Soundscape Player
Well, I've searched over the internet, on Source games related forums, and never, I've found a topic like I'm doing. I mean, no one really care if there is a Soundscape player to avoid to run the game just for typing in the console : playsoundcape [soundscape name here] ? Anyone doesn't care to make a small software that allow you to play a soundscape among the ones that exists in our files, with all the parameter fully configured ? With all the software out there that make us mod more quickly, why did anyone haven't the idea to create a Soundscape Player ?
As I'm not a software programmer, but I have some knowledge on web language, I have the idea to code a player that would create a sample of the soundscape with the parameter included in the .txt files.
Btw, sorry for all those syntax errors, I'm not fully english.
Two things. First, I'll be honest here and say that I think any sort of player would be somewhat unneeded. If you're testing out soundscapes you're most likely mapping, which means you most likely have the game running in the background. And even if you don't, is it really hard to start the game, load any map, and enter a command in the console? Now I don't know if the autofill list pops up when you type in playsoundscape; even if it doesn't the VDC has them all listed.
And second from a technical aspect. I don't know how hard it would be to create some sort of player, but I do know that a lot of the time sounds in soundscapes are played coming from specific directions and played at random times. In essence I think you'd have to more or less copy the entire part of the game's source code (or at least copy its end result) that powers the soundscapes and interprets the scripts. Again, don't know how hard that would be, but I think the first paragraph is more important than this one.
I know I sound fairly negative in this post but I'm just stating my opinion.
Now with 100% more inline comments!
So, tell me why there are tools like GUI StudioMDL or others like that if the original studiomdl that Valve put in sourcesdk do the same ? Because it's suitable to a large public, and no one want to work with a command prompt, without a proper visual of what you're doing. And technically, it's possible to play a sound in random time. As for the random playing location, in game it is played in a 3d world, but as it's just a preview for a soundscape, we can play it in mono.
Yes, but with GUIStudioMDL you're actually combining several different elements--the SMD file, the QC file, and possibly others [been a while since I compiled a model] along with checkflags, options, etc. It depends on whether you're talking about simply a soundscape previewing program or a soundscape construction program (in which case one already exists; bit buggy, but it exists). I can see your point, but I still think that just opening up a fast instance of the game, loading a random map, and entering the console command is easier, mainly because it's a lot less work than, say, putting a model together with GUIStudioMDL.
However, if one were to write a soundscape previewer--specifically for Portal 2--I imagine it would have to meet a few requirements (and I'm by no means an expert programmer so someone correct me if I'm wrong **cough**Omni**cough**). First, it would need to have HLLib included so that it can access the sounds in VPKs and such. Second, it would need to be able to parse the structure of soundscape files, which probably wouldn't be all that hard to deal with considering it's a fairly regular structure. Finally...ah...well, I was going to say it would need the necessary libraries to deal with sound output, but that requirement isn't anything more special than any other program dealing with sound.
So anyway, my two cents, I'm enjoying the discussion already.
Now with 100% more inline comments!
I'm talking about a soundscape previewing program, for just avoid the whole original procedure. And I bet the system behind cannot be so hard to develop. An expert like the ones who make tools for Source modder can imagine the difficulty, or the worth of a project like that.
If you don't think it would be so hard to develop, then why don't you do it?
Please do not Private Message me for assistance. Post a thread if you have questions or concerns.
If you need to contact the staff privately, contact the Global Moderators via Discord.
I'm currently thinking about it, how the system could be. But sincerely, I think the mixing sound thing could be a problem.
TBH I wanted a soundscape player in hammer, or at least a dropdown list or SOMETHING. I don't like how I need to find it, compile the map then test it. Yes I could load up a map and just type the commands but it doesn't seem to like me half the time and either produces soft white noise, the soundscape, or no sound at all.
Anyway I think a way they could go about it is just by "sampling" the soundscape for a few seconds and then "flattening" it so it's one sound file, then use that in hammer.
Also while we're on the topic, why on earth do vo files no longer play in hammer?
In fact, I've got an idea : instead of using the .txt files, I'll simply record the soundscapes in game, for a significant time. And then upload it online, or making a simple AIR application.
http://source.cap-onefr.com/soundscapeplayer/portal/
There, this is the first version of the Soundscape Player, that I've made during these last days, including for the moment, only the Portal soundscapes.
I've recorded approximately 3 mins of each soundscapes, using Goldwave (and my crappy recording device). I've managed to take the best quality of them, but online, it seems that you can heard a sort of screech, something like that. Anyway, enjoy, I will start shortly the recording of Portal 2 soundscapes, a lot more of work.