zsounds (sound overhaul)

Main goal

This mod will mainly change most of the important sounds inside X4 foundations, ranging from gun sounds, to explosions, to engine sounds (manually crafted) to ambient sounds.

The sound overhaul project I have been creating is somewhat different then what other people tend to do. This sound mod replaces all the sounds in X4 foundations based on a soundscape I have manually crafted myself.

The main goal here is to create sounds that fit in the digital realm. Analog recordings are used, however they are processed using partials (additive synthesis) to prevent it to clip in the digital realm.

The design was done in such a way so sounds wouldn't clash together when having multiple ships flying near eachother. Certain design choices had to be made to prevent crossing the zero dB level (technical term). The way that this design is done:

Small ships start mostly at 150Hz (and ranging up)

Medium ships start mostly at 100Hz (and ranging up)

Large ships start at mostly 80Hz (and ranging up)

This mod is pausing its development

This project took almost one year and ten months to complete in the state it is currently in. In the latest version (version 1. 13, released 16 may 2021) there are 1301 sounds implemented. After doing all of this in my free time, I have decided to take a break from modding this game. In the mean time I will be lurking on the forum posts on this mod in particular to see what still needs doing. I still had some plans (as listed in the things to do), yet I have a feeling they have little to no impact regarding the scope of this sound mod. So expect no further updates from this mod in the short term (normally I would push releases every week / two weeks).

Current progress

The following items are replaced:

- Station module sound emitters

- Ambient sounds (docking stations, in space, cockpit)

- Animations sounds (there are a lot of them, mainly think in terms like store ship in to hanger bay, conveyor belts, chair movement sound etc.)

- Every console in the game. Mainly also focus on the idea that every faction has their own unique set of console sounds (the bleeps and blops)

- Every small/medium ship has a series of landing sounds, manouvering and roll sounds.

- Every engine class has its own unique engine sound (ranging Combat, Allround and Travel mode for every faction)

- Some ui elements have changed.

Current progress per faction

The end game is to have a sound scape per ship, per faction (based on the engine sounds Allround, Travel and Combat). This is a time consuming progress, but things are going much faster now the examining phase is done (release version 1. 00).

In it's current state the ships will have the following sounds:

- initial place holders (Argon, Terran)

- new soundscape fo