• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

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    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

Do you know how to add Custom Audio at your Airport

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40
Country
canada
As the title entices, I was parked at sitka after installing snow dog tours and realized there was audio playing of waves, and loons. I thought to myself what could make my scenery better? Sound! So I sought out to figure it out...

no avail, no sdk, so Arno or anyone out there in the world know about adding sound effects to your scenery? .dll, .fx, attachpoint in gmax? anything?
 

n4gix

Resource contributor
Messages
11,674
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unitedstates
Attach an .fx controller file to some object in your scene. The controller .fx file will simply load a .wav file and loop it continuously.
 
Messages
7,450
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us-illinois
Hello:

If this is for FSX, you must have FSX SDK installed from FSX Deluxe or FSX Gold; see: "Creating Special Effects" in SDK docs. :teacher:

As Fr. Bill says, those that learn 3D modeling via GMAX can indeed use the Attach Point tool to "attach" a sound Effect file to an FSX MDL; this has the advantage of making sound "associate" with a scenery object model "placed" with a utility from a scenery library, and could make certain aspects of scenery development easier. :D


As an alternate example, take a look at Joe Watson's excellent freeware sound add-on for Bill Womack's Plum Island scenery package (both are a "must-have, IMHO): :idea:

2B2 - Plum Island Sounds

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fsxsnds&DLID=127783


FSADDON - PLUM ISLAND FOR FSX

http://secure.simmarket.com/fsaddon-plum-island-for-fsx.phtml


Examine the *.fx files Joe used (ex: in Windows NotePad); you'll need to create your own version of both types of FSX "Effect" files:

  • The "Effect Controller" (Cntrl_*.fx) file, and the "Basic" effect definition (Fx_*.fx) file.

  • You'll need a standard Windows *.Wav file which has had its sound volume set at a desired level inside the *Wav file itself with a Windows *.WAV file compatible audio editing utility.

  • You'll need to create/edit an *.XML file (ex: in Windows NotePad) to place sound Effect(s) "directly" (via a Cntrl_*.fx file) using XML scenery methods.

  • The *.XML file must then be compiled by FSX SDK BGLComp to create the "placement" *.BGL file.

  • The *.BGL file must be put in a [top level folder name]\Scenery sub-folder which is "active" in the FSX > Settings > Scenery Library user interface to load.


IIUC, aside from changing very few SDK variable parameters, all the remaining code in both *.fx files always stays the same for "sound Effects" (see FSX SDK).


CAVEAT: All Cntrl_*.fx and Fx_*.fx files are to be kept in the default [FSX install path]\Effects sub-folder or they won't work !

[EDITED]
Also: Effect Cntrl_*.fx and Fx_*.fx files are only loaded by FSX at initial start-up (not during run-times); FSX must re-start to load new Effect(s) added at run-time, and can not be implemented via re-indexing the FSX Scenery Library (which "usually" works for certain 'other' FS files).

[END_EDIT]


In the Controller effect file "Cntrl_[filename].fx": only 'Radius' and 'basic' effect filename (ex: "Fx_[filename].fx") "called" by Cntrl_*.fx 'controller' are changed.


...under [Library Effect]:

Radius= <--- Specifies "distance" in Meters away that Effect will trigger

...under: [controller.0]

effect.0= <--- Specify "basic" Fx_*.fx filename (without ".fx" file extension)


NOTE: If desired, sub-sections controlling other sounds may be "nested' in the Effect Controller file by adding additional [controller."x"] statements


FYI: My initial results using nested [controller."x"] statements were questionable on a lower performance system using a top quality PCI slot sound card; the sound had a slightly odd "flanged" character (as though heard through a "pipe"), so I now use a separate controller Cntrl_*.fx file for each basic *.fx file to get consistent results.

< It may have been at the time I had the sound card PCI latency set too low; Joe Watson's nested Effect Controller file works great on that older system, BTW. >

[EDITED: 22-08-2011]
Joe Watson's Effect Controller is not "nested"; Joe used a single XML placement BGL file to "call" a independent controller for each *.WAV player Effect file... as discussed here:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showpost.php?p=237101&postcount=3


More testing is needed to determine whether "nested" Controller FX files can be used for Sound Effects on all types of FS installations.

[END_EDIT: 22-08-2011]


In the Basic effect file "Fx_[filename].fx": only Radius, *.WAV filename ("called" by controller), MinAttenuationDistance, and Looping are changed


...under [Library Effect]:

Radius= <--- "Distance" in Meters away that Effect will trigger


...under [Sound]:

FileName=*.wav <--- Specify filename (with ".wav" file extension) if *.Wav kept inside default [FSX install path]\Sound sub-folder


NOTE: If a *.Wav file is kept outside [FSX install path]\Sound sub-folder, specify its full path !

ex: [FSX install path]\Addon Scenery\[Scenery folder name]\Sound\[*.Wav filename]

...OR:

ex: [FSX install path]\SimObjects\Airplanes\[Airplane folder name]\Sound\[*.Wav filename]


MinAttenuationDistance=xx <--- x="Distance" in Meters away that sound Effect will no longer be heard

Looping=TRUE <--- Specifies sound Effect plays repeatedly; plays once if "FALSE"



BTW:
If one forgets to put the specified sound Effect *.Wav file in the default [FSX install path]\Sound sub-folder

...OR:

If one forgets to specify in the 'basic' Fx_*.fx file, the full path for an "alternate" folder location of that *.Wav file


...One may only hear an odd "thumping" sound in the background of the FSX "Environmental" sounds ! :eek:


NOTE: Sound volume for "all" custom "scenery" sound Effects (as a group... not individually) is controlled in FSX via "Environmental" sound slider.


[EDITED]
Individual Windows *.WAV sound file volume may only be adjusted one at a time via a Windows *.WAV file format compatible audio editor which saves amplitude information inside the WAV file itself; if adjusting other *.WAV file attributes aside from volume (aka "amplitude"), be sure to consider the caveats of "up-sampling" first... before writing any file attributes into a final output format as discussed here:

http://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php...d-surround-51/page__view__findpost__p__167517

...and here:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15956




Joe Watson: Feel free to use any/all of the above for the "Placing Sound Effects in FSX" wiki you were working on for FSDeveloper ! ;)


PS: See this thread for related info on sound effects placement:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8781


Also: Dick Ludowise (aka "Rhumbaflappy") posted an interesting example demonstrating how sound effects may be implemented without a controller-type file, instead just using a XML placement BGL with a "basic" sound *.FX file here:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19185&highlight=effect

[END_EDIT]


Hope this helps ! :)

GaryGB
 
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Messages
859
Country
australia
Gary, I've been running tests on using the controller to set sound distances and from what I've discovered, if I have two separate sound.fx files and call them from a controller (birds.fx and wave.fx) (both at same lat/lon), one sound effect ends up getting canceled out and only one sound plays...

In some locations both sounds will play, in other locations one will be truncated or one will cut out completely.

This isn't desirable if trying to have birds that are only active during the day for example but waves that loop continually for 24 hours... In one area I have 3 separate sound.fx files located with overlapping radii, and using a controller seems to be problematic in such a scenario...

The only thing that I'm finding works effectively to get the desired effect is to just place all sound.fx files directly via XML and ensure that the attenuation value is at or below 50, which is barely passable on a distance scale but allows multiple effects to run concurrently in the same sound cone arena...
 

mskhan1991

Resource contributor
Messages
884
Country
pakistan
Can scenery sound effects be added to FS2004? At certain times and certain distance.

Please reply in YES or NO.
 
Messages
1,693
Country
unitedstates
...answers here and at AVSIM, so search Google also


GaryGB

Technically, your not searching Google, you are searching the internet, using Google to perform the search.

Just picking on you Gary.
On a serious note, I have been learning a lot from your post. Keepem up. Thanks. :)
 
Messages
7,450
Country
us-illinois
Technically, your not searching Google, you are searching the internet, using Google to perform the search.

Just picking on you Gary.
On a serious note, I have been learning a lot from your post. Keepem up. Thanks. :)

Apparently one can never be detailed enough ! :D



Perhaps instead, I should have written:

"I have previously seen in-depth answers on the topic of placing sound effects in FS2004 both here and at AVSIM, so searching both FSDeveloper and AVSIM might yield the info you are looking for.

However, IMHO, since the Search engine on both FSDeveloper and AVSIM have limitations on how effectively they process multi-parametric queries, it may be worthwhile to search via Google also.
"


PS: Based on what I recall of Effect sound placement in FS2004 (aka "FS9"), I suppose I also should have replied "YES and NO" to the post at:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showpost.php?p=623150&postcount=8


Also, how well would it work telling a < the ? > 'cloud' or a fire hydrant to dispense water only in cups, and/or at a specified temperature ? :p

But, such is the lot of a would-be fire hydrant; most of the day is spent being a 'target' for "man's best friend" anyway ! :rotfl:



Normally I'd be more detailed, and 'link out' in keeping with my persona as "Duke of URL", but I'm a bit pressed for time at the moment. :cool:


Hope this helps ! :)

GaryGB
 
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