Editing the audio on levels

iEnderman55 · 20-09-23, 15:29

How can I edit the "MAIN.SFX" of TR4? On Windows 10 (x64)

mizuno_suisei · 21-09-23, 03:37

No can do im afraid. TR4 and Tr5 sfx were hardcoded per level file no way to edit these.

TR2 and TR3 ofcourse had the very handy seperate Main.sfx

xtimz · 21-09-23, 06:26

Why did Core do this? They already had a better approach to use the main.sfx. Why did Core go backwards to duplicate these sfx in every level file?

mizuno_suisei · 21-09-23, 06:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtimz

Why did Core do this? They already had a better approach to use the main.sfx. Why did Core go backwards to duplicate these sfx in every level file?

I couldn't give a definitive answer! I noticed TR4 uses alot of PITCH changes in their sfx. I've read this was to conserve game memory at the time. The actual audio files were sped up by 50% for example- so they sound weird if you play them. (Say via windows media player)

However the actual TR4 and 5 game engine, has settings for Pitch adjustments across many many sounds. E.g. a mentioned 50% wav edit, to make it then play properly again, PIT50 is added to the sfx data so it (undoes the speed up on the fly ingame= giving the originally intended sound yet sfx file is half the size. A minor loss of quality, but worth it for size saving.

^not sure if core discussed this at all - but it's mentioned a fair bit as a likely reasoning on and off since the TRLE dropped in 2000.

Tr3 started doing this alot more (PIT values for sfx) but in TR4 there were alot more.

xtimz · 21-09-23, 06:49

^ Thank you for the information. It's really interesting and reasonable.

mizuno_suisei · 21-09-23, 06:59

Just a likely reason but could be many. The main.sfx option for tr23 was very intriguing. All in one spot. A shame this wasn't TR4 - alot more TRLE builders would feel comfortable approaching sfx. All the pitch, volume, randomize, radius values can be really intimidating in a page full of like 300 or so of them xD as opposed to needing to be attentive to those pages per level.

Kirishima · 21-09-23, 07:51

I'd imagine they did it this way to keep everything self contained in one file to cut down on loading as everything was loaded directly from the cd back in the day... plus the ps1 versions were already doing it that way out of necessity.

perryloo · 21-09-23, 09:49

just turn up the volume on your speakers to suit

20-09-23, 15:29	#1
iEnderman55 Hobbyist Join Date: Mar 2023 Location: Italy Posts: 13	Editing the audio on levels How can I edit the "MAIN.SFX" of TR4? On Windows 10 (x64)

21-09-23, 03:37	#2
mizuno_suisei Relic Hunter Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,945	No can do im afraid. TR4 and Tr5 sfx were hardcoded per level file no way to edit these. TR2 and TR3 ofcourse had the very handy seperate Main.sfx

21-09-23, 06:26	#3
xtimz Explorer Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Beijing, China Posts: 914	Why did Core do this? They already had a better approach to use the main.sfx. Why did Core go backwards to duplicate these sfx in every level file?

21-09-23, 06:49	#5
xtimz Explorer Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Beijing, China Posts: 914	^ Thank you for the information. It's really interesting and reasonable.

21-09-23, 06:59	#6
mizuno_suisei Relic Hunter Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,945	Just a likely reason but could be many. The main.sfx option for tr23 was very intriguing. All in one spot. A shame this wasn't TR4 - alot more TRLE builders would feel comfortable approaching sfx. All the pitch, volume, randomize, radius values can be really intimidating in a page full of like 300 or so of them xD as opposed to needing to be attentive to those pages per level.

21-09-23, 07:51	#7
Kirishima Explorer Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 744	I'd imagine they did it this way to keep everything self contained in one file to cut down on loading as everything was loaded directly from the cd back in the day... plus the ps1 versions were already doing it that way out of necessity.

21-09-23, 09:49	#8
perryloo Explorer Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Sunny UK Posts: 941	just turn up the volume on your speakers to suit