Okay, Riven suggested I should use soundscapes instead of ambient_generics. With this I have two gripes: The first is that the soundscapes need all that notepad crap and if there is a single typing error it can take ages to find it out. The second is that I knew it wasn't gonna work. I followed this tutorial at Interlopers.net. I took the first bunch of soundscape text and copied it into a notepad file and saved it in the "scripts" folder. Then I made a test map and set the soundscape up like so:

Soundscape: soundscape.playlooping

radius: 100000

Start disabled: No

Here is the soundscape file contents:

"soundscapes.playlooping"
{
"dsp" "1"
"playlooping"
{
"volume" "0.5"
"pitch" "100"
"wave" "ambient/atmosphere/city_beacon_loop1.wav"
}
}

I ripped it directly from the tut.

Here is the .vmf incase you think I have made a mistake (which I haven't, but still;) )

Yea, sorry about that Flynn, I think that tut might have contained too much info for what you need to do (add soundscapes to a map, not create your own). Sorry for having you waste your time learning to do so. Soundscapes are actually pretty self-explanatory.

I recommend that one of the HL2 soundscapes in that list Finger posted should be adequate enough considering your map is taking place in the same kind of setting. However, if you're really concerned with wanting to learn how to make custom soundscapes, then just ask again in this thread. I'll get on to helping ya then...

the soundscapes that I've used for dod:s are all stock. I don't know if it's the same with all mods, but if it is, then it only needs to be potentially visible to work. There's also a setting to use a radius, which should override any other soundscapes when you're inside it, even if you can't see it, but can see the other one.

they're much more powerful than ambient_generics, as soundscapes are like lots of different am_gens that are all composed into a single playlist.

Soundscapes within themselves are made up of different sounds. Each sound you hear within an env_soundscape is a separate sound that you could add through an ambient_generic. Through a text file though, you can tell specifically what sounds to play and when to play them whilst that env_soundscape is active. No need to add a bunch of ambient_generics to a map and use a logic_timer and all that jazz to give a random effect, a soundscape does it automatically.

Some soundscapes come with parameters with certain sounds that can be played at specific locations specified in the text file via an info_target entity, basically working like it's own separate ambient_generic, but tied to the rest of the soundscape and given specific FX. Soundscapes loop automatically, and can sound differently with every loop making it virtually impossible to tell it's loopable, because each sound is overlayed over the others at certain intervals giving it a more natural effect. Soundscapes automatically play everywhere, and even then, you can have certain sounds that only play from certain positions, giving them location, but yet staying in-sync with the rest of the sounds within that soundscape. For example, the loudspeaker and alarms in HL2 are randomly played making sure not to repeat the same sound until all the different loudspeaker sounds are played. While at the same time the alarm siren can go off at its own pace randomly giving the two an overlayed effect making it seem more happenstance than scripted.

As you can see, soundscapes are capable of doing so much more than just one sound being played at-a-time by an ambient_generic, and are easier to set up through the text file vs. setting up multiple ambient_generics through the I/O system.

Also, the fade effect between different env_soundscapes make it nice for the designer, to make sure that there is an atmospheric sound playing at all times for the player, and that doesn't sound repetitive.

-And that's what makes env_soundscapes so much better than ambient_generics!

Thanks Riven, 'tis a great explanation

Yeah, I read about that also, thanks finger