Multi-Track .wav file editor to work with .amb files

[cracker]

Does anyone have a recommended software application that can work with the Multi-track wave form files that get combine to create the sound effects tracks for the CIV3 animation graphics.

A key point here is to synchronize the the sound effects with the animations so we do not get the really bad "dubbed move" effect where the booms come before the muzzle flashs and the death screams come after the warrior has died, etc.

I have a couple of multi-tack mixers that can layer wav files into a single track but was looking to see if there is a known solution to opening and viewing the CIV3 files that have the .amb extension.

 

[Incubus0223]

i don't know if this will work or is what your asking for but, maybe you could take an .amb file from one of the units that has an equal amount of .wav files associated with the .amb file than you can swicth your .wav files to those names so it will open it then you can change the name of the .amb file to what your unit is,

if you didn't understand some of it i will explain it again another way,


if you have 7 .wav files (for example)

take the immortal file copy the ImmortalAttackA.amb and the 7 files with it to your new unit file

then rename your .wav files to the same way that the immortal .wav files are and then overwrite them.

Hopefully it makes sense and works

srry i don't know any software that can be used but maybe you could search the web, also tell me if it works

 

[cracker]

Incubus,

Your post is "semi-logical" but will do nothing to solve the issues that need to be addressed.

The number of .wav files has nothing to do whether the sound track will work for the unit, the key variable is in the positioning of key sound elements on the t axis at the appropriate times that correspond to the actions of the unit.

The .amb file controls the timing and relative mix parameters of the .wav files used in the animation sound track. SO if all you are doing is just copying the existing Firaxis work and converting it to look like something a little different but with the same basic actions, frame count, and timing, then the sound files can still be the same.

If the existing file has a rattle sound mixed with creaking and rolling and boom timed to match the firing of the gun, then I can substite a rooster crowing .wav file for the boom.wav file and I will get a unit hat crows when it fires its gun (if that's what I want).

But if we are doing things other than just copying the work of others we need to alter the timing of the sound effects tracks if we do not want to be just bad versions of Kung Fu movies.

So help me look for a real answer to the question and it will benefit you as well.

 

[Incubus0223]

okay srry i said i didn't know if it would work but ill try to figure it out well good luck lata

 

[Incubus0223]

Hey why don't you post your sound in the sound creation post thing and i d/l them and i give them a try to see if i can make it work. And ill still try to figure it out

 

[Smoking mirror]

The new editor comes out soon, and i have heard there will be a number of new tools for editing other elements of the game (flics etc) with the XP. Perhaps they will have an AMB editor .
Any way on a similar issue if you create a new unit and you want to create a new sound for it just stitch the sounds together in to a mega sized wav file;

(Leftfoot_Metal_rightfoot_creak_leftfoot_metal_rightfoot).wav
It saves some space at least and means that you can create custom wavs, half imortal and half knight for example to create the run sound for the Arab horseman.

 

[cracker]

I still have not located a software application that will open the .amb sound mix files that form the heart of the CIV3 background sounds.

but on a brighter note, I do have a multi-track sound mix editor that will let me construct accurate sound effects backgrounds for the units and to sychronize the timing of sound events with unit actions in the frames. I consider this is key step to completing a unit.

I get a pretty solid feeling that most people participating in these unit creation forums have no clue what we are talking about in multi-track or multilayer sound effects editing, since 9 out of 10 people just tried to swap the raw .wav files or string the .wav files together.

Don't take me wrong. No offense intended to anyone. But I don't think very many people sounded like they knew the first thing about the subject of this message thread. I didn't know much to start, but "I can be taught" and now that I have activated the functions on my sound mixer software I can mix and edit the sounds needed to provide that dimension to the units.