Strange Popping Noise

[Tsarra]

Ever since the iOS 4.3 update, I've been noticing a strange kind of crackling sound whenever I do anything in PL, really. I checked with headphones - no difference. I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this. Thanks!

[Major]

I have not noticed this problem at all....probably a device problem :(

[noobmigo]

I have this when listening to heavy metal.
It's just the earphone/ device.

[Zerious]

I have this when listening to heavy metal.
It's just the earphone/ device.

lol take it easy on the BFMV :D jk lol ROCK OUT UNTIL YOUR EARS BLEED!! XD

[Tsarra]

I'd be inclined to believe you all if it did it on any other application or function of my phone. ;)

The sound is reminiscent of a blown speaker, but I only experience the noise in PL (and I play plenty of heavy metal on my phone, too). I play a lot of other high-end games on my phone and I haven't heard this noise in any of them. The noise persists whether I have headphones in or not...and it just started two days ago, when I updated to iOS 4.3. All of these factors together make me think that it's a client issue. :( I guess the real deal scientific approach would be to see if my girlfriend hears the popping noise too...she just upgraded her phone last night.

Edit: Confirmed; she is having the same issue. We have identical phone configurations.

[]|_,([])]|_,]

Yes I have experienced this to but u know you can downgrade ur iPod to ios 4.2/4.1

[Tsarra]

I work in tech support, and that answer is simply unacceptable. That would be like this:

Caller: "I can't look at your website on my PC. I've tried in both Internet Explorer and Firefox"
Me: "Well, you'll just have to go buy a Mac then."

Better for STS to know it's an issue...and since iOS 4.3 just came out a few days ago, they might not yet. Plus, I know that most of you guys play with the sound off, anyway.

[Frenzyn]

try playing the volume lower.

[Tsarra]

It still crackles no matter what volume level I play it at. Headphones or not, only in PL. Have you guys upgraded to iOS 4.3? I'm fairly certain that's the issue. On at least two iPhones that I know of.

[Lesrider]

Good to know... I won't update to 4.3 yet.

[Environment]

Its actually yogi bear, hes eating some picnic snacks in your device.

[Tsarra]

*crinkle crinkle*

In all seriousness, don't update your device to 4.3 until the devs address this. That is, unless you like picnic snacks.

[Lizardfeather]

Have you tried turning off the sound/music in-game? (options>uncheck sound/music box) That would isolate the problem to effects or game music at LEAST. You might also wan to toggle the battery saver, just incase. :) I haven't uorgraded yet, so these are just suggestions, good luck! :)

[Haunofblackwood]

I have that sound on my droid2. Hope they fix it.

[astrocortex]

I've got the same issue and it's pretty bad. I assumed it was just an iOS 4.3 update thing, so last night I did a full factory reset and PL still clicks. I know for a fact it started immediately after the iOS 4.3 update, because PL was the first thing I opened immediately after it updated. It seems to be happening to the music and effects while there are other players on the screen. What I mean is a cut screen from one place to another, or the main "Enter World" screen doesn't seem to be crackling and popping. As soon as I get into an area or a dungeon (I've mostly been playing in the Alien Oasis 2 dungeons) the music clicks and pops.

I'll do a quick test: Right now, for example, I am sitting on the Tap To Continue City of Oasis screen, and the music is fine but every time the backwards cymbal sound goes off as someone joins, the effect clicks and pops and the music does not. Not every time though, because I have now joined Oasis, and about 1/3 people appearing causes the clicks, the music is fine and so are the bird noises. In a dungeon, the music is always clicking. I have now moved to Balefort, and on the Tao to Continue screen it happens every time someone joins, or someone posts in the chat. Once I enter it becomes intermittent again. It occurs in headphones and on the iPad speaker. I know others have asked if it is sound fx or music, and that answer seems to depend on where I am located. Currently I am in Lost Expedition 2's Tap to Continue screen and it is happening constantly, and once I enter the dungeon everything clicks and pops, regardless of what it is. I just went into the Game Options screen and as it happens, it is still clicking just as much as when I was looking at the dungeon screen - which means it's happening with the main PL music also. To me, it appears to be exclusive to when I am with other people, and further exacerbated by being in a dungeon. Also, turning off the music does not stop it. I am still in lost expedition with a group of 4 and the sound is going haywire, even with music disabled. Now, as they just completed the level and left - it stopped completely. Aha! A person just joined the finished dungeon and it's doing it again. So my conclusion is this only happens when interacting with other players.

No other apps are doing anything like this, and I use mostly audio apps such as Korg MS-20, iElectribe, Funk Box etc. Aside from a full restore, I've double pressed the button and turned off all the background applications and powered the iPad down multiple times, all to no avail. I've also selected and deselected all the audio options for the game.

Hopefully someone will pin point what is going on.

[NeoCrimson]

happened to me too. crickles after 4.3 update

[Arterra]

Good thing I'm not updating for a while... If this is a client issue, expect it to not be fixed for a while unless the devs sneak in a quick patch to iTunes. Maybe they can add in one or two more things while they are at it...

[asommers]

I've got iOS 4.3 on my iPhone 4 and iPad and it works fine for me. What are the exact steps to reproduce your problem?

-ALS

[Ayrilana]

It has something to do with the speakers or along the way to them. I have the same issue but it was nonexistent with headphones. In fact, the game sounded so much better with headphones.

[JemNI]

I have the sound issue too although I usually play silently so as not to bother other people. AND I don't have 4.3. I only have an iPhone 1 so I'm still stuck back on 3.whatever. It happens even on the lowest volume notch above 'off'.

[Lizardfeather]

What exactly does it sound like? Like a CD skipping over scratches, or like crinkling paper? I might be able to help if I get a sound description :)

[Ayrilana]

What exactly does it sound like? Like a CD skipping over scratches, or like crinkling paper? I might be able to help if I get a sound description :)

Static. Kind of like when you have bad speakers

[Lizardfeather]

Ok, so here is what we know:

~It occured after the iOs 4.3 Update
~It sounds like a bad speaker
~It affects both the Music and Effect sound
~It has nothing to do with the phone itself

Quote #1:
It seems to be happening to the music and effects while there are other players on the screen. What I mean is a cut screen from one place to another, or the main "Enter World" screen doesn't seem to be crackling and popping. As soon as I get into an area or a dungeon (I've mostly been playing in the Alien Oasis 2 dungeons) the music clicks and pops.*

Quote#2:
Tap To Continue City of Oasis screen, and the music is fine but every time the backwards cymbal sound goes off as someone joins, the effect clicks and pops and the music does not. Not every time though[...]*Lost Expedition 2's Tap to Continue screen and it is happening constantly, and once I enter the dungeon everything clicks and pops, regardless of what it is.[including PL music]

My Speculation:

Theory #1: *I think interaction between the speakers and app may be part of the problem.*According to Quote #1, before the load screen, everything seems fine. As soon as people begin appearing, you begin to get the strange sound. Now here is what I think is happening: Apple may have altered the way the speakers interact with the app, so all the effects are happening, and your iPod is struggling to keep up with them all. Something in Apple's update may be conflicting with the constant need for sounds to appear, and your speakers are becoming overloaded and resort to fuzz. I KNOW this did not happen before, however I think something has changed with the interaction.

Theory #2: SETTING ASIDE the update by Apple, PL has also had some recent updates. According to Quote #2, all music and effects are affected. I think this may be caused by a 'lag' within the songs. The music must play constantly with the effects coming in, when say, a new person enters. As in Quote #1, the title screen operates fine until the effects occur. With recent updates, maybe something within PL is not able to send these sounds all at once?

The Solution: No idea. Feel free to point out flaws in my hypothesis. I'm probably wrong, but it's an idea. ;)

[Tsarra]

Theory #2: SETTING ASIDE the update by Apple, PL has also had some recent updates. According to Quote #2, all music and effects are affected. I think this may be caused by a 'lag' within the songs. The music must play constantly with the effects coming in, when say, a new person enters. As in Quote #1, the title screen operates fine until the effects occur. With recent updates, maybe something within PL is not able to send these sounds all at once?

The Solution: No idea. Feel free to point out flaws in my hypothesis. I'm probably wrong, but it's an idea. ;)

Now that you mention it, I had some old poly-voice software on a P2 back in the day, and my sound card could only handle 8 or so "voices," or instruments, at a time. Any more than that produced this exact same crackling sound. It's as though my phone is having difficulties playing all of the sounds at once...which I know is probably not the case, since I have an A4 in this thing, and PL doesn't use that much power. :p

Not sure...glad to hear it isn't just me.

[Lizardfeather]

Sounds like we might be getting somewhere! If your Ps2 made the same noise when overloaded with sound, well that's an interesting connection...

[Tsarra]

Sounds like we might be getting somewhere! If your Ps2 made the same noise when overloaded with sound, well that's an interesting connection...

>Bump<

Any more takers on this issue? It wasn't a PS2, btw...it was a Pentium 2 that I built myself.

I hate to whine, but this has kind of been keeping me away from PL. I though a couple of patches would fix it...but no such luck. I've even deleted PL completely off of my device and readded it. No dice. Anyone else run into this issue?

[Ayrilana]

http://discussions.info.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2780015&tstart=0&messageID=13214749

"Looks like Apple changed some low level OpenAL audio behavior in the iOS 4.3 update which was released today."

Maybe the devs can check into it and see if that's the problem.

[Tsarra]

*hugs*

That's it! Thanks a bunch. There's no fix, so hopefully the devs can look into it now and I can come back, sans popping. :)

Edit: I just read the downgrade steps for iOS 4.3 to 4.2.1 (the last time this worked properly). Devs...PLEASE FIX! I can't do that to my phone. :( :( :(

[Nightarcher]

I just updated my iPhone 4 to iOS 4.3 as well and I have noticed it too.

At first I thought it was my phone, but I was confused it only happened while playing PL. It's not 24/7 too, it seems to happen on and off. But only playing Pocket Legends. :)

[Ayrilana]

I sent a message to a dev. Hopefully they'll respond to this thread once they've read it.

[shmoo]

I experience this crackling sound issue as well, but on my iTouch (4th gen).

So now I just play with no sounds.

[astrocortex]

I'm still experiencing this, although I haven't downloaded today's patch yet.

[Ellyidol]

Same here, but only on earphones. Normal sound from the device seems to be alright, so it's probably the head/earphones?

[braluk]

Is this audio issue reproduced if you record your screen through the phone with a program? Or is it only the external output and not the digital audio thats messed up.

[SUPAPRODIGY]

probably your music haha jk check ur device if not contact support

[astrocortex]

I get it when playing with headphones or without. I don't have a way to listen to the digital audio on my iPad, no dock.

[Suntv]

I just updated from 4.2 to 4.3.3... Now the sound on my iPad is cracking too. So even after months this issue remains.

Ps. It's only PL causing the cracking. Other apps give no problems.

[Silentarrow]

Mine is also crackling, I thought it was only my device though.