Can sound be used strategically in Tibia to anticipate things?

Question

Before sound was implemented in Tibia, we could only know what was out of sight if a creature or a person said something out loud, so we could see it in written words.

Now there's sound, can we anticipate things (players, creatures, NPCs, fights) out of sight just by sound?

Comments

Maybe not to anticipate, but in case of Knights and Paladins, you can use sound in Tibia to hear the basic attack of the weapon during your rotation spells.

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For example, recently I was going from Thais to Venore and heard some wolves howling before seeing them. Is it caused by the place or really by the creatures?

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Some cities/locations has environmental sound that includes the normal mobs you can find there. For example, in Port Hope (Tiquanda) I always heard birds and apes even if they are not that close. But I think that your point maybe apply to the mobs like Midnight Panther, if it is right by your side but invisible, maybe you'll hear it before you see it.

Answer 1

Yes, you can!

Tibia's sound is surprisingly rich! It seems you're able to hear up to two tiles beyond your viewport.

Let's start with a simple experiment: place a fire field and observe how the sound changes with distance: it is very loud when standing next to the fire and it fades with the distance. When it's 1 SQM out of your screen, you can still hear it faintly. When it's 2 SQM to the right, it's still audible. You can check for a similar effect with a fountain etc. In short: if you can see a light effect, then you can hear it.

Now let's make an experiment with a mob. Set up a fire wall to trap it, like with sheep on the screenshot:

Now, move an SQM to the left (the sheep is off-screen): you can still hear it fairly loudly. Now, take a step to the left (the main fire is off-screen, you see tops of the flames): ramp up the Ambience Volume and you'll hear the sheep's "meeah"! That's the limit, another step is too far.

Now, let's check some counter-hypotheses:
a) "It is purely location based". False: kill the sheep and the bloating is gone.
b) "The location counts present sheep". False: chase the sheep away to the McRoland's house. Now, you cannot hear a sheep in the barn, but you can hear it from the house.

All in all, it seems the sound distance of a mob is the same as of a fire: 2 SQM west/north and 1 SQM east/south. Thus, it is the same as propagation of light effects. Moreover, you can hear sound from adjacent floors: for instance, you can hear the sound of monks of the man in the cave, while standing below.

BTW I've once attempted to play Dawnport blindfolded. I was really surprised to hear the fading of water streams as I walk and the howling wind of the outpost! 

Also, what is really creepy, you can hear another player moving stuff in their depot! This allows you to tell if someone is AFK or only pretends to be :D.

Edit: add a note about vertical distance.

Answer 2

I think it's possible to hear other players go down a level with their summons and hear the paladin summon make a bird sound

Comments

Please provide details and examples of why you think it is possible and if possible go more in depth of the answer