High Pitch Background Noise In Summer! Please Fix!

[BigMommaWolf]

I love this game but I have to turn off ambient sound in the summer time due to the high pitched noise in the background that sounds like a distant saw or leaf blower. The droning machine noise is not only immersion breaking, but it triggers my migraines, making the sound a health concern on top of everything. It's most obvious when wearing headphones and the ambient sound on full volume. Please remove this background noise or change the ambient track to something else.

[AquamarineQuarantineDream]

Hi BigMommaWolf,

Thanks for reporting that issue. Would you mind sending us your game files so the team can reproduce the issue faster? You can send them to [e-mail] Here's some more info on how to get to them: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1245560/discussions/0/3823036151091835986/

You Rock!

[BigMommaWolf]

Originally posted by AquamarineQuarantineDream:

Hi BigMommaWolf,

Thanks for reporting that issue. Would you mind sending us your game files so the team can reproduce the issue faster? You can send them to [e-mail] Here's some more info on how to get to them: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1245560/discussions/0/3823036151091835986/

You Rock!

I'm really confused. This isn't a bug. It's in the audio file itself that plays during the summer. It's in every version of the game. I can hear it on other people's let's play videos and stream vods. I can't be the only person in the world that hears it. I searched all over the internet and I can't find anyone else talking about this sound.

[BigMommaWolf]

I found someone else that hears it, so at least I know I'm not crazy... We've determined it's likely because my headphones have a frequency response of up to 30kHz, because the sound doesn't seem audible on speakers and headsets with a lower frequency response.

I'm probably the only person talking about it because: 1, I'm already in a small group of people playing the game with headphones, 2, I'm in a even smaller group of people playing the game with headphones that can pick up the frequency of the sound, and 3, I'm in yet a smaller group of people that are playing the game with headphones that can pick up the frequency of the sound and migraines triggered by high frequency sounds...

I still think the file should be edited or replaced.

[Redpossum]

Originally posted by BigMommaWolf:

I found someone else that hears it, so at least I know I'm not crazy... We've determined it's likely because my headphones have a frequency response of up to 30kHz, because the sound doesn't seem audible on speakers and headsets with a lower frequency response.

I'm probably the only person talking about it because: 1, I'm already in a small group of people playing the game with headphones, 2, I'm in a even smaller group of people playing the game with headphones that can pick up the frequency of the sound, and 3, I'm in yet a smaller group of people that are playing the game with headphones that can pick up the frequency of the sound and migraines triggered by high frequency sounds...

I still think the file should be edited or replaced.

Sincere sympathies. I know how annoying that can be.

Just as a temporary workaround, could you maybe buy a cheaper, less responsive set of headphones, (your #2 above), and wear those for this one game?

[BigMommaWolf]

Originally posted by Redpossum:

Sincere sympathies. I know how annoying that can be.

Just as a temporary workaround, could you maybe buy a cheaper, less responsive set of headphones, (your #2 above), and wear those for this one game?

My current work around is just turning off the ambient sound during summer. Due to chronic migraine issues I can't use most headphones (luckily, my current ones are one of the few I can wear). I did a short test with a headset having a lower kHz frequency response and I can't hear it through them. It's also not audible on the steam deck.

Also, just to be clear, I'm not blaming the devs for putting the sound in and certainly not blaming them for my medical problems. I'm an indie dev myself and I've had to forgo choosing free and low price audio clips, especially ambient clips, because of high frequency sounds the creators probably couldn't hear. I realize most people won't even hear them, but *I* hear them, and that's enough for me.

I love the game, though I have some minor criticisms of some of the mechanics, but this is really the only thing I can complain about.

[Tsuanli]

Heard it too and it was quite annoying but nothing major for me since I don't have health problems related to sounds.

[Redpossum]

FMR, but I hear it now too. Just changed to Summer for the first time, put on my headphones, and I'm hearing what sounds to me like a vacuum cleaner. I note that OP described it as "a distant saw or leaf blower", and it could be either of those. I go to Settings and turn Ambience (sic) to zero and it goes away.

The thing is, my JVC headphones are not what you'd call high end. I mean, they're solid, yeah, but decidedly mid-market.

OK, yeah, this definitely needs dealing with.

[DocStoff]

I can hear them too. The thing is, only in the village where your fields are.
The other areas are perfectly fine.

[Brohtworst]

i hear it too. i love the summer music but that droning the background is annoying

[anonymous316]

Yeah it is a lil annoying.

[Kitos]

Hello! Thank you all for reporting the issue. We have tried to identify the issue with multiple headphones and audio configurations but we've not been able to hear the noise yet. If you are still experiencing the issue please send us your save and if you can a little recording of the issue happening to [e-mail]

Here are some instruction on how to get the save files:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1245560/discussions/2/4132682727127581317/

Again thank you very much for taking the time to report it.

[anonymous316]

It kinda sounds like wind blowing? Something like that.

[Vandessa]

I agree, there is some sort of issue with the summer music theme mix that really grates my ears when I use my headset. You can even hear it in the YouTube official soundtrack upload. I * THINK* it's supposed to be drone of Cicada noise. In the very beginning, before the theme starts to play, you can hear the high pitched whine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdF5a1y7hWk&ab_channel=RootsofPacha

[Kitos]

Big thanks to everyone who reported and sent files to our support email! We identified the issue and it will be fixed in a future patch.

[DocStoff]

nice, glad i (we) could help ;)