Noise

Every sound has a range, a character and a weather sensitivity.

Sounds are events with a type, range and frequency character. Machines and animals within earshot react – usually by investigating. Near you, a sound also appears as a spike in the signature display.

What dampens sound

• Walls and interiors swallow sound. A noise in a closed room carries much less far than in open terrain.
• Rain and thunderstorms mask high-pitched sounds more than low ones.
• Crouching makes footsteps quiet, running makes them loud. The perk Soft Soles reduces footstep noise by 40%, and the Stealth attribute helps too.

Loud and quiet things

• Tools and weapons have a noise value (see the wiki entries): a knife is almost silent, an axe loud, firearms very loud. Crossbows and bows are quiet, suppressors help.
• Engines, generators and chainsaws can be heard from far away.
• Your body makes noise as well: coughing (16 m), sneezing (20 m), a scream of pain (35 m), chattering teeth in the cold (3 m). Illness can give you away.
• In co-op, machines can also hear the proximity voice chat.

Using noise

Noise lures, can chains or a hacked car horn draw machines away. A can alarm or tripwire warns you without electricity.