Audio script (solved, commands included)

#1 Okay so I'm ready to start implementing my audio settings for my game (letting the user change the music/sfx volume, mute, etc) but I still have no clue where to look for a command reference

#2 Okay I stopped by Borders and looked it up in 3D Game Programming All In One. For anyone else who needs em:

alxIsPlaying(handle) - returns true/false to tell you if clip is playing or not
alxGetChannelVolume(channel) - returns the volume of a given channel (the "type" field in AudioDescription datablocks)
alxSetChannelVolume(channel, volume) - sets volume of given channel linearly
alxStop(handle) - stops the given clip
alxStopAll() - stops all clips playing

Additionally, the alxSetChannelVolume command needs a bit of explaining. If you defined the audio as having a volume of 1.0 in the AudioDescription datablock, then all volume settings are based off that as max. So half volume would be 0.5.

#3 How does one put 2 different audio tracks in 2 different channels, so that we change the volume of each channel individually.

//-----what goes here?-----
Put audio track1 in channel 1
Put audio track2 in channel 2
//-------------------------------

alxSetChannelVolume( 1, volume );
alxSetChannelVolume( 2, volume );

I'm using beta 1.1, THanks!!

#4 Look in your sound AudioProfile definitions, you'll see a 'description' field. This references an AudioDescription you've defined elsewhere.

AudioDescriptions let you set the volume, looping, 3D/2D sound, streaming/non-streaming, and 'type'. Type really means 'channel'. So define the following:

new AudioDescription(MusicLooping)
{
   volume = 1.0;
   isLooping = true;
   is3D = false;
   isStreaming = false;
   type = 1;
};

new AudioDescription(AudioNonLooping)
{
   volume = 1.0;
   isLooping = false;
   is3D = false;
   type = 2;
};

When you define your music, make their descriptions equal 'MusicLooping', and for sound effects use 'AudioNonLooping' and they will be on channels 1 and 2 respectively.

#5 Check out this new TDN Article that a new intern here (Anthony Fullmer) is porting to the site. This is some of the reference from GPGT (Game Programmer's Guide to Torque)...

Credit given to the author Ed Maurina and also Anthony Fullmer who is formating it to work on TDN.

#6 @Luke,

I tried using the type property to separate the audio channels, but it doesn't work. When I turn down the volume of channel 1, channel 2 also goes down.

How can this be done correctly?

Thanks

#7 @Kevin, how are you changing the volume for the specific channel? Sounds like you may be adjusting the master volume by mistake. The common/gameScripts/options.cs file has the 'stock' volume control functions and are a good reference for this.

#8 Thanks Luke! You are exactly right!

#9 Not sure if you guys have seen this yet or not but it's a real useful resource. VMPlayer. You do need to edit some C++ code and recompile (the files are included so you can just copy-over) but it's well worth it (includes code fixes and stuff, too). Further, if you're looking to figure out how to access volumes and what-not, you could scan through the vmplayer.cs file and see how Rob did it.