Improve Canon (Explosion and Sound)

[Imperial Pikkoro]

I like playing with canons. I use a huge canon on my Cutter. But the Sound is really weird, I would prefer a more realistic canon sound
Beside that, the explosions are too tiny. It's pretty hard to figure out, if the canon archieved a hit or not. I would prefer large explosion, an explosion sound, or anything, that let me know, that I did a hit.

 

[JesusRocks1988]

I like playing with canon. I use a huge canon und my Cutter. But the Sound is really werid, I would prefer a more realistic canon sound
Beside that, the explosions are too tiny. It's pretty hard to figure out, if the canon archieved a hit or not. I would prefer large explosion, an explosion sound, or anything, that let me know, that I did a hit.

This.
Whenever I've used cannons, I can barely hear them. It does not befit the massive artillery they are.

 

[C64Fan]

Agreed! I seldom use cannons because of this.

 

[Imperial Pikkoro]

This.
Whenever I've used cannons, I can barely hear them. It does not befit the massive artillery they are.

Yes, they must have a caliber like a second world war cruiser or similar

 

[MK Regular]

Yes, they must have a caliber like a second world war cruiser or similar

If we assume that the canons in ED only fire solid shot AP rounds (i.e. they only do kinetic damage since they don't have a bursting charge), we can use the muzzle velocity and damage per shot values to determine an approximate shell mass:

Weapon​	Muzzle Velocity​	Damage Per Shot​	Estimated Shell Mass​	Approximate Caliber​
4B (Fixed)​	900 m/s​	82.1 MJ​	202.7 kg​	240 mm (9.5 inches)​
4B (Gimballed)​	750 m/s​	56.6 MJ​	201.2 kg​	240 mm (9.5 inches)​
3C (Fixed)​	960 m/s​	54.9 MJ​	119.1 kg​	200 mm (7.9 inches)​
3C (Gimballed)​	800 m/s​	37.4 MJ​	116.9 kg​	200 mm (7.9 inches)​
3D (Turret)​	800 m/s​	30.4 MJ​	95.0 kg​	190 mm (7.5 inches)​
2D (Fixed)​	1050 m/s​	36.5 MJ​	66.2 kg​	175 mm (6.9 inches)​
2D (Gimballed)​	875 m/s​	24.5 MJ​	64.0 kg​	175 mm (6.9 inches)​
2E (Turret)​	875 m/s​	19.8 MJ​	51.7 kg​	150 mm (5.9 inches)​
1D (Fixed)​	1200 m/s​	22.5 MJ​	31.3 kg​	130 mm (5.1 inches)​
1E (Gimballed)​	1000 m/s​	16.0 MJ​	32.0 kg​	130 mm (5.1 inches)​
1F (Turret)​	1000 m/s​	12.8 MJ​	25.6 kg​	120 mm (4.7 inches)​

Note that the shell mass estimates are assuming that 100% of the muzzle energy of the cannons is converted to damage. If less than 100% of the energy is converted to damage, the shells will be larger and heavier than I have estimated them to be.

If we look at what WWII-era warships would use as their main battery and compared that to the cannons in ED, we end up with:

• Destroyers using 100-140 mm guns (small cannons)
• Light cruisers using 127-160 mm guns (small and medium cannons)
• Heavy cruisers using 170-210 mm guns (medium and large cannons)
• So called "Super Cruiser" or "Cruiser Killer" designs (which usually never left the drawing board) using 220-310 mm guns (huge cannons)

So yeah, cruiser-caliber cannons. And yet all we hear is a small thump every time we use them. I get that there is no medium for the sound of the firing and impact of the cannons to travel in, but we have systems installed in our ships to imitate sounds occuring outside our ships as if sapce was not a vacuum (yes it is in the lore, yes there are good lore reasons for it). There is no reason why we couldn't have the cannons sound meatier when fired (like this or this) and when they hit (like this, although a large portion of the sound is a result of the explosive filler here).

Note that all of the links I provided are for 155 mm guns, and that higher caliber guns tend to make a lot more noise when fired and when they hit.

 

[Imperial Pikkoro]

If we assume that the canons in ED only fire solid shot AP rounds (i.e. they only do kinetic damage since they don't have a bursting charge), we can use the muzzle velocity and damage per shot values to determine an approximate shell mass:

Weapon​	Muzzle Velocity​	Damage Per Shot​	Estimated Shell Mass​	Approximate Caliber​
4B (Fixed)​	900 m/s​	82.1 MJ​	202.7 kg​	240 mm (9.5 inches)​
4B (Gimballed)​	750 m/s​	56.6 MJ​	201.2 kg​	240 mm (9.5 inches)​
3C (Fixed)​	960 m/s​	54.9 MJ​	119.1 kg​	200 mm (7.9 inches)​
3C (Gimballed)​	800 m/s​	37.4 MJ​	116.9 kg​	200 mm (7.9 inches)​
3D (Turret)​	800 m/s​	30.4 MJ​	95.0 kg​	190 mm (7.5 inches)​
2D (Fixed)​	1050 m/s​	36.5 MJ​	66.2 kg​	175 mm (6.9 inches)​
2D (Gimballed)​	875 m/s​	24.5 MJ​	64.0 kg​	175 mm (6.9 inches)​
2E (Turret)​	875 m/s​	19.8 MJ​	51.7 kg​	150 mm (5.9 inches)​
1D (Fixed)​	1200 m/s​	22.5 MJ​	31.3 kg​	130 mm (5.1 inches)​
1E (Gimballed)​	1000 m/s​	16.0 MJ​	32.0 kg​	130 mm (5.1 inches)​
1F (Turret)​	1000 m/s​	12.8 MJ​	25.6 kg​	120 mm (4.7 inches)​

Note that the shell mass estimates are assuming that 100% of the muzzle energy of the cannons is converted to damage. If less than 100% of the energy is converted to damage, the shells will be larger and heavier than I have estimated them to be.

If we look at what WWII-era warships would use as their main battery and compared that to the cannons in ED, we end up with:

• Destroyers using 100-140 mm guns (small cannons)
• Light cruisers using 127-160 mm guns (small and medium cannons)
• Heavy cruisers using 170-210 mm guns (medium and large cannons)
• So called "Super Cruiser" or "Cruiser Killer" designs (which usually never left the drawing board) using 220-310 mm guns (huge cannons)

So yeah, cruiser-caliber cannons. And yet all we hear is a small thump every time we use them. I get that there is no medium for the sound of the firing and impact of the cannons to travel in, but we have systems installed in our ships to imitate sounds occuring outside our ships as if sapce was not a vacuum (yes it is in the lore, yes there are good lore reasons for it). There is no reason why we couldn't have the cannons sound meatier when fired (like this or this) and when they hit (like this, although a large portion of the sound is a result of the explosive filler here).

Note that all of the links I provided are for 155 mm guns, and that higher caliber guns tend to make a lot more noise when fired and when they hit.

The slot 4 Huge canons have this Brrrrrt sound. It sounds so stupid xD
I never understood, why it is so hard to create realistic sounds, so many games make so weird sounds.

That there is no sound in space doesn't matter, this game ignores the fact, we can hear explosions of ships and rockets, We also here the thrusters outside

 

[metatheurgist]

Agree but I'd prefer they were made viable weapons first.

 

[CMDR DragonHorn]

I want broadsides. On my Vette.

 

[CMDR TICH ANDERSON]

Explosive shell, with timer and/or distance pre set device.
YES PLEASE!!!!!

 

[Sylow]

Hmm, yea. Most of the games sound design is great. But the cannons are severely lacking. Giving them more oomph would really make them more enjoyable to use.

 

[Imperial Pikkoro]

Hmm, yea. Most of the games sound design is great. But the cannons are severely lacking. Giving them more oomph would really make them more enjoyable to use.

That's why I was writing it down. Because this game actually has great sounds. If this game would have bad sounds in general, I wouldn't write here ^^