Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Custom Sounds => Topic started by: 8thJinx on September 23, 2016, 07:33:48 PM
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Using the HTCEvents.fspro as the skeleton for an event sound pack file is intuitive. So is the screen arrangement.
I have a question. How do I import a sound file and get it into the track for that event.
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AHHHHHH!
I just discovered the assets window. I just got a chill down my spine. I may be wrong, but as long as you have the actual .wav files for the sound or event, this FMOD business is going to be pretty straightforward.
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Yes, and no. It is completely straightforward for putting simple sounds in, like the warnings, alerts, and so on.
Have a look at engines. I think it's the best part, but it does have a balance to it and you need to have all your ducks in order. Especially, when it comes to external sounds. Of course, you could just throw in the old AH2 sounds, but it won't be anywhere near would could be accomplished.
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Thanks for responding. And yes, you do need your ducks in order. I just tried to build a bank to test a sound, but I used the entire HTCEvents.fspro skeleton. I only wanted to test my custom 20 mm burst. I went to build, and got an error about all of the unassigned assets in the file!
I suppose I could rename a new HTCEvents file, delete all the events except for the 20 mm burst, and it would work, right?
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Yes, but it is easier to just start over, use the copy and paste function to move over a single event, and then assign an asset. Then you have to assign it to a bank before you build (CustomEvents in that case).
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In this thread (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,377219.msg5023772.html#msg5023772) Hitech discusses how to do what I just suggested.
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I think I get it now. You're better off importing all your known wav files into Assets, then creating the event folders in the manner of the HTCEvents file skeleton.
I haven't got to engines yet. I'm just trying to test how this works.
If I build just a single event (20 mm burst), will the BANK file wipe out the resident sounds that were in the game file, or just supersede the 20 mm burst sound and leave the rest alone?
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Any sounds you add will do nothing until assigned to banks, so you are better off not importing files until you know you have an assignment for them. If you have the preferences set to the Aces High custom sounds folder (C:\Hitech Creations\Aces High\Custom Sounds\) then once you build the sounds they will replace and sounds in the default pack, but will not affect sounds you have not assigned.
I was working on changing the cadence on this myself, but I may backup and retry with a standard rate of fire, and add polyphony to get a varying cadence. I think you can do that without fear of breaking things.
(http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq197/Chalenge08/burst_zpsgk90jttq.jpg)
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By the way, that image I just posted includes 30cal sounds that are probably not needed by the M4. I was testing to see which folder would be used. What it does show is the proper folder structure, which is something the default pack doesn't inform you about since they only sent what they are currently using (which for the most part is defaults by sharing the same gun sounds for every airplane or vehicle).
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I just did everything, and the BANK file showed up where it was supposed, but no dice. The custom 20 mm sound didn't play, just the one that's baked into the game.
I used the event architecture from the HTCEvents.fspro file, and kept the naming convention for the event. Only thing I didn't do was maintain the Asset name from the original HTCEvents.fspro file. But does that really matter? I'll find out in a minute.
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If I get some time next week, I'll try to get some more info out to you guys regarding the fmod sound structure and what we were, and are trying to accomplish. There are still parts that need polishing.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
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No, the name of the sound doesn't matter.
Once you have dragged the asset into the ReferencedEvents\guns\20mmburst Timeline you will have to right click the 20mmburst icon and then assign it to the CustomEvents bank. Then you can build and it should play.
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If I get some time next week, I'll try to get some more info out to you guys regarding the fmod sound structure and what we were, and are trying to accomplish. There are still parts that need polishing.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Thanks, Waffle.
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I can confirm that adding a randomization to the burst samples only makes sense with a sample that is at a standard interval.
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I want to make a logic track for the 30mm, but it looks like there is no reference for it? As a single sample file it doesn't work very well.
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I want to make a logic track for the 30mm, but it looks like there is no reference for it? As a single sample file it doesn't work very well.
Never mind, I got this sorted out. I still need to read up on how the logic tracks are working.
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Anyone have the wav file for a panther engine?
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Here's where I'm at. Discrete sound events (20 mm burst, etc) are easy to get made with FMOD. As far as engine sounds, with gear shifting and what not, I have no idea how to change a sound, and the HTCEvents file does not show a way or have a template of how to do one. So I'm stuck. I can make the gun sounds I want, but I have no clue as to how to replicate the engine sounds I had in AHII with FMOD.
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Wait, now I see the examples up in the Default folder. Crisis averted.
So here's where I'm really at. In order to get the sounds that I had for each vehicle in AH2, I'm going to need to run my Corel Video Studio Pro, record the individual sound from the AH2 game (offline area), convert it to a wav file, and import it into the asset file in FMOD. Once I get the asset sounds made, I'll use the template structure found in the HTCEvents file and start creating the folders for each vehicle or plane. That's a lot of work, but at least it's doable now that I'm on the right track.
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One other bright spot, I think I can dampen down the volume of aircraft engines (external) using FMOD.
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You're using someone else's sounds? Not cool.
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I don't have access to a Panther G or a 20 mm Hispano, so, yes I am rolling the AH2 sounds into AH3.
In all seriousness, how else are you supposed to get the sounds you want into AH3.
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If you can, hunt down the original creator of the AH2 sound pac you have borrowed from and contact them. If they are long and gone, list all the sounds you have created in FMOD and formally give credit to the original sound pac creators for the sounds you borrowed in the release notes.
Until I created my own NAVY MK8 gunsights from original color photos, I always gave credit to the player who's MK8 I borrowed for my original AH2 Historic Gunsight Pac in the release notes.
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Ok, will do. I think they were a mix of the sounds baked into AH2, Ranger's, and one other that I can think of. But I'm pretty sure I can nail down the sources and credit them.
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I'm dead in the water. The sounds work in FMOD, but even though the bank files show up where they are supposed to, the new sounds are not played in the game.
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Did you assign the sound to the proper bank? Like so:
(http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq197/Chalenge08/Assign_zpsrnqx8vpv.jpg)
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Try this!
If you click on the sound file that you are using for an effect, then the control for that sample will appear at the bottom of the window. Then you can right-click the knob and add some variation to the volume and pitch of the sound.
So, as with the M4 the shell casing bouncing out of the ejector will sound slightly different each shot. It is a little bugged, or I have not learned how to prevent a little bit of the front part of the sound playing momentarily sometimes (you'll see what I mean), and this should be limited to only certain sounds. It wouldn't make sense for looping engines for instance.
(http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq197/Chalenge08/TriggerEnhancer_zpsfdlue2of.jpg)
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Did you assign the sound to the proper bank? Like so:
Although I do assign each one to a bank, my only bank file name options are CustomDefault, Master Bank, and New Bank. I select CustomDefault.
One question: if I want the 20 mm sound to show up when I pull the trigger in a N1K2, C-Hog or a Spit, for example, do I need to set up folders for the plane, or do I merely change the sound file under the ReferencedEvents/Guns/20mmburst event? Reason I ask is I see you have M4A375/Weapons/tankgun/external and internal. How did you figure out that architecture? I didn't see that in the HTCEvents.fspro file anywhere.
Just to give a clear picture of what I'm working with, here's a screen shot:
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/fmod%20example1_zpstcmxteeu.jpg)
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Try this!
If you click on the sound file that you are using for an effect, then the control for that sample will appear at the bottom of the window. Then you can right-click the knob and add some variation to the volume and pitch of the sound.
So, as with the M4 the shell casing bouncing out of the ejector will sound slightly different each shot. It is a little bugged, or I have not learned how to prevent a little bit of the front part of the sound playing momentarily sometimes (you'll see what I mean), and this should be limited to only certain sounds. It wouldn't make sense for looping engines for instance.
This is a very cool feature, and the first time I tried it I didn't know what was going on until I saw the tutorial video from Fmod. This software has so many ways of playing with the sound and effects it's almost scary. This reminds me very much of Corel Video Studio Pro, but with sound instead of video tracks.
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Chalenge, can you point me to a reference that explains the whole "To Tail", "Start", "To Start" information in the top ribbon? Corel Video Studio Pro has something analogous, so I know that it's describing the event sequences, but if I copy over the folder from HTCEvents, it's got all of these references in the ribbon, and the blue "Sound" track in the Audio 1 track, which is empty (no sound). So I totally get that I'm supposed to bring in a wav asset to the track, but where do I put it? I've been adding a second track and, by trial and error, dropping the wav asset in the spot where it will play. Like so:
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/fmod%20example2_zps6llxyqiu.jpg)
Put the wav asset anywhere else, and it either won't play back, or only part of it plays.
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I have been looking for that myself (explanations of the ribbons).
To get the information that I have I spoken with Hitech on the phone for about half-an-hour. I had more questions, but they are very busy and I didn't want to waste their time.
I think you need to start over from scratch and go through Hitech's notes step-by-step.
As to the Tags that you have in that last Window? Double-click the tag. I just pasted a sample to the entire Window, but I am going to try making each tag a reference to the original sample, and then use the volume and pitch modifiers to add a changing cadence. I did that with the 30mm and added a sample of the shell casing rattling down the ejection chute for the Me163. It's not perfect, because I was not able to modify the position of the original start tag. I think once I figure that out, then every thing else will be easier (and more functional).
Today I am working on vehicle engines, and tracks, and trying to figure out the surface dependency.
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Chalenge, I shelled for an FMOD training course. I'll be taking it over the next few days.
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Uh, you paid $1400 for their course? That doesn't seem practical.
(EDIT) Well, I see you can take the 101 course for less. I would have exhausted the Help Manual before I paid even the $500.
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Uh, you paid $1400 for their course? That doesn't seem practical.
(EDIT) Well, I see you can take the 101 course for less. I would have exhausted the Help Manual before I paid even the $500.
Yes, I'm taking the 101 course, not the Sound Library course. The 101 course has a ton of info.
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Chalenge, the white, blue, and green markers in the upper ribbon (known as the Logic Track) are called:
White - simple markers, just for reference (i.e. notes).
Blue - loop regions where the sound is looped for as long as a parameter is met.
Green - transition points, which flag the execution of the sound event between the ends of the green marker, based on the value of the parameter involved. The parameter is shown in the lower parameter field if you click on the green marker.
So in the last image I posted, with the green "To Tail", "To Start", and "Start" markers, the event's logic - as written - says the sound plays whenever the "To Tail" parameter condition is met, whenever the "Start" parameter condition is met, etc, etc. Pretty neat way of doing it. I was looking at the whole sound track bar as a linear player, with moving cursor being equal to a play head. That is not at all how you are supposed to look at it. It's a program, defining what's to be done with the sound file based on the value state of the parameters.
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Yeah, that much I had figured out, but I don't yet know how to set the logic, or move the simple markers (maybe all you can do is create them, or delete them). Also, does each field have a sample, or is it all one continuous sample? It's still a valid question even knowing that once the program state of "no longer playing" is met (running ends, or is below the .50 mark) that it plays the tail sample. When you double-click those areas it opens up. Why? Can you insert a new sample to each one?
Anyway, I'm just putting into place the various rpm states for the engine and exhaust. I have a few things going around in my head concerning tracks getting shot off while moving, surface types, suspension samples, and it just goes on from there.
Hopefully, Waffle will find some time this week to share more.
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Yeah, that much I had figured out, but I don't yet know how to set the logic, or move the simple markers (maybe all you can do is create them, or delete them). Also, does each field have a sample, or is it all one continuous sample? It's still a valid question even knowing that once the program state of "no longer playing" is met (running ends, or is below the .50 mark) that it plays the tail sample. When you double-click those areas it opens up. Why? Can you insert a new sample to each one?
Anyway, I'm just putting into place the various rpm states for the engine and exhaust. I have a few things going around in my head concerning tracks getting shot off while moving, surface types, suspension samples, and it just goes on from there.
Hopefully, Waffle will find some time this week to share more.
Does each field have a sample, or is it all one continuous sample?
You mean the darker blue field beneath the logic track boundaries that got copied over from HTCEvents? To see what it does, just highlight that box in the track, then down below you'll see an empty field that says something like "Drop sound asset here." Then just drag a wav asset from Assets into that spot, and the track field above will populate with the sound. That's the easiest way I found to do it. But the length of the event doesn't always match up. It seems like a track row that lacks a valid wav file asset will default to some length of about 3.5 seconds. Example: I set up the 20 mm burst, dragged my wav file in, assigned the right bank, built it, but when I started the game, the 20mm sound kept going boom-boom-boom long after I let off the trigger. So I shortened that wav asset field in the track to a much shorter length, and now it works great. But again, I don't know yet that this is the correct way. I just know that I got it to work.
Did you see that you could modulate the sound level by distance over multiple events, just by highlighting a bunch of events? I was able to turn down the volume of the planes flying overhead by doing this.
Also, to set the logic, you right click in the Logic Track field. The 2-hour FMOD Studio 101 training video series was only $25 on Macprovideo.com (well, at least only $25/month), and it explained in detail how to set the logic and parameter values. But you need to actually know the names of the parameters that the game uses, and the range of the values (0 to 1, 0 to 10,000, etc) in order for the sound to work. To me, it looks like all of the available parameters and values are baked into the HTCEvents file. We just need to populate that out for each vehicle or effect.
And I did finally get the 20 mm burst effect to work. I didn't have the correct Bank names set up.
Haven't started on engines yet, though. You're way ahead of me. But at least now I know how the process works, so I'll try to catch up some.
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Also, I thought I posted this, but I recall you saying you wanted to add the sound effect of the shell casing rattling through the chute, right? After each round was fired? What I would do is append the wav file file of the round firing with the shell sound at the end, outside of FMOD. I suppose you could just drop the shell casing wav file right after the round burst wav file in the track line, but I haven't tried that yet. But by now my guess is you already have that figured out.
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Does each field have a sample, or is it all one continuous sample?
You mean the darker blue field beneath the logic track boundaries that got copied over from HTCEvents? To see what it does, just highlight that box in the track, then down below you'll see an empty field that says something like "Drop sound asset here." Then just drag a wav asset from Assets into that spot, and the track field above will populate with the sound. That's the easiest way I found to do it. But the length of the event doesn't always match up. It seems like a track row that lacks a valid wav file asset will default to some length of about 3.5 seconds. Example: I set up the 20 mm burst, dragged my wav file in, assigned the right bank, built it, but when I started the game, the 20mm sound kept going boom-boom-boom long after I let off the trigger. So I shortened that wav asset field in the track to a much shorter length, and now it works great. But again, I don't know yet that this is the correct way. I just know that I got it to work.
This much I got working. But I think when I can get back to playing with it I will know more. Thank you for sharing, anyway.
I think Hitech said that external sounds for distance are fixed, so probably (not sure) even if you change them they will not work in the game that way.
I can tell you that 'Running' is a range from 0 to 1. If it is something like rapid fire then any value above 0.5 will be rapid fire and anything lower will be single shot. For things like surface that have five values, it will probably be broken up into values between 0 and 0.2, 0.21 and 0.4, 0.41 and 0.6, and so on. Throttle will probably be between 0 and 1.5, with 1.0 being full military, and anything above 1.0 being WEP. RPM levels will be, . . . well you can check the airplane for their operating ranges, and the same for speed (MPH).
I'll check the Macprovideo site I guess.
Also, I thought I posted this, but I recall you saying you wanted to add the sound effect of the shell casing rattling through the chute, right? After each round was fired? What I would do is append the wav file file of the round firing with the shell sound at the end, outside of FMOD. I suppose you could just drop the shell casing wav file right after the round burst wav file in the track line, but I haven't tried that yet. But by now my guess is you already have that figured out.
Yes, what you said is what I have already accomplished, but now I want to do it another way, so that the polyphony system can make it more random.
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I think Hitech said that external sounds for distance are fixed, so probably (not sure) even if you change them they will not work in the game that way.
I actually got really worried for a few minutes before I read this post: someone lacking scruples could turn down the engine and wind sounds to zero, and basically fly over GV's and listen to them roll through the trees.
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Maybe there is a way for Hitech to only allow 'official' packs to be loaded? Don't know.
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Just got an email from my school advisor. They will be adding FMOD Studio 101 to our course access this coming quarter.
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I have moved the track/tread loop out of "move" and into the "engine" loop as a second logical track. I may do the same with the idler and volute springs for the suspension, but with some silent regions added so that the polyphony isn't quite so obvious. This seems to work well.
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Hey that's cool. I guess there's a way to turn down the track sound real low with low or zero rpm, then ramp it up, all the while giving it randomness? I bet you could do some cool things with a damaged plane engine too. Do you know if there's a health parameter for a wounded pilot?
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What I did was record the tracks and then modify the tempo so that I have a handful of rpm levels, same as the engines and wheels. Then as the tank speed up the engine keeps pace from idle on up, but the track, or tread has to get it into gear quicker. I'm not sure that this is going to work, because the engine can idle at 850 rpm and nothing moves, but the tracks have a zero rpm idle. I will have to read up more on that.
Nothing on pilot wounds, except there are two states. One light hit and one hard hit.
(EDIT): DOH! Just offset the track sample to the right for a delayed start and shorten the region. Simple answer.
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The M3 is working now. Not perfectly happy with it, but after modifying the transition and volume levels it will be good to go. I used six different rpm levels. Each level is recorded at the same engine rpm, so you don't have to know the actual rpm levels for the tracks, wheels, etc. I still have to read up on how FMOD does the transition from one sound to another so I can smooth them all out.
It took longer than I thought. I was hoping to release a small sample today, but there just isn't enough yet.
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The M3 is working now. Not perfectly happy with it, but after modifying the transition and volume levels it will be good to go. I used six different rpm levels. Each level is recorded at the same engine rpm, so you don't have to know the actual rpm levels for the tracks, wheels, etc. I still have to read up on how FMOD does the transition from one sound to another so I can smooth them all out.
It took longer than I thought. I was hoping to release a small sample today, but there just isn't enough yet.
Tracks should be tied to the "move" event not the engine.
HiTech
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Yeah, I ended up adding to both so that they would change with the speed of the vehicle, and still interact with the surfaces.
I have to try and break these things or I won't have a good grasp on it all! :aok