Sound clips

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Scubba
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Re: Sound clips

Post by Scubba »

taspoff wrote:Not sure it will be clear english, but there are pictures ;)
I made a short doc to install/use HERE
Looks like clear enough english for me--thanks for the contribution, taspoff!

I will be trying this at my next game session.

Maglad
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Re: Sound clips

Post by Maglad »

Uh... when I play in OPENrpg, theres a command to have it play entire mp3 files from a website adress hosting the file. I dont know if that would be harder or simpler than having the file myself and clicking "play" somewhere inside maptools? I just like using music when Im running games.

Cant we somehow just have it be compatible with winamp? maybe theres a way to link various winamps together, I dont know much about it other than "press play, hear music, make soundtrack list"

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Re: Sound clips

Post by Darakonis »

For years, I've been using a winamp shoutcast private server. I give my players my shoutcast URL, and they hear whatever I'm playing on my winamp. I can play, pause, rewind, change track, and they hear it within a reasonable delay (depending on the configurable sound quality--better quality can lead to delays of about 30 seconds).

Completely free, and I only turn on the server for my D&D sessions. I've used it for mood music and for our session intro music, but it could also be used for sound effects. The other players don't even need winamp; various software can tune into the shoutcast.

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Azhrei
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Re: Sound clips

Post by Azhrei »

If you want something cross-platform, take a look at VLC (used to be Video LAN Client but now just called vlc).

It also acts as a server (just like MapTool!) and can stream audio and video in a wide variety of formats. And because it runs on Windows, Macs, and Linux it can be used by anyone -- including netbooks, but not iOS-based devices.

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bubblobill
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Re: Sound clips

Post by bubblobill »

Okay then, I'm having a little clarity trouble with some aspects of this thread.

As I grasp it so far, there is the elegant solution of having an external media player playing your noise of choice over a network which is then pointed at by Maptool through a little linkage action. I think this is a great solution but I'm not real clear on how it works on the nuts and bolts level, mostly because I am test-driving on a single machine.

I failed at the VLC implementation so I did it with MPC-HC.

With MPC-HC running, I used the following address in a macroLink
http://localhost:13579/browser.html?path=C:\preview.mp3
which opened a webserver window in my browser, launched MPC, and started playing the sound. Win!

On my second instance of Maptool I had the link appear in the chat window. Succesful launch from here too. Win twice! Viability confirmed.

Q 1. Does this solution require that all players have the same media player installed or is the idea that the webbynessishnous pushes the sound through each persons browser?

Q 2. Will each client request link them to the same stream? Different players use different language which infer that they are trying to link mobile people to their stuff at home. They seem to be aiming at letting people access their stuff through their smart-phones rather than giving numerous people access to the same material. I'm confused if the servers are designed to deliver to a single source or broadcast to multiple (VLC and MPC anyway).

Q 3. Am I right in the assumption that each player will need to click the link to open the browser in order to access the sound? This makes me happy as a player because closing the browser will turn off the noise, but unhappy as a GM because I cannot force feed my cleverly crafted sounds into their ears (I know they ultimately have volume knobs and mute buttons too but hacking their fingers off will impair their gameplay).

My brain hurts.
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taspoff
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Re: Sound clips

Post by taspoff »

Hi,

I made a small picture explaining the way I launch MP3s from Maptool via VLC

It worked perfectly last Weekend, but as we are face to face, I don't need the streaming option yet (but i'm sure it's possible even if the commandline about VLC is just a bit confusing for me :D http://wiki.videolan.org/VLC_command-line_help )

I posted on RPGallery the D20 modern scenario I used this week-end, where I integrated Music links in character Sheet, and with special "Music" tokens. For this, I use my self-learning-macros-face-to-face-framework, but I begin to be happy with it :mrgreen: : http://gallery.rptools.net/v/contrib/taspoff/howTo

In order to run it :
  • Copy the MaptoolMusic.html in the Videolan/VLC/http repository
  • Copy and run the .bat file in the same place than the Videolan repository (VLC). After some time, 4 VLC should be launched, each on a separate port.
  • Put you MP3s (or .wav, or whatever VLC can read) in the J:/RPGMP3 repository (this is my default config, you can change it in LibD20Modern via editing the macro/global variables "FX1Server" and so on
  • Music files MUST be without space caracter or parenthesis in their names.
    Make sure the filename is well typed in FX1 or FX2 token property (or it can block VLC in looping mode)
  • To avoid blocking VLC because looping on empty/inexistent MP3 file, do a "stop" mp3 file in J:RPGMP3 repertory with 3 or more seconds of silence (use the window magnetophone recorder, by example).
Hope it could help....

Ho, sorry, by the way : As it was only for me, and as I'm french : I used "frenglish" in my framework: a mix of French and English..... :oops:

Taspoff
[Edit] corrected some errors, and added some more pictures/data
Attachments
MaptoolMusic.html.txt
File to add in Videolan/VLC/http repository : it allows to order VLC to play the song added in URL. rename it in .html
(380 Bytes) Downloaded 170 times
MapToolVLC.bat.txt
batch file in order to launch 4 VLC on ports 8080,8081,8082,8083 - No Streaming option at this moment. Rename it in .bat
(450 Bytes) Downloaded 160 times
An exemple of the framework U use : Token music is visible only by GM, and display a "character sheet" with links to play ambient sounds, music, or "FX" sounds
An exemple of the framework U use : Token music is visible only by GM, and display a "character sheet" with links to play ambient sounds, music, or "FX" sounds
Exemple Music Token.JPG (193.14 KiB) Viewed 5011 times
Character sheet, with FX1 and FX2 links to MP3s for the Selected token
Character sheet, with FX1 and FX2 links to MP3s for the Selected token
Exemple Music Token 2.JPG (42.84 KiB) Viewed 5011 times
Architecture Shema about Maptool and VLC in order to play MP3 from Maptool links
Architecture Shema about Maptool and VLC in order to play MP3 from Maptool links
maptool+VLC.jpg (109.99 KiB) Viewed 5011 times


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taspoff
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Re: Sound clips

Post by taspoff »

Unfotunately no :(

As I play with french people in IRL face-to-face events, the party is all in French langage, so i didn't made the effort to traduct it in english :(

But for the framework, as all the function are regrouped in the lib:d20modern i made , I could try to traduct it with RPEdit..... All Data about Skills and Feat are already in english (Copy/paste from MSRD english sites)...

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wolph42
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Re: Sound clips

Post by wolph42 »

well... in that case I'm still interested in the French version, as you say, with rpedit its fairly easy to pick out the texts and I think my French is good enough to try a translate.
in other words, pouvez-vous partager le fichier .cmpgn ?

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taspoff
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Re: Sound clips

Post by taspoff »



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taspoff
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Re: Sound clips

Post by taspoff »

I made a VLC_Music Lib and a token "Music", at least for Local use (beware : option to be verified for Streaming)...

I will try Streaming option's code as soon I will have access to multiple computers with some spare time :)

I still depend of local variables on my token and in campaign properties : not sure to know how to stock all on the library.....
Attachments
VLC_Maptool.cmpgn
Lib and Token
(112.56 KiB) Downloaded 174 times

OrigSyn
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Re: Sound clips

Post by OrigSyn »

A thought:

MT already supports at least one sound- "dink.mp3"- which is used by the chat client to indicate a received message.

I can't find it's exact location (it's inside the .jar, I think), but it's there, and it's in mp3 format in both the Mac and Linux versions of MT (I assume in the Windows version as well, but cannot confirm that).

When I press ENTER to send a chat message, the client on the other end recognizes the end of line and triggers the sound.

I've read the arguments about how each machine supports different sound types natively, and that licensing mp3 support costs money r something. But.. MT already supports the mp3 format.

What if (and this may be headed into 1.4 territory) an "Audio" folder was added in <this location that must never ever be changed under penalty of death.. or, at least, nonfunctional audio> and each campaign woudl load the campaign specific sounds into it. Then a simple-esque call could be made via macro to trigger <this sound> because MT knows that the sound has to be in <this location that must never ever be changed under penalty of death.. or, at least, nonfunctional audio>.

Just a thought.
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Re: Sound clips

Post by Azhrei »

I have information from a reliable source ( ;) ) that there may be a nice-looking Java-based sound manager that we could plug into MapTool in 1.4. We'll see...

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Re: Sound clips

Post by flyndad »

Would like to possibly add a few thoughts to this thread. 1st, I am NOT a programmer, or a computer expert by any means. I couldn't tell you the difference between a png and a url port. So you guys are WAAYYYY over my head with all the code speak. Having said that, I can offer a professional prospective regarding the utilization of sound with maptools. In my former profession I was as an audio engineer and producer, both advertising and album production. I owned my own 7000 sf. facility in Atlanta for years and sold it just as the transition was taking hold from analog to digital in the mid 90's and my opinion is as follows: Devote ALL or nearly all of your resources to making this an actuality. It can and will CHANGE the way this game is played!, and do it for the better. It can and will enhance all of the reasons WHY people play rpg's. (pretending to be a character, interaction with other characters, and the world, surroundings, atmosphere that you find yourself in.) If no one has brought this next tid-bit up I would be shocked, but perhaps no one has looked at this from a professional audio perspective. Straight out the professional audio engineers bag of recording tricks is tool 101,..... ISOLATION,.. Isolation of sound is recording kindergarden, but let's look at how it can and will effect the game..... Isolation gives the engineer the ability to control and manipulate and individual sound and by doing so alters and enhances the overall mix,. or end product. How does this relate to the game??,... Well,.. in the exact same way, a GM can and will manipulate and control the INDIVIDUAL player. This is key,.. the GM MUST have the ability to send a sound or music to a SPECIFIC player as well as all the players. The implications of this simple concept are enormous! It will change the way in which players interact with each other and enhance the players feeling of connection with his character. The examples I could offer are as vaired and diverse as the universe itself, but just to give an idea of what I mean, here is the following, very simple example: Dwarf hears spooky spirit sounds and says, "Wow, that sure was wierd." Other players - "What was wierd?" Dwarf - "that spooky sound, can't you guys hear that?" Other players - "I think you're a nut Ironbeard." Dwarf - "NO, I am hearing things, it sounds like a ghost mumbling or something." Other players - "Can you tell what it is saying?" etc, etc,... The examples are endless, but you can see that the interaction in the above example would be impossible with the way the game is played now. At BEST the gm sends a note, and that just isn't the same. Furhermore, every token should or could have it's own sound (or sounds if ya really think about it) associated with it, and the varied sounds would depend on the situation it is in,.. I don't think this would be THAT hard to do, but then again , I am NOT a programmer. Example: Orc has; sleeping sound, just hanging out in a room sound, agressive sound, fighting sound, getting hit sound, getting hit when wounded badly sound and being killed sound. If there are many orcs in a room then the software knows to play the sound of "many orcs in a room". The software already tracks wounds,.. so some of these sounds could be triggered by the degree of wounds, etc. .... Think about an elf that would like to "Listen" to try and hear what is on the other side of the door... GM sends the "sound of many orcs in a room" to the ELF ONLY and then the elf has to decide if he tells the other players and if he does, he must describe it. In addition to this, players would gain REAL WORLD experience in learning what these various sounds were/are as they play more ie, level up. An elf/player that has played for many months will be better at determining what they hear on the other side of the door. "Hey, I know that sound!,.. We have a bunch of orcs on the other side of this door guys." the new player hears the SAME thing and has no clue as to what it might be. Realizing this is already a long post I am going to keep going with this,.... last thought (I hope your head is spinning with the possibilities by now), We create maps and dungeons and rooms and caves etc, right?.. we change the SIZE of these rooms do we not?,.. How hard would it really be to link the size of the area or room to a simple reverb program, then, any sound that is played ie, an orc screaming in pain from that rather nasty hit, sounds like he is dying in a cavern, or a small moss covered, dungeon room, or a..... JUST FOOD, FOOD FOR THOUGHT,......

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