Why those clack-clack sound???

[Elmiwisa]

I saw a so many different thread by people asking how to do it, but never explain why, which prompt me to make this thread. Why do people want their clack-clack sound anyway?
I am referring to the typewriter sound made when the text are being displayed gradually by character, though this topics apply to pretty any sounds, whether it is beep-beep or tic-tic or tac-tac or chink-chink or pok-pok or ding-ding. I have always find it just annoying, and add nothing to the story or the atmosphere, or even realistic: unless your characters are in fact robots or Stephen Hawking, it's highly unlikely that they will make those sound while they talk.
So why do people want it? Anyone who have contemplate adding that feature, or have opinion on it as a player: please give your opinion.

[xavimat]

I agree with you that this makes sense only if the character speaking needs that sound.
I've done this for "unknown" (http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewto ... 16&t=22717 , there is a little demo too) because the MC is a computer.

[papillon]

If you're clever with it, it's possible to use those annoying sounds to give tiny hints of the kind of information you would normally get from voice acting, without needing voice acting. 999, for example, has different pitch for each character's ticking, so they each have a slightly unique sound and the brain automatically separates the young girl from the older man. Variation in volume or timing can also be used to give hints of emotional flavor to the delivery that's normally lacking.

In a game that doesn't have a lot of text, ticking the text flags it as something worthy of attention. Almost everything in a more traditionally-gamey game is meant to have multiple sensory feedback, it makes things juicy, it helps the brain process the virtual events. For a full visual novel, though, unless handled VERY well it will just be annoying.

[OokamiKasumi]

...Why do people want their clack-clack sound anyway? I am referring to the typewriter sound made when the text are being displayed gradually by character, though this topics apply to pretty any sounds, whether it is beep-beep or tic-tic or tac-tac or chink-chink or pok-pok or ding-ding...

Those rather specific sound effects are expressions of how the creator perceives their visual novel.

• Those who see their visual novel as being a type of movie tend to use instrumental background music and lots of ambient sound effects; such as nature or traffic sounds.
• Those who see their VNs as a game tend to want video game sounds and video game displays; "Game Over!"
• Those who see their VNs as being a type of anime or cartoon tend to use highly expressive, cartoon-ish characters with cartoon-ish sound effects.
• Those who see their VN as being a type of Story Book tend to want the text displayed one letter at a time to simulate the act of Reading with typewriter sound effects.

So! Rather than ask why people like certain sounds in their VNs, try asking:
-- "How do you see your visual novel?"

As a Movie?
As a Book?
As an Anime?
As a Video Game?
As a combination of one or more of these things?
As something else entirely?

And what do you do to express this idea of how you see it?

[Destiny]

I guess, also because many commercial games, especially in the handheld area, still use such sounds.
Be it the sound of a typewriter, the artificial beep-sound as in Pokémon or the named thing from 999.
It is a thing of taste, of what you are used to, also a thing of nostalgia.

This choice of a game maker might annoy some players, but I usually get used to it very fast.
Be it the extreme strong typewriter sound from Ace Attorney, be it the distinctive differences in the noise from 999, etc, etc
I usually get used to it after a while, no matter how annoying I found the sound initially. And since it feels more comfortable as silence and is easier and cheaper then voice actors, I can fully understand why people choose it, to be honest.

[SundownKid]

I enjoy the text sounds from Ace Attorney in lieu of voice acting. It gives you a feel for the character's voice style. It might not be to everyone's liking, but I would rather have it than leave it out. Having the text simply pop up instantly would ruin the feel of the whole thing, it doesn't feel as though the characters are really talking.

[Destiny]

I mean, if you don't like the clicking sounds, then maybe do it like in Banjo-Kazooie.
The characters there make a lot of funny noises, but they are very easy to distinguish and you later realise directly, who is who by just hearing their "voice".
Or do it like in Zelda: Wind Waker where the main characters made a few noises during talking like "Hm..." and "Oh!".
Or in Zelda: Twilight Princess, where the very few REAL main characters actually have some kind of talking voice, even though you can't understand a thing by just listening.

[peahat]

I really like the clack clack noises, but I can see how it would annoy someone if the creator makes a poor choice of sound effects. I think it's really important to carefully choose sound effects that sound pleasant and aren't too loud, jarring, or annoying. I like the Ace Attorney noises, but I would not want a noise that goes dingdingdingding.