PSA: Macro Sound Effects Harm People with Sensory Issues

[Ametrine]

It feels like all the goofy, minor stuff a few devs as napkin ideas got created and messed with over like, EUREKA. I don't get it either. It makes this patch feel very small.

I have some sensory issues, too. I literally cannot play Dark Knight as the metallic sounds the basic combos make make me cringe so bad that I couldn't stay at it beyond one quick dungeon.

[Vstarstruck]

https://i.gyazo.com/thumb/1200/3f846...2ff9a6-png.jpg

Was sent this, still an issue apparently, the person with the trick attack macro was rude to a person in question.

[KokoChibata]

You can turn sound effects off not to be rude or anything of course but if you have these issues there are ways around it if someone is using an annoying macro that has sound turn off the sound effects or blacklist the person (yeah u cant blacklist in duty I know). Likewise you can mute your speakers or what not. Yeah I find an over abundance of them annoying but the sounds are also agood way to get ppls attention for mechanics mostly in df where you cant really communicate with anyone aside from text.

[Vstarstruck]

You can turn sound effects off not to be rude or anything of course but if you have these issues there are ways around it if someone is using an annoying macro that has sound turn off the sound effects or blacklist the person (yeah u cant blacklist in duty I know). Likewise you can mute your speakers or what not. Yeah I find an over abundance of them annoying but the sounds are also agood way to get ppls attention for mechanics mostly in df where you cant really communicate with anyone aside from text.

That should be another way to quickly and easily to address it? Changing it so you can BL while in the duty I mean

[Culfinrandir]

I only use one sound effect in one macro (raising with a single ping) but, until they offer the option to mute such macro sounds I will remove it from them. There's no reason WHATSOEVER I should do something in game that I know may negatively affect someone. I wouldn't do it in the real world, so why in game?

I do get affected by multiple macro sounds myself because they irritate me, which can lead to exacerbation of non-related health issues. So even though I don't have the same problem as the original poster it would be beneficial to me too if they implemented a "macro sounds" slider. They did it for Performance sounds quickly enough (thank the Twelve) so it's obviously not a game-breaking thing to do.

[Vstarstruck]

We understand that muting all system sounds may not be the ideal solution for those who are specifically disrupted by sound effect macros, but wish to hear other system sounds. Please rest assured that we'll be sharing this feedback and your comments with the appropriate dev. teams.

In the meantime, we hope that these macros may be of assistance to any players who wish to avoid sounds that are disruptive to their experience while adventuring in Hydaelyn.

May I ask why there was time and resources spent on making an unneeded change to MSQ dungeons while we hear no word on this?

[Iscah]

I’m pretty sure they *didn’t* spend time on the MSQ changes, and that’s why we got the all-affecting change to how the cutscene plays (which I assume is the digital equivalent of flipping a switch) instead of whatever additional programming work would be needed to support and integrate a currently-not-existing “decision-making” process to make it skippable or not according to certain circumstances.

[Lycia]

So I just want to get this straight...Say you enter a fight like Os7...and you have a party of 8 folks with you. The battle starts, and all the DPS are going crazy. The mage is casting fire and ice spells, the ninja is using skills, the Drk is spinning with the giant sword, Guardian is blasting its Giant beam. Noise, and combat everywhere! Then you hear a macro noise to notify that a healer is rezzing joe who ate an Aura Bolt...and that triggers you guys? Its the instant message sound that does it...but not the chaos of the fight? Asking seriously here because this intrigue's me

[Dualblade]

So I just want to get this straight...Say you enter a fight like Os7...and you have a party of 8 folks with you. The battle starts, and all the DPS are going crazy. The mage is casting fire and ice spells, the ninja is using skills, the Drk is spinning with the giant sword, Guardian is blasting its Giant beam. Noise, and combat everywhere! Then you hear a macro noise to notify that a healer is rezzing joe who ate an Aura Bolt...and that triggers you guys? Its the instant message sound that does it...but not the chaos of the fight? Asking seriously here because this intrigue's me

I don't know much about triggers or anything, but when it comes down to it a lot of tiny things can end up being such for people. Personally I've heard of atleast a few stories of people (specifically war vets) getting twitchy due to a squeky wheel on a grocery cart. Human biology can be wierd.

[Ametrine]

Snip

Specific sounds are what do it.

Mind, macro noises are especially high pitched and sudden by their nature of grabbing everyone's attention. For me, it's like listening to music when, without warning, someone scapes a chalkboard two inches from my ear. But like, the gross sensation of the sound takes a very long time to go away.

The worst cases of audio sensitivity feel more like radio static suddenly interrupted by a nearby gunshot.