Help with .wav sounds?

Exile · May 22, 2001, 19:39

Ok, I've got a total of 3 .wav sounds that I want to use for a scenario that is coming together, but I know nothing about how to arrange them or fix them so that they are compatible w/the civ2 game. I know how to set up an event in the events file to play them at the start (which is my intention) but apart from that, I'm at sea.

Anybody know about the .wav file stuff?

Wrestling etc.,
Exile

PolarisGL · May 22, 2001, 19:43

Take an original Civilization II sound. I'd use the "Fire!" one, just because it is nice and short.

Now, record over that complete silence if you can.

If you can't, record over that file the sound you want, and save it as the sound you need for your scenario.

Make backups of sound files from the original Civilization II, of course, in case you accidently overwrite.

There is a tip at the Scenario League about how to do it professionally

if you want to look at it. But this is how I do it.

I'm anxious for whatever scenario you need all this help on.

Exile · May 22, 2001, 19:59

Well, Polaris, that's the problem. I can take a .wav file like the "fire!" you mentioned and use the MGE unit editor to put something else there--like silence. That's no problem. But then how on earth do I put a sound from a completely different .wav file into the "fire!" spot? I suppose that I could simply right-click on the .wav file that I want to use and rename it. But would that work? It sounds waaaaaay too easy. Additionally, I want these 3 .wav files to be played in order. First one, then the other, then the third. How can an event-triggered "play .wavfile" do that? Would I be required to combine all 3 of the .wavs I wanna use into one file? And how would I pull that off?

You need to be a sound engineer to make this stuff work.

But since you're so curious, I'll be sure to send you an early copy of the thing once it's done. Except for these petty details, it's almost done now.

Exile

PolarisGL · May 22, 2001, 21:28

NOTE: The MGE/FW editor must never be used!

You take that "Fire!" wav file, and you record over it your new sound file.

I suppose if I have some free time, I can do it for you. Just send the sounds you want in a .wav file to polaris2k_99@yahoo.com and I'll try to send them back ASAP.

Mr. Oobir · May 22, 2001, 23:21

Well, my knowledge of .wav files is somewhat limited, but I believe that simply renaming the sound you wish to use does work. Of course, it must be in the correct Civ2 format (8bit, mono, 22050khz) for it to work, which can be done easily with the Windows Sound Recorder (assuming you use Windows) by going File->Properties->Convert Now... and selecting Radio Quality.

If the sounds that you wish to follow one another are triggered by a single event, then these are the operations to perform:

Open up the first sound file
Make sure the rectangle on the progress line is at the end of the file, and go to Edit->Insert File...
Choose the second sound file and insert it in after your first sound
Repeat previous two steps

If there needs to be some silence between the sounds, then hit the record button (make sure that you are not playing a CD! ) for a second or two before inserting the sound.

Did this help any?

Exile · May 23, 2001, 10:05

First of all, Polaris; are you offering to place the .wav files I want to use in a single .wav file? I did manage to alter the formats of the file that I want to use last night, and even tested them with a test-events file to see if the game would use them correctly. It did. But yes, I would like to see 2 of these .wav file combined into a single file that would play at the beginning of turn 1. I've created the event so that much is done. If you can combine the 2 files into one, I'll send it to you asap. And thanks for the assistance.

Now Oobir (is that right?), your advice was well taken, but learning to manipulate files is a painful process, at least for me, so if I can con . . . vince Polaris to do it, then so much the better. If it turns out that he has better things to do than muck around with my files, then I'll try your advice. And thanks for the help.

Wrestling with creation some more,
Exile

BeBro · May 23, 2001, 10:09

Quote:

But then how on earth do I put a sound from a completely different .wav file into the "fire!" spot

Another possibility - instead of using the FW editors - is simply to rename the soundfiles: move your new sound (if it has the right format) into the scenario´s sound folder, rename it to "fire!" (or whatever), then a unit that uses the original "fire!" sound will use the new, renamed sound instead. You only have to look into the sound folder of civ to find out all the file names of the sounds.

Chris 62 · May 23, 2001, 10:32

Exile, your making this waaaay to complicated. I sometimes chage sounds, and as you know, designer I ain't. The sound name is tied to the unit slot, so whatever unit is in the slot, the .wav file that is supposed to be for that slot plays whatever is on the .wav file if the name is correct. It is that simple, just rename the .wav. But, I understand that the file shouldn't be longer than 8-10 seconds, or you can get "wavout" errors from overlapping sounds.

Exile · May 23, 2001, 13:28

It already is waaaay too complicated, Chris, and it's not my fault at all. For example, I was just checking the sound files for this new effort and three of them had somehow become corrupted and wouldn't work. I don't know how or why or when, but they sure didn't work. So I had to go back in and re-do those files. Not really a problem, just extra, unecessary work.

And it's stuff just like that that makes me come here and ask questions.

Btw, everthing is done except the stuff with the opening sound files and the events file. It's almost ready for testing.

Wrestling with creation a lot,
Exile

PolarisGL · May 23, 2001, 15:17

Send them on by, Exile.