The modding scene has certainly gotten more interesting in the last year. We've seen the emergence of new ways to build machines (multi-blocks), new kinds of gameplay (Ars Magicka), and new graphics (Xycraft, Ars, and others). But one area in which there has been relatively little apparent development is in sound effects. Sure, some mods have interesting new sounds (Thaumcraft for example), but other mods have removed their sounds (IC2, after crashes were found to be caused by its sound system). I find this to be a shame because every time I walk past a row of magmatic engines, or a boiler, or a fusion reactor, I imagine how cool they all could sound. A turbine could be quite an impressive listening experience, for example. I'm not trying to pick on any mod, but generally speaking, I think all mods could be enhanced with more sound effects.
I started thinking about this after watching a YouTube video a few months back that demonstrated the particle accelerator from Atomic Science. For an example, refer to this video at 3:30:
There's a sense of awe as you realize you've created something really cool. Your creation really springs to life with that rising hum. That video, however, would be yawn-worthy if you were to mute it.
If anyone has played Guns of Icarus, they will be familiar with the sounds of the ship as it rises through the air (the hiss of the balloon inflating), the sound of the engines when the captain initiates a turn, the sound of your main gunner's Hwacha reloading, or the sounds of the hull creaking in a dust cloud. It's often overlooked, but sound has an incredible effect on atmosphere and immersion. I'd love for this to become more common in the modded Minecraft scene, and it's for this reason I bring it up for discussion. I'd like to see more examples of sound used to great effect (MC or other games), and ideas for how Minecraft's modded experience could be improved with sounds.
Edit: I have a feeling someone will suggest MAtmos, so let me clarify first. While I agree MAtmos is a step in the right direction, I'm more interested in discussing the role sounds can play in individual mods' soundscapes, than I am in one mod's role in improving all of Vanilla's soundscapes.
I started thinking about this after watching a YouTube video a few months back that demonstrated the particle accelerator from Atomic Science. For an example, refer to this video at 3:30:
If anyone has played Guns of Icarus, they will be familiar with the sounds of the ship as it rises through the air (the hiss of the balloon inflating), the sound of the engines when the captain initiates a turn, the sound of your main gunner's Hwacha reloading, or the sounds of the hull creaking in a dust cloud. It's often overlooked, but sound has an incredible effect on atmosphere and immersion. I'd love for this to become more common in the modded Minecraft scene, and it's for this reason I bring it up for discussion. I'd like to see more examples of sound used to great effect (MC or other games), and ideas for how Minecraft's modded experience could be improved with sounds.
Edit: I have a feeling someone will suggest MAtmos, so let me clarify first. While I agree MAtmos is a step in the right direction, I'm more interested in discussing the role sounds can play in individual mods' soundscapes, than I am in one mod's role in improving all of Vanilla's soundscapes.