FSXA Sound effects

[GHD]

I have an effect which plays in FXEditor but it doesn't play in FSX.

Is there anything special I should do when placing control effect which calls an effect with a .WAV file?

 

[GaryGB]

Hi George:

If the explicit full path of the called *.WAV file is used in one's *.Fx file code, then one need not physically place the *.WAV file in the FS nested system \Sound folder.


But IIRC, when one does use the 'default' procedure of physically placing the *.WAV file in the FS nested system \Sound folder, one lists only the *.WAV file name without the file extension suffix.


Some related info and linked examples which may be of interest with placing sound via FS Effect (*.Fx) files:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showpost.php?p=124738&postcount=3



BTW: AFAIK, one must restart FSX to allow any new *.Fx files (and their mapped textures and/or sound files) to be detected in their specified locations, and then cued for rendering by FSX at run time ...as they will not work immediately after created / placed in the FS nested system \Effects folder except via a special utility (*.DLL or *.exe) function.



The FSX SDK VisualFxTool *.DLL will allow a "virtual" display of a copy of Effects at the aircraft central datum point position (until 'offset' via that utility's GUI); VisualFxTool will also allow playing of a sound file mapped to a *.Fx file.

However, for normal mode FS run time display / play of Effects with mapped sounds, one must ultimately restart FSX to allow any new *.Fx files to be properly detected and cued for rendering at run time independent of the VisualFxTool.


Sorry, I haven't tinkered with Arno's Effects tool recently, and can't recall if it now offers a full feature set comparable to the FSX SDK VisualFxTool.


Hope this info may otherwise prove helpful !

GaryGB

 

[GHD]

My placement is:

   <SceneryObject
      lat="52.592818068"
      lon="-1.935612151"
      alt="0.0M"
      altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
      pitch="0"
      bank="0"
      heading="0"
      imageComplexity="VERY_SPARSE">
      <Effect
         effectName="Cntrl_ES-churchbells.fx"
         effectParams=""/>
   </SceneryObject>

The controller is:

[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=3.00
Radius=200
Priority=0

[controller.0]
lifetime=0.00, 0.00 
type=3
distance=200.00, 200.00
delay=28.00, 28.00 
x offset=0.00, 0.00 
y offset=0.00, 0.00 
z offset=0.00, 0.00
random count=0, 0 
effect.0=ES-churchbells, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

and the effect is:

[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=2.00
Display Name=ES-churchbells
Radius=100
Priority=0
[Sound]
Looping=FALSE
MinAttenuationDistance=100
FileName=ES-Bells

[Properties]

[Emitter.0]
Lifetime=0.00, 0.00
Delay=0.00, 0.00
Bounce=0.00
Rate=0.00, 0.00
X Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Drag=0.00, 0.00
X Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
X Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Y Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Z Rotation=0.00, 0.00
X Offset=0.00, 0.00
Y Offset=0.00, 0.00
Z Offset=0.00, 0.00
Pitch=0.00, 0.00
Bank=0.00, 0.00
Heading=0.00, 0.00

ES-Bells.WAV is in FSX\Sound\

 

[GaryGB]

Hi George:

Regrettably I'm away from my FS development computer today, but would be glad to test this when I next get a chance to do so.

Perhaps others here might lend a hand with some timely testing ?


It would also be interesting to learn more from Dick Ludowise the "wizard" himself, about how he set up only (1) *.FX file to do what most of us might try to do with (2) or more *.Fx files ...to achieve a discrete "controller" and "basic" type of *.Fx file functionality with sound placement.

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


[EDITED]

PS: Just had a quick thought to offer on my way out for the day...

Sometimes while fine tuning one's attenuation / distance parameters for a sound placed via a *.Fx file, a sound may have already played while a flight is still loading, and/or before the aircraft is fully spawned, or before the aircraft has arrived within the defined trigger proximity for a sound *.Fx placement.


Thus, in your "Cntrl_ES-churchbells.fx" file test code posted above, it may help to set:

Looping=FALSE instead to: Looping=TRUE


...so that one stands a better chance of detecting when a sound is actually being played, as it repeats itself in FS at run time.

[END_EDIT]


GaryGB

 

[GaryGB]

Hi George:

Probably some here might prefer seeing this stated not so much by me, but rather by the charming lady in this poster:

"We perform those things which we promise."

http://www.aviationancestry.co.uk/H...wells/Manufacturing-Helliwells-1939-22687.jpg

http://www.aviationancestry.co.uk/?...=1909&endYear=1980&&searchOrder=ASC&pageNum=3

< Interesting reading about their relatively early use of punch card technology as well ! >


A couple of additional image links for that location:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vq5x03/4365377394/

http://www.aclickintime.co.uk/jpgl/11754.jpg




Since your posted test code above did not show a need for random parameters, perhaps one might use a (modified) version of the (1-file) code posted by Rhumbaflappy:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showpost.php?p=126024&postcount=12

[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=2.00
Display Name=GHD_Barn_Fx
Radius=-1
Priority=0
[Sound]
FileName=barn_fx.wav
MinAttenuationDistance=50.00
Looping=TRUE

[Properties]
Cockpit=1
VirtualCockpit=1
Spot=1
Tower=1
Map=1

[Emitter.0]
Lifetime=0.00, 0.00
Delay=0.00, 0.00
Bounce=0.00
Rate=0.01, 0.01
X Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Drag=0.00, 0.00
X Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
X Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Y Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Z Rotation=0.00, 0.00
X Offset=0.00, 0.00
Y Offset=0.00, 0.00
Z Offset=0.00, 0.00
Pitch=0.00, 0.00
Bank=0.00, 0.00
Heading=0.00, 0.00

[Particle.0]
Name=Normal Particle Type_Sound
Lifetime=0.01, 0.01
Type=19
X Scale=0.01, 0.01
Y Scale=0.01, 0.01
Z Scale=0.00, 0.00
X Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Y Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Z Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Drag=0.00, 0.00
Color Rate=0.30, 0.60
X Offset=0.00, 0.00
Y Offset=0.00, 0.00
Z Offset=0.00, 0.00
Fade In=0.30, 0.30
Fade Out=0.71, 0.71
Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Ground Normal=1
Face=0, 0, 0

[ParticleAttributes.0]
Blend Mode=1
Texture=fx_aurora.bmp
Bounce=0.00
Color Start=255, 255, 255, 1
Color End=255, 255, 255, 1
Jitter Distance=0.00
Jitter Time=0.00
uv1=0.00, 0.00
uv2=1.00, 1.00
X Scale Goal=0.00
Y Scale Goal=0.00
Z Scale Goal=0.00
Extrude Length=0.00
Extrude Pitch Max=0.00
Extrude Heading Max=0.00

The above Effect code saved as "GHD_Barn_Fx.fx" can be tested in [FSX install path]\Effects

...using this Effect object placement code (after compiled by BGLComp and placed into ex: [FSX install path]\Addon Scenery\Scenery):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<FSData
   version="9.0"
   xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
   xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="bglcomp.xsd">
<!-- GHD_Barn_Fx_Obj_Plc.bgl -->

   <SceneryObject
      lat="52.592818068"
      lon="-1.935612151"
      alt="0.0M"
      altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
      pitch="0"
      bank="0"
      heading="0"
      imageComplexity="VERY_SPARSE">
      <Effect
         effectName="GHD_Barn_Fx.fx"
         effectParams=""/>
   </SceneryObject>

</FSData>

NOTE: I have edited the [Properties] parameters to enable the Effect in several additional FS camera views.

But I have not yet had time to test removal of certain 'Emitter' and 'Particle' parameters which do not vary from the default values, to see if they still need be included as "placeholders" for internal defaults used in Effect rendering / display.

I also have not yet had time to test removal of "Texture" parameters which do not seem likely to be required, to see if some sort of entry may still need to be included as a "placeholder" for internal defaults used in Effect rendering / display.



PS: Barn_Fx.wav is a default FS9 file in [FS9 install path]\Sound; I can't recall if it is also a out-of-the-box default FSX sound in [FSX install path]\Sound, so if it is not, it can either be copied over from FS9 to FSX, or the code can be edited to play ex: your "ES-Bells.wav" sound file instead.

Last, but not least, one must be sure there are no excludes for "Effects" overlapping the Effect object placement / trigger / attenuation area geographic coordinates.


Hope these ideas help !

GaryGB

 

[GHD]

Thanks Gary,

I haven't tried your suggestion yet, I have been very busy.

I am wondering whether it is a problem having a controller?

 

[robystar]

Hello George,

I suggest you find out how to do it by checking the Nimitz files that have a wave sound and a tower announcement of airplanes coming in.
(Sorry I cannot be more specific as I do not have FSX here, but the answer must be surely in those files somewhere).

 

[GaryGB]

Hi George:

I'm still testing a few things with your files, and hope to have some more feedback shortly on a setup which does use a controller as well as the 'main' or 'basic' Effect file, as this seems to be an option you are interested in maintaining.


BTW: I have found that some default FSX files which are used for some of the scenery display at the Walsall / Aldridge location of your sound Effect test coordinates ...are changed by OrbX FTX PNW.

Just as an initial test for whether end users may be able to utilize the folder location often used for compiled BGL output by ex: Instant Scenery and other FS scenery utilities when creating / modifying either the FS default scenery alone, or when a major regional land class package is installed (ex: FTX / GEX etc.), I put the scenery object placement BGL which 'calls' your test *.Fx files in the [FSX install path]\Addon Scenery\Scenery folder

If OrbX FTX Central is set to "North America", that results in a loss of autogen, and exclusion of known working sound Effect placements at your Walsall / Aldridge location.


[EDITED]

I can also confirm that, if FTX Central is set to "Europe", this also results in a loss of autogen, and exclusion of known working sound Effect placements at your Walsall / Aldridge location.


So, if by any chance one overlooks disabling OrbX FTX (or if one otherwise attempts to use the FSX default scenery for some of the scenery display at the Walsall / Aldridge location concurrent with an "active" OrbX FTX scenery region), results may be unpredictable.


Thus, a scenery object placement BGL which 'calls' *.Fx files may not be reliably tested if simply placed into [FSX install path]\Addon Scenery\Scenery.

However, that same scenery object placement BGL which 'calls' *.Fx files may be more reliably tested if placed within a \Scenery sub-folder beneath a top folder located "above" a major regional land class package such as (ex: FTX / GEX) etc. in the FS Scenery library stack of layers.

I would anticipate that may eliminate the display precedence of any excludes imposed by such 3rd party add-on custom local or regional land class packages (including mesh-clinging photoreal land class textures and/or those containing photoreal textured ground polys).

[END_EDIT]

GaryGB

 

[GHD]

I don't have any Orbx products installed nor am I using default scenery.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi George:

Thanks for that clarification !



FYI: I amended my last post above:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showpost.php?p=623341&postcount=8


I'll post some more test results tomorrow; it will be interesting to see how much and/or how little FS Effect parametric code might actually be required for sound placement with no associated textured or other visual Effect display.

GaryGB

 

[robystar]

George,

Your effect does not have any particle or particle attributes. Maybe that is what the problem is. (All fx'es with sound I have also contain emitter, particle and particle_attribute entries).

 

[GaryGB]

Hi George:

Here's a working 'minimum sized' example FSX-only Effect placement, which plays the (...3-second long... ) "Barn_Fx.wav" file at your test location cited above:



GHD_Barn_Fx_Obj_Plc_2.xml

1.) Compile to BGL with BGLComp

2.) Copy the output file "GHD_Barn_Fx_Obj_Plc_2.BGL" to an 'active' \Scenery sub-folder nested under a top folder

3.) Keep that active \Scenery folder 'above' add-ons which overlap your test location ...in FSX scenery library

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<FSData
version="9.0"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="bglcomp.xsd">
<!-- GHD_Barn_Fx_Obj_Plc-2.bgl -->

<SceneryObject
lat="52.592818068"
lon="-1.935612151"
alt="0.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="VERY_SPARSE">
<Effect
effectName="GHD_Cntrl_Barn_Fx_2.fx"
effectParams=""/>
</SceneryObject>

</FSData>

GHD_Cntrl_Barn_Fx_2.fx

[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=3.00
Display Name=GHD_Cntrl_Barn_Fx_2
Radius=200
Priority=0

[controller.0]
Lifetime=0.00, 0.00
Type=0
Delay=3.00, 3.00
effect.0=GHD_Barn_Fx_Main_2

GHD_Barn_Fx_Main_2.fx

[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=3.00
Display Name=GHD_Barn_Fx_Main_2
Radius=100
Priority=0

[Sound]
Looping=TRUE
MinAttenuationDistance=100.00
FileName=barn_fx.wav

[Properties]
Cockpit=1
VirtualCockpit=1
Spot=1
Tower=1
Map=1

[Emitter.0]
Lifetime=3.00, 3.00
Rate=0.01, 0.01

NOTE: For your convenience, both of the above illustrative *.Fx files are packaged inside: "GHD_Cntrl_Barn_Fx_2_fx_+_GHD_Barn_Fx_Main_2_fx.zip" (attached below).

1.) Un-ZIP and copy into [FSX install path]\Effects\ sub-folder


I have also attached a "_Walsall - Aldridge Airport Effect Sound Test Location_FLT.zip" file below (it uses the already-installed FSX default AirCreations Trike).

1.) Un-ZIP into \\[your computer name]\Users\[your profile name]\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\ (Win-7 64-bit location)

2.) In FSX Menu > Free Flight > Load > "Load Flight" dialog, load that 'saved flight' and enjoy the "Chicken Frenzy" (...or feel free to use any *.WAV file you prefer) !


Hope this "worked example" helps !

GaryGB

 

[GHD]

Thanks Gary.

 

[GHD]

Hi Gary,

It (sort of) worked.

After starting a flight near the effect position I heard cackling for a few seconds, then nothing.

Could this is be due to Lifetime=5 in both Library Effects and Lifetime=3 in the Emitter?

 

[GaryGB]

Hi George:

Were you flying around at the time ?


FYI: The Radius and MinAttenuationDistance you specified tapers the sound off fairly quickly.


AFAIK, the Lifetime=3 in the Emitter is due to the 3-second playing time duration of the Barn_Fx.Wav file I used in this example.


[EDITED]

Hi Gary,

It (sort of) worked.

After starting a flight near the effect position I heard cackling for a few seconds, then nothing.

Could this is be due to Lifetime=5 in both Library Effects and Lifetime=3 in the Emitter ?

< GaryGB wrote: (IIUC, George meant [Emitter.0] section of the GHD_Barn_Fx_Main_2.fx 'file' was suspect; code as shown is correct, but my original ZIP file was incorrect >

>

OOPS !!!

The Lifetime=3 in [controller.0] should indeed be set to Lifetime=0.00, 0.00.

Sorry for that error... I had mistakenly put an older test version of GHD_Cntrl_Barn_Fx_2.fx into the attached "GHD_Cntrl_Barn_Fx_2_fx_+_GHD_Barn_Fx_Main_2_fx.zip"

Please note that I have now replaced that attachment above with the intended correct files, so please replace the (2) *.Fx files with those in the "CORRECTED" ZIP attached.

[END_EDIT]


My initial impression in these tests is that one must accommodate the playing time duration with ones Delay to avoid "out-of-sych, overlapping, redundant, sound over-kill".


Please try loading up the attached "saved flight" in FSX (which is at the precise location of your sound placement geographic coordinates), and see if the sound is looping properly; it does so on my system.

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=13713&d=1357851547


BTW: If for any reason you don't have the default AirCreations Trike installed / active, FSX 'should' fall back to using the (always required) default Cessna 172 aircraft instead.


Feel free to let me know if that then works OK for you !

GaryGB

 

[GHD]

Hmm,

It works fine if I have a separate placement bgl for the effect

It doesn't work if I place the effect using ADE

The only difference I can see is effectParams="" is missing from the ADE placement.

Thanks Gary.

 

[GHD]

Yep, added Parameter "" to the ADE effect properties and it worked fine

 

[GaryGB]

Excellent... Happy tinkering !

GaryGB

 

[GaryGB]

Hi George:

After a bit more of my own "Happy Tinkering", I've got another test result to post.


Here's a working 'minimum sized' example FSX-only Effect placement, which again plays the (...3-second long... ) "Barn_Fx.wav" file at your test location cited above,

But... this one is another (modified) version of the (1-file) code posted by Rhumbaflappy:


"GHD_Barn_Fx_1-of-1.fx"

1.) Un-ZIP from "GHD_Barn_Fx_1-of-1_fx.zip" (attached below) ...and copy into [FSX install path]\Effects\ sub-folder

[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=3.00
Display Name=GHD_Barn_Fx_1-of-1
Radius=200
Priority=0

[Sound]
Looping=TRUE
MinAttenuationDistance=100.00
FileName=barn_fx.wav

[Properties]
Cockpit=1
VirtualCockpit=1
Spot=1
Tower=1
Map=1

[Emitter.0]
Lifetime=0.00, 0.00
Rate=0.01, 0.01
Type=0
Delay=3.00, 3.00

Also shown is "GHD_Barn_Fx_Obj_Plc_1-of-1_xml"

1.) Un-ZIP from "GHD_Barn_Fx_Obj_Plc_1-of-1_xml.zip" (attached below) ...and compile to BGL with BGLComp

2.) Copy the output file "GHD_Barn_Fx_Obj_Plc_1-of-1.BGL" to an 'active' \Scenery sub-folder nested under a top folder

3.) Keep that active \Scenery folder 'above' add-ons which overlap your test location ...in FSX scenery library

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<FSData
   version="9.0"
   xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
   xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="bglcomp.xsd">
<!-- GHD_Barn_Fx_Obj_Plc_1-of-1.bgl -->

   <SceneryObject
      lat="52.592818068"
      lon="-1.935612151"
      alt="0.0M"
      altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
      pitch="0"
      bank="0"
      heading="0"
      imageComplexity="VERY_SPARSE">
      <Effect
         effectName="GHD_Barn_Fx_1-of-1.fx"
         effectParams=""/>
   </SceneryObject>

</FSData>

I have again attached a "_Walsall - Aldridge Airport Effect Sound Test Location_FLT.zip" file below (it uses the already-installed FSX default AirCreations Trike).

1.) Un-ZIP into \\[your computer name]\Users\[your profile name]\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\ (Win-7 64-bit location)

2.) In FSX Menu > Free Flight > Load > "Load Flight" dialog, load that 'saved flight' and enjoy the "Chicken Frenzy" (...or feel free to use any *.WAV file you prefer) !


BTW: If for any reason you don't have the default AirCreations Trike installed / active, FSX 'should' fall back to using the (always required) default Cessna 172 aircraft instead.



Hope this additional "worked example" also helps !

GaryGB

 

[GHD]

Help, I have another problem.

My wav file plays for a much longer time than the chickens so I hear a couple of seconds then a gap before the repeat.

How can I have a continuous loop?

Edit. I changed all of the lifetimes to 24 and it seems ok.