So, here's a little utility to edit the soundtrack in Civ4. I know some other people have asked for something like this, and I've wanted one desperately. I can't take any more classical era Gregorian chants.

I know there's a "custom music folder" setting in the audio options, but it won't let you use different music folders in each era; this will.

How it works: as you might know, the Civ4 installation automatically creates a CustomAssets folder for custom maps, saves, etc. There's also a custom soundtrack folder that contains subfolders for each era. Problem is, if you throw mp3s in them, it won't do anything because Civ4's XML files still point to the standard soundtrack. This utility scans the custom soundtrack folders and updates the xml.

So, you just have to copy your mp3s into the custom soundtrack folders that already exist, and then run my app.

The utility does one other thing. Nothing annoys me more than clicking on a city and having the music just stop. My app will remove these city selection interruptions.

This utility is really simple right now. If anyone cares about it I'll add some features and write some documentation. And by the way, it requires .Net 2.0 framework (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&DisplayLang=en). Sorry, but you'll have to suffer through a 22MB download.

----UPDATE-----

Ok, here's my first update. No big changes, but now your Civ4 install path doesn't have to be in the default location.

I had to remove the attachment for the moment. Microsoft is bombarding me with .Net permissions errors as soon as I upload the executable. It will be back up shortly.

It's back up. If anyone gets permissions errors, tell me.

Oooh, this is very interesting. I'm definitely going to try it out if I get the chance.

Wow, this should be helpful to the modding community. Thanks.

Wow, man! That's right in time. Exactly what I need right now. Big thx!

Source Code (http://filebox.vt.edu/users/mlong/Public/Civ4%20Soundtrack%20Editor.zip)

Here's the Visual Studio project, just so you know I'm not screwing you with adware ;)

rad =) is there a way to make a better music interface? Like maybe a track skip button or something? and a way to tell what track is playing, like a scrolling title at the top corner, or something like the firefox FoxyTunes extension?

I tend to just point the custom music folder to my mp3 drive and let it go from there, but its irritating to have to hit ctrl-m every time a lame track comes on, with no way to control what track comes next or what have you.

Yeah, the soundtrack interface is pretty weak. I actually thought about trying to make a keyboard shortcut to skip to the next song, but after looking at the SDK I sort of abandoned that :(

Oh well. Maybe they'll fix it in Warlords.

Does this work for Worlords, as they have a different custom music folder. If so which folder shoud I be using

Well, if Warlords uses different soundtrack folders or xml config files then it's not going to work. I won't be able to fix it until I buy the expansion, which means you're going to have to wait til I can scrounge $30. Hopefully (for both of us) that won't be too long.

Ok, thanks anyway. I really enjoyed this mod nad its a shame it was made redundant by the sequal. Good look finding the money

By the way in Britain the game is £14.99, which I think is about $18. How come we get an American game much cheeper than you do?

Very cool, I was just hoping for somthing like this and happen to be scanning the utility forum. Talk about good luck. :cool:

Really brilliant tool!

Sad To see that my hard work put into developing 7 different eras of diplomacy music is gonna go to waste for anyone who use this mod. That a total of 28 files not gonna be heard and I've been told they were very well done :( :( :( any chance you could make a second version which still left the diplomacy music still in tact???

If this possible to have music for each civ ? I choose Zulu Civ, for instance, and have a special music for them, then I choose English and have diffrent music too, connected with that country/nation. I think it would be great if someone would be able to program it. I cannot do it myself. I would be willing to include the music. I have already a lot so ...

I've downloaded this and installed the Net 2.0 Framework and when I've installed it and tried to open it, it says 'Program has encountered an error' - I've installed the correct framework and uninstalled and reinstalled the soundtrack editor and restarted my PC but nothing works!?!?!

I'd really like to see a Warlords version pleeeeeeeze, Condorman.

:lol:

thx this is the best utility for CIV4

Is it possible to have it work for Beyond the sword ?

The utility does one other thing. Nothing annoys me more than clicking on a city and having the music just stop. My app will remove these city selection interruptions.


Could you tell me how you managed to disable the stopping of the music, as I just use the custom music folder and don't want the music to stop when I select a city or when I zoom in or out!!