Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => Modding => Topic started by: Maximus Thalos on November 04, 2018, 11:02:47 PM

Title: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: Maximus Thalos on November 04, 2018, 11:02:47 PM

Awhile back I made some replacement Files for the ACx sound effects. Mostly weapons but a few other changes. I'm Happy with them and thought I would share here. I posted on another Civ forum and neglected to post here. For this I apologize.

Just copy and override them in the fx folder. Good idea to back up the entire folder before hand.
If you try them let me know what ya think. Enjoy  8)

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: bvanevery on November 05, 2018, 02:07:48 AM

I've been on an audio learning curve lately, mostly for voice acting, but also somewhat interested in instrumental electronic music, and peripherally sound effects.  How did you do these?  A lot of the game industry people seem to think highly of Reaper, and Audacity doesn't seem to get much respect.

I gave a listen to all of your sounds in isolation, outside the game, through my cheesy laptop speakers.  They sound fine, so I'll drop 'em in and see how they sound in context!

The only initial wonderment I have, is whether I will be able to readily distinguish certain weapons by their sounds or not.  As in, do they sound sufficiently different?  I don't know if that's terribly important in the stock game, but I do think all the oddball weapons noises have the effect of distinguishing them from one another, much as armor is colored differently.

I am surprised that the fx folder contains 366 files!  Doesn't seem like there are that many sounds in the game, but maybe a lot of those are for the synth instruments.

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: Maximus Thalos on November 05, 2018, 10:19:48 PM

I used Audacity  ;b; To cobble the sounds together. For the most part, some if not most of the files are just the original sounds slightly twisted or modified with an extra kick to'em. The extra things you are hearing are remixed sounds from other games. Most notably Command and Conquer Kane's Wrath.
 This all started with the String Disruptor. It sounded to much like a trumpet so i changed it and got carried away.
Some of them do sound similar to each other but there should be enough difference between lasers and projectiles. I can tell the difference well enough to know who is shooting what at me.

I'm honestly most proud of the mindworm, fungal, and natural sounds. Finding a pod with that sound effect on is horrifying.
I may jump back into making more sounds or improving them.

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: bvanevery on November 06, 2018, 12:29:33 AM

My favorite sound so far is the Particle Impactor.  Which I've been using a lot of!  Something about my mod, now seems to be given to long periods of low weapons numbers.  Like, midgame, still quite likely you're only using Particle Impactors.

The Artillery sound has also grown on me.  At first it seemed too short, since it was only a POP when 1 unit gets hit.  But over time, I distinctly recognize artillery in use.

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: Maximus Thalos on November 06, 2018, 02:27:32 AM

Quote from: bvanevery on November 06, 2018, 12:29:33 AM

The Artillery sound has also grown on me.  At first it seemed too short, since it was only a POP when 1 unit gets hit.  But over time, I distinctly recognize artillery in use.

That specific sound is a the generic boom that is used for many sounds or events in the game. I wanted to do the whole whistle'n kaboom but it messed with the game to much. It also cant be to long due to the time between shots. Some of the sounds are noticeably to long.
Missle launcher attacks sound spot on IMO
 Glad your enjoying it tho  8)

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: bvanevery on November 06, 2018, 06:16:22 PM

Quote from: Maximus Thalos on November 06, 2018, 02:27:32 AM

Some of the sounds are noticeably to long.

In your mod, I think infantry footsteps followed by the electronic whoosh is way too long.  I've listened to that a lot now.  It's got 5 cycles of footsteps and an electronic trail.  It goes like:

STEP step STEP step STEP step STEP step STEP (step) with the electronic trail.

I'd cut that to:

STEP step STEP step STEP

I mean, how many infantry units am I pushing around?  Let's just say, lots.  And if you wanted to keep the electronic sounding aspect of it, I'd work that into those steps.  Not a post trailing, which adds length.

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: Maximus Thalos on November 07, 2018, 01:29:58 AM

Idea behind it was yes it is a squad. A squad marching by with orders being dished out over the radio. At some point in the game where you have advanced names for infantry are squad, sentinels, and shock troops. Implying at least to me that yes, there is a squad. Just represented as one solder on screen due to limitations at the time.
The file is actually shorter then the original by 4 seconds, all be it a bit sharper on the ear.

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: bvanevery on November 07, 2018, 05:55:10 AM

But I put back the original, and it is nothing more than a "whooshing airlock" sound.  If it's long, the part that we actually hear can't be all that long.  And it is not abrasive.  The many cycles of footsteps are highly abrasive.  Unlike combat sounds, you hear them a lot more often, because you have to move infantry units frequently.

Footsteps could be done in a lot of different ways.  You seem to have chosen a military review of troops drilling on hard concrete.  They wouldn't make such sounds in combat, nor even when crossing a bridge.  On fungus they might not make any noise at all, assuming anyone actually walks on fungus.  Maybe Gaians do that?  Anyways, infantry troops don't just walk, they also have those treaded gun things they're pushing (?) around.  I think it's safe to say they're a sort of futuristic Mechanized infantry, excepting Scouts which probably do just walk around.

The original sound designer decided on the "whooshing airlock" sound, presumably to emphasize that all these infantry units are wearing "bunny suits".  The atmosphere of Planet is supposed to be hostile.

I don't personally care which audio story you choose to tell about infantry / scouting / exploring / fighting / etc., I'm not married to a preconceived idea of how infantry have to sound.  But I can't abide a sound that is harsh, annoying, long, and frequent. 

In other news, I find the "creeped out mindworm" sounds are growing on me.  I find I did jump a couple of times when they ambushed me in the fungus, between turns.

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: Maximus Thalos on November 08, 2018, 12:54:21 AM

I guess it doesn't bother me too much due to the fact I don't use infantry. A few scouts in the beginning but that's about it. Rovers all the way. It would be nice if I could have multiple sound sets for each 'iteration' of infantry. Like when you upgrade reactors on vehicles you get different cockpit modules.

The stock wooshing airlock sound always bothered me. It made no sense to me at all until you said bunny suit. Now I get it. Breathing. Its breathing and a general alien ambient environment they tried to make.
I might try and rework it with that in mind.

Also, I failed to mention fast battle resolutions could cause some audio collisions. If that happens turn it off.

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: bvanevery on November 08, 2018, 01:46:06 AM

Quote from: Maximus Thalos on November 08, 2018, 12:54:21 AM

I guess it doesn't bother me too much due to the fact I don't use infantry. A few scouts in the beginning but that's about it. Rovers all the way.

Not gonna work in my mod.  You're gonna need that +25% infantry advantage for attacking a base.  Also, historically I have 2 primary ways of executing everyone: 1) building mag tubes straight to their doorstep with piles of Formers.  It's the only way to move around on Enormous or larger maps without a great deal of pain.  2) loading up a Cruiser full of Marines.

Quote

It would be nice if I could have multiple sound sets for each 'iteration' of infantry. Like when you upgrade reactors on vehicles you get different cockpit modules.

Indeed, lots of things about SMAC would be nicer if they were more readily moddable.  Definitely a lesson for me when I finally write my own game.

Quote

The stock wooshing airlock sound always bothered me. It made no sense to me at all until you said bunny suit. Now I get it. Breathing. Its breathing and a general alien ambient environment they tried to make.
I might try and rework it with that in mind.

I think it makes sense when you first play the game, when you experience it for the 1st time.  Then, you have an explorer's mindset, with this new gaming experience.  You might have even read the paper manual that came with the game, and maybe it said something to set the mood, the understanding.  But after all these years... you can be forgiven for not being deeply in touch with any of that!  The sound is not self-explanatory, and the attire of infantry is not obvious in its functionality.  I tend to forget that the atmosphere of Planet is unbreathable, except for every once in awhile when I remember that in late game, people live in habitation domes.   The "bubble people" aspect of this civilization is not much hearkened to.

Quote

Also, I failed to mention fast battle resolutions could cause some audio collisions. If that happens turn it off.

Now that you mention it I might have heard that phenomenon.  However it is not objectionable because it's a bunch of gunfire, as one would hear on a real battlefield.  If I did think it was objectionable, I wouldn't turn off my beloved fast battle resolution.  I'd get rid of the offending sound or sounds.  After nearly 20 years of play, I ain't waitin' on the game to play sounds for all the things I need to do.  Good advice for someone who hasn't reached saturation yet though.  I have all movement set to fast, I don't watch Secret Project videos, and I've got the opening movie disabled too.

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: bvanevery on November 21, 2018, 06:28:51 PM

Ok, after experiencing this mod for awhile, I definitely do not agree with 2 decisions about the CPU voice.  So I have replaced the originals in both cases.

"CPU please don't go.wav" - The original says, "Please don't go... the drones need you.  They look up to you."  It was replaced with the contents of "cpu are you certain1.wav" which just says "Are you certain you want to do this?" very quickly.  The latter may be shorter, but that's its only virtue, as it's a boring line.  The original is way funnier and more interesting.  You also only get this message when quitting the game, so I really don't understand why it was changed.  It's not like it makes you quit the game any more slowly.  Seems like a case of throwing out good original content for no reason.

"CPU review your options.wav" - The original says, "Perhaps a careful review of your options, is in order."  Again it was replaced with the contents of "cpu are you certain1.wav".  The latter is shorter, but it's a boring line.  The former is at least a more expressive line.  Maybe I'm biased in that I never verify my combat odds, so I'm not listening to a clip about it over and over again.  But again the replacement line is boring, that's the bottom line.

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: Maximus Thalos on November 21, 2018, 10:54:58 PM

Both of them annoyed me so I replaced them.

Title: Re: FX Sound Effects Mod - A modern touch to a beloved game.
Post by: bvanevery on November 22, 2018, 12:35:08 AM

Ok, but consider that if you want a lot of people to use your mod, it's not just about what you like or are annoyed by.  What everyone else likes or is annoyed by, is part of the judgment call as well.  On that basis, I really can't see any justification for taking away the "Please don't go..." dialogue.  It's one of the major funny bits of the game.

Analogy: I don't like the stock Alien factions.  A lot of people don't like them!  It would be tempting to remove them from the game entirely.  But I have to assume someone actually does like the Alien factions somehow, even if I don't.  So I modded them to make them tolerable to me, instead of simply getting rid of them.

The "review your options" dialogue is not as precious or special as the "Please don't go..." joke.  I don't have a problem with it being replaced with something.  I just say the replacement you've chosen is boring, and on that basis, it's not an improvement.