Human audio reaction time is MUCH faster than visual reaction time so good sound UX is a must for fast paced games like Splatoon. The devs seem to have known this from the start because they nailed it this time around. The changes made to the volume of the enemies' specials vs your team's is the most obvious example and it really helped. The only exception is tacticooler right now lol
Incorrect! Somewhat! People are different. Some people react quickly to vision more than sound actually, while some like you said, react more quickly to audio. For me I'm a visualizer, I actually pick things up very quickly on reaction when it comes to visually seeing something, this is something I had to ask my dad about and even he had to mention that not always human audio reaction time is a thing people can pick up quickly, like me and him
@@draconic.4571for perspective, a lot of the times I wont grab a teammates tac drink because i shark with flingza, the particle effect gives me away so i usually only take it if I'm gonna anchor
@@draconic.4571 as a ballpoint user, I do always try to go for the tac, but it tends to be placed in spots ideal for the sort of weapon that is more likely to be a slayer/skirmisher. In that way, if I am in an anchor spot and someone puts tac down on the floor, I have to leave my spot to swim over to tac and then go back and charge up my weapon all over again, at which point the enemy anchor has plenty of time to contest me from getting back on the anchor spot and forcing me into a more awkward position where I am more likely to be targeted by weapons I have a harder time dealing with at short range, and allowing the enemy anchor to focus on killing the rest of my teammates. So usually I prioritise ending any fight I am in first to know that my spot is secure before heading to tac, which if the enemy is also a splatling can take a long time as there is a lot of strafing in and out of each other's ranges to kill them with chip damage. I've had teammates get upset at me for not taking tac in the past but I can get a really good hold over an area if I can get the enemy anchor out of the way, and the enemy anchor can also get a really good hold of the area if I get out of the way, so sometimes i feel it is best for me to try and secure the area for everyone so the enemy anchor can't give cover fire to their slayers before I head to tac, and if it runs out before I've done that I still count that as a victory if I was successful in displacing/splatting the anchor because I will be in a more advantageous position where I can help my team without worry of being sniped for a while.
I immediately noticed the outstanding sound in Splatsville. The traffic, people talking, little jingles from the shops, the plane etc. The best thing though is the sound from the splatfest performance. When you are far away from the stage so the buildings are in between the music echos so realistically through the alleys I was pretty impressed. It felt as if I was just there running around. Play this game with headphones. It's worth it
^^^^^so so true!! each of the fronts on the main street have their own unique music/jingles when you stand close enough to the doors, even the ones you can’t shop in!
I think Splatoon's sound designs are also really important because it's almost as if every sound is a warning sign. I still remember being on Sturgeon Shipyard and hearing the very faint activation of the Kraken and immediately ran underneath where the grates were to avoid contact.
YES YES! When i was taking pictures of my Inkling back in splat2 and a little bit of splat 3, i had to stop and listen to the charge of my E-liter compared to the squiffer. I love how distinct each sound is and it makes me really appreciate sound design in anything. I just wish it was more respected in not just splatoon but in every single game. Of course not every game is good with it but most games that i've played put a lot of work into it. Amazing video
the way that the splatfest city music and the Lobby tunes sound like they're literally playing live always astounds me. Listening to the idol songs grow echoey and distant as they drift into an alley- so cool
Always love when a video praises the most underrated aspect of video games. Sound effects are so important imo. The swimming sounds of maws that alert me early of one being present. Steel eels clanking and ink spraying sounds. The pitch level of each stinger pan/pot being different and enjoyable to take out. Scraper driving engine,bumping,stopping,and stunned sounds/jingles. The different weapons having fun sounds. I also love just fun to hear sounds in games. Rock and wing pikmin sounds. Kremling defeat sound. Warping sound in a link to the past. The item get sound in zelda. Valstrax roar and sound barrier breaking distorting his theme music when diving into you. Collecting a Jiggy in banjo kazooie. There are so many sounds in games I love,I could list more but this comment is already long. Great video. Would watch a video of you going over a bunch of sound effects you like in various games and talking about them.
Looks like the RU-vid algorithm did good for me today bringing me this video. This video is great and well put together! I also love your character / avatar's art
After a cumulative 5 years of playing Splatoon in both 2 and 3, I've got the sounds of a lot of weapons memorized and can tell what and where some weapons are just from hearing alone, which I think is really cool! I also love how every Boss Salmonid has a distinct sound such that, for example, you can hear a Flyfish before even seeing it and thus prepare yourself to fight it.
YES! Splatoon is what got me to fall in love with sound design in the first place, EVERYBODY sleeps on how incredible it is! Conveys info in split-seconds, AND sounds distinctly “Splatoon-y!” Those Blaster direct noises are divine I’m telling you
I say that again......Hot Take: THE MAPS ARE FINE! That's why i am sick of negativity on Splatoon 3, one of the worst trends in gaming is "People Bitching About The Maps on Splatoon 3" it's so very annoying". Splatoon 3 is a very good game imo. I will make sure i am not on mono.
Bro, the sound design is something I've been paying so much attention to since I first started playing the first game. I love all the different sound effects Splatoon has as a series. Really immerses me and I feel super cool every time something pops off. ✨
One of my friends favorite sound effects in Splatoon history is the Stingray. He has it saved and finds it funny everytime. One thing I adore is how easy It is to tell specials apart. Killer wail(1 & 5.1), ink armor, stingray,crab tank, trizooka/inkzooka, and even booyah bomb can be hard from pretty far or even across the map. It makes it easier to look out for players
Another unerappreciated thing about Splatoon 3 is the HD rumble. It is done extremely well in my opinion, and if you pay attention to it it's awesome to feel the difference even in little things like swim speed. I have a friend who has rumble turned off and he's missing out on a lot imo
I’ve always loved splatoon’s sound design! The sound design during splatfests pumps adrenaline directly into my blood. The way everything echos in the crisp cold air energizes me
Personally? I couldnt agree more, and tbh, that thing of the gal sound effect? Im gulty of doing that as well, idk why, is almost like sayng "pew pew" while faking shooting when you was a kid
The sound in Splatoon 3 is like genuinely super important to me. I deal with sensory overstimulation, so with all the bright colors, loud noises, and hectic music going on it can be nigh impossible for me to tell what's going on. But sounds like specials going off, and ink shot sounds are incredibly important for me when it comes to identifying what's happening. If the sound design weren't as good as it was I kind of doubt I'd even be able to have nearly as much fun with the game
I remember a conversation with my friend where I explained this. “Hey why is your sound up so high??” “So i can hear?” “Uhuh..”. For the sake of it lets call my friend Jay “Jay how on earth do you think i keep splatting you?” “Idk i wanna know that too. Skill? Wait how are you finding me.” “Sound my dumb friend SOUND” Essentially i used sound to find where he was and splat him. I use this all the time. I have like every sound memorized. I realized i play better with sound and absolutely TRASH without it.
I feel like the reason why the sound design in Splatoon and other Nintendo games is so good is because these are sounds we always expect from performing certain actions. A while ago I watched a video on I believe Mario Kart 8's sound design which goes similar routes and adds even more layers to its music the further you are in menus until you start a race. I have my headphones connected via Bluetooth for the most part but even then having the ability to hear where opponents are is really great and I never thought about it exactly until now. Also hooray for Granademan's theme in the background.
Fun fact, sometimes when I hear the sound of a booyah bomb being activated I'll spam booyah without thinking just to realize that it wasn't from our team
Finally someone else has said it!! I've played music for almost 10 years now and its so hard to describe how essential sound design is!! The first tip i give people when i give improvement tips is to ask them to get headphones and/or pay attention to the sound effects specifically! The best way i taught myself unconsciously about the telltale sign of an enemy (eg, booyah bomb activation) was to play with a scope the second you hear the zip caster sfx you've gotta go 🏃
10:52 For those who don't know much about music, The standard method of playing that the cellist uses in the normal Salmon Run songs is called arco, where the cellist uses a bow on the strings. However, there is another method called pizzicato, which is only plucking the strings with one finger, and it ends up being a lot quieter. Not only that, but the extremely loud guitar amp timpani is absent in the tutorial theme, and most of the snare drums samples have been changed to a much quieter kick drum sample.
Very nice video, I've been thinking about making a video about the Sound Design myself at some point, but wouldn't have known how to approach it. The "sad fate" about Sound Design is that it's taken for granted and usually only ever gets pointed out if it's unsuitable or just plain sucks. Paying attention to audio cues can really enhance your experience and potentially improve your overall playing.
Salmon Run sound design is frankly INSANE. everything has a sound effect, even if it feels like it doesnt (Looking at you, EELS.) I play handheld while also listening to yt or a vc through headphones on my laptop, and even then, the SFX of SR help me out so much, from a stinger's whrring to just a maws letting off sirens- it helps you react to things so much more than you think. even night waves like seeking have sound cues, with higher gusher heights making higher pitch tones, every visual aspect has an aural aspect too. SR just has an insane amount of depth to it, and the audio aspects only deepen that hole- i still cant figure out the steel eel sound cue ;-; I could go on and on, but id probably go on a tangent, so ill leave it here.
I notice Steel Eel sound cues by the sound of metal kinda hitting each other when it moves, and the ink makes a similar sound to splash wall. Hope that helps
i came into loving sound design from breath of the wild (could talk for literal hours about the different sounds weapons make and how stealth levels not only effect your footsteps but how much your clothes/weapons rustle) and its been one of my favorite things ever since
I always think of this wherever i think of how a movies made. Cause all we get to see is the finished product, but someone had to figure what the batmobile sounds like, or lgihtsaber sounds when they clash. Theyre small details that become iconic in there ownright yet go under appreciated. They add a lot more iconography to the world and increase immersion. Imagine watching a movie or show with no sound effects just background music sometimes. The sound of vaders breathing is iconic and id encourage all of ya to look into how film makers make these easily recognizeable sounds!! Its pretty interesting ;)
"Imagine watching a movie or show with no sound effects just background music sometimes." Huh, yeah... imagine that. *Coughs in the Silent Film Era* That would be crazy.
I'd love to have a sound quiz!!! I adore listening to the game sounds and have so many of them memorized. Also I have bad eye sight and issues processing visual stimulation, so I heavy rely on the audio to play at all, so I'm real happy that people are talking about this haha.
Great video concept with really well-done editing! I love a lot of Splatoon sound design as well, and it's insane how iconic and satisfying the sounds are in this game. A sound that's SUPER ‼️ for me is the Trizooka activation sfx. Without even knowing where the opponent is, I instantly fear for my life LOL. I also love how the music in the Splatoon universe is so complex that a lot of players can tell what band/members are included in a song when a new one is released w/o knowing the artist first. A lot to love about the tiny details with this game series! 🎉
Appreciate you watching, people definitely picked up on the trizooka start up sound from too many trizookas and it'll probably be the same for inkjet and zip now lol.
I really like that when some specials are about to expire, they make a very distinctive sound. I have memorized the expiration sound effect of Zipcaster, Inkjet, Kraken Royale and Crab Tank.
Hey! Great video! Music education major here! I can tell you at 7:34 the first part of the tacticooler chime ends off on this high note that does not resolve until you pick up the cooler and then the cadence finishes itself. It's a really cool little tidbit I noticed just while watching this video!
you have no idea how badly i want like a full 40 minute video just going in depth on showcasing and talking about each separate weapon and special sound omg
i'm so glad there's a video about how good the sound design is! i've had trouble presenting the idea to people without immediately having to sound crazy by saying "people legitimately make ASMR videos with how this game sounds and how the background ambience is" great video! thank you so much!
...You mean those videos that sound like people chewing directly into their microphones? Those are horrible, they sound like people chewing directly into their microphones.
@@CoralCopperHead i don't usually care for them myself either, but the fact that going into Recon provides you with a complete soundscape and a quiet environmemt to listen to your own gameplay can and SHOULD be praised more often. usually it doesn't do anything for me, but a nice breeze, the water's edge and a distant squid beakon is the bee's knees to me
Bleh. I agree, but making _every_ weapon sound different, even within its own category, gets confusing when you have dozens of audio cues to keep straight that are all variations on "splat."
I only recently got back into splatoon after quitting about a year ago, while I was gone I played a lot of a game called "Hunt Showdown" in which the sound is not just a neat thing to help you, but you WILL lose each time if you're not good with that kind of thing. Now in the past I never realised these things but now that I've practically trained myself to always listen carefully, this is really helpful.
PART 5 IS THE BEST PART!!!! (side from giorno, the main character, lacking any form of emotion and character throughout the anime, despite the manga's great efforts of conveying life) also Gold Experience on top
WIth how Splatoon has become a series for loser competitive players, I'm sure sound design would be much more appreciated if it was on a console or platform that was made to actually allow the use of headphones. Like every other game made for loser competitive players. All that said, this isn't really underappreciated or unknown as it's one of the most careful parts of game design in any game. Not really special to Splatoon at all.
I've been thinking about this for ages!! Unlike every other game i play, I'm very support-focused in Splatoon, mostly staying back and inking base/covering turf and helping out where i can. So i have my back turned to the rest of the battle a lot- and the sound design is so astronomically helpful then. Just by sound, i can hear from across the map what specials the enemy team is using- the Tacticooler jingle, Tenta Missiles firing, and especially the highly audible Booyah Bomb, whose sound I've come to memorize (since i use it myself- Aerospray RG main.) Along with that, i can hear my teammates respawning behind me. And the most important part: the enemy team's weapons. I'm getting to A rank now, and i'm Profreshional in Salmon Run, so I've managed to get a feel for how most weapons sound. And when i have my back turned to the battle, differentiating between the Hydra Splatling in the middle of the map and the charged Splatana Wiper right in my base (get out) is essential so I know where to go for safety or assistance.
The sound design is so good that you can tell when an enemy uses a special. THEY EVEN ADJUST THE VOLUME DEPENDING ON IF YOURE A TEAMMATE OR NOT. So much player improvement can be derived from the sound design alone.
Actually, Nintendo's sound team are REALLY cracked. If you look at BOTW's sound design (and ToNK's) then you can really hear and understand just how in-depth and fleshed out thier sound design is.
I wonder if the reason I perform better in Salmon Run compared to regular PvP is because I actually listen to the bosses that are incoming! All jokes aside I completely agree with you. Sound design in Splatoon is wonderful and I love how little details just make the game feel more immersive and alive. I had no idea headphones affected how I play and after the video started messing with my headphone settings to make sure I have stereo sound turned on, even if I mostly play Splatoon on the TV when I’m at home (like now - when I go back to university abroad I’ll be playing handheld again and when I’m playing in public areas in my accommodation I usually have headphones on to not disturb anyone else). Besides the games, I also love the little fun details created by sound design in Splatsville - the shop and Grizzco jingles when you go near them, the sound of running water by the stream, the unfortunate Octoling having a stomachache by the public toilet if you stand there long enough, etc. Without it’s excellent sound design, Splatoon (and many other games) wouldn’t feel the same. I’m glad you talked about it in the video! And a great one too! EDIT: I actually found a compilation of all the ranked jingles mashed into one and liked it so much it’s now my morning alarm. Just goes to show how great Splatoon’s sound design is to me that I’m willing to wake up to the sound of the Tower Control jingle every morning.
I’m glad someone finally mentioned Yuki Tsuji in a video ☺️ and also, I’ve always appreciated Splatoon’s sounds and ambience. 😎 8:24 This had me cackling X’D Squids gotta piss. Btw I used to play Splatoon 1 and 2 with headphones pretty often, and that indeed helped me concentrate easier 👌🏻 it’s great to hear your opponent!
"Salmon Run has good sound design" except Stingers because the pans need to *CLINGY-CLANK* across the whole map when it spawns because it takes half my health if I have latency to the host (which I likely will, I live far away from everyone) the instant the beam shows.
I have 1600+ hours in Splat 2- so like, I started taking Splat 3 super seriously and I started hsing my headphones, and it's WILD how much u can discern just from sound in this game lmao. Great vid, hyped for the next part
I habe to say that this is truly one of the best edited, entertaining and informing videos I have EVER seen from a small Splatoon content creator. I can really tell how much effort was put into this video and you kept me watching it all through to the end so just wanted to give you a huge compliment! Please keep this insane quality up I was really enjoying this ^^
This is kind of why I stay away from competetive games now. I noticed all this beautiful sound design, but I am at a huge disadvantage since stereo sound feels like a knife stabbing into my skull. I need to have mono audio on or I'll be in pain. This is even something I experience outside of video games. So yeah, sucks to not be able to use stereo sound to tell where my opponents are unless I want to suffer, but I do think that people without my problem should have it on 100%
As someone who plays 99% of Splatoon in a voice chat or listening to a podcast instead of the game, the sound design/ sound cues of specials, swimming, bombs, and whatnot *really* makes a difference. You look borderline psychic when you hear the enemy around a corner/above/below you and they have no idea you know they're coming. Ranked mode means plugging my headphones into my TV and listening intently because odds are, you'll hear an enemy or a bomb coming, or a Booyah bomb, or the distant sound of a special firing off before you see it, and you can react accordingly. Salmon Run too. You will KNOW when that Scrapper is nearby because you'll hear revving/braking noises, or the Fishstick because of their little chanting, Steelheads charging their bombs, etc. My recommendation for TV users is, if possible, get a really long headphone cord and plug it into the TV or Switch (if possible, run it up along the ceiling so people can't trip over the cable. This goes double if you have small kids or pets around). The Switch's bluetooth for headphones is godawful and I've had multi-second lag between an action on screen, and the sound coming in. Listening is a great advantage for this game. You don't usually have to "train" to know the sounds either, generally you'll just hear them whenever you use a weapon/sub/special, and when you hear it coming from somewhere else, you'll know to look out. Hearing Ninja squid swimmers will take practice, but that's an exception in my experience.
I totally agree with, and understand the intent behind making the music not able to be turned off. Cuz it really would be too big of a benefit. And I already play with stick instead of motion, so I don't need to go up against players with even more of a leg up on me. But still, seeing a game without proper sound options drives me up the wall and just feels WRONG. I hate it. (Also since Splatoon 1, I have been calling 52 and 96 the 'Thup Thup Guns' entirely due to their hefty firing sounds)
