soundscape hassle

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;) )

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Just Kidding

Just Kidding

Do you really need a custom soundscape?

Try using one fo these from HL2...there's a ton. Should find something that suits.

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/List_of_HL2_Soundscapes

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...

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Yes I will use normal ones, I just really wanna get this map finished. I will try testing custom 'scapes when I finish this map, however. Edit: I have been testing, and when I put a few soundscapes in a map, only one of them seems to play :sad: I don't see how these things are better than ambient_generics

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Just Kidding

Just Kidding

Do I have to look at the soundscapes for them to work!? How can I get them to "play everywhere" like an Ambient_generic? Can I have more than one working at the same time? All these questions! Edit: It seems the only way to use more than one sound is to make a custom soundscape. Which brings me back to square one :redface:

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Just Kidding

Just Kidding

I suggest you slow down, reread the soundscape tutorials found in the sdk docs. They are very simple, but you still have to understand how they work in order to set them up properly.

Only one soundscape will play at a time. The soundscape is triggered when you walk into it's radius - when you walk into the radius of a different soundscape, it will fade into the new soundscape.

So, for example, if you want a soundscape with indoor sounds, and a soundscape with outdoor sounds, place these at the doorways that connect your two areas (indoor/outdoor), so that the player has to walk through the correct one when entering or exiting.

l-----------l

soundscape(indoor) doorway soundscape(outdoor)

l-----------l

If you have multiple doorways connecting areas with different soundscapes, each doorway must have the appropriate soundscape, or a trigger to change soundscapes.

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.

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i eat paint

Yes dude but I have followed the tutorial to the word and it still doesn't work!!! I ripped the text straight from the tut and it still doesn't work! I saved it in my scripts directory just like it said! This is driving me nuts!!!!!!!!! Arrrrrrrrrrrg!!!

Edit: read this topic: http://www.interlopers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17527&highlight=soundscape

They don't work for singleplayer.

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Just Kidding

Just Kidding

I use HL2 soundscapes in singleplayer all the time...they work fine. Custom soundscapes might not work, I couldn't say since I have never tried to build any.

Okay. So do you mind telling me why soundscapes are better than ambient_generics then? Bare in mind that I need sound to cover the WHOLE map, not just parts of it. You can overlap Ambient_generics but not soundscapes? 0_o I don't see why they are so good.

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Just Kidding

Just Kidding

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!

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

You can hear the soundscapes ingame. Just run any level, turn on cheats (sv_cheats 1). Type playsoundscape name . You can even get a list of soundscapes in the console. Just type 'find soundscape' and the console will show you what commands can be used...in that list you will find something like 'sv_printsoundscape_info' (can't remember the exact command). This will print out a list of soundscapes in the console. From there just copy and paste the names in front of the command I just mentioned playsoundscape

Riven said:
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 :smile:
<DIV class=quotetext>

You can hear the soundscapes ingame. Just run any level, turn on cheats (sv_cheats 1). Type playsoundscape name . You can even get a list of soundscapes in the console. Just type 'find soundscape' and the console will show you what commands can be used...in that list you will find something like 'sv_printsoundscape_info' (can't remember the exact command). This will print out a list of soundscapes in the console. From there just copy and paste the names in front of the command I just mentioned [color=limegreen]playsoundscape

[/color]</DIV> <DIV class=quotetext> </DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Yeah, I read about that also, thanks finger :cool: </DIV>

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Just Kidding

Just Kidding