Unit Creation Sounds Thread

[Vuldacon]

To add a sound to any Unit for CIV, first make sure the sound is in .wav format or change it to .wav with a good sound program.

How to convert any .wav sound file to use for Civ3, PTW or Conquest:

On your computer, (usually found here) go to start then programs/accesories/multimedia or entertainment and click on SOUND RECORDER.

All Civ3 .wav file formats are at 22,050 Hz, 16bit Mono, 43 kb/s and Need to be set this way for proper in game use.

On the Recorder, Click on open and search for the .wav file you want to check or convert. Double left click the wav file and it will be in the Recorder.

Click on PROPERTIES. Here you will see the Audio Format of your sound listed.

On the screen you click [CONVERT NOW] Then under "Name" in this sound selection Box, use the Arrow Key and select "Radio Quality"(This is the Correct Format 22,050 Hz, 16bit Mono, 43 kb/s). Click OK then OK on the next box and save the sound as a new name or overwrite the original. Finished.

Alternately, you could search for the wav format (22,050 Hz, 16bit Mono, 43 kb/s)... [Use Arrow Button], select the format, hit ok and save. Note that you may either save as a different name or simply save and Over Write the .wav file where you found it. Note that If you exit Sound Recorder or open a nother sound, it will ask you if you want to save the sound...Finished!

 

[Yamato]

What are .amb sound files. The main attack sounds of a unit are in this format.
I do not even have a program that can play these sounds.
I tried using a .wav sound in the "Attack1=" and "Run=" slots in the unit config file (yes in the sound section of it) and this results in no sound.

So what is a .amb file? and (how is it different from .wav?)
Can a .wav be converted to .amb?
What program plays .amb files?
Where can I find .amb files? (so I can use them for units)

PS
If this has been asked and answered before, first I apoligize and second could you direct me to the answer.

 

[BadKharma]

AMB files are text documents that the game code uses in order to combine 2 or more wavs together. Unless you know the code used by the programming team you cant make your own amb files. You can use just a wav file instead, but if it isnt in the proper format 22,050 Hz, 16bit Mono, 43 kb/s it wont work properly.

 

[Vuldacon]

Yamato... as Badkharma said, .amb files are files that "program" the sequence for several sound bytes to play in a particular way.
The .amb files use the .wav files found in the same unit folder. IF you want to use the combined sounds the same as the .amb files, you can either copy all of the .wav files and the .amb file to your new unit folder or simply use links in the .ini file for your new unit. These links can use .amb or single .wav files from any unit you have. Otherwise you would just place the same .amb and .wav files into the New Unit Folder and copy the same .ini information to the new .ini.
The Links refer to the Unit Folder Name and the Name of the sound file...Be sure to spell them Exactly as they are from the existing Unit.

example:
[Sound Effects]
BLANK=
DEFAULT=
WALK=
RUN=..\Marine\MarinesRun.amb
ATTACK1=..\Marine\MarinesAttack.wav
ATTACK2=
ATTACK3=
DEFEND=
DEATH=..\Marine\MarinesDeath.wav
DEAD=
FORTIFY=..\Marine\MarinesFortify.wav
FORTIFYHOLD=
FIDGET=
VICTORY=
TURNRIGHT=
BUILD=
ROAD=
MINE=
IRRIGATE=
FORTRESS=
CAPTURE=
TURNLEFT=
STOP_AT_LAST_FRAME=
[Version]
VERSION=1
[Palette]
PALETTE=

For sounds to play with good timing, the Units need to have the same number of frames and Flc speeds as well as timing of the animation actions. You can open the Flcs in Flicster to see and read the animation information for a unit.
IF you are adding a sound to a unit by using another Unit sound, some times it will be better to just use one of the .wav files rather than the .amb file that was "Programed" to use several sound bytes for the original unit. Read the .wav file Names and you will see the sounds that are used for particular animations. Example of .amb file: The MarinesRun.amb file uses the two Foot step sounds, two Move sounds and the two Rifle sounds for the Run animation. You can Open a .amb file with WordPad to read what sounds are used but it is easy to just read the .wav sound files to see what is used.

There are many units that use a Grunt sound etc...with a Hit Sound for the Attack for example. You can use the Hit Sound only rather than the .amb that uses both the Grunt sound and Hit sound by simply linking to the Hit sound only. Just use the .wav Name for the sound you want to use there. Hope this makes sense to you...Good Luck

 

[Yamato]

Thanks a pile. I'm impressed, you guys on this board not only respond with good info, you do it quickly. Been getting lots of help. Thanksall

A new question, where is a good place to find .wav files that match the 22hz 16bit mono and 43kb/s specs?
Especially sound effects for the Ent, but other good effects for units? I have searched a number of effects sites and most effects I've found don't match the specs and they don't work

 

[Heretic_Cata]

Hi

Would someone be kind enough to make a the sound part of the ini file for Shiro's Habiru ?

I doubt new sounds are needed. I think the normal spearman sounds would do ... but i think they need syncronisation. (i think, i'm not sure )

 

[BadKharma]

Thanks a pile. I'm impressed, you guys on this board not only respond with good info, you do it quickly. Been getting lots of help. Thanksall

A new question, where is a good place to find .wav files that match the 22hz 16bit mono and 43kb/s specs?
Especially sound effects for the Ent, but other good effects for units? I have searched a number of effects sites and most effects I've found don't match the specs and they don't work

Unfortunately finding the right sampling and bit rate will be very hard to do. The best method is to use a program that allows you to change these settings yourself. You might try this one for a freeware version. For a better program you will have to most likely purchase one.

 

[Vuldacon]

Yamato... The Ent by Kindred72 has Ent sounds that work well. As for the Sound Format. If you download .wav files you can directly change the specifics needed with your Windows "Sound Recorder". As BadKharma pointed out, you can get free software to change some of the sound files to the needed format. Changing the sound to the correct format is just the first step. You will need to adjust the sounds to the needed length for the animation. IF an animation is 1 second long and the sound is 2 seconds long, they will not work with timing. Not only does the sound need to be the same length as the animation but it also needs to have the sound bytes that take place within the sound match the animation. Example is when a spear hits the enemy and this hit sound is within the attack sound. It matters where the actual Hit sound is within that attack sound. Perhaps the hit sound has a .5 second delay within the 1 second attack sound used. Each sound file can have several sounds within it so the timing for exactly when an action takes place matters when making the sound to fit the animation.

Heretic_Cata... The Civ Game Spearman sounds will not match the Habiru unit because the animations have different numbers of frames and Flc speeds. The Death sound looks like it matches close enough but the others do not. The animations also have different timing for the actions taking place. The Spearman sound could be used but they would have to be altered with a sound program for timing both in length as well as the exact place where the action takes place.

 

[Heretic_Cata]

Wow - i've found so many units that don't have sounds made.

Oh well, maybe someone will make them untill i finish the expansion.

(some of) Those units are:
Shaolin Monk
Urban Forcefield
Landsknecht

I'm curious; do all the mods that use them have them mute ? I doubt it.

 

[embryodead]

I've put LandsKnecht sounds in the attachment for you. Run sound works ok with SwordsmanRun.amb. Nothing fancy, if links to existing sounds are not enough (out of sync) I usually just edit the wav files so that they sync with animations. I can post more per request but I've only edited sounds for medieval & fantasy units.

 

[embryodead]

I've found the Monk file where I have this. Not sure if it was me who made it though Shaolin Fortify wav file in the attachment

[Sound Effects]
BLANK=
DEFAULT=
WALK=
RUN=..\Warrior Monk\WarriorMonkRun.amb
ATTACK1=..\Minamoto Samurai\MinamotoSamuraiAttackA.amb
ATTACK2=..\Warrior Monk\WarriorMonkAttackAHit.wav
ATTACK3=..\Minamoto Samurai\MinamotoSamuraiAttackA.amb
DEFEND=
DEATH=..\Warrior Monk\WarriorMonkDeath.wav
DEAD=
FORTIFY=ShaolinFortify.wav
FORTIFYHOLD=
FIDGET=
VICTORY=..\Warrior Monk\WarriorMonkVictory.wav

 

[Heretic_Cata]

Whoa, that was fast.

Thank you

Nothing fancy, if links to existing sounds are not enough (out of sync) I usually just edit the wav files so that they sync with animations.

Heh, it's way more than i could've done.

I can post more per request but I've only edited sounds for medieval & fantasy units.

Yay
I am assuming that i will have some more ancient&medieval units with no sounds once i add the expansion units.

But untill then, (it might be a while) maybe you could take a look at the Habiru from post 246.

 

[Vuldacon]

Here are the sounds and pcx files I use for the Crawler unit by Level if anyone wants them. Fun Unit and very well done. Units and sounds have a way of sometimes getting scattered
http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/4870/Sounds_and_pcx_for_Level_s_Crawler.zip

Here is the link to the Crawler Unit...Be sure to get all 5 Zips.
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showth...hlight=Crawler

 

[Heretic_Cata]

I can post more per request but I've only edited sounds for medieval & fantasy units.

I am assuming that i will have some more ancient&medieval units with no sounds once i add the expansion units.

I've looked for them and here they are:
Chineese Wal Guard
Partisan
Russian pikeman

I think that's about all the units that really need some sounds.

 

[Adler17]

I am looking for a certain sound file from the German version of Starcraft, the Firebat (Flammenwerfer), who says "Feuer gefällig?". I can't see such a sound in the folders of Starcraft. Is there anyone having the sound or how to extract it?

Adler

 

[polyphemus]

This is a good site a found for battle sounds: http://www.grsites.com/sounds/battle001.shtml


Here's another sound site that I get pretty much every sound from. Great for any kind of sound effect!:

http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/index.php

 

[Logitech]

To return to a dead subject...

I have edited and successfully got away from game crashes with .amb's. If you open it with notepad, it's quite easy to figure out how it works. I just look for when a file name begins and I rename that. It works for me, at least.

 

[conex]

hi guys, i am a newbie here, please can anyone tell me where can I get MECHWARRIOR sound wav download. thanks

 

[jlpurvis2001]

I'm looking for lightsaber sounds for my Jedi Units. I did a search, but I didn't find any files, only a post about them. Could anybody help out?

 

[polyphemus]

This is a good site a found for battle sounds: http://www.grsites.com/sounds/battle001.shtml


Here's another sound site that I get pretty much every sound from. Great for any kind of sound effect!:

http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/index.php

Look for a vibrating sound or electricity...