🔊 Ambient Sounds + A Small Neighborhood Built by the Team 🏡
Added 2024-05-31 14:05:01 +0000 UTCWhat’s up everybody, it’s Andrei! 🪇
It’s been a loooong time since I’ve been waiting for this day and now here it is: today I’ll be showing y’all our work on the ambient sounds of the game 🥳🎉 For context, ambient sounds include things like birds, wind, crickets, distant cars and all the cozy-fuzzy noises that make a space feel immersive! Right now, I’ll be going through:
How we created the video you saw above ⬆️🎥
Our ambient sound approach 🐦
How we get the sounds 🎤
How they interact in real time depending on the context of the game 🤯
A Small Neighborhood
Tuesday, the whole team took the time to playtest the build mode again and make some really nice suburban houses. On top of testing new features and finding bugs, we created a perfect living environment to showcase all of these ambient sounds. Some people showed off their architectural skills here. The result was the nice lil’ cozy neighborhood that you saw in the video ✨I’m not gonna lie, this just got us a bit hyped to see the actual town of the game when we get closer to the release AAAAHHH!
Our Approach
In Paralives we wanted to make ambient sounds a key feature of our sound design and make the world we delve into feel alive by giving it a rich, varied and ever-changing soundscape. We were inspired by great games such as Animal Crossing, Night in the Woods, Dorf Romantik (just to name a few), where the sounds immediately hook you up without being overwhelming in the long run! They just feel like a big warm hug 🫂
How We Get the Sounds
A while ago, we decided to get most of our ambient sounds from a subscription-based library called Soundsnap. They have tons of different sounds which are all reliable quality-wise. We chose this method rather than recording all sounds to save production time and not depend on the weather and population density conditions of Montreal to record (RIP all my bird recordings with people talking in the background 😭). However, this only includes ambience and foley (all UI sounds and voiceovers will be original to the game) and it doesn’t stop us from adding our own recordings if need be 😌
How They Work In-Game
The best part of these ambient sounds is that they’re hiiiighly interactive! Besides the fact that there are tons of layers that I added in such as birds, wind, background rumble, distant car horns & bikes, cicadas, crickets, dog barks, planes and a freakin rooster, all these sounds change depending on the time of day and camera position. In fact, there are designated hours in which a sound can play.
Did you know that, because of sunshine and temperature differences, strong winds last from noon to early evening and peak around 2pm? I love my job.
Once we add different weather changes after early access, we’ll be able to add much more depth to these ambient sounds and even vary them depending on the different map areas. There’s much we can expand upon further down the line! Right now, I’ll focus on finishing the Build mode’s UI sounds and then do some foley work that I’ll get to show you in a future Patreon post!! I wish you all a happy cozy Friyay and thank you all for your support 😊
Andrei 🐐💣BOOP
Edit - August 15th, 2024: This post is now public, feel free to share it!
Comments
Sidewalks?
LauriBee
2025-02-19 10:15:32 +0000 UTCSo comfortable
Lp
2024-08-07 22:44:33 +0000 UTCFor some reason this makes me so excited!
Sarah Chandra
2024-08-01 14:08:10 +0000 UTCHow many times you watch it ? Me:yess!
Le
2024-07-13 16:09:33 +0000 UTCSpectacular sound design. Now I wonder if we can design the appearance and shape of the road. This straight tarmac road seems more appropriate for a main thoroughfare than a leafy residential street.
Tom Lu
2024-06-26 11:08:30 +0000 UTCMy sister's dog was barking at the noise just now while I was watching the video. Too cute!
Eleanor Swan
2024-06-23 02:53:51 +0000 UTCSame here! I lived in a neighborhood like this, but I could still hear cars from a nearby busy street.
Eleanor Swan
2024-06-20 02:53:04 +0000 UTCOh the sounds are so crisp and beautiful 😍😍😍 not to mention the game runs beautifully also
Luther Duncan
2024-06-19 20:18:02 +0000 UTCI am absolutely in LOOOOVE with that! It sounds so relaxing and smooth.❤️🏡🌄
Josephin01
2024-06-19 03:14:37 +0000 UTCoh i love this so much yall are doing fantastic
Simmer sinner
2024-06-19 02:38:16 +0000 UTCThese sounds are so calming and atmospheric, also it was weirdly pleasing to hear the refrigerator, really brings the game to life
Emma
2024-06-18 09:38:31 +0000 UTCIt sounds so calming and beautiful, and I love the little neighbourhood!
Kayleigh
2024-06-18 03:53:53 +0000 UTCtop of the screen at 19 secs in the video
Sabine B
2024-06-17 06:18:21 +0000 UTCUnrelated note, but one of the houses looks like the house from Up
Eleanor Swan
2024-06-16 03:43:14 +0000 UTCIt varies greatly. Some games are in EA for a month or two, some for years
Maxx
2024-06-14 11:47:26 +0000 UTCI disagree, my neighborhood looks secluded like this but there's a freeway/other roads nearby and I can hear the traffic a bit through the trees
just a little bawn
2024-06-13 19:02:06 +0000 UTCHey question, how long does a demo or early access usually last before a release, just generally speaking?
ScandicGamer
2024-06-12 12:53:21 +0000 UTCThe car noises would only make sense if a car drove by not on a quiet road with no cars.
Sammy Clark
2024-06-08 01:00:19 +0000 UTCIdk if I'll like the rooster every single morning but maybe it'll grow on me.
Sammy Clark
2024-06-08 00:59:01 +0000 UTCWonderful work!!
tey711
2024-06-07 20:29:19 +0000 UTCNo sidewalks, huh?
Brickitect
2024-06-07 13:43:18 +0000 UTCI was so surprised to hear the refrigerator. I love it! The sounds will add a layer of immersion to game play.
Rainlily
2024-06-07 07:12:31 +0000 UTCWow, the sounds really fuel immersion! I don't know if we'll get more than one neighborhood when the game launches, but I would be fine with that, if there were plans to introduce new neighborhoods as DLC. Each neighborhood type could then also have new soundscapes—a city/urban neighborhood, for example, without the rooster and with more sirens, construction, and traffic noises and maybe even idle chatter of pedestrians. Or there could be a neighborhood nestled in a forest, sounding overall more hushed, wind rustling through leaves, with scattered animal calls (like toads, owls, wolves, and coyotes). Perhaps you could also add some lawn care noises to this suburban soundscape? At least in the suburbs I'm familiar with, there's always a lawn mower or weed whacker running during the day. Annoying? Yes. But having a hedge trimmer revving up could add in another fun dose of realism and nostalgia.
Amy Joscelyn
2024-06-07 03:54:05 +0000 UTCLove it! I just have to ask, where is the sidewalk? Haha
Emmelin Larina Tvedt Nilsen
2024-06-07 00:20:48 +0000 UTCOMG I love it ❤️🤩🤩😍
Nathalie Carluccio
2024-06-06 23:36:32 +0000 UTCI've just thing maybe that would be cool to have roadworks noises and some emergency sirens noise. Less cosy but in the higher density neighbourhood, it could be cool if not super frequent.
Yunahara
2024-06-06 17:25:07 +0000 UTCi love that lawn with all the grass and i really like the bird noises
luckyhaze
2024-06-05 22:58:37 +0000 UTCI love it, It's so cosy and immersive. ^^
Emma Pelletier
2024-06-04 20:42:58 +0000 UTCLooks good, but I have to agree with people that said the bird sounds were too frequent and could get annoying easily. There needs to be more variety if they are going to be that frequent (and maybe a bit quieter too).
Juan Martin
2024-06-04 17:43:13 +0000 UTCVery impressive.
Thaaeroprincess87
2024-06-03 16:26:20 +0000 UTCThe sound design is criminally good ✨
Ellis
2024-06-03 14:22:00 +0000 UTCI love the sound design I can't wait to see more weather and local varieties when it will come to that. I do think the bird sound is to frequent and might become annoying. Also maybe the birds could be nosier in the morning/evening ? I don't know if it's the case everywhere but where I live that's definitely true. Maybe add some distinctive but rare birds sound like duck. We love ducks. Passez une bonne semaine !
Yunahara
2024-06-03 12:07:24 +0000 UTCWow that video got me so exciteeeed :'D
Ana Isabel Ribeiro
2024-06-03 10:06:15 +0000 UTCReally great soundscape! I'm getting such immersive vibes from the video! I also can't wait to see the town, I'm hoping the neighborhoods are just as dense and detailed as this one!
ramaru
2024-06-03 02:54:52 +0000 UTCUnrelated note if possible Please make the sidewalks bigger!
Thekla
2024-06-02 16:26:09 +0000 UTCI love ambient sounds. 😀
sm duta
2024-06-02 14:53:03 +0000 UTCLove it!! Ugh I am so excited for the release of the game. I will probably be unhealthy addicted
ScandicGamer
2024-06-02 06:19:16 +0000 UTCI love this feature! Some outdoor sounds are around specific times of the year like cicadas in summer or specific frogs throughout the year. Birds migrating, etc. I love how the sounds are based on the level of perspective. AND THE REFRIGERATOR NOISE! Please tell me there will be some rattling on some utilities that are old
Sarah
2024-06-01 17:55:41 +0000 UTCLes cônes oranges 👌🏻
Geneviève
2024-06-01 16:29:18 +0000 UTCWoah, this is really impressive!! It's really immersive, I love the sounds!!
Fenite
2024-06-01 12:00:05 +0000 UTCI just keep falling deeper in love with this game! I remember getting hype over the fridge humming in a sneak-peak vid of Maggie's home...now this!! And to know there's a control panel on what noises you want to hear, I love this for us 🥹💕 And that zoom in/zoom out sound change is everything! Thanks for sharing Andrei!
ZLoves
2024-06-01 11:53:40 +0000 UTCi love a most
rénette
2024-06-01 10:11:11 +0000 UTCCool post! Will we be able to customize these sounds, like "turn off" certain specific sounds? (example: I want to set my story in the past, can I choose to "never play" the cars' sounds?)
Chiara
2024-06-01 09:38:54 +0000 UTCLes maisons de là haut et les simpsons :)
Audrey Jabé
2024-06-01 07:54:57 +0000 UTCThe ambient sounds are great, they add such a nice, cozy sense of place that I can't recall feeling in any other game.
Slippers
2024-06-01 07:52:32 +0000 UTCLooks sooo beautiful 🌟 and cozy!! I was wondering: will you be able to build directly on the property line? I would love to have the option to build townhouses!
Annika Riedel
2024-06-01 07:31:49 +0000 UTCA big warm hug is the perfect way to describe the sounds! Stunning!! ✨️
Kristen Wright
2024-06-01 07:14:57 +0000 UTCThis is so cozyyy I love it
Marie Kemokai
2024-06-01 06:17:05 +0000 UTCI love this :)
Christina Ozeki
2024-06-01 05:30:12 +0000 UTCThis is incredible, Andrei! So well done! 😄👍🏻
AlexArt
2024-06-01 04:36:16 +0000 UTCIn my country it is quite normal to hear them in the suburbs 😅
Cesar A
2024-06-01 04:31:17 +0000 UTCHaven't even read the post yet or finished watching the video, but I want to comment and say that my cat loves the bird sounds! They are apparently more interesting than a lot of bird videos online. She doesn't react to a lot of bird noises, but this one did the trick! :D
Sarah
2024-06-01 03:08:24 +0000 UTCI grew up in country Australia and this cacophony of wonderful sounds bring back memories, with the only thing missing being fewer bird sounds and less variety of bird sounds, namely Australian parrots and magpies, which of course, I can't expect to be in a Canadian game. Perhaps I can add them later? A couple points. Highways in the distance are actually LOUDER at night, not softer, because other daytime noises are fewer and lesser. My house was a distance from the highway, and I couldn't actually hear highway sounds during the day, only at night. In Australia, the birds are noticeably noisiest at sunrise and sunset. Perhaps this is particular to Australia, but I thought I'd mention it. Some people above mentioned the repetitivity of the one bird sound. I think you just need a much wider variety of bird sounds played randomly, rather than just one repeated. I'm sure you'll probably add more bird sound variety, right? You could look at Australian birds - we have amazing bird sounds in Australia - probably more than any other country, in fact. Also, I'm going to assume that sounds will also be adapted to seasons when seasons are added to the game? Even in Australia (where are we arguably don't have seasons at all) the seasons have different sounds and sounds happen at different times, eg the rooster is dependent upon sunrise times, spring has more nature noises - more birds and bees and the cicadas are almost deafening, winter is just...quieter. And in my adopted country, Korea, which does have seasons, that all seems amplified - winds seem louder in Autumn for some reason, and winter is definitely much quieter, particularly when it snows. I LOVED the video!! This all sounds simply wonderful!! It will add a beautiful ambience to the game!
Fran Smith
2024-06-01 02:11:44 +0000 UTCGosh, this game is absolutely delightful. I can't wait!
greeneyedsims
2024-06-01 02:04:33 +0000 UTCThis is AMAZING!
Dominee Calderon
2024-06-01 00:34:41 +0000 UTCLove the concept but why is there a random rooster in suburbia?
Fox
2024-05-31 23:51:52 +0000 UTCAmazing! I love how thoughtful this was, even different sound when zooming in and out. The only take away is it seems you need a dead of night, quieter sound. Other than that! I'm so excited. Have you been working on radio stations too or is there no radio in game? I am super excited if there is 😊
Katherine Winn
2024-05-31 23:27:12 +0000 UTCThe sounds are charming, I really enjoyed them. I live in the Columbia Gorge (in between Oregon and Washington in the US) and we sometimes get extremely strong winds in the middle of the night. Very unnerving!
Kerry Moore
2024-05-31 23:07:43 +0000 UTCThis is amazing! Far exceeded my expectations! Feels so immersive and love the different vibes from different times of day ☺️
Georgia Greenidge
2024-05-31 22:39:01 +0000 UTCThe lighting is so cozy and pretty!!
I kinda forGoT
2024-05-31 22:38:15 +0000 UTCThe houses are so close together ❤️ 😃😃
I kinda forGoT
2024-05-31 22:35:20 +0000 UTCIt sounds wonderful! Incredibly immersive. My one nitpick would be the bird at the very beginning. It's a little repetitive - and very noticeable because the sound is so piercing! But other than that, it sounds brilliant. I'm really curious how this will work with the music. Will it be layered over the music? Or is the music just for build mode/PAM?
Ryn
2024-05-31 21:58:03 +0000 UTCI love the ambient sounds! Very cozy ^^ (Though the loud bird in the beginning was a bit too noisy and chirped a liiiittle too frequently.) I also like the variation in volume of the sounds depending where you are with the camera (same with the Paramaker sounds). Feels very alive and realistic :)
chantal99
2024-05-31 21:13:45 +0000 UTCWas that the fridge I heard? Also now I desperately wanna see neighbourhoods in different styles!
Cece
2024-05-31 20:51:58 +0000 UTCtotally agree
Josephin01
2024-05-31 20:40:09 +0000 UTCWe still have work to do on the roads! There will be sidewalks eventually!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 20:25:26 +0000 UTCThat feels very natural, well done! Please lower the frequency of that "click-click" bird noise though - I feel like that would get way too repetitive in-game.
Ace of Hearts
2024-05-31 20:25:18 +0000 UTCI adore ambient sounds 🥺 The rooster is an amazing idea, especially if you're not looking at the time and you hear it and know it's time for the Paras to get up! Will there be different bird sounds throughout the day? I imagine hearing the same bird calls the entire time could get repetitive after a while. I adore the neighborhood, all those houses are so cute and give us a glimpse of what Paratown could eventually look like 🥹 I wonder what the zoomed out neighborhood would look like populated with paras, as we need to spot them from far away while playing - I do think the different art style on the paras will probably make that quite easy? Perhaps we could even have a sort of para indicator toggle though, for the town map view, that would be a nice QOL feature. That one house with the big porch and the little tower is giving me major Sims 3 vibes, too! I wonder if that was intentional hehe. Btw, I think the palm trees are moving a bit too heavily for that light a breeze, you guys might wanna adjust the physics on those eventually 😅
Maxx
2024-05-31 20:19:32 +0000 UTCExactly! Thanks Jennifer!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 20:17:54 +0000 UTCThank you so much for your reply, Andrei ! In case it wasn't clear, let me reiterate that sounds are already very cool as it is ! I imagine a lot of the process of development means that working on something requires for someone else to work on something related to it before you can go any further, and themselves rely on something else that needs to be done... it's a very intricate process and I don't expect everything to be ready just yet :) But I'm glad that you liked my suggestion :) I think the customization will be most interesting because it's part of the broader stance that Paralives takes on customization as a whole. But of course there's the matter of not pushing it too far, especially if it makes for complicated settings that players might find intimidating. That's why I thought profiles were easier : it's much simplier to pick a "Spooky" preset than to specifically find how and when to add the crow sound. But obviously, as with everything in Paralives, making our lives easier means making YOUR lives harder XD ...oh and, since you're taking notes of sounds, you mentioned frogs in the post but I didn't hear them. So just in case you post another preview in the future : frogs. And when in doubt : frogs :D
ladyteruki
2024-05-31 20:16:48 +0000 UTCAndrei mentioned in a reply to someone else that you can mute sounds. Quote: "...You will have complete control over the ambient sounds in the control panel! You can simply just mute the dog barks..." so, yes, car ambient sounds can be muted. :)
Jennifer
2024-05-31 20:16:27 +0000 UTCAbsolutely fantastic!
Melanie Engelbrecht
2024-05-31 19:52:48 +0000 UTCHey, I love those sounds! But let's say I want my world to be more "nature." Can you take out these car sounds?
Daniel Asraf
2024-05-31 19:45:25 +0000 UTCIm sooo ready for this game 🥹🥹
Rivers
2024-05-31 19:33:13 +0000 UTCNoted! Thank you for your feedback Joy! The vegetation movement system from what I know is randomized! Before all vegetation used to sway to the same direction but it didn't seem very realistic! Hope that answers the question 😁
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 19:25:03 +0000 UTCOh my goodness something about the brrrrrr of the fridge is so atmospheric and wonderful! Weirdly cozy, spooky, lonely, and alive at once ahaha. All of these sounds are wonderfully integrated!!
Donny Miles
2024-05-31 19:23:46 +0000 UTCGlad you enjoyed the post Melina! You will have complete control over the ambient sounds in the control panel! You can simply just mute the dog barks😁
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 19:21:08 +0000 UTCThanks so much Renikee! Glad you enjoyed the post😁
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 19:12:54 +0000 UTCThat's such a mood tho 🙌
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 19:12:10 +0000 UTCLove the ambient sounds! One thing, that one bird sound might be too repetitive. I feel its sound can be more spaced out or sporadic. Also, I noticed the tree move all at once. Would it be possible to make the sway in waves like in real life?
Joy Kennedy
2024-05-31 19:11:34 +0000 UTCHey Katie! Glad you enjoyed the post! We still have some work to do on the roads so yes, sidewalks will come down the line!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 19:11:28 +0000 UTCSYMPLY AMAZING!!!
Joel Jimenez
2024-05-31 18:58:19 +0000 UTCWhat a nice little detail! I really love the attention and care you're putting into every facet of the game
Impish
2024-05-31 18:47:09 +0000 UTCIt's such fun to be part of this journey and I cannot wait for Early Access and then watching the game get better and better as you add onto it! I love the cozy feel to it. Keep going!
Noeba
2024-05-31 18:46:36 +0000 UTCIt's really been such a joy to get a peek at the process and see the game come together. Every little detail just makes this game that much cozier! Great work and thank you for sharing!
Xo.Noe
2024-05-31 18:37:46 +0000 UTCi love the amount of detail here! it's such a fun touch to have the sound differ based on the camera position, it makes it a lot more immersive! i'm wondering how much say the player will have in the sounds? in my particular case, because i'm scared of dogs, the barking could be a bit anxiety inducing, so i'd hope i could turn that feature off somehow
Melina W
2024-05-31 18:36:43 +0000 UTCAh, ok. Thank you for the response. I really think removing it would be best, as bikes aren’t something you hear from very far away. It could work in a non-interactive scene as something could pass the camera without being visible, but when I’m in control of the camera I’ll have the urge to look around and try to find the cyclist passing by.
Oddface
2024-05-31 18:20:44 +0000 UTCHey Liesel! That's a beautiful idea! We've done some brainstorming and experiments on adding music to the live mode and now with this ambient sound system in hand, it seems very promising😊
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 18:06:44 +0000 UTCThank youuuuu😁
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 18:03:42 +0000 UTCThis might be one of my favorite things you've added!!♥️ It’s so cozy, I can't wait to play!♥️
CatchingThunderstorms
2024-05-31 18:01:47 +0000 UTCIt's a very subtle layer of just background noise! You might be able to perceive it with headphones!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 18:01:38 +0000 UTCWe'll have to design the town first!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 18:00:41 +0000 UTCYES! I 100% agree with you! We had to boost most of the sounds so they would be noticeable for everybody but the bike noise specifically sounds too close because of the high volume and boosted low frequencies! I'll tweak it!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 18:00:02 +0000 UTCThank you! Just to clarify, we don't have a feature that divides the sound by region yet and we haven't confirmed it either. I do agree though that it would be practical 😊
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 17:58:31 +0000 UTCThank you so much! Yes I agree! A feature that divides different sound systems by region would be great!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 17:57:21 +0000 UTCHey Jean! Thanks so much for your insight! I'm glad you liked the post! To answer your comments: 1. In order to plan how many sounds we'll do, I made an asset list of all the audio that will be in the game. Some of it's sections are still in brainstorm and to be defined (for instance next week I have to check all the UI features of the Build mode and decide which ones will have a sound). So we do the same with each type of sound and plan their production schedule smartly too. For instance, we planned to do the Parli recordings further down the line once we have more animations done and polish the conversation system. On the other hand 2D ambiences don't depend on much other than the town so we'll just tweak the system when we get there! 2. Yes! All the sounds are customizable and you can chose to change their settings in the control panel! 3. Yes! Actually there's already a strong wind sound system that triggers between noon and 5pm! We just didn't show it! 4. We still have to confirm how the sound will change with the time control. For the moment we left it as is for the video! Hope that helps!😁
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 17:55:11 +0000 UTCI love the change in sounds depending on where the camera is - feels very immersive. The neighborhood is also so cute! I really like that the house placement feels natural and the lots don't feel so separated from each other.
Jacklin
2024-05-31 17:55:00 +0000 UTCc'est tellement parfait ce jeu c'est mon rêve. L'ambiance me fait sentir bien et en sécurité *-*
KittyPara
2024-05-31 17:53:29 +0000 UTCAgreed! For me it's the daytime rumble seems really loud - like there is a very busy highway just out of sight. But I'm hoping that the balance of things will be tweaked as time goes on, and I trust the team to make it feel right! :)
Lane Brettschneider
2024-05-31 17:51:46 +0000 UTC*-*
KittyPara
2024-05-31 17:50:40 +0000 UTCThis is amazing!! I love it!! 💖💖💖
PinkRosie
2024-05-31 17:34:15 +0000 UTCHey Ladyteruki! As usual, thank you for your thorough feedback, it's super appreciated! I'm really glad you enjoyed the post! As for your suggestion, I agree that it would be ideal to create and designate different audio environments given the amount of customization that we're already able to do. We still haven't developed that feature though because of technical and design reasons. We might have to wait until we design the official town first to decide if it'll be done before or after Early Access. I agree that there's just so many possibilities!! However, we still have to focus mostly on the cozy-immersive experience of the player rather than the hyper-realism of the ambiences. So far I've taken note of all the sounds people suggested to add and we'll see if it fits with the rest! Have a great Friday!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 17:24:15 +0000 UTCThank you so much! Me too I can't wait!!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 16:57:57 +0000 UTCMy cat next to me startled awake when some of these noises began playing. These are so wonderful and really do add to the experience!!! Well done!! Très bien!!
Emily Grimes
2024-05-31 16:55:59 +0000 UTCMe too! It really feels like a lively neighbourhood! Our environment artists are so good 🥹
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 16:55:57 +0000 UTCMerci Pascal!😄
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 16:52:36 +0000 UTCThank you Dawn😁 I love that game too!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 16:52:08 +0000 UTCThat would be so cool actually! And yes the environment sounds will change depending on what items the player is close to and the state of that item (On, Off, Broken, OnFire, etc) We might showcase that more in detail another time though!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 16:51:33 +0000 UTCYes! All sounds are accessible through the control panel so you can tweak any of their parameters and even add you own sounds however you like. We still dont have a feature that can divide the sound systems depending on the map area, but we'll get there!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 16:49:03 +0000 UTCMaybe? 🫣
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 16:45:57 +0000 UTCGAHHHH this just makes me so so hyped for the game its UNREAL I think I started to tear up when i listened to the audio and saw the neighborhood...the attention to detail is so beautiful and astounding. I wish I could support you guys 10x over 🥹💖💖💖
Nyabi Nya
2024-05-31 16:32:27 +0000 UTCThe ambient sounds are great and I love the cosy town. Fantastic work, I really can't wait to play Paralives!
Mooncinder
2024-05-31 16:30:52 +0000 UTCAhhh the town is so cute
Nathan Carpenter
2024-05-31 16:21:24 +0000 UTCSound design can make or break a game, and this will absolutely MAKE the game for me! I always loved to just take a break and listen to some soft music with ambient sounds, winds, bird chirping, crickets, the sound of leaves... I'll be surely one of the first people to buy this game in early access, this game is just making me feel so amazing, and I can feel the passion and love put into it!
Renikee
2024-05-31 16:06:54 +0000 UTCOh I love this! No more blasting Metallica out when I'm playing games then! Thank you everyone for all your hard work ❤
Gill Reid
2024-05-31 16:05:58 +0000 UTCI love the sounds! It feels so cozy. Especially the bird sounds. A small detail though, where’s the pavements/sidewalks? Will those be added slightly later on? Also will there be a beta test of any of the game? :D I’m so excited for this game!
Katie Nehamee
2024-05-31 16:02:19 +0000 UTCI really love the ambient sound! It is calming and you can't wait to hear the story of the neighbourhood. A suggestion for the music: I played Tchia and the ambient sound carried the game. The music was used as a highlight, something you are waiting for to listen to it. This saved the music from just being a byproduct. I really enjoy this kind of use for the music. Maybe I am the only one but I would welcome the specific use of music instead of getting tired of it. Thank you, Andrei ❤️
Liesel Strick
2024-05-31 16:00:38 +0000 UTCAmazing! I really love the attention to detail that Paralives always strives for. The music and ambient sounds help create a truly immersive experience. I love it!
Ivan
2024-05-31 15:48:12 +0000 UTCWhere are the sidewalks?
Greenreen
2024-05-31 15:42:28 +0000 UTCThanks Julio! We still have to plan how big out official town will be but it's definitely much bigger than this! And I believe that yes, paras might be able to travel between neighborhoods, but we aren't there just yet!
Andrei Castanon
2024-05-31 15:41:39 +0000 UTCWhat is the background rumble because I cant hear anything? Im not sure what its supposed to be
Court12413
2024-05-31 15:39:53 +0000 UTCI like the idea of a neighborhood theme, because I was also wondering how annoying I;d find it if none of my paras had a car and there was no major road nearby yet I'd hear rush hour noises as I'm playing. Perhaps cheaper appliances could also be noisier? And some paras wouldn't mind it at all, yet others would get frustrated with noisy appliances and/or rush hour and want to move somewhere more quiet. Would also love it if we could add a sound theme of playing children (outside), town parties/parades and similar eventually.
Zedef
2024-05-31 15:35:21 +0000 UTCI hope to hear the stream/river if there’s one nearby 😍
Tauras Giedraitis
2024-05-31 15:32:59 +0000 UTCReally nice! Brings a lot of life to even a static scene. My only potential gripe with ambient sounds are when it’s something I expect to actually see in the scene. The only real example here would be the bike sound because it sounds really close, like it’s passing right by, but it obviously isn’t, breaking the illusion. My only nitpick. Keep up the good work!
Oddface
2024-05-31 15:31:03 +0000 UTCIt would be cool if they added in power outages. If there is a strong enough storm the power goes out. The parafolk get suddenly aware of just how loud the electronics are.
Carelle
2024-05-31 15:23:20 +0000 UTCI second the idea of themed audio sets. It could be a town-wide setting instead of game-wide, maybe have it with the weather options. That would let players pick certain vibes for their town without too much modding. And for more unusual or exotic (relative to Montreal) settings, modders could make audio sets.
BonaparteBardithion .
2024-05-31 15:14:13 +0000 UTCAnd me thinking this game couldn't get cozier! I'm so glad you mentioned "sounds varying depending on the map area", because the rooster, for example, wouldn't really work in a city environment. I LOVED the dogs in the background and how the sounds varied throughout the day. Good job, everyone!
Lyyo_
2024-05-31 15:08:02 +0000 UTCI really appreciate you sharing all the times of day, and interior vs exterior. These are really important elements that make a game pop, and they sound fantastic. It'd be interesting in expansion to see neighborhoods in different regions (I'm from the south where cicadas go crazy in the summer) or weather. The rush hour sounds in particular I was happy to hear! It shows attention to detail in time of day, area, and makes it feel more alive. Thank you for sharing!
Ellen Kaluza
2024-05-31 15:06:56 +0000 UTCAmazing 😍
BekkiRoss
2024-05-31 15:06:32 +0000 UTCThis is so wonderful!! Ambiance really adds to any game, making it so much more immersive and layered :D
Rosirose
2024-05-31 15:06:11 +0000 UTCI agree! I never like things to be too clean, because a little bit of grunge makes something feel more lived in.
Ellen Kaluza
2024-05-31 15:04:45 +0000 UTCYes, if I recall, Andrei works only on music and sound. Well, "only" ! That's a lot of work, including some that's quite invisible (like UI sounds, for instance) for just one person. I do believe that such sounds are deeply immersive (it can feel very uncannyvalley-y how That Other Game 4™ is very silent despite having so many animations, sometimes), and that's why I'd love more. But I think there's also a balance to find because if there were TOO MANY sounds, it'd quickly become too busy, and would damage the cozy vibes, so a middle ground is necessary even if we set aside the issue of scope/labor for just one person. It's a complex matter for sure :)
ladyteruki
2024-05-31 15:02:18 +0000 UTCI like the way you laid out the questions here. I was thinking of changing the sounds but the idea you have of sound clusters that match different living 'eco'-systems. Genius. Just love it.
Jean321x .
2024-05-31 15:01:19 +0000 UTCDon't get me wrong, the more can be better. However, we need to keep in mind. This is a community-funded project with a small team. Now I do not doubt their ability, however, looking at the features that will still be implemented things like this will consume a lot of time. Because I assume that this dev is most likely in charge of sound as a whole. Some TVs need sound, speakers, cell phones, etc. Now I would love a sound when Para's open draws as the utensils move around and so on. However, I would also love that when my Para watches tv it not to just be the same few dialogue lines played with loud or unmatching music to simulate a TV.
Jean321x .
2024-05-31 14:56:33 +0000 UTCI had a similar question about modding. Like would it be possible to disable certain layers in the options, like the rush-hour car one if you have a more rural neighborhood? Or replace files swapping cars for carriages in a pre-modern themed town.
BonaparteBardithion .
2024-05-31 14:51:26 +0000 UTC"So a more focused question would be how do you define the scope of what sounds to include and what not? This seems like a line of thinking that can easily result in project/scope creeping." That's an excellent question/point, I was afraid of that when I wrote my comment above (while at the same time thinking that the more the better :P ).
ladyteruki
2024-05-31 14:49:23 +0000 UTCI love the small details. TBH, besides the overall rework of the standard systems compared to that of TS. The one thing other than the standard art style is the attention to detail. The fact that there are sounds in time slots or specific indoor sounds. * I assume that that means there will be sounds for a heater, Parafolk writing, etc.? So a more focused question would be how do you define the scope of what sounds to include and what not? This seems like a line of thinking that can easily result in project/scope creeping. * Secondly, you mentioned interaction. Does that mean as players we will be able to select/deselect sounds, move them around, etc. or would you need mods to do this? * With seasons planned down the line, does that mean we can look forward to rain sounds, thunderstorms, and maybe even just severe wind sounds? * I noticed that the sound stopped when you sped up time. Does that mean music, ambient and similar sounds mute during the speed up or will they speed up with the passing time? (Side note, will there be a sound planned for speeding up time, pause, play and so on?)
Jean321x .
2024-05-31 14:46:45 +0000 UTCOh I like your thinking ❣️ and that's right after I thought that no one could possibly suggest any improvements on what Andrei did here 😆 also: 🤗😉
dcknx
2024-05-31 14:46:45 +0000 UTCThese assets will be fantastic to give us the option to create more urban environments... and as a rags-to-richers player, I'm with you on this !!!
ladyteruki
2024-05-31 14:40:19 +0000 UTCOh wow that'd be awesome ! Actually I don't think we've heard much about incidents/accidents, so I don't know if we can expect things to happen neighborhood-wise, but if there's a faint chance for power outages to happen, I support the motion XD
ladyteruki
2024-05-31 14:38:59 +0000 UTCHi Andrei, thanks for your hard work ! This is some fantastic ambient sound if I've ever heard any. It does feel cozy and familiar and welcoming ! Hearing the crickets faintly from inside the house actually brought tears to my eyes (no judgement please ^_^; ) because of how much it felt like "home"... despite the fact that I've never lived in the kind of place where you routinely hear crickets at night ! Speaking of which, I was wondering if players had some power over what kind of ambiance plays in their town, especially considering the high customization of neighborhoods/worlds in Paralives. Let's say I create a busy suburb, a rooster would not exactly be heard in the area but I'd probably want to have more bikes and cars at all times. But if I create a small village that's mostly fields, on the other hand, roosters are a given (plural !) while rush hour won't really be a thing. Would we eventually be able to select "Countryside"/"Urban"/"Seaside"/etc. as large themes for our towns ? The dynamic aspect of the ambient sounds is really fantastic. I can only imagine what objects we will place in our towns and/or houses that will have a direct impact on changing the sound in a given area ! The slight "ding" of the traffic lights ? The buzzing generator of that off-the-grid mobile home ? The pond in the back of that old lady's garden where frogs gather ? Maybe even the sound of steps if we place a pedestrian crossing...? So. Many. Possibilities. It's also a very interesting choice that the sound doesn't sound very different when playing at high speed. (PS : whoever built this teal/green house during the playtest, come on don't be shy, let's see some more screenshots of your work of art !!!)
ladyteruki
2024-05-31 14:34:34 +0000 UTCOh my, this is amazing guys 🤩 I love all of the ambient noises, they sound so perfect and I'm so glad that you intend to put them in the game - it will make it even more cosy and wholesome than I thought it would be already 🥰 great to see a little neighbourhood too - so glad that we're half way through 2024 now, 2025 can't come early enough!
dcknx
2024-05-31 14:30:13 +0000 UTCEven better than I expected. You guys blow me away every time with these updates! Great work!
Ava
2024-05-31 14:29:12 +0000 UTCI love everything about this. Sound does make a huge difference and it makes everything feel so alive and intriguing. Great games to take inspiration from too! I can see the love for this game through all these little details. Nonetheless, they are extremely appreciated ☺️
it'sLala
2024-05-31 14:26:40 +0000 UTCHow much money do you want from my savings? 🤣 TAKE MY MONEY NOW!
Sunflower Pierre Wilson
2024-05-31 14:24:16 +0000 UTCI love the sounds. Especially the rooster and the nighttime ones. I also love that blue run down house, the details are so cool.
Tinsley
2024-05-31 14:24:05 +0000 UTCI love the objects that make the town/neighborhood look a little run down, yet realistic. Like the cones and debris in the street; and the vines and plants growing over the house. It'll be fun to make rundown neighborhoods and play a more rags to riches style with the realistic objects and placements available. Love this!!
Emtistic
2024-05-31 14:23:57 +0000 UTCI didn't know Paralives Studio is in Montréal! Salut à toute l'équipe et continuez l'incroyable travail! 🤩
Pascal Lefebvre
2024-05-31 14:23:45 +0000 UTCI looks so amazing! I neeeeed it 😭❤️
Nyssa Joseph
2024-05-31 14:23:09 +0000 UTCFantastic! Sounds good to me! 🔊
mintyKHat
2024-05-31 14:22:15 +0000 UTCThis is such an amazing sound design! I can't wait!
LeneaReckords
2024-05-31 14:21:56 +0000 UTCSo cute and so good I'm in love
Marina
2024-05-31 14:21:11 +0000 UTCThis is so relaxing to listen to 😌
SeventhEmberXander
2024-05-31 14:18:24 +0000 UTCSeeing you guys be excited makes me more excited! I love that you mentioned Night in the Woods as an inspiration, it is such a wonderful and immersion game. Also, the sounds in the video sound great!
Dawn Anemone
2024-05-31 14:18:02 +0000 UTCI really like the little ambient noises. It makes the world feel alive. Would indoor noises change depending on what items you have in the house? Oh imagine having a power outage and then everything in the house just goes silent.
Carelle
2024-05-31 14:17:35 +0000 UTCI love the timed noises! It really sounds like a living neighbourhood🤩 Would it be easy for modders to add more noises or change existing noises?
Lisa Hedlund
2024-05-31 14:15:31 +0000 UTCBoy I'm gonna feel bad for my Parafolks as I can envision myself getting lost in the ambient noises, especially at night time. RIP my future Paras. Really love the ambient sounds!
Amber Plumley
2024-05-31 14:13:47 +0000 UTCThe houses looks great 😃 Do I spy the house from UP? ☺️❤️
Elli_TheWhalien3791
2024-05-31 14:13:05 +0000 UTCLove the sounds! Also, are larger neighbourhood maps planned (to create cities)? This one is not related but, if there are more neighbourhoods, can paras travel between them?
Julio Saliba
2024-05-31 14:13:02 +0000 UTCI love how you put sounds of Cars specifically in the morning and evening as it’s the time when most people commute. ❤️
SimMattically
2024-05-31 14:12:25 +0000 UTC
