Blocksound - How does the flag work correctly?

[Tormentor667]

Hello guys (and girls ;)), I'm working on my TNT3 and I encounter a problem, that a xpert should have encountered in his first working wad (nevertheless, it is about my 20th doom map and now I get stuck *g*).

Well, the problem is, that I have two rooms seperated by an 3rd sector. In this third sector, I have a linedef that is indicated to block sounds (flag: Block Sounds ACTIVE) BUT if I shoot in room number one, monsters in number two do hear the shotgun sound and follow its source :(

Can anybody help?!

[Fredrik]

If there are no other connections, it should indeed work (provided that you're not shooting into the other room).

But the block sound line doesn't always work. It could either be due to a bug in Doom, or a problem with your nodes builder (?).

If nothing works, just set the enemies' "deaf" flag instead.

[Ichor]

I'm not totally sure if this is true or not, but sounds will likely pass through one sound block line, but not two of them. In other words, try adding another sound block line real close to the other one (like around 8 units or so), and see what happens.

There is an easier way however. You're using ZDoom, right? In that case, just make those monsters dormant, and have them activate when you walk into or close to that room.

[Use]

Ichor said:

I'm not totally sure if this is true or not, but sounds will likely pass through one sound block line, but not two of them. In other words, try adding another sound block line real close to the other one (like around 8 units or so), and see what happens.

That's true. You need two block sound flags to make this work, and be sure no ther sectors are connected that aren't flagged for sound blocking. Any sector with a height of zero will block sound too.

[Tormentor667]

The dormant thing isn't that good because it's a whole more work. First, I will try now another nodebuilder then I will see ;)

Thx though!

[Tormentor667]

Quite funny, new nodebuilder didn't help but setting a lot of blocksoundlinedefs worked fine :D Thx guys ;)

[Ichor]

I might be more work, but it isn't that much more. However, you'll have more control over the gameplay. You can control what enemies are activated at what times, with no surprises (well, for you anyway). I hardly ever use sound blocking lines myself.

[Searcher]

Sound block does in fact require two lines, say each side of a doorway and/or window.

[Fredrik]

Odd, I've experienced that a single line works many times...

[Job]

Yeah, I generally use a split off linedef. That usually does the trick.

[Searcher]

From Handbook 21
"In addition, this linedef type completely blocks sounds only when used in pairs;....."


From DESIGN12.FAQ --
[2-2] I set "Blocks Sound" on the lines surrounding a room, but monsters
still seem to hear me. What's wrong?

A. A sound you make (punching, firing or launching, not grunting,
wheezing or talking in Multiplayer) will activate every non-deaf monster
that hears it. Sound first fills your own sector, then travels across
every *2S flagged* line into adjacent sectors whose floor and ceiling
leave a gap (i.e., not closed doors or sealed-off lifts). It then fills
those sectors and proceeds the same way. Sound will cross *one* line
with the "Blocks sound" flag lit, but will stop at the *second* such
line it encounters.

So - place a thin "buffer sector" next to your room, with both lines
flagged "Blocks Sound," and monsters on the other side of the buffer
sector won't hear you.

===
I am sure there are more sources that say the same thing

[Cyb]

I'm pretty sure block sound lines were originally intended to block sound from the player, not monsters (since they have the deaf flag), but it works well enough both ways.

Yeah, but you do need two of them for it to work, but that's already been said, but now I'm saying it too. Whee!

[Erik]

Cyb said:

I'm pretty sure block sound lines were originally intended to block sound from the player, not monsters (since they have the deaf flag), but it works well enough both ways.

Yeah, but you do need two of them for it to work, but that's already been said, but now I'm saying it too. Whee!

afaik, it doesn't work at all for players. And the deaf flag and the block sound line can be used in quite different ways. The deaf flag is mainly used for ambushing monsters, while the block sound line can be used to make all the monsters in a room wake up when you fire a weapon in the room next to it etc.