Adding custom music?

[Phileosophos]

Is it a simple thing to add custom music to the game? I'm a musician and while I really like the tracks the game includes--the music is much better than the previous game, IMO--I'm also downright inspired by it and am thinking about composing some pieces in tribute to the game qua work of art. I'd be happy to share any such compositions with other players (and the developer), but I'd be interested to try them in-game myself first. Thanks in advance for any information provided.

[MindYerBeak]

I believe you can add your own custom music to the game, but I don't know how it's done.

[Vice]

Although not fully tested yet, here are the details from the customizing kit in development:

You can use multiple music tracks for various threat levels. There are 3 levels you can use 3 separate music tracks for. The first level will play the selected track when there are no hostiles around. The second will play when a few hostiles are nearby. The third will play when many hostiles are nearby. Certain events can also trigger a transition from one music track to another, including when hostile reinforcements jump in to assist their allies, when you bribe hostiles to moderate threats, or if hostiles disengage and jump out of the area. The game will automatically fade out the current music track being played, then load and start the new one when a transition is needed. It is recommended that the music you import fade in at the start so the transition is smoother. You may want to structure the music so a softer ambient track plays when there are no hostiles nearby and more energetic music plays when hostiles approach. You can import up to 300 custom songs, 100 for each level. The system is completely random, so it can often play a unique song when there is a transition to a different threat level. The more songs you import, the more variety the system will have. It's best to import the songs in order starting with the first set using slot 1 (example: musiclevel1-1.wav, musiclevel2-1.wav, and musiclevel3-1.wav). To use the this option, use a folder named \\music and the following filenames:

musiclevelX-Y.ogg = random in-game threat level/event driven music (X is a number from 1 to 3, 1 being the lowest threat level, 3 being the highest, Y is a number from 1 to 100 representing the 100 possible sets of 3 songs).

[Phileosophos]

That sounds like a great system, Vice, thanks for the details. One question: is the proper format .wav or .ogg? I'm not sure because your post mentions both. Also, are there any specific sample rates and bit depths that are recommended? Thanks for the follow-up. I'm really enjoying the game and have what I hope would be some nice ideas for some more music.

[Vice]

Yup, typos, all OGG. Pretty much just about any format/sampling rate should work well. But if you notice some pauses, a lower sampling rate should improve that.

[Edited on 9-23-2010 by Vice]

[InterFaced]

Thanks for this info! I just found the perfect use for my Mass Effect soundtrack. It goes SO well with this game.

Does custom music overwrite the original tunes? I'd like to add to them, not replace them if possible.

[Edited on 9-27-2010 by InterFaced]

[chris79]

Originally posted by InterFaced

Does custom music overwrite the original tunes? I'd like to add to them, not replace them if possible.

[Edited on 9-27-2010 by InterFaced]

me too, ....i would add Sunshine soundtrack film but not delete the fantastic EM music

[Ykses]

Although not fully tested yet, here are the details from the customizing kit in development:

You can use multiple music tracks for various threat levels. There are 3 levels you can use 3 separate music tracks for. The first level will play the selected track when there are no hostiles around. The second will play when a few hostiles are nearby. The third will play when many hostiles are nearby. Certain events can also trigger a transition from one music track to another, including when hostile reinforcements jump in to assist their allies, when you bribe hostiles to moderate threats, or if hostiles disengage and jump out of the area. The game will automatically fade out the current music track being played, then load and start the new one when a transition is needed. It is recommended that the music you import fade in at the start so the transition is smoother. You may want to structure the music so a softer ambient track plays when there are no hostiles nearby and more energetic music plays when hostiles approach. You can import up to 300 custom songs, 100 for each level. The system is completely random, so it can often play a unique song when there is a transition to a different threat level. The more songs you import, the more variety the system will have. It's best to import the songs in order starting with the first set using slot 1 (example: musiclevel1-1.wav, musiclevel2-1.wav, and musiclevel3-1.wav). To use the this option, use a folder named \\music and the following filenames:

musiclevelX-Y.ogg = random in-game threat level/event driven music (X is a number from 1 to 3, 1 being the lowest threat level, 3 being the highest, Y is a number from 1 to 100 representing the 100 possible sets of 3 songs).

Hello

I've tried this feature, with a "music" folder and some .ogg inside it (with the good nomenclature)... but the game crashes at the end of the loading if I put too many files in this folder.

Less than 10 files is good, all files are played randomly, even in the main menu of the game.
But if I try with too much files (11 or more) the game doesn't load (crash at "world initialisation", just after 100% in the loading screen).


Is there any news for this option since this topic ?

All my files are in OGG format.
The name for each is "musiclevel1-1.ogg, 1-2, 2-1, 2-2 or 3-1, 3-2 etc...

Am I doing something wrong ?
Do I have to name the files in a specific order ? ...I mean, is it wrong if a number is missing between 2 files for a same level ? (i.e : "musiclevel1-2 and musiclevel1-4 in the folder without a "musiclevel1-3" between the 2) ...or if I don't put at least one file for each level in the folder ?


And thanks for the tip

PS : by the way, great idea the "threat level" to sort music according game situations !

Does custom music overwrite the original tunes? I'd like to add to them, not replace them if possible.

The same here
I would like to keep original music too (in addition to custom music).
May be Vice can give us the original music file to put in the folder with our personal selection of custom songs ?

Oh, and I have a last question :
If I don't put custom files for "threat level" 2 and/or 3 (just put some songs for the level1)... what will be the music played for these missing custom levels ?



Sorry if my comments are difficult to understand, I do my best to write in english and try to be understood

[Edited on 29-4-11 by Ykses]

[SeeJay]

I'm no expert in this, I only tried to add 3 tracks.
I noticed that you HAVE to add tracks in groups of 3.

If not, it doesn't work for me at least. So if you "missed" a number somewhere, that might cause the crash.

Hope you get it to work.

[Scavenger4711]

Hello

I've tried this feature, with a "music" folder and some .ogg inside it (with the good nomenclature)... but the game crashes at the end of the loading if I put too many files in this folder.

Less than 10 files is good, all files are played randomly, even in the main menu of the game.
But if I try with too much files (11 or more) the game doesn't load (crash at "world initialisation", just after 100% in the loading screen).


Is there any news for this option since this topic ?

All my files are in OGG format.
The name for each is "musiclevel1-1.ogg, 1-2, 2-1, 2-2 or 3-1, 3-2 etc...

Am I doing something wrong ?
Do I have to name the files in a specific order ? ...I mean, is it wrong if a number is missing between 2 files for a same level ? (i.e : "musiclevel1-2 and musiclevel1-4 in the folder without a "musiclevel1-3" between the 2) ...or if I don't put at least one file for each level in the folder ?

I'm no expert in this, I only tried to add 3 tracks.
I noticed that you HAVE to add tracks in groups of 3.

If not, it doesn't work for me at least. So if you "missed" a number somewhere, that might cause the crash.

Hope you get it to work.

If this doesn't work then maybe your memory can't handle all the songs. Try it again with less songs or delete other mods that are installed. Maybe that'll do it

[Edited on 29-4-2011 by Scavenger4711]

[Ykses]

Ok ok SeeJay, I will try that (put songs only 3 by 3, so one for each "musiclevel")

And thanks for the advice concerning memory Scavenger.
You're right, I use some mods (nebulae, some sounds, etc...) so may be I can try to uninstall these mods to test if it works better without it

I've got 4gb RAM, so I don't think that is the problem, but it could be interesting to test if the problem is the memory.

Thx to all for your answers