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Do people in Iceland interpret sounds differently?

Author
FoxFire Ayderan
#1 - 2013-06-17 21:35:32 UTC
Scratchy buzzy noises, in America anyway, typically indicate some sort of error or warning.

Scratchy buzzy noises do not typically indicate "you did something correctly", or "a good thing is happning".

So.... the sound of the Crimewatch timer expiring (a good thing) being a buzzy noise makes me think a bad thing is happening and it unecessarily triggers my fight-or-flight circuitry.

Another example is setting a bookmark in the Browser. The noise it makes is distinctly an 'Error' noise, as if you failed to set the browser bookmark properly.

So... that leaves me wondering. Do scratchy buzzy noises in Iceland mean something good has occurred? Like if someone gets the wrong answer on a game show in Iceland, do they get a Ding-ding-ding-ding for the wrong answer instead of a Bzzzzzzt (like here in America and I assumed the rest of the world).

When the microwave finishes its cycle instead of giving you a 'beep beep beep' does it give you a "buzz buzz buzz"?

IF that's not the case, and in Iceland and most of the world scratchy buzzy noises mean something bad or incorrect has occurred, then would you PLEASE change those noises in game, so that scratchy buzzy noises are not associated with things you WANT to happen (like correctly settting a browser bookmark, or the Crimewatch timer expiring).

Thanks.

Ruze
Next Stage Initiative
#2 - 2013-06-17 22:01:06 UTC
But what if it's iceland and most of the world where scratchy, buzzy noises mean something good is happenening, and it's just the US where we've got it backwards?

Client localization, I guess.

If you're driven to threaten others with harm or violence because of what they do in game, you can't separate fantasy from reality. That "griefer/thief" is probably more sane than you are. How screwed up is that?

Kraal Utrecht
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#3 - 2013-06-17 22:01:52 UTC  |  Edited by: Kraal Utrecht
I need to agree on this completely. It is like someone played a prank or switched sounds by mistake.
Alvatore DiMarco
Capricious Endeavours Ltd
#4 - 2013-06-18 00:09:39 UTC  |  Edited by: Alvatore DiMarco
I am not from Iceland.

I have heard all these sounds referenced by OP and this isn't how I interpret the sounds at all. I don't associate good/bad with them, simply audio feedback that something of some kind is happening or that a command I have given is acknowledged and has been executed.

I'm not sure what the problem is, or why sounds have to be specifically positive or negative and cannot simply be neutral.
FoxFire Ayderan
#5 - 2013-06-18 01:11:43 UTC
Alvatore DiMarco wrote:


I'm not sure what the problem is, or why sounds have to be specifically positive or negative and cannot simply be neutral.


Well as you can see I'm not the only person who thinks the sounds of certain events are incongruent with what they mean to indicate. We as human beings do associate various sounds with good or bad events, or with more or less important information that needs to get across. Just think of any alarms or alerts you are familiar with.

The Emergency Broadcast System that comes on TV (say for a tornado warning) is extremely harsh, buzzy, and grating sounding. It's meant to not only get your attention for some critical information, but tends to be for information that is not going to be pleasant.

Harsh, grating, buzzing noises generally indicate something wrong or bad or erroneous has occurred. I think this could be a universal phenomenon giving that those are noises in nature that human beings would consider unpleasant (think bugs).

So... the buzzy noise of the Crimewatch timer expiring doesn't make sense. a) It's not critical information that I need to know, so why is it sounding like critical information, a noise which reflexively gets my attention and b) it's not bad information, so why is it using a 'bad' sounding buzzy noise. A soft 'beep beep' would be more appropriate.

The same with setting a bookmark in the in-game browser. I have never heard a noise like that which didn't mean you just did something wrong. Your action failed, try again.

There are other examples like this throughout EVE where the noise for good events or less than important events gives the bad/critical/alarming sound. Although the noises for your Shield/Armour/Hull getting low are appropriately harsh and alarming, which makes me believe that even in Iceland such sounds do mean bad/critical events are occurring.





Little Dragon Khamez
Guardians of the Underworld
#6 - 2013-06-18 22:54:45 UTC
I think that there's far too many unnecessary sounds in eve and we could do with a cull. Especially that annoying klang when you open a can or the cruise liner chimes you get when your skill queue ends.

Dumbing down of Eve Online will result in it's destruction...

max ericshaun
Trust Doesn't Rust
Goonswarm Federation
#7 - 2013-06-18 22:57:37 UTC
There are sounds in eve? Shocked

Lost in space

Mara Rinn
Cosmic Goo Convertor
#8 - 2013-06-18 23:01:35 UTC
FoxFire Ayderan wrote:
Alvatore DiMarco wrote:


I'm not sure what the problem is, or why sounds have to be specifically positive or negative and cannot simply be neutral.


Well as you can see I'm not the only person who thinks the sounds of certain events are incongruent with what they mean to indicate. We as human beings do associate various sounds with good or bad events, or with more or less important information that needs to get across. Just think of any alarms or alerts you are familiar with.


I think you misinterpret Alvatore's statements: he's asking why you think the sounds are "positive" or "negative" when he interprets them only as "distinctive". There's this scratchy sound which means that the NPC aggro timer is expiring, that sound which means the PvP timer is expiring, and so forth. Whether you associate positive or negative connotations with those sounds is entirely in your head: it's not universal.
FoxFire Ayderan
#9 - 2013-06-18 23:24:27 UTC


Just realized another 'bad' sound for a good thing happening. The sound made when a target is about to pop. It's a high pitched buzz.

It sounds like a warning of some kind. Why? The exploding ship is probably enough of an indicator, but there is a UI noise made right before the ship pops. It's not very prominent. If there is going to be any noise at all (which I'm not averse to), it should be a somewhat more positive (or at least netural) sounding noise, not a sound that to me says "WARNING".

* Actually I'm not sure what the sound is supposed to indicate. I hear it sometimes when hostiles enter the system, and sometimes when a hostile is about to pop (maybe it's only the last hostile), so perhaps it means you've eliminated the last one. In any case, whether it's the sound prior to a target popping or it means you've eliminated the last of the hostiles, it shouldn't be a high pitched buzz. Though it's definately an appropriate sound for hostiles entering the grid.
Alvatore DiMarco
Capricious Endeavours Ltd
#10 - 2013-06-19 00:54:52 UTC  |  Edited by: Alvatore DiMarco
So what I'm gathering from FoxFire's replies here is that by not attaching an emotional association to sounds that are not inherently intended to be "good" or "bad" but simply intended to get one's attention, I am less of a human being or not one at all. Fair enough, I suppose that works for me.

Really though, in all seriousness, these sounds are not designed to be "good sounds" or "bad sounds". The Emergency Broadcast Service noise is not designed as a "bad" sound. The error noises in Windows are not designed as "bad" sounds. They are designed to get your attention. They are designed to cut through whatever else may be going on at the time and say "Pay attention to me". In order to accomplish this task, a sound generally needs to be what ends up as harsh and grating, because it has to not only resist blending into everyday noises but also has to be clearly and immediately recognized.

When you initiate a crimewatch timer or limited engagement, you get alert noises so that you're aware of whatever timers you have incurred without having to look away from what you're doing. When the timers have reached their end and are being terminated, you get a short audio notification so that you can say "Oh hey, my suspect status has worn off" without having to look up, away from what you're doing. These sounds are designed to be dissimilar from everything else in EVE so that you immediately know what's going on without having to wonder or look around.

That "high pitched buzz" is a confirmation that your ship has begun interacting with another entity in space, and it sounds again as a confirmation that your ship has stopped interacting with entities in space. Remote repping a drone, shooting a jetcan, ECM jamming an asteroid, catching room aggro from a bunch of rats. The noise sounds to tell you "something is happening in space" and it sounds again as a notification of "things have stopped happening in space".

Attaching any inherent positive or negative value to the actual sounds themselves is purely subjective and multiple people having the same subjective opinion does not transmute their opinions into fact.

"...for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." - Hamlet
FoxFire Ayderan
#11 - 2013-06-19 03:28:53 UTC

Well you may be less than human then. Big smile Because human beings do associate certain sounds with certain emotional responses and/or varying degrees of concern, alarm, or interest.

Yes we like to be notified of things, and some things are more important or serious than others. That's why your microwave gives a generally pleasant (or at least neutral) 'beep beep beep', when it's done cooking, and not an annoying harsh noise. But why the Emergency Broadcast System noise is loud grating and harsh. Not only does it want to get your attention and notify you of something (like your microwave) but it also REALLY wants you to take notice of it and pay attention to something critically important. Surely you must know those sounds are not just pulled out of the air, they've likely researched what sounds get people's attention and primes them for action.

Do I want to know that my Crimewatch timer has expired? I suppose, that information is not all that important to me. But even if I did want to know that information, I don't need (or want) it to be a noise that grabs my attention and sends a shot of adenaline through my system. It should be a sound that I may notice if it's something I'm interested in, not something that makes me take notice of it.

Harsh, buzzy noises, are more attention grabbing than others (I believe this may be a human trait and not cultural). Attention grabbing noises should be reserved for those events which can be detrimental to miss.

A hostile beginning interaction with you should provide an attention grabbing, adreneline releasing, noise (like the one it currently gives). The end of all interractions should not give the same attention grabbing, adreneline releasing, noise. If any sound at all is needed, it should be a smoother softer more pleasant sound.
Vassal Zeren
University of Caille
Gallente Federation
#12 - 2013-06-19 03:46:10 UTC
max ericshaun wrote:
There are sounds in eve? Shocked


I guess. I wouldn't know for I, like many other legit players, mute the audio 'cause there ain't no sound in space!

A bad analogy is like a leaky screwdriver.

Alvatore DiMarco
Capricious Endeavours Ltd
#13 - 2013-06-19 05:23:47 UTC  |  Edited by: Alvatore DiMarco
Foxfire Ayderan wrote:
Stuff


I find the repetitive beeping of a microwave to be thoroughly annoying. I routinely stop mine at the 1-second mark by opening the door and then clearing the timer manually. One loud beep is better than three.

As for the rest of it.. just turn the UI sounds off or down if you find them displeasing or panic-inducing. That's really all there is left to say to you at this point.
FoxFire Ayderan
#14 - 2013-06-19 05:36:02 UTC

Ha!

Whatever Alvatore. <--- Please say your name there with a sarastic voice, thank you. Lol

Fortunately for me, you're not CCP. They are the one's who can ascertain the merit of my observation/complaint, and determine if what I've had to say makes sense to them.

I believe if they put some thought into it they might very well agree, and simply hadn't considered it before.

Sable Moran
Moran Light Industries
#15 - 2013-06-19 07:43:32 UTC
FoxFire Ayderan wrote:
I assumed


Found your problem. Now that it's pointed out please fix it.

Sable's Ammo Shop at Alentene V - Moon 4 - Duvolle Labs Factory. Hybrid charges, Projectile ammo, Missiles, Drones, Ships, Need'em? We have'em, at affordable prices. Pop in at our Ammo Shop in sunny Alentene.

Mara Rinn
Cosmic Goo Convertor
#16 - 2013-06-19 08:14:01 UTC
FoxFire Ayderan wrote:

Well you may be less than human then. Big smile Because human beings do associate certain sounds with certain emotional responses and/or varying degrees of concern, alarm, or interest.



Harsh, buzzy noises, are more attention grabbing than others (I believe this may be a human trait and not cultural). Attention grabbing noises should be reserved for those events which can be detrimental to miss.


If the emotional response to a particular sound was universal, you might have a point. In this thread there are at least two people who do not attach emotional connotations to the PVP, NPC or crime watch timers, contrasted to one person who does. Small, self-selecting population aside, what does this tell you? Only that people who start threads on the forums are far too emotionally unstable.
Tchulen
Trumpets and Bookmarks
#17 - 2013-06-19 08:14:57 UTC
FoxFire Ayderan wrote:

Well you may be less than human then. Big smile Because human beings do associate certain sounds with certain emotional responses and/or varying degrees of concern, alarm, or interest.

Most human beings are capable of learning via a feedback loop. Not only are you saying you pre-assign incorrect meaning to sounds you don't yet know the meaning of, you're also saying that once you've ascertained that your meaning association is incorrect you're incapable of correcting it.

So let me get this straight, you're asking for CCP to change the sounds they use because you're incapable of learning what they mean?

I think this is a very specifically you thing (with perhaps a few other poor unforuntates thrown in). Most of the people who play EVE are capable of learning and adapting. Just saying. :)
FoxFire Ayderan
#18 - 2013-06-19 08:30:19 UTC
Sable Moran wrote:
FoxFire Ayderan wrote:
I assumed


Found your problem. Now that it's pointed out please fix it.


My aren't you oh so clever.

Assumptions aren't bad unless you are acting or making decisions based on them, and even then sometimes they are necessary. People (even you dear Sable) make assumptions ALL the time, particularly when they don't or can't have all the information. You ASSUME that bridge you drive over isn't going to collapse (but if it does, perhaps you should have done a thorough inspection of it prior to driving over it, rather than just assuming it was sound or assuming someone else inspected it for you, eh?)

Now the title of my post was a question. My assumption (as I stated) was that scratchy buzzy noises have a negative or critical connotation globally, as they generally do here in America (based on many years of listening experience), and thus I was asking if people in Iceland interpret these sounds differently. I am not the one who designed game sounds with that assumption in mind. Most people, not having that information, are likely to make that assumption. It's when they make a decision based on it does it become a potential problem, particularly if they could have gotten that information.

So there is NO 'assumption' problem here on my end.

But, I have found YOUR problem Sable. You have a limited understanding of assumptions and you have nothing insightful or useful to add to this conversation. Now that it's pointed out please fix it.

FoxFire Ayderan
#19 - 2013-06-19 08:39:23 UTC
Mara Rinn wrote:
FoxFire Ayderan wrote:

Well you may be less than human then. Big smile Because human beings do associate certain sounds with certain emotional responses and/or varying degrees of concern, alarm, or interest.



Harsh, buzzy noises, are more attention grabbing than others (I believe this may be a human trait and not cultural). Attention grabbing noises should be reserved for those events which can be detrimental to miss.


If the emotional response to a particular sound was universal, you might have a point. In this thread there are at least two people who do not attach emotional connotations to the PVP, NPC or crime watch timers, contrasted to one person who does. Small, self-selecting population aside, what does this tell you? Only that people who start threads on the forums are far too emotionally unstable.



You just made a factually incorrect statement, a statement relating to the full content of all posters in this thread, when you CLEARLY did not read all the posts in this thread (or you have the memory of a gold fish).

From my count, in this thread there are 3 people (including myself) who clearly agree that the sounds of certain events in the game are incongruent with the type of event it is. And there is only 1 (2 if that includes use Mara) who clearly indicated that they don't find these harsh/buzzy sounds for events that are considered 'good' (or non-critical) to be misappropriated.

Alvatore DiMarco
Capricious Endeavours Ltd
#20 - 2013-06-19 09:12:05 UTC
It seems you're becoming upset, Mr. Ayderan.

Perhaps it would do you good to stop now, before you descend any further into personal attacks and increasingly sarcastic and combative replies that only serve to give the appearance of wildly flailing about attempting to defend a position that is rapidly sinking into the proverbial ocean even while you yet stand on it. Even if your thesis is true, you're only serving to discredit it.

The simple fact of the matter is that your thread is based entirely on opinions which you are presenting as scientific fact. In truth, they are not. When the veracity of your statements as facts is brought into question, you insist all the more fiercely that what you say is true, citing someone else agreeing with you as proof. As the questioning increases, you begin to react more and more negatively. It really all just goes downhill from there and this post, much like the direction of this thread, is off-topic enough as it is without me going further into unnecessary detail.
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