Warp Drive Sound Effect and Visuals in STO = MEH!

knuhteb5

Does anybody find the warp out scene and accompanying sound effects to be lackluster in STO?

Compare the STO warp out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JAM_m52uPk

To all these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj178APgdno

My favorite part of all of the warps is the Bird of Prey Warp out from Star Trek: The Voyage Home. You just get hit with the sense that damn, that is blazing fast feeling (plus the yellow trail in the back makes it seem even faster). You can find this warp out at 26-33 seconds in the vid.

My 2nd most favorite warp out is seen at 4 seconds and 9 seconds which I believe are from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I love it b/c it sounds like a laser gun charging up to fire and because of the super retro special effects .

My third most favorite warp out is from Star Trek 3: Search for spock at 23 seconds into the video. The cool zoom effect just makes me want to listen to it over and over.


And finally to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbWmFv0yZ2E

My least favorite warp out is the JJverse Enterprise warp out because it sounds like the weakest bass drum hit I've ever heard, and it isn't drawn out like the zoom effect is in the motion picture, Star Trek II, and III.


There could be a lot of reasons why I find the warp out in STO lacklaster. Maybe it should be accompanied by a short and triumphant trumpet piece that crescendos up as you warp out into space. Maybe it needs more color. Another is that my carrier pets never warp out with me which also breaks my immersion. If I'm warping out in my gigantic Vo'quv, why wouldn't my pet Bel'rothies warp out with me?

Anyways, so what is your most favorite warp out from any of the series or movies? Why do you like it, and do you think STO should do a better job with it's warp out animation?

centersolace

I think my favorite is the Enterprise-D warp effect. The glow from the engines, the sound effect, and the two flashes as it warps away just gives an impression of power. The stretchy warping of the ship thing in the middle is kind of stupid though. I like the movement part of 0:36 much better.

The JJ warp effect isn't terrible, but I loathe the fact there's no flash. That's just stupid.

As for the STO version, I think the problem is the fact that the sound effects and the visuals are the same no matter the ship. It doesn't matter whether you're in a piddly runabout, or a city-sized Galaxy Class, you get the same effect. I'm sure that's part of it.

knuhteb5

centersolace wrote: »

I think my favorite is the Enterprise-D warp effect. The glow from the engines, the sound effect, and the two flashes as it warps away just gives an impression of power. The stretchy warping of the ship thing in the middle is kind of stupid though. I like the movement part of 0:36 much better.

The JJ warp effect isn't terrible, but I loathe the fact there's no flash. That's just stupid.

As for the STO version, I think the problem is the fact that the sound effects and the visuals are the same no matter the ship. It doesn't matter whether you're in a piddly runabout, or a city-sized Galaxy Class, you get the same effect. I'm sure that's part of it.

Yeah, I can see that. If we had different sounds per ship, the effect might seem more unique. I still think it needs some sort of epic trumpet music to accompany it.

Very good point on your observation that the JJ warp effect lacks flash. If it isn't flashy, it just isn't star trek (much in the same way that the enterprise sound track didn't feel star treky b/c it lacked triumphant orchestral pieces we hear in the DS9 and TNG opening scenes).

On topic of the enterprise D, I too agree that the enterprise D warp out reflects the power and majesty that is the Enterprise D going into the unknown at full warp. For me, the coolest Enterprise D warp out is 46 seconds into that evolution of warp video. The enterprise being able to out run the after shock shows how powerful and fast that starship is. So awesome.

maxvitor

We're on the ship so why are we watching it flying away? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMtJGK08FyE 1:30 into the video is how we should be seeing a warp out sequence.
What is really missing is the transition from warp out to sector space, ideally the loading screen should be replaced with a rushing star field and warp engine acceleration sound.
It's unlikely we'd get that since it would mean changing how map loading sequences are tagged and identified.

artan42

My only problem with the JJ one is it looks a bit too much like going into Hyperspace.

warpangel

The warp drive effects in STO are fine. The only little fixes it needs are:
1. When warping out, the ship should disappear after the white flash instead of stopping and staying there for a moment (or hitting something and bouncing off to the side, lol).
2. There should be better collision avoidance to prevent ships from warping at/through obstacles.
3. EDIT: And the color of the warp drive glow shouldd match the ship instead of always being blue/red.

But the transwarp effect, it's horrible and should be replaced completely. Something where the ship at least enters the conduit instead of exploding in a shower of sparks. And a matching transwarp exit animation should be added instead of using a normal warp-in.

The slipstream effect is kind of lame, too. The slipstream should be longer, an actual tunnel the ship flies through not a scrolling forcefield around it. And it should bend when the ship turns, like in Voyager.

nynik

I wonder if they could monetize different warp out packs.

broodwyn

Whats more is the current STO camera angle cuts off many ships,

Main gimmick of an Intrepid going to warp? the nacelles folding up, however with the same bland hull undershot camera angle you don't get to see that, same for the Wells, its time-disks open up apparent;y, but because I'm stuck looking at its underside I don't get to see it at all

So not only does is sound and look lack luster its gotten to the point where you wish you could skip it and get to where you're going already

knuhteb5

maxvitor wrote: »

We're on the ship so why are we watching it flying away? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMtJGK08FyE 1:30 into the video is how we should be seeing a warp out sequence.
What is really missing is the transition from warp out to sector space, ideally the loading screen should be replaced with a rushing star field and warp engine acceleration sound.
It's unlikely we'd get that since it would mean changing how map loading sequences are tagged and identified.

Ok, let me just say that the Galaxy_D warp out scene in the Star Trek Vs BSG video at 1:30 is freaking badass. That's much more akin to a more classic star-trek movie type warp out, and I would love the option to have it.

However, why not make a compromise? It would be nice if we had several options.

First Option: Watching our ship warp out from a perspective in front of it so that we're facing it as it warps out towards us like the Bird of Prey warp out scenes from Star Trek IV.

Second Option: Similar to 1:30 warp out mxvitor mentions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMtJGK08FyE, we would start out looking at our ship from the front and then it would pan out to behind the ship at an angle (maybe we could choose the angle).

Third option: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLgW7EAjKnw

Scene changes to the inside of your ship and the scene focuses on helm and engineering who say they are ready for warp. The camera then zooms on you the captain sitting in the captain's chair. You can then choose between "mahk-cha" and then maybe a few other Klingon phrases (not sure which ones would be best). As Fed Captains, "we could say any of the following: "punch it," "engage," "get us out of here! Warp 9! Engage!," etc. After you give the order to helm, the camera zooms in on the view screen that shows your ship entering into high warp and then leaving it like in the youtube video above.


In addition, we should be able to customize the color of our warp trails. Klingons and Feds should be able to choose between light, medium, and dark hues of blue, purple, green, yellow, red, orange, etc.

I also think the transwarp activation poof is pretty lame as well as the transwarp exit. Not sure what to suggest for it, though.

celvinj

I think they should really look into this I really think the the warp off should be the most visually pleasing thing in the game

aiden089

New cutscenes of our ships are needed, not just warp in/out but entering and leaving starbases, maybe even an option to actually orbit a planet!

arvistaljik

aiden089 wrote: »

New cutscenes of our ships are needed, not just warp in/out but entering and leaving starbases, maybe even an option to actually orbit a planet!

+1 to this

I personally find the Nemesis-style and Star Trek Enterprise style warp jumps the most aesthetically pleasing personally. They both convey speed without smacking you in the face/ears with a massive flash of light and an overly loud power-up/transition sound. I often wish my Vesta could use one of these to smoothly transition to warp as I imagine it would given its advanced design and hull geometry.

I agree also with what other people have said that transwarp and slipstream graphics need some love too.

psycoticvulcan

arvistaljik wrote: »

+1 to this

I personally find the Nemesis-style and Star Trek Enterprise style warp jumps the most aesthetically pleasing personally. They both convey speed without smacking you in the face/ears with a massive flash of light and an overly loud power-up/transition sound. I often wish my Vesta could use one of these to smoothly transition to warp as I imagine it would given its advanced design and hull geometry.

I agree also with what other people have said that transwarp and slipstream graphics need some love too.

I agree with the contents of this post.

undyingzero

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbWmFv0yZ2E is pretty much the only warp effect I'd throw money at the monitor for. It's the only warp effect that doesn't look like cheesy 70's effects and makes me feel like the ship is moving really, really fast.

mgcheetham

I love all the warp outs however the jj trek warp is definitely my favorite. That grizzly wind up and bullet sound effect is just amazing. But I also love the enterprise D too. Pretty badass. But back to STO I have recently started to really hate the warp out scene and really weak sfx. With all the new stuff that looks really good, new gear, episodes etc. It is such a massive disappointment that every ship sounds and looks the same warping out.

There definitely needs to be some variation and even a cutscenes for when you purchase a new ship leaving space dock.

As the poster pointed out it does also lack some really decent music, like in jj trek you get that amazing little piece before it goes to warp, that just makes you go mental. The same throughout all of them really.

Secondly there needs to be some definition between different factions too. This would be good to put to the dev,s if it hasn't already.

Also dunno if it's a glitch on mine but my rommy ark if warbird keeps changing between green and orange warp trails as I'm aligned to Klingons it's a bit annoying I want it to be completely green all of the time.

thegalaxy31

Old Thread, Lock It Down.

kublahkan

thegalaxy31 wrote: »

Old Thread, Lock It Down.

100% on that.

But I can't help it I must add that the warp animation of the Advanced Escort with its 4 nacelles only shows the top 2 flashing and not the full 4 of them. Can't tell for other ships that have anything but 2 nacelles.

Cheers

centersolace

Old thread, but I still agree with it.

angrytarg

maxvitor wrote: »

We're on the ship so why are we watching it flying away? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMtJGK08FyE 1:30 into the video is how we should be seeing a warp out sequence.
What is really missing is the transition from warp out to sector space, ideally the loading screen should be replaced with a rushing star field and warp engine acceleration sound.
It's unlikely we'd get that since it would mean changing how map loading sequences are tagged and identified.

You know what the saddest part is? That this borderline insane fanwankery movie (which is an awesome piece of work, nevertheless) has a better grasp on how Starfleet vessels bahve in combat than STO does. Even if the effects and weaponry are not accurate, you do see the difference in how each ship type would be used in combat and how nonsensical "cannon" weaponry is in long range deep-space encounters. And how advanced Star Trek ship tech is (meaning conventional weaponry doesn't even scratch the shields).



===post above is by angrytarg===

EDIT: Closed for necroing an old thread. Remember, if a thread has been inactive for 30 days, you should not post to it. Feel free to create a new thread on the subject if you would like to discuss further ~BranFlakes