How to make a custom sound file smaller?

[AwE]Sentinel

I never got the fmod stuff working, so I am happy that we can use simple wav files now.

But I have a problem. I plan to add a background sound to a map, but it is 1:15min long (6mb .flv) and converted to .wav it became ~12mb. It is a radio message and I can't make it shorter because of that. Is there a way to make the file smaller? Some secret ns2-background sound pro hint? Or can ns2 use something beside fsb and wav? Or is my only alternative to get fmod working? Because I tried it a few times and the sounds I created never worked ingame...

Rudy.cz

I used .mp3 format for Circus music and it worked fine.

[AwE]Sentinel

mp3 would reduce it to 1mb But if I put the file in the soundsrc folder and build, the builder just skippes the file and adds nothing the the output folder. Do I just put the mp3 in the output folder and add a file with name and length by hand? How did you do it Rudy-sensei m(.,.)m

SamusDroid

What do you mean you never got FMOD working? It's super super super simple. Did you not have the right version or something? There are plenty of tutorials available on the forums.

[AwE]Sentinel

I got a newer version from fmod that looked like in the tutorial. And followed every step of the tutorial. But when I added the sound to a map, it was always silent. Then I downloaded the recommended fmod version, but it looked like a very old programm/ui and different as in the tutorial. Tried it anyways with that version to no avail. Something went wrong along the way and I don't know what.

SamusDroid

Give me the audio file(s) and I'll do it for you

[AwE]Sentinel

Thanks a lot for the offer, but I need to figure out how it works or I won't be able to sleep anymore

I downloaded the fmod 4.38 version again and this time it looked like it is supposed to. I created the projects and banks how I remembered it and loaded it into the ns2/sound folder. Now I can select it in the editor and it also plays a sound. I still have a few questions:

- I had two files worth 7mb and after fmod created its files the size grew to 45mb! I hoped it would become smaller, now it is very large. Is that normal? Maybe the background sound file is too big to use after all

- I don't have to add a file that states the length of the played track anymore? At least it worked in the editor without one. But if I place a .wav file in the soundsrc folder, the builder creates one...

- If I place the fev and fsb file in the soundsrc folder of my map and build, the builder just skippes the files. So I add them to the output folder by hand and thats it?

And what am I supposed to use as the fmod file sound path in the ambient_sound entity? If I place the sound in my ns2 folder, I can use it in the editor. But if I publish the map with the new sound, the sound files will be in the ns2 mod folder. Do I publish the map first and change the path according to the mod so that every subscriber is using the sound files from the mod? (I bet there is a simple solution and it sounds silly to ask) :P

Thanks in advance, I know it's annoying to answer them ^_^`

SamusDroid

Well, I recently imported some sounds from NS1 into NS2 and yes the builder won't copy the .fev and .fsb so you have to manually copy that to output. I have not noticed a need for the .soundinfo as I set my sounds to loop in fmod. You only need soundinfo if you plan to loop in the editor I believe. You need to copy your sound files from fmod into ns2/sound so you can select them in the editor. You do not need to change the path because when you load the mod, it will "place" the sound from the mod in ns2/sound. You will need to name your .fev something not already in ns2/sound folder. Your file shouldn't be big unless you somehow included the default NS2 sounds. Though if you want to decrease the size convert to a mp3

[AwE]Sentinel

Ah, ok good to know! I converted the files to mp3 before I used fmod. That made them smaller, but fmod made it way too big to use. [Edit: Now I see, I can compress the banks to mp3! Trying and crossing fingers ]

Didn't know about the loop, nice hint! Yeah, the sound just played once. I will redo them with the compression anyways XD

I miss the ns1 sounds. Expecially the pistol sound and the background music.

Edit2: Awesome. I set the compression to 30% quality. Since it is a radio message, it doesn't really matters. And the maximum streams from 10 to 2 (does this effect ns2?) -> Now the 45mb banks became ~3mb. Plus the 2,8mb of the map the mod will not be bigger than the whole honorguard map!