Block sound vs. deaf monsters

I know that both of these attributes have the same idea of making sure that monsters halfway across the map can't hear you. Question is, when is it right to use either block sound or deaf monsters? Do you use deaf monsters to just single out individual monsters and block sound to stop large numbers of monsters from hearing you?

It depends on the situation. I usually use deaf monsters but sometimes I use block sound instead.

I'd say to generally use "deaf" monsters when you want to place them in an ambush situation. They'll react to being within sightlines of the player, so this is good for monsters that are hiding around corners or similar.

Use sound blocking lines more when you want to divide the map into discrete "zones", and you don't want them all to be woken up until the player is close enough, or until they have passed certain areas. You can even use sets of single blocking lines so that, for example, the area which is one zone ahead of the player is awakened by their gunshots as they progress (in addition to the player's current zone), but more distant sections stay quiet until the player gets closer. This lets you maintain the ability for monsters to hear you from a distance while still letting them wake up gradually, instead of having the entire map swarm as soon as you fire the first shot, or having only them all wake up predictably within each single room.

Deaf monsters are not actually deaf. The internal name for the flag is ambush: if the monsters hear you, they are awake, but they don't move anyway, they're waiting in ambush for you to appear.

There is a big difference: wake up an ambushing monster with sound, then appear behind it -- the monster will start chasing you. Now don't wake up a normal or ambushing monster and appear behind it as well, since it's turning its back, it's not seeing you.

In other words, once monsters are awoken, they have a 360° field of vision. Even if they're not moving because they're waiting in ambush.

Gez said:

Deaf monsters are not actually deaf. The internal name for the flag is ambush: if the monsters hear you, they are awake, but they don't move anyway, they're waiting in ambush for you to appear.

That's very interesting. I knew that deaf monsters can see the player even when approached from behind but I never considered them to be waiting to ambush the player. That makes much more sense now.

I too have trouble differentiating when it's best to use block sounds or deaf monsters. I always found it much easier to place deaf monsters than to use block sound lines everywhere. I believe Earthquake posted a guideline to how to use Block Sound lines correctly, but I still haven't really mastered it yet. I'm curious to hear what more seasoned mappers say.

heh

It would be hard to find a map where I haven't used block sound to some degree. In map01 of cc3 for instance it's used in the room before the blue key, firing at an imp in view begins the movement of another imp hidden behind the computers. Even in small spaces interesting combat situations can be set up easily with block sound.

I usually plan ahead for it in most cases, and refine its use during monster placement.

Gez - exactly, it depends on the situation. If you don't want monsters to move until they "see" you, make monsters deaf. Otherwise, use normal monsters and block sound lines if needed.

Block sound lines are easy to use, you just have to surround the sound source twice with block sound lines.

A neat trick would be to make a Dehacked-modified Spectre to be totally invisible, and place it in the room with its back at you, and surrounded by two sets of sound-blocking lines. This way, you won't know the spectre is in the room with you until you get to close (and get bitten) or accidentally shoot it.

printz said:

A neat trick would be to make a Dehacked-modified Spectre to be totally invisible, and place it in the room with its back at you, and surrounded by two sets of sound-blocking lines. This way, you won't know the spectre is in the room with you until you get to close (and get bitten) or accidentally shoot it.

I always thought that could be implemented in say, Doom 3 or even Doom 4, which would make the game 100 times more scarier. You know, the Spectre would be completely impossible to see and the only way to see it would be like to either watch its footprints across the floor or watch a soda can get knocked off a desk by accident.