Adding more music

[Philippe]

On the whole I rather like the music the way it is -- high quality, authentic to the period, and not too intrusive because it's instrumental and there are long silences between the pieces. But the game is very long and you will eventually notice that you are hearing a few pieces over and over again. So one way to lessen that effect is to add more material. This can't be done officially because of copyright constraints, but modders aren't usually that fastidious about such issues. And anyone who has played the John Tiller ACW games or knows the Ken Burns Civil War documentary already has access to material that, with a little editing, can be put to use.

Is it possible to add more music to the current selection without giving the game engine a nervous breakdown? And how would one go about it?

Some games are set up so they play the contents of a music folder over and over, others need to have a list of instructions updated somewhere.

The Ageod games don't seem to use a music folder but do have a configuration list, so would it be enough to make a new entry in that list to encourage the game engine to search for a particular piece of music? Or does something else have to be changed as well? If the selection method requires changes to the coding (which I suspect because I saw something about a bug that was causing music to only play once) then modding the music selections is not going to be viable.

Finally, if the game engine could be directed to play from a longer list of music, how closely do the properties of a music file have to match the properties of existing ones? In one game that I've worked with if you don't run the file through a sound editor and make some adjustments the final result can literally end up sounding like Alvin and the Chipmunks.

The music of the ACW Tiller games over at HPS is easy to mod -- just throw some more files into the music folder and you're ready to go. The music model here looks like it is closer to what goes on in Europa Universalis II, which requires a fair amount of tinkering under the hood. The music selection in EU II, by the way, is a masterpiece -- I truly love a game that gets me to sing along in Latin or renaissance French.

This all started because I don't really like the introductory piece (what is it called and what is its history, by the way?). I started poking around the web for that haunting fiddle piece (Ashokan Lament) that introduces the Ken Burns Civil War documentary series, only to discover (to my chagrin) that it was composed fairly recently at a fiddler's camp in New York State -- the composer describes it as "a Scottish lament written by a Jewish guy from the Bronx". When I listened to other cuts from the rest of the soundtrack I realized what Ken Burns was doing -- he was trying to reproduce period atmosphere and a certain mood without being enslaved by the need to be strictly authentic. My sound clip of Ashokan is too low quality to use in a mod, but I do have some very high quality clips of Lorena and Somebody's Darlin' (a macabre piece about the aftermath of battles), which produce a similar psychological effect.

[Rafiki]

This thread should provide some answers: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=5163

[Philippe]

Many thanks for that.

I made a simple substitution and it worked on the first try without having to resort to sound editors.

When I have a bit more time I'll increase the number of selections.

[bigus]

Here are some tunes if you want them.
Includes "speed the plough", "scott playboy special" and a couple others
the ini files are already done, just copy and paste the files into the sound folder.
Note :If you have any other music you will have to edit the Music and sounds INI file (In Notepad).You can use the ones I'm including as a template.


[url=[URL]http://www.mediafire.com/?2bkgwkzztd5[/url]]http://www.mediafire.com/?2bkgwkzztd5[/URL]

bigus

[Philippe]

Many thanks for that. As it happens I had already broken down and added a dozen cuts from the Ken Burns soundtrack and some John Tiller material to my sound folder. I'm still wondering how to tell if all of my thirty-odd music files play in random order or if some are omitted, but everything seems to be functioning.

The music files are easy to mod if you're used to making mods. But you've raised a very interesting issue, since most people who use mods are passive users and don't intend to actually make anything. How does one go about modding the music files so that someone who really is not that good with computers can add tunes at will? In some (but not all) of the Tiller games you can just keep throwing sound files into a music folder,and anything in it eventually will get played. And where do people who make mods for Ageod games post their mods? I would think it would need to be at
an unconnected site since a lot of mods are based on copyrighted material.

[bigus]

Many thanks for that. As it happens I had already broken down and added a dozen cuts from the Ken Burns soundtrack and some John Tiller material to my sound folder. I'm still wondering how to tell if all of my thirty-odd music files play in random order or if some are omitted, but everything seems to be functioning.

The music files are easy to mod if you're used to making mods. But you've raised a very interesting issue, since most people who use mods are passive users and don't intend to actually make anything. How does one go about modding the music files so that someone who really is not that good with computers can add tunes at will? In some (but not all) of the Tiller games you can just keep throwing sound files into a music folder,and anything in it eventually will get played. And where do people who make mods for Ageod games post their mods? I would think it would need to be at
an unconnected site since a lot of mods are based on copyrighted material.

I think most people use the Music for their own enjoyment. Its not like were passing on Metallica Mp3's here. As far as I know This would be the only way you could add music for the game. I think if you add _X2 to the mp3 the music file will repeat and they all seem to play in a random order. Thats as far as I've got with the sound part of the game.

bigus

[runyan99]

Gee, 22 Fiddle sounds familiar.

[GShock]

Has anyone tried to build a sound mod?

[Bruit Bleu]

There is a sound-mod for BOA, that adds new muskets and other fighting sounds.

Here.

[Le Ricain]

This all started because I don't really like the introductory piece (what is it called and what is its history, by the way?).

I believe that the introductory piece is called 'the White Cockade'. I prefer the Robbie Burns version for obvious reasons (if not obvious, view my location).

'My love was born in Aberdeen,
The boniest lad that e'er was seen,
But now he makes our hearts fu' sad,
He takes the Field wi' his White Cockade.

Chorus:
O he's a ranting, roving lad,
He is a brisk an a bonny lad,
Betide what may, I will be wed,
And follow the boy wi the White Cockade.

I'll sell my rock, my reel, my tow,
My gude gray mare and hawkit cow;
To buy mysel a tartan plaid,
To follow the boy wi the White Cockade.

Chorus:
O he's a ranting, roving lad,
He is a brisk an a bonny lad,
Betide what may, I will be wed,
And follow the boy wi the White Cockade.'

“The White Cockade” was a traditional Scottish tune that celebrated the attempt by “Bonnie Prince Charlie” to reclaim the throne of Britain for the House of Stuart. During the 1745 Jacobite uprising, the Bonnie Prince plucked a white rose and placed it on his bonnet as a symbol of rebellion. The famous Scottish poet Robert Burns recalled the scene with a line of lyrics he set to the tune in 1790: “He takes the field wi’ his White Cockade.”

According to a tradition widely honoured in New England, when the colonial militias moved to confront the British troops at Concord’s North Bridge on April 19, 1775, they marched to “The White Cockade.”

As a song of defiance and the connection to the AWI, 'The White Cockade' was popular with Southern troops during the ACW.

[Philippe]

Now I understand why that piece sounds like something from the 18th rather than the 19th century. But I still don't care for the percussion, and it sounds a bit too fast. But I can also imagine that it would sound quite nice if played in an 18th century (rather than modern) manner. Perhaps it more properly belongs in BOA?

Here's a link to my favorite music that has another version of it (also too fast).

http://www.contemplator.com/scotland/whitcock.html

[Le Ricain]

Now I understand why that piece sounds like something from the 18th rather than the 19th century. But I still don't care for the percussion, and it sounds a bit too fast. But I can also imagine that it would sound quite nice if played in an 18th century (rather than modern) manner. Perhaps it more properly belongs in BOA?

Here's a link to my favorite music that has another version of it (also too fast).

http://www.contemplator.com/scotland/whitcock.html

Unfortunately for you, the tune, although of the 18th century, is played in a manner in keeping with the 19th century. The music for AACW was done by the 2nd South Carolina String Band. The 2nd South Carolina String Band is a band of Civil War re-enactors who recreate popular music of the Civil War period with authentic instruments and in style of the times. 'The White Cockade' as played in the introduction phase would have been familiar to the soldiers of the ACW.