Chaosforge Forum

DoomRL => Discussion => Topic started by: Malek Deneith on June 09, 2011, 16:33

Title: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: Malek Deneith on June 09, 2011, 16:33
Okay short version - the God Hand stated that DoomRL 0.9.9.4, when it starts to get coded will see a rewrite of sound API... again. Since it'd be silly to have him rewrite said API only to find that he needs to do it again a version or two later to include something else I proposed to make a topic to discuss what works and what doesn't with the sound/music systems and what do we want to see in new API if anything.

So here is the thread... two or three weeks later than it should (Ugh). Current stated goals for the new API are to allow for:

1) random sounds and music
2) pan and volume control
3) positional control (and maybe an OpenAL implementation for true surround sound)

If there is something you want to see changed or improved regarding to sounds and musics write so while there is still time.

my personal ideas:
- Ability to mix and match between random music and pre-set music (so I could for example have the same music for special levels always, but music on regular levels would be randomized)
- Ability to have several sound to be played in order from one bind if at all possible (i.e. if I have reload sound in three pieces currently I'd have to find a way to merge it in one file - what I'd want to see is a way to bind them all to <weapon>.reload and have them played in order)
Title: Re: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: ParaSait on June 09, 2011, 16:35
DoomRL with sound panning and surround sound. *fap fap fap*
DO IT! :D
Title: Re: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: thelaptop on June 09, 2011, 16:55
DoomRL with sound panning and surround sound. *fap fap fap*
DO IT! :D
Oh god... please don't do that in the forums...

I would suggest a sound/music sub-menu to be accessible during gameplay for adjustments as opposed to having more and more keybindings.  This isn't quite related to the sound API, but is close enough.

I will think more and generate more ideas soon enough -- it's hard to think straight when I just woke up.
Title: Re: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: Shoop da Whoop on June 10, 2011, 01:39
Quote
(so I could for example have the same music for special levels always, but music on regular levels would be randomized)
This will be fine! ...but I'll miss the Descent Into Cerberon (one of Quake II themes) on level 14 - because it reminds of nextcoming Hellgate.

And we need more of new sounds: better shotties sounds - http://forum.chaosforge.org/index.php/topic,4302.0.html ;
minibosses sounds - http://forum.chaosforge.org/index.php/topic,4304.0.html .
Title: Re: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: AStranger on June 10, 2011, 01:49
What about binding sounds to messages? So when 'You feel there is something really valuable here!' a user defined noise happens. Kinda like colored messages for your ears.
Title: Re: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: s0ulman on June 10, 2011, 09:25
We should also probably have a sound to come with "Your weapon is empty!" message. To prevent annoying oh-crap-that-was-me-moving-not-the-crosshair fails.
Title: Re: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: Deathwind on June 10, 2011, 15:31
That's why they added the option to make the game wait for you to hit enter when you try to fire an empty gun.
Title: Re: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: Thomas on June 12, 2011, 10:44
Having the music played by the game dependant on the difficulty the player chooses is something I've been thinking about recently.
Title: Re: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: yaflhdztioxo on June 12, 2011, 17:53
Currently we assign strings that get resolved.  It would be neat if we could also create functions and treat the sounds.lua file as a modding extension.  That way if you wanted multiple death sounds you could create a procedure similar to the Being.OnDie hook that returned a random string or even play the string itself.  Same with music selection; that would also allow difficulty based music since the DIFFICULTY var would be available.

Also, I would like the ability to alter pitch/speed when playing.
Title: Re: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: Sambojin on June 14, 2011, 11:09
Having it as a modding extension would be great. It might also allow music changes (as well as tempo/volume/pitch) depending on powerup state of the player. Speeding up the music a little and making it that bit louder whilst in berserk mode would be my favourite use of this.  It would also allow some quite nice "pseudo-environmental effects" (such as major sine-wave panning of music to represent madness/confusion/disorientation). Lava/acid tempo changes and barrel explosion "music-woosh" shouldn't be too hard to achieve either. Adding it to level messages could make for some pretty funny sounds, almost Duke Nukem style humour for level beginnings.

The sound system and the fact it is a key part of gameplay in DoomRL is one of the things that has set it apart from many rogue-likes for a long time. To open this up to level events, modding and other such uses would be a great addition. I hope it can be achieved by 0.9.9.4.
Title: Re: Sound API discussion and requests
Post by: thelaptop on September 29, 2011, 22:15
Well, 0.9.9.4 has been released and there's no major change.  I'm not sure what the full plan is for 0.9.9.5, so I'm going to unsticky this for now.

Keep the ideas coming in though!