[TEC] AmbientVolume controller

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by gap

WHY hy2? Isn't it hyd? On the unit I am workin on the Identifier hyd seems to work correctly....

hy2 is what all the stock DSD files in SH5 are using for underwater (hydrophone) sounds. It appears they made a change to the game engine and hy2 is the new underwater identifier. No idea what happens if you use hyd.

Originally Posted by gap

Sorry, one more question:

according to your experience, is sounds volume, especially on hydrophone, somehow related to ship's current speed? Perhaphs through the ShipSound controller (StdByMaxRpm parameter)? If so, is there any way to set sounds free from this constrain?

If the sound's SoundSource identifier is Effect or hy2 it's free of this constraint. I've found that only sounds made through a controller (i.e. ShipSound) have this constraint.

[gap]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

hy2 is what all the stock DSD files in SH5 are using for underwater (hydrophone) sounds. It appears they made a change to the game engine and hy2 is the new underwater identifier. No idea what happens if you use hyd.

It works too. Tested several times during these days. Also imported units contained in OHII do use this identifier and by the way with no exception they miss the SonarTarget controller, with no apparent problem.

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

If the sound's SoundSource identifier is Effect or hy2 it's free of this constraint. I've found that only sounds made through a controller (i.e. ShipSound) have this constraint.

So maybe I know what is happening: probably sh5 sound's volume can be modified only once. In other words, you can't apply a sound modifier on top of another one.
My sounds, not having the hy2/Effect identifier, are subject to the ShipSound controller. That's why SoundVolume behaves like a switch: everytime it tries to change the volume for the second time, sound aren't played at all. This is the theory. Now it has to be proved or controverted in practice.

Here comes my next question: what if I want to set two or more groups of sounds having different SoundVolume settings, since we have only the "Effect" option for non hydrophone identifiers? Is it possible that devs din't think about it?

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by gap

Here comes my next question: what if I want to set two or more groups of sounds having different SoundVolume settings, since we have only the "Effect" option for non hydrophone identifiers? Is it possible that devs din't think about it?

You create another type 4/100 node that has the parent of the original type 4/100 with 0 for position and rotation data. Now you set your next sound to this (it's ID). You keep adding type 4/100 nodes to the main 4/100 node for each sound you need a SoundVolume controller to work on

structure would look like this:

main 4/100 node - SoundSource, AmbientVolume, SonarTarget
|
- child 4/100 node - SoundSource, AmbientVolume, SonarTarget
|
- child 4/100 node - SoundSource, AmbientVolume, SonarTarget
|
etc.

[gap]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

You create another type 4/100 node that has the parent of the original type 4/100 with 0 for position and rotation data. Now you set your next sound to this (it's ID). You keep adding type 4/100 nodes to the main 4/100 node for each sound you need a SoundVolume controller to work on

structure would look like this:

main 4/100 node - SoundSource, AmbientVolume, SonarTarget
|
- child 4/100 node - SoundSource, AmbientVolume, SonarTarget
|
- child 4/100 node - SoundSource, AmbientVolume, SonarTarget
|
etc.

Yep, I thought of this easy method just after pushing the "Submit Reply" button

As for hydrophone sounds, it seems we don't need to resort to the node structure you have depicted. I got several hydro-sounds linked to the very same parent node playing at once, by simply putting a SonarTarget controller after each SoundSource entry in DSD file. But, since they had different min and max radius set in sdl file, I had to sort them from the lowest (on top) to the loudest, otherwise only the loudest, the one having the highest maximum range set in sdl, was played.

P.S. as suggested by you, I've tried to switch to "Effect" the identifier of sounds whose volume I wanted to change. But something was wrong:

they started to be played in sonar room (where their volume was set to 0) while on external camera their audible range was greatly shortened (ignoring sdl ranges). On the other hand, external cam above water volume was set to .5, and this time the sound was audible, but I couldn't hear any differece with the underwater volume that was set to full (1). I am missing something, or for what I am trying to do the Effect identifier doesn't work either...

[TheDarkWraith]

what exactly are you trying to do

[TheDarkWraith]

Here are all the identifiers one can use:

DiveIn
ToSurface
WaveLap
ElectricEx
DieselEx
DieselUw
Propeller
TorpDoor1
Shipwake
DieselInsideSub
ElectricInsideSub
AmbientRadioRoom
AmbientKitchenRoom
RainLocal
hyd
DepthCranks
Sink
Engine
mix
ShipwakeBowSlow
ShipwakeBowFast
ShipwakeSternSlow
ShipwakeSternFast

[gap]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

Here are all the identifiers one can use:

DiveIn
ToSurface
WaveLap
ElectricEx
DieselEx
DieselUw
Propeller
TorpDoor1
Shipwake
DieselInsideSub
ElectricInsideSub
AmbientRadioRoom
AmbientKitchenRoom
RainLocal
hyd
DepthCranks
Sink
Engine
mix
ShipwakeBowSlow
ShipwakeBowFast
ShipwakeSternSlow
ShipwakeSternFast

Okay, thank you very much!
May I ask wich ones would you use for the sounds I described below?

[gap]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

what exactly are you trying to do

A bit complex to explain. I am trying to do some experiments with the whale whose conversion to SH5 was kindly granted by Jimbuna.

I got out simplifying by a strong measure its file structure. Originally the 3D model was contained in a dat file located in the library folder, and attached to the main unit's dat file as a dummy. It meant a double set of DAT, DSD and VAL, files. For sure there was a reason for doing it so, but for me it was quite difficult to track down the problem that made it to ctd on hydrophone station.

Now, the unit is working correctly (no more ctds, detectable on hydrophone, etc.), and I am giving it the final touches. As for sounds this is the plan:

work done

1) I've split the external song sound in 6 different was files sampling different wavelenght ranges, each with different min an max radius set in sdl, since (in real life and by a human ear) low frequencies should be heard from as far as 10 km or so, while high wavelenghts travel much lesser distances. I got out reproducing this effect in game, and I have to say that it is very nice. Besides this, I made the song sounds audible only underwater and, only the two lowest samples, inside the submarine. I wish to reduce a bit the volume of the sounds audible through the hull, but whenever I try, they "desappear".

2) The hydrophone song sound was split in 4 sub-sounds, following the same method as above, but with longer min and max ranges set in sdl file. As lon as I tested them, they worked like a charm. Obviously they are heard only on hydrophone, and at the maximum volume allowed by their ranges.

to do

3) a blowhole spout sound was added to the sdl file, and should be triggered by the corresponding particles. Should be audible only above water, on external camera.

4) taislapping and breaching sounds were also added to the sdl, and should be triggered by the corresponding particles, when the unit crosses given depths below or above the sea level. They should be audible both under and above water and, in lesser measure, inside the sub.

5) finally, a weak wake sound should loop while the whale is moving. This is the only sound tha should depend on unit's speed.

That's all