klax wrote:Lucifer: we should really discard native midi support in AA, because in linux for example it will depend on timidity, and you'll need the Gravis UltraSound patches to be installed (midi in linux is not as easy as other OSes).
Yeah, that's pretty obvious.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
And the GUS patches aren't exactly a small set.
klax wrote:If you are not used to trackers, then compose it in midi and then we can always convert it to a mod (the convert to mod from midi in ModPlug Tracker for Windows works very well, only has minor timing issues).
Not a big deal, actually. My work ethic prevents me from trying to write something in one format and then convert it to another. I have to start from the beginning in the target environment, as best as it is known.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Naturally I'd prefer to record it for real rather than use midi or mod, but that's not very realistic for a game that's supposed to be downloaded by people on slower connections (or even faster, we did the math in Crimson Fields). Luckily, I used to use MeD all the time, and I know my way around trackers, so I installed Soundtracker and have been playing with it.
So, someone with a mod player, or someone who knows how to plug this into AA to test it, would someone mind taking a second to see if this file really is a mod file that'll work with AA? It should be a very short metal line. If it doesn't work then I'm going to have to either learn a little bit more about Soundtracker or find another tracker (Cheesetracker uses Qt, so there's that, at least, but it's a clone of ImpulseTracker, and I'm definitely from the ol' Soundtracker school).
klax wrote:The music engine that you are proposing is complicated (I haven't seen it in any free/commercial game), very hard to code and very cpu expensive. And about mixing, I'm not sure if we could mix 2 mods, but I really think it's not a good idea. Right now it mixes one mod/mp3/ogg with the sound effects of the bike (these effects right now are moduled by the speed of the bike).
Yeah, it is. I suppose since I already know everything that I want in it I should just sit down and write it, eh?
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Here's my dilemma: I can give the time to write the engine, or I can give the time to make a song or two, but I don't have the time to give both. ;( I think I just won't play any new games until next I have time (after this) to do something, at which point I'll write the engine instead of more music, eh?
klax wrote:I believe we should stick to playing only one song at a time.
Ok, it's probably safe to say that this is what'll get original music into AA the fastest, so let's do that.
Next part of discussion: It's impractical to write a loop that repeats during idling, a loop that plays (possibly repeating) during a round, a victory theme, and so forth. Not impractical to write, but impractical to deal with while playing. I'm thinking the target length of any music should be about 2/3 the average length of a complete match using default settings and four players. Any disagreement here? Then there should be idling and victory theme, with idling only playing between matches, and the victory theme only playing at the end of the match. The soundtrack would then emphasize match play rather than individual rounds.
Perhaps to mark round endings you could just throw on a man yelling "ha ha ha" or something when you lose, or saying "Good job, Program!" when you win? I can plug a mic into my computer and make those, too, but my voice isn't the best for that sort of work.