Bridge Commander Central
BC Forums => BC Bridge Modding => Topic started by: Lurok91 on December 17, 2010, 05:43:53 AM
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Here's little preview of idea been working on (idea courtesy of AdmiralKathryn). Majel-style computer voice to replace off-bridge crew on relevant shuttles (currently silent). USS Sovereign has created a soundpak mutator. With the right scripts, computer should only work on shuttle bridges but switch back to default voices when transport back to larger bridges.
Have tried to replace all the main crew sounds and created new tgl. Please do not send/link Majel soundfiles :) Short of hiring an actress, lol, this voice is my best personal choice and allows me to read any text I give her.
As always any feedback welcome and hopefully ready for beta test soon. Volunteers please.
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Eh...Lurok I don't know if it's just YouTube being a pain...but it kinda sounds scratchy when she says "engines"
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it's youtube. And rather than being so nitpicky so early on without the thing being tested, wouldn't it be better/more constructive just to comment on the concept? if anyone doesn't like it don't have to download it. Jeez :facepalm: I put a f*** of a lot of effort into all these mods for the BC community and sometimes the negativity and/or lack of constructive useful encouragement just makes me want to give up. Which I will soon anyway.
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lurok - take a chill pill, mon ami lol
he wasnt trashing your work, he was just suggesting one word sounded scratchy... which had nothing to do with you anyway, thats a youtube issue...
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Sorry Jimmy - i don't need a pill and perfectly chilled. Just ticked off. Like I said, why focus on one irrelevance and not comment on the concept? That'w where all the hard work is. You can lock and/or delete this too.
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Aside from that one little flaw on youtube's part... I thought it sounded fine :)
I don't know how else it can be improved.
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Aside from that one little flaw on youtube's part... I thought it sounded fine :)
I don't know how else it can be improved.
Agreed Youtube is a pain but other than that I liked it...And it could also be that I hadn't been up very long when I posted that and I just forgot to add that I liked it which has been known to happen. I think Jimmy knows me too well LMAO. Sorry to piss you off!!!
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OK... may not be huge interest/whatever, but this is ready to put out to beta test. Might as well see.
To beta test, must have Janeway SC4 shuttle bridge installed and Sovereign/Ebridge (these are two bridges chosen for beta test). All instructions/info in readme. Kudos to master scripter USS Sovereign for making this mod possible.
PM me if interest. Here's abbreviated readme:
DESCRIPTION
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This is a sound mod that will replace the off-bridge currently 'silent' shuttle bridge crews with a synthetic Majel-style voice.
I have tried to replace all the stock bridge crew voices, but please report any commands missing or errors.
This beta currently only includes plugins for the Janeway SC4 shuttle bridge and Sovereign bridge. To test, only use those two ships/bridges in QB, transport from one to the other, engage in battle (especially from SC4) and enjoy!
If positive feedback, will provide plugins for stock bridges and shuttle bridges, and instructions how to create for new bridge installs.
The sound mod is mutator activated. Once installed from zip, start BC and go to mutator menu and click on 'Set Crew Sounds'.
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I lurk, takes time to post, but yeah, I get ticked at lack of comments, see my WIP thread, every other thing I say asks for comments. (That was a lot of commas.) I would so use this though. :thumbsup: Do want! :D
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If positive feedback, will provide plugins for stock bridges and shuttle bridges, and instructions how to create for new bridge installs.
Or if you read my latest PM back at BCS you won't have to.
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is the voice computer generated?
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Or if you read my latest PM back at BCS you won't have to.
Just noticed that and hope will be in final release :)
is the voice computer generated?
Yes, it's synthetic. But I think one of best ones and closest to majel/trek-style.
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Beta testing now in progress. Will post results.
Useful feedback needed:
Assuming mutator works and use the two test bridges...
Do the relevant soundfiles work on each specific bridge?
Are there any key missing commands? (please provide mp3 filename from tgl)
Assuming ingame sound levels at default setting, are the computer soundfiles loud enough?
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Lurok I tested the mod and it works great! AWESOME IDEA btw!! Both bridges worked great for me. Every common command worked for me, I found that when I asked the XO for a damage report I got sounds from every officer except Miguel when he says "Sensor system is fully functional". I got a crackly static noise instead. Its a small thing, but thought I'd mention it since the other offices said the damage report properly.
Great job and thanks for letting me beta! Your mods are all made of awesome!! :)
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Glad it worked ok :) I'll add that Felix line to my list. If anyone else finds a missing command, please try and let me know mp3 name from tgl. Thanks.
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I got a crackly static noise instead.
That may not necessarily be a bug with this mod; sometimes BC, when it tries to play a non-stock MP3 file, that static noise happens. I don't know why, but it's more likely than not a game bug.
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Regarding to sound file static, a simple fix is to re-encode the file using winLame, LameXP.
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Regarding to sound file static, a simple fix is to re-encode the file using winLame, LameXP.
I'll try that. I also believe the bitrate is important?
Encoded all beta files with Audacity and all seem to be working on my install. The static problem seems intermittent on mine, and not always same soundfile. Wonder if could be memory leak problem?
Any further feedback on beta welcome - unless you're all 'meh' about it or love it so much don't have time to write :)
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Encoded all beta files with Audacity and all seem to be working on my install. The static problem seems intermittent on mine, and not always same soundfile. Wonder if could be memory leak problem?
When you converted with audacity, did you use IDv1 or IDv2? I don't think its a memory leak, BC just has random issues with custom MP3's. I modified a voice file once to include some computer sound effects that worked fine on one install and gave me static on another (and it was the same MP3). I think it just has to do with the way the MP3 encoded and BC's ability to recognize it.
Of course another work around with this issue would be to change the TGL to use WAV format sounds and convert your computer sounds accordingly. BC never has issues with WAV sounds (from my experience). I know it would be tedious changing everything in the TGL, on top of converting all the sounds to WAV format, but it would solve the static problem guaranteed.
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That's a great idea! And whatever voice generating software you're using is superb!
The voice is extremely natural sounding, though I think the voice profile could use a little tweaking to make it more majel-like. Great work, though, great idea. I'd apply to beta test if I had access to my BC install anytime in the next few weeks.
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When you converted with audacity, did you use IDv1 or IDv2? I don't think its a memory leak, BC just has random issues with custom MP3's. I modified a voice file once to include some computer sound effects that worked fine on one install and gave me static on another (and it was the same MP3). I think it just has to do with the way the MP3 encoded and BC's ability to recognize it.
Of course another work around with this issue would be to change the TGL to use WAV format sounds and convert your computer sounds accordingly. BC never has issues with WAV sounds (from my experience). I know it would be tedious changing everything in the TGL, on top of converting all the sounds to WAV format, but it would solve the static problem guaranteed.
Not sure which ID version. Will check next time use. Didn't know crew tgl could be adapted to use wav. Isn't one issue wav files usually larger than mp3s? But if not an issue and can figure out quick easy way to batch convert mp3 to wav, I can change tgl accordingly.
Although no evidence yet soundfiles are a major issue and if so, problem seems intermittent. Still, if wav is better that could be way to go.
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Not sure which ID version. Will check next time use. Didn't know crew tgl could be adapted to use wav. Isn't one issue wav files usually larger than mp3s? But if not an issue and can figure out quick easy way to batch convert mp3 to wav, I can change tgl accordingly.
There's no issues with it. I converted stock dialog to wav and modified the "Bridge Crew General.TGL" accordingly sometime ago to test it and it worked just fine.
Batch converting with Audacity, that I haven't figured out yet either. If you decide to go with the WAV option and have to convert all the files one by one I'd be willing to go half & half and convert some of the sound files for you.
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All do-able. Just curious: how big in mb is the wav version of crew folder? MP3 is about 8-10mb. Best solution might be I convert maj soundfiles and combine with your wav crew?
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I think I misspoke there for a second, when I said I converted stock dialog to see if it worked I mean I only did a couple sound files as a test, I didn't do the whole thing. Sorry about the confusion that was my bad. :hithead:
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Ah...I see. Well, did a batch convert of computer voices to wav and comes to around 43mb. I'll wait and see what other feedback is: if mp3s are a prob, will convert. If not, might as well keep as is and save disk/processing space for low-enders :)
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I hear ya. I always thought WAV's were smaller than MP3's, guess ya learn something new everyday. :)
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wav is a lossless format where as mp3s are compressed and as such lose sound quality...
wavs are always larger and sound better ;)
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wav is a lossless format where as mp3s are compressed and as such lose sound quality...
wavs are always larger and sound better ;)
absolutely :) But this is dilemma: do you give people quality and size, even if everyone's installs may not be up to it. Or go for mass option that will work for everyone with slight loss of quality? Isn't this why mp3 players took off in first place, lol?
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Oh absolutely! Need to find the healthy medium. Anyways my WAV idea was just a plan B for you in case the MP3 static issue couldn't be resolved. In my modified MP3's I've been encoding with ID3v1 since it says it's "more compatible." So far I haven't had any static but I haven't swapped any between installs so I can't be 100%. Hope that helps. :)
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do you give people quality and size, even if everyone's installs may not be up to it. Or go for mass option that will work for everyone with slight loss of quality? Isn't this why mp3 players took off in first place, lol?
well thats up to you, it is your mod lol i was only furthering on nero's post where he realized that mp3s are less in filesize than wavs :)
the way i figure, if it is only a difference of 10ish mbs with mp3s and 40ish with wavs, thats not too bad... if it was a difference of like 300mb between the two, then ya id say go for lesser lol
on the flipside, i dont really think major sound quality would be lost and noticeable in game if you decided on mp3s...
in case the MP3 static issue couldn't be resolved.
it was mentioned earlier - always use WinLame for BC use...
i have made many custom crew sfx for my install (mostly adding on computer sfx when brex would say something) and ran into the static problem a number of times... using WinLame to re-encode the specific sfx always 100% of the time fixed that static problem and it never happened again...
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it was mentioned earlier - always use WinLame for BC use...
i have made many custom crew sfx for my install (mostly adding on computer sfx when brex would say something) and ran into the static problem a number of times... using WinLame to re-encode the specific sfx always 100% of the time fixed that static problem and it never happened again...
I'll try that. Although I believe the static problem also can happen if you have a missing or mismatched soundfile? So it may be a question of identifying problem first :)
EDIT: thanks for heads-up, Jimmy and Nero. Put default crew through winlame and found all crew files 44100 Hz/64 kbps. Checked against custom soundfiles and - quelle surprise - the problem soundfiles all have diff hz and/or kbps. So standardized all and appears for moment to have fixed static.
Anyhoo, think I'll package up this mod and put it out the community...