature of Smugglers and the opportunity to profit as a member of a counter culture may very well add somethings that have yet to be embraced or provided by the residents of Arkadia themselves. Camaraderie and Competition. These add flavor to communities and excitement to games. They encourage a healthy sort of drama that plants a seed that may grow into something larger than the story itself. It is not always easily inspired. Kudos for trying at all. Sincerely. I do not see this happening on other planets. Then... I was struck by something else in the video. The whole idea of using the Interrupted Broadcast plot device and the message being voice altered in a way to give Smugglers a much more creepy and sinister quality. The producers of the video had used "Sounds" to make the story more memorable and engaging. The sounds themselves helped to give the Smuggler's depth and personality. It almost made them "real". I almost felt... hmmm what was the word David had the audacity to use... "Immersion". All through the simple use of a sound effect. Totally unlike Arkadia's "New User Experience" which rings hollow in the silence of Arkadia's game play. Before the video was so rudely taken over by Smugglers, David asked us all for a wish-list of things we might like to see as a special addition to each firebase. Something to give each base distinction and a unique appeal. I would like to suggest a nice addition to the Officer's Lounge at Valiant Firebase. Just something that would cheer the place up a bit as we knock back after a day of wrangling the Oratan. A jukebox would be perfect. Ohhhhhhh... Wait... that is not going to work though is it. Honestly this is a real suggestion not just a way to disguise a dig at the sound issues Arkadia is having. A player might be able to interact with the jukebox and for a reasonable price queue one of the already available pieces of in-game music to play at a local area. Much the way a jukebox works in real time it gives the player a way to effect change in the game world and help sculpt its nuances by subtly altering the mood within listening range. A portion of the technology to enable this might be borrowed from the already available ad signs. Just a thought. Sound when done properly can truly enhance the gaming experience. Hey, you don't have to take the word of a noob in his first forum post. Before you dismiss me completely I hope you might consider some of these thoughts from others with more experience than myself. Captivating Sound: The Role of Audio for Immersion in Computer Games Making Gamers Cry: Mirror Neurons and Embodied Interaction with Game Sound The Importance of Sound in a Game or App Production and How People Look At It I do hope good things for Arkadia's future and a see them brewing. I will check back from time to time while keeping my fingers crossed that these audio issues are hammered out. Until then, I think LL Cool J said it best... I'm going back to Caly
Your comments about sound should be directed to MA. I believe this is a platform issue. I'll be upgrading to windows 10 soon, I hear this fixes sound, at least for some people. As for the jukebox idea, this technology already exists in game.
Confidence is high that as soon as these sound issues become a priority for the Arkadia Team. The appropriate parties will take action. I am aware of the value added terminals which allow Landowners to steam advertising and other broadcasts from outside the game. If the tech exists for users to make sound selections from a pool of game assets I would definitely like to learn more about it.
