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Sound-Coded for Your Convenience: Difference between revisions
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== Action Adventure ==
* In ''[[The Legend of Zelda:
** And don't forget ''[[The Legend of Zelda:
** From ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
** In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
*** ...If a Phantom spots you ''and'' if you managed to make your [[Tsundere]] [[Exposition Fairy]], who is [[Demonic Possession|possessing one]] [[Video Game Cruelty Punishment|snap]].
* ''[[La
** As important is the little "trap" sound, which usually means <s>it's a good idea to turn around and run ''immediately.''</s> OH GOD[[Warp Whistle|F2 0 F2 0 F2 0 F2 0 F2 0 F2 0 F2 0 F2 0]]
* In the game of ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'', you could pretty much just rely on the sound effects to see when you were about to be blasted by a fire crab or eaten by a giant orange snail. Despite the way it sounds, these are the sorts of noises that haunt one's dreams when very young.
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* In ''[[Serious Sam]]'', suicide bomb soldiers emit a continuous "aaaaarrrgh" scream when they're coming at you, allowing you to tell where they're coming from, especially if they're behind you. The distinctive whine of chainsaws tips one off to the presence of the chainsaw-wielding pumpkin-men. Pretty much every enemy makes their distinctive sounds, often from [[Stock Sound Effects]].
** Hilariously, you can sometimes find them idle. They mutter little "argh?"s to themselves.
* This dates back quite a bit. Both ''[[Doom]]'' and ''[[
** "[[Gratuitous German|Schutzstaffel.]]"
** It also proves very useful in Wolfenstein 3D when differentiating between solid walls and secret passages that are immovable for some reason - the sound can be a little off-putting if you don't expect it.
* In ''[[
** It not only had the tink-tink, it had two different variations of it, depending on if the thrown grenade was a frag grenade or a flashbang.
* Due to the general lagginess of online multiplayer, competitive shooter games tend to have some sort of noise to confirm that you've managed to land a blow against an opponent. One of the first examples was ''[[
** Before ''Quake'', ''[[Descent]]'' had its distinctive "clang" for damaging a player's shields. ''Descent III'' went with a softer, less distinctive "pop", which was not popular among ''Descent'' fans.
** ''[[Halo]]'' has the additional mechanic of showing your opponent's shields go down with a distinct "pop".
*** This practice was continued with ''World At War'', ''[[Modern Warfare]] 2'', and ''Black Ops''.
* In just about every First Person Shooter gives grenades a distinct sound when they are thrown because frankly it's just not fun to die from a grenade silently rolled into your cover spot from behind. Sometimes it's a ticking noise, sometimes it's a loud pinging sound when they hit a surface (which can be particularly unrealistic, though [[Acceptable Breaks From Reality|acceptable]], when it always makes the same metal-on-metal ping sound even if it lands in dirt), and a visual cue is often also added such as a light on the grenade (''[[Half-Life]] 2'') or an indicator on your HUD that you're within a grenade's blast radius (''[[Call of Duty]]'').
* The enemies in ''[[
* The ''tink-tink'' of a bouncing grenade is very clear and audible in ''[[Call of Duty]] 4'', even when thrown on dirt or grass. This makes it useful to know when someone is flinging a grenade your way, as you can hear the sound before the grenade warning icon appears.
* Set to be taken [[Up to Eleven]] inside ''[[Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45]] 2: Heroes of Stalingrad'' - the soundtrack, specific for Russian and German sides, is supposed to change to be more somber when your team is losing, and more grand while your team is winning!
* In the ''[[Metroid Prime]]'' series, all the hidden powerups make a distinctive humming sound that is often the the player's first clue that there's something to find in the area. The sound's volume and stereo positioning can help narrow down its location.
** Ditto Green Stars in [[
** The metroids themselves make an odd chittering sound before they attack Samus. (They didn't do this in the 2D games, but then you didn't have to worry about one sneaking up behind you and catching you unaware!)
* ''[[Crysis (
* ''[[Left 4 Dead]]'' has some very distinct noises for its special zombies. Boomers sound like someone drowning and/or vomiting, Smokers cough and hack like a...smoker, Hunters have a very distinct growl and screech, Witches will sob and whimper, while Tanks will growl and snort (and loudly smash their way towards you).
** The four survivors also have distinctive voices, so you know exactly who is doing what when they shout something out. Every kind of special infected also has its own short [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUn8HNpiR3w musical cues], including the distinct tune of a horde swarm.
* ''[[First Encounter Assault Recon]]'' (''FEAR'') has its soldiers chatter to each other on radios, a la ''[[Half Life]]'' . . . even though the plot says that they're all being controlled psychically.
* In ''[[
** There's many. MANY voice and sound effects here that can help or impede you (which all players can hear regardless of team)...
*** MEDIC! - While this DOES alert your teammates to heal you, it also alerts enemies who is an easy target...
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* ''[[No More Heroes]]'', as a standard [[Beat'Em Up]], doesn't really need complex audio cues (though different sets of mooks have different cries). What it does matter with are the Lovikov Balls; powerups found hidden throughout Santa Destroy that make a distinct humming sound when they're nearby.
** Also, you'll know when Speed Buster's [[Wave Motion Gun]] is about to fire - she yells something at you. Usually it's ''"Fuck you!"'' Useful if you're in the wrong direction to see its charge-up glare.
** In ''[[
* Some enemies in ''[[Gauntlet (1985 video game)|Gauntlet Legends]]'' [[Action Bomb|carry explosive barrels on their back and will rush you from offscreen]] when they get the chance. Fortunately they always let out an unearthly roar when they do and you'll usually have a couple seconds before impact.
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*** And then there are the ones that everyone avoids specifically ''because'' of the aggro sound. Outland screaming spiders anyone?
* ''[[Final Fantasy XI]]'' does this, and has similar sounds for when most monsters aggro... an exception is the undead Fomors and Shades, which are pretty much enemy versions of PCs. You never hear them coming until it's too late. Being undead, it adds to the creepy factor.
** Add in the fact that they can aggro to low HP through walls and doors, and suddenly your [[Magic Knight|Red Mage]] using [[Cast From HP|Convert]] doesn't seem like such a good idea, and can bring your expedition through [[Absurdly Spacious Sewer|Phomiuna Aqueducts]] or [[Ancient Tomb|the Sacrarium]] to a [[Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies|quick close]].
* Some missions in ''[[City of Heroes]]'' require the player to locate a certain number of items on the mission map, to investigate, confiscate, or destroy. These items are usually identifiable both by a glowing visual effect and by a distinctive sound... but since they are often hidden in out-of-the-way spots and occasionally lack the visual effect, the sound effect is generally the easiest way to locate them, resulting in the odd experience of ''listening'' for crates of drugs.
** Individual powers often have their own sound effect patterns, and experienced players can identify Hasten or Moment Of Glory without even looking for the screen. Kinetics sound effects are, likewise, highly identifiable.
* In ''[[
== Platform Game ==
* ''[[
** It's also color coded. Go to first person view to refine the direction even more.
** You can also rapidly tap F. The meter will go up more the closer you are.
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== Real Time Strategy ==
* Similarly, [[Real Time Strategy]] games pretty much feature this as a standard feature: Each type of unit has a distinctive voice and quotes for when it's selected or given an order. Lately, units will often have specific quotes for moving, attacking, or using specific abilities. The interface itself will also usually have an announcement if enemy units attack yours or invade your base.
** The ''[[
* Starcraft and Starcraft II also have a unique, distinctive sound effect for every fighting unit when it attacks.
* In ''[[Dune II]]'', the music changes when something is happening (wormsign, base under attack etc), along with the announcer woman's voice saying "Wormsign" "our base is under attack".
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* In ''[[Gothic]]'', humanoid weapon-wielding enemies invariably draw sword upon noticing you. Of course, this comes with a distinct metal sound. Animals produce some kind of roar or howl prior to attack. No creature can attack you unnoticed if you listen carefully.
** Except for one. The Shadowbeast looks something like a giant black wolf-lion, sleeps in caves, and upon noticing the player will silently get up and sneak up on him. Generally, the first thing an inexperienced player knows about Shadowbeasts is being suddenly eaten from behind.
* In ''[[Hellgate
* Ghouls in ''[[Fallout 3]]'' always let out a hiss before charging at you. Super Mutants also tend to shout out taunts before attacking as well.
** All enemies in ''F3'' make noises, although in the case of Yao Guai and deathclaws, you'll hear their heavy footsteps first. If you can actually hear their breathing noises, then you're already dead.
* You can tell in an instant whether interplanetary travel in the first ''[[Knights of the Old Republic]]'' will have a random encounter, as the preceding cutscenes have entirely different music.
* ''[[The Elder Scrolls]] II: Daggerfall'' isn't particularly difficult if you know how to prepare for what you hear. A rumbling squeak? Spider: Free Action to avoid paralysis. A shriek? Skeleton: blunt weapons work best. A raspy shriek? Vampire Ancient: Spell Reflection or Spell Absorption. A dark laugh? Daedra Lord: run like hell the other direction.
* ''[[Arcanum]]'''s flawed combat system does not pause when an enemy spots you, so you have to listen for the combat music to cue you in with its distinctive strings intro.
* ''[[Knights in The Nightmare]]'' has this ''out the freaking wazoo'', almost to [[Stop Helping Me!]] levels. Pretty much everything that happens on screen is commented on by the knights ("The sword attached. The duelist activated. Enemy attack!"), and given the pace of the action, this becomes a constant stream of commentary.
* ''[[Pokémon]]'' has three sound effects to tell if a move has [[Scratch Damage|little (1/4 or 1/2 normal damage) effect]], normal effect, or [[For Massive Damage|great (2x or 4x normal damage) effect]].<ref>
** The above mentioned example of Ben Underwood, blind since age 3 and still being able to play ''Pokémon'' games, is actually not too [[Incredibly Lame Pun|far-fetched]]. Each Pokémon has a unique cry when sent out (save for a few from the first generation that share cries due to sound limitations). Sufficiently experienced players can recognize the most common Pokémon by only their cry. Presumably, he learned to play once a sighted friend explained what the sound effects mean.
** There's also a particular [[Critical Annoyance|disconcerting]] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWTJRLW6uRM beeping noise] that lets the player know when his/her active Pokémon in battle have a low amount of [[Hit Points]] remaining.
* ''[[
* ''[[Super Mario RPG]]'' has an item called the "signal ring" which, when equipped, will play a sound cue to let you know there is an invisible treasure somewhere in the room. Since it does not tell you ''where'' it is located, some of the rooms can be quite large, and at least one treasure can only be found at a particular time (you must jump off a Toad's head, and he will only be in the right place once), this can be maddening. Experienced players will no doubt have memories of jumping madly around the room every time they hear the telltale noise.
* In ''[[Fragile Dreams Falewell Ruins Of The Moon]]'', every type of enemy has different sound effects, that get louder the closer to the enemy you are. Particularly noticeable because there is no background music except in special circumstances. Also applies to cats, though they are not enemies. Hitting an enemy and doing damage yields a different sound effect than hitting and not doing damage, each enemy attack has a different sound effect, and there will be a sound effect if you're facing something you can interact with, like a door you can go through or an item you can pick up.
* There's a ''very'' distinct audio cue for knowing there's a dragon nearby in [[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim|Skyrim]]. You'll be running through the wilderness or through an open town and there will be a sort of whine off in the distance, sounding as if it was carried in on the wind. Or just that straight up roar, rush of wind and dramatic battle music.
== Shoot 'Em Up ==
* ''[[Geometry Wars]]'' has this as well - each enemy type has a distinct noise when it first spawns.
* The ''Touhou'' games after ''Perfect Cherry Blossom'' have the players shots make a distinct sound if the boss they're attacking is about to deplete their life bar.
== Stealth-Based Game ==
* The ''[[Metal Gear]]'' series has the distinct "!" sound that lets you know when you've been spotted. Also in the game, your [[Voice
== Survival Horror ==
* ''[[Enemy Zero]]'' had invisible monsters and a detector that sound-coded their position.
* In ''[[Silent Hill]]'' one through three, the PC was given a portable radio. It emitted static noise when there were monsters nearby. And since the outdoor area of Silent Hill is covered in dense fog and the indoor areas are frequently ''very'' dark (God bless the flashlight), the noise was a much very welcomed forewarning.
** By the way, that helped very much to scare the player at those rare moments when an enemy ''did not'' register on radio. Or when the radio decided to screw with you and go off when there ''aren't'' any enemies.
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** Not to mention the distinctive noises creatures make in later levels.
*** The wheezing, oh god the wheezing
* ''[[Eternal Darkness]]: Sanity's Requiem'' had sound-coding to distinguish between different kinds of monsters, and the Bonethief enemies made a distinctive sound when hit/killed. This sound-coding did not distinguish between enemy alignment,
* ''[[
* [[Preexisting Encounters]] and [[Scripted Event
** Then there's the Carpenters from the third game. The same song is used for all of them, despite there being three different kinds of Carpenters (the weaponless Man in White, the Man in White that has the spear, and the Engraved Man).
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** ''Gears'' also has your squadmates [[Say My Name|call out the names]] of [[Mini Boss|MiniBosses]] ("Seeder!"; "Berserker!") as soon as you encounter them. Most of the time the soldier assigned to this task is [[Captain Obvious]].
* In ''[[Crackdown]]'', the agility orbs and hidden orbs a player must find will all emit a faint humming sound if you are near one, this is especially useful in finding the hidden orbs because, well, they're generally hidden from sight pretty well. The noise they make will also get louder as you find more orbs, making it easier to find the last ones.
* ''[[Max Payne (
* In ''[[Mass Effect 3]]'', there are distinctive sounds for when your projectiles are landing on armored plating (no damage until destroyed) or armor (meaning the target's shields are down).
== [[Tower Defense]] ==
* ''[[
* ''Every single Mook'' you face in ''[[
== Turn-Based Strategy ==
* When an attack does damage in ''[[Fire Emblem]]'', it normally makes a sort of squishy "metal striking flesh" sound. When a blow is fatal, a more severe version is played, with additional sound effects for critical hits. The level up fanfare (and ensuing chiming sounds as your stats go up) is even more recognizable than in most other [[Role
* In ''[[Nintendo Wars|Advance Wars]]'', treads, wheels, aircraft, copters, and foot soldiers make different sounds when moving, making Fog of War slightly more bearable in that you can actually roughly estimate what kind of forces await you in the impeding darkness.
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== Wide Open Sandbox ==
* In ''[[Red Dead Redemption]]'', a snarl is often the only warning you'll get of an incoming cougar attack. [[Demonic Spider|Not that said warning will do you any good.]]
* ''[[
* In ''Minecraft'', there is a glitch where sometimes mobs can make their ambient noises upon death. Annoying because it will often cause the player to go spinning around, looking for the second enemy which isn't there.
** Played straight with ''caves''
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[[Category:Acceptable Breaks From Reality]]
[[Category:Sound Coded For Your Convenience]]
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