Sound of Ammonia: how to know if that gas giant bears life from system map

[CMDR AKIRA MASAKARI]

Hi everyone, i recently discovered something that is saving me a lot of time, and would like to share. I'm sorry if it's already known.

From system map, selecting an object it makes a specific sound.
Water Based Life Gas Giants make a water stream noise, but i guess even rocks know this at this point.

Ammonia Based Life Gas Giants ARE SILENT. If you select them in System Map, initially they make some notes, but after 2 seconds all gets silent. If you select a regular gas giant it makes another noise wich is more persistant.

Also almost every Gas Giant that bears life has many "eyes", but it's not sufficient.
Using a combination of sound and visual i'm not missing Ammonia Life Gas Giants any more.

I still have to discern the sound of Ammonia Worlds, they are not silent, but definitly sound different than high metals.

 

[Murishani]

From system map, selecting an object it makes a specific sound.
Water Based Life Gas Giants make a water stream noise, but i guess even rocks know this at this point.

You do this in the system map? or the Galaxy map? Im looking at two gas giants with water based life right now and theyre not making any noise at all. Do you have to be in system WITH the planet for it to work?

 

[AltNite]

I was just about to ask the same thing. I've just started seriously exploring, and I've noticed some noises but have/had yet to determine if they were just ambient to the game or intentional. Is there a guide to the intentional game sounds? It would make some aspects soo much easier/faster when exploring.

 

[Murishani]

I was just about to ask the same thing. I've just started seriously exploring, and I've noticed some noises but have/had yet to determine if they were just ambient to the game or intentional. Is there a guide to the intentional game sounds? It would make some aspects soo much easier/faster when exploring.

I think it's still a question that's being asked, there's some discussion on it in my thread over here too: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=144148

Im not sure we can tell what's ambiance and whats intentional, and what can be used and what can't

 

[Thrawn29]

I changed the ambient sound setting to "Night time" it increase the ambiant sound and decrease others.
I'm in a system with Giant water base life and ammonia based life, i tested multiple time switch from one to other... but noticed nothing special.
To me, it seems the "sound" during swith is somewhat random.

But... this is according to my ears

I'll pay more attention during my next discovery.

 

[Murishani]

I changed the ambient sound setting to "Night time" it increase the ambiant sound and decrease others.
I'm in a system with Giant water base life and ammonia based life, i tested multiple time switch from one to other... but noticed nothing special.
To me, it seems the "sound" during swith is somewhat random.

But... this is according to my ears

I'll pay more attention during my next discovery.

This is exactly my findings, the sounds in the system map sound like theyre just randomized noise meant to sound cool. Im hoping CMDR Akira gets back to us with more information.

 

[Murishani]

over here:
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=142791&page=2

Commander Zenith Posted:

I can also tell with 100% certainty if it's an Earth-like world, or merely a terrestrial water world.
Like the Unknown Artefact hunt going on at the moment... LISTEN to the worlds on the System Map for a few seconds.

Water worlds have a specific harmonic tone with a sound of bubbling/trickling water underneath it.
Earth-like worlds have a chord of harmonic tones and NO water sound underneath, as well as noticeable green on the blue and white. The green is the giveaway.
High Metal Content worlds have their tone and a buzz sound like an electric guitar.
Ice worlds sound like quietly howling wind.
Water-life bearing gas giants also have the bubbling/trickling water sound underneath.
Ammonia-life bearing gas giants are almost completely silent.
Ammonia worlds are also silent, and can be spotted by the sharply defined dark brown splotches on the paler brown planet. I think they look like a melted Mars bar that's been stirred.

I'm still working on the sounds of different classes of gas giant, but I think I'll be able to distinguish a class I/II/III/IV/V planet.


I'm hoping Zenith will pop in here and help us out.
I still cant hear any of this on the system map, all the planets have the same sounds it seems like, whether gas giants, rocks or ELP's.

 

[CMDR AKIRA MASAKARI]

I'm here. I only tested it looking at System map while inside the system. Let me boot up the game to check. Also i have galactic map music enabled, i don't know if it has to be enabled to give object sounds.
Will be back in 5 minutes.

 

[CMDR AKIRA MASAKARI]

Ok, it works also if you are outside the system.
From anywhere, open the SYSTEM MAP, and hoover the mouse over an object. In the first couple of seconds they all make some notes, then they change.
Water Worlds and Water Life Gas Giants give the sound of a water stream.
Ammonia life Gas Giants become silent after 2 seconds.
From CMDR ZENITH i understand Ammonia Worlds are silent too.
The more you zoom the SYSTEM MAP on the object, the more the sound is clear.
I have gal map music enabled.

The key is to wait 2 seconds, otherwise they all sound the same.

Edit: grats to CMDR ZENITH that understood this before me.

 

[Murishani]

I'm here. I only tested it looking at System map while inside the system. Let me boot up the game to check. Also i have galactic map music enabled, i don't know if it has to be enabled to give object sounds.
Will be back in 5 minutes.

Ok, it works also if you are outside the system.
From anywhere, open the SYSTEM MAP, and hoover the mouse over an object. In the first couple of seconds they all make some notes, then they change.
Water Worlds and Water Life Gas Giants give the sound of a water stream.
Ammonia life Gas Giants become silent after 2 seconds.
From CMDR ZENITH i understand Ammonia Worlds are silent too.
The more you zoom the SYSTEM MAP on the object, the more the sound is clear.
I have gal map music enabled.

The key is to wait 2 seconds, otherwise they all sound the same.

Edit: grats to CMDR ZENITH that understood this before me.

Its the galmap music! that's why I couldnt hear it. If you turn off stellar cartography music, they all sound the same no matter how long you listen. I assumed this would be a sound effect, not a music track, but if you turn off the music you cant hear it at all. With the music on I can clearly hear it. Some of them are faint and you'll have to pay attention, but it is definitely there!

Go rep zenith in the other thread!

rep to you for pointing it out Akira, nicely done!

EDIT: you do have to actually click on the body, you cant just mouseover.

 

[CMDR AKIRA MASAKARI]

I confirm Ammonia Worlds are silent too.
To understand it, you have to have gal map music enabled. Ammonia worlds quiet the music and leave only faints sounds.

For earth like worlds: even if they have few landmass, they are blue, but DON'T give the water stream sounds. Other ones can be covered by thick clouds and make things difficult.

With patience you can discern all the sounds. Terraformable high metals and terraformable water worlds have the same sound of their no terraformable counterparts.

Definitly an ELW sounds different from everything else. It's difficut to explain, but if i can achieve it with consistency, everybody can.

So enable gal map music, zoom on these planets in the system map, WAIT 2 SECONDS, and everybody will listen to differences.

Lol ninjed. Yes, sry, you have to click on the planet, zooming makes it more clear.

 

[Murishani]

I confirm Ammonia Worlds are silent too.
To understand it, you have to have gal map music enabled. Ammonia worlds quiet the music and leave only faints sounds.

For earth like worlds: even if they have few landmass, they are blue, but DON'T give the water stream sounds. Other ones can be covered by thick clouds and make things difficult.

With patience you can discern all the sounds. Terraformable high metals and terraformable water worlds have the same sound of their no terraformable counterparts.

Definitly an ELW sounds different from everything else. It's difficut to explain, but if i can achieve it with consistency, everybody can.

So enable gal map music, zoom on these planets in the system map, WAIT 2 SECONDS, and everybody will listen to differences.

Lol ninjed. Yes, sry, you have to click on the planet, zooming makes it more clear.

You should add that to the OP post or we should make a new thread with all the details. I could make a new thread with information about the supercruise music as well all in one place

 

[CMDR AKIRA MASAKARI]

Sure thing, we should PM CMDR ZENITH to ask, regarding me you can go ahead anytime.
Also this subforum should get some sticky, like Erimus Galactic Mapping Community Project, just to pick one.

 

[Murishani]

Sure thing, we should PM CMDR ZENITH to ask, regarding me you can go ahead anytime.
Also this subforum should get some sticky, like Erimus Galactic Mapping Community Project, just to pick one.

EDIT: Misread your post, yes absolutely I think this forum needs some stickies badly.

 

[Zenith]

You've got it by yourselves from the sound of this thread CMDR AKIRA MASAKARI!
The soundscape in Elite Dangerous is DEFINITELY amongst the most informative I've come across in a game. The sound designers should be suitably proud of what they're achieved!

Quoting my detailed reply to Murishani's thread...

Yes. There is a noticeable difference between the sounds that different worlds make on System Map.

* Metal Rich worlds have a high harmonic which merges into a fuzzed electric guitar (sounds like a buzzsaw).
* High Metal Content worlds have 2-3 slightly different versions depending on what sort of planet it is. One version has the initial harmonic which merges into a buzzing like an electric guitar (not as harshly as a Metal Rich world). Another has a lower harmonic sound which merges into a hollow rushing sound with high pitched overtones.
* Earth-like worlds have a harmonic chord which has high pitched overtones. If you listen long and carefully enough, you'll catch rainforest birdsong underneath. Note there is NO sound of running or trickling water.
* Terrestrial Water Worlds have a medium tone harmonic with high pitched overtones AND the sound of running/trickling water quietly underneath.
* Icy worlds have a faint harmonic to start with, that runs into a sound like a harsh arctic wind howling.
* Water-based life bearing gas giants are usually brown, with defined bands and are more spotty than usual. They have a single low harmonic which runs into a sound of running/trickling water and occasional regular sounds like a plucked string instrument over the top.
* Ammonia-based life bearing gas giants have the initial harmonic tone which then disappears to nothing. The only sound from an ABL is the background sound space on the system map itself.
* Terrestrial Ammonia worlds are the same, in that they don't have any sound beyond the normal space background. They have defined sharp landmasses of darker brown on pale brown with a hazy brown atmosphere.

An Earth-like world has green as well as the blue and white on it, whereas a water world will be either blue and white alone (or a more muddy colour if there's a lot of ammonia).
An Earth-like world will give you a red sunrise/sunset as you pass in and out of it's shadow, whereas a terrestrial ammonia world gives you blue sunrises/sunsets.

I've been out exploring since the middle of February and I'm currently 28.6 Kylies away, just on the other side of Sagittarius A*. Since I wear closed back headphones, I'm isolated from sounds around me and can concentrate on the sonic landscape.

If you need a reference to calibrate your ears against, go to Achenar on the Galaxy Map. There are metal-rich, high metal content, class I/II/III/IV gas giants, Earth-like, terraformed Earth-like and Water world to listen to.

Just to add, I have Music muted in the Audio settings, but every option is still "On", and the Dynamic Range optimisation is Normal.

I've also just backtracked to listen to a Water Giant. It has the same running/trickling water sound, but overlaid with the sound of harsh wind blowing, like an icy world. It doesn't have the regular plucked string sound, so that's how you can distinguish a Water Giant from a Water-based life bearing gas giant.

 

[CMDR AKIRA MASAKARI]

Very interesting, we will do a guide!
I'm starting to think that sound can be way more clear than visuals to determine planet type.

For example, this doesn't look the regular life bearing gas giant, it hasn't many "eyes"

Spoiler

But it was silent.
So, in the name of science, i made 400,000 Ls supercruise and

Spoiler

 

[Murishani]

So, in the name of science, i made 400,000 Ls supercruise

Can't argue with science, this technique definitely works.

 

[Thrawn29]

REP for you Zenith.

Sounds like a great work guys...
I booted the game to check and try to better understand.

Something i did not understood at first glance is that the sound stayed even after minutes... it holds as long as you have the planet selected, right ?

I can hear the "harsh wind blowing" you are talking about Zenith... But can't here water on this giant one... I have to scan to make sure about what it is exactly.
For sure, if you unzoom, the sound decrease. Zoom to the maximum to better hear this sound.

I can hear the High metal sound too...

The best to separate those, is to select nothing in the system map, unzoom to the maximum and listen the "ambient" sound.
Then select an object, zoom to maximum and listen its sound.

Devs are awesome for thinking to all those details.
And you too guys... discovering such details...

 

[Thrawn29]

i have 2 differents high metal planet with almost the same composition (67% rock / 33% metal).
But one has no atmosphere at all, its sound is like a drill, almost continuous and clear.
The one with atmosphere has same kind of background sound, but clearly covered by the sound of some wind, and something ... resonating... really more complex.

 

[Kolato]

Awesome!
+Rep to you guys, this is awesome!