Why older Valve games are so loud?

[Adamek]

Hello, I have a question about why all Valve games are recorded so loudly. At 100% volume, it's unbearable to listen to; the music is tolerable, but the sound effects are very loud. Have you noticed this too? It seems like Valve doesn't care about the loudness wars and prefers to use loud sounds at the expense of dynamic range.

[Xbye]

As I've said in the past...

If your ears aren't bleeding, you aren't playing Left4Dead2.

[ShΛdow]

There's a mod called ''Warmer Weapon Sounds'' that replace every weapon sounds with simillar less louder sounds, it's pretty good

[Blitz4]

Originally posted by Adamek:

Hello, I have a question about why all Valve games are recorded so loudly. At 100% volume, it's unbearable to listen to; the music is tolerable, but the sound effects are very loud. Have you noticed this too? It seems like Valve doesn't care about the loudness wars and prefers to use loud sounds at the expense of dynamic range.

I have no clue what you're talking about. I'm a sound guy and not once did the intro or the sound of firing the weapon when you spawn into dead center go above what i test against. which would be playing gangnam style on youtube in chrome at full blast and in that vid starting around 45 seconds it hits the chorus first time and that's where i start testing. why that song? cause the L/R channels are at the same level throughout the track and the bass hits hard and high on the Hz spectrum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

EDIT:
also testing the above vid in the steam client on linux, the levels are balanced and don't go higher/lower than what they'd be in chrome. firefox is garbage for playing vids.

however if they were still updating this game and you said that to valve. i guarantee they'd fix it. that's how their games are so fun, because they had players design their games through extensive playtesting.

and if you want some advice for good sound gear on the cheap. just ask.

[Blitz4]

what i think is going on. the spectrum isn't balanced. like perhaps there's some piercing unusual high Hz sounds. They might not be louder overall, but they can sound annoying. Meaning they aren't LOUD they're ANNOYING. Like why do pistols never use bass and so many of the sounds have a higher-pitched sound like the fire, wind, etc. it's like they were scared to use any bass in this game.

EDIT: my belief. the games are old and it took years for me to even learn about pro sound gear which is way more reliable and less expensive than consumer sound gear like the crap logitech sells. we had weak clock-radio speakers on our desk in the 90's 00's and valve had to create sounds that worked on those speakers.

what if they added any bass, it could easily blow that piece of ♥♥♥♥ logitech sells, even today.

[Adamek]

Originally posted by Preston:

Originally posted by R󠀡F:

I don't find Valve games loud at all. Infact they feel just right compared to most games.

Exactly. These console generation kids don't like first person perspective, keyboard, and now the sound is too loud for them. Ironically, they choose a game with best sound balance to whine about it. For comparison, just look at other co-op games f.e. Vermintide 2, which is TERRIBLE: the specials sounds there are just eaten up by the music, it's just awful/unplayable.
PS: The next topic will be "why older valve shooters have no 3rd person view" :lunar2019crylaughingpig:

ok boomer

[Blitz4]

i did notice one. the helicopters at the v beg of dead center are far too loud. as such i had to lower the entire volume of the game.

[Beowulf47]

Originally posted by Preston:

Originally posted by R󠀡F:

I don't find Valve games loud at all. Infact they feel just right compared to most games.

Exactly. These console generation kids don't like first person perspective, keyboard, and now the sound is too loud for them. Ironically, they choose a game with best sound balance to whine about it. For comparison, just look at other co-op games f.e. Vermintide 2, which is TERRIBLE: the specials sounds there are just eaten up by the music, it's just awful/unplayable.
PS: The next topic will be "why older valve shooters have no 3rd person view" :lunar2019crylaughingpig:

I'm sorry but if you actually believe sound balance is "just right" in this game there's really no hope for you. Valve sound mixing has always been and will always be a** period.

[Blitz4]

the list of software listed here may help.

https://search.brave.com/search?q=software+to+create+realtime+audio+compressor+for+an+app+windows&source=web&summary=1

[Preston]

Originally posted by Beowulf47:

Originally posted by Preston:

Exactly. These console generation kids don't like first person perspective, keyboard, and now the sound is too loud for them. Ironically, they choose a game with best sound balance to whine about it. For comparison, just look at other co-op games f.e. Vermintide 2, which is TERRIBLE: the specials sounds there are just eaten up by the music, it's just awful/unplayable.
PS: The next topic will be "why older valve shooters have no 3rd person view"

I'm sorry but if you actually believe sound balance is "just right" in this game there's really no hope for you. Valve sound mixing has always been and will always be a** period.

As one TikToker said: "Everything is relative". For me (as a survival mode player) sound balance is crucial (to hear special npcs sounds etc). And this game nailed it (unlike MANY others). As for you, if you can't use volume sliders to adjust sound/music for your liking - that's just sad.

[Adamek]

Originally posted by Preston:

Originally posted by Beowulf47:

I'm sorry but if you actually believe sound balance is "just right" in this game there's really no hope for you. Valve sound mixing has always been and will always be a** period.

As one TikToker said: "Everything is relative". For me (as a survival mode player) sound balance is crucial (to hear special npcs sounds etc). And this game nailed it (unlike MANY others). As for you, if you can't use volume sliders to adjust sound/music for your liking - that's just sad.

This isn't "nailed," it's just that the sounds are too loud and ruined because the audio was artificially boosted at the expense of quality. It's like installing a browser addon called "500% volume" and listening that way. Even though the sound would be garbage, sure, you could say that the addon "nailed it."

[Preston]

Originally posted by Adamek:

Originally posted by Preston:

As one TikToker said: "Everything is relative". For me (as a survival mode player) sound balance is crucial (to hear special npcs sounds etc). And this game nailed it (unlike MANY others). As for you, if you can't use volume sliders to adjust sound/music for your liking - that's just sad.

This isn't "nailed," it's just that the sounds are too loud and ruined because the audio was artificially boosted at the expense of quality. It's like installing a browser addon called "500% volume" and listening that way. Even though the sound would be garbage, sure, you could say that the addon "nailed it."

If "the sounds are too loud" for you - have you tried to adjust sound slider?

[Adamek]

Originally posted by Preston:

Originally posted by Adamek:

This isn't "nailed," it's just that the sounds are too loud and ruined because the audio was artificially boosted at the expense of quality. It's like installing a browser addon called "500% volume" and listening that way. Even though the sound would be garbage, sure, you could say that the addon "nailed it."

If "the sounds are too loud" for you - have you tried to adjust sound slider?

this dont work, cause many sounds are ok, and many are very loud

[Preston]

Originally posted by Adamek:

Originally posted by Preston:

If "the sounds are too loud" for you - have you tried to adjust sound slider?

this dont work, cause many sounds are ok, and many are very loud

Maybe those (that are loud for you) are the ones that SHOULD BE prioritized over others and be easily distinguishable from them? Like f.e. hunter is preparing to jump on you (and screaming loudly). Then this is what makes this game interactive (and also the best game).

[Adamek]

Originally posted by Preston:

Originally posted by Adamek:

this dont work, cause many sounds are ok, and many are very loud

Maybe those (that are loud for you) are the ones that SHOULD BE prioritized over others and be easily distinguishable from them? Like f.e. hunter is preparing to jump on you (and screaming loudly). Then this is what makes this game interactive (and also the best game).

Nah its fault of bad mixing

[Preston]

Originally posted by Adamek:

Originally posted by Preston:

Maybe those (that are loud for you) are the ones that SHOULD BE prioritized over others and be easily distinguishable from them? Like f.e. hunter is preparing to jump on you (and screaming loudly). Then this is what makes this game interactive (and also the best game).

Nah its fault of bad mixing

Nah, it is called "interactive gameplay" where the volume of each sound is based on it's priority.