Saving 3d Soundscape

Blitz3D Forums/Blitz3D Programming/Saving 3d Soundscape

SoggyP

(Posted 2011) [#1]

Hello.

I've created a 3d environment with sounds coming from all over the place and wondered if there's a way of saving the whole thing as an audio file with positioning, etc, in place.

Any thoughts?

Goodbye.

Abrexxes

(Posted 2011) [#2]

No. The problem is that you need for this a licence from DOLBY or THX. Bass (my signature) dont have one. Fmod also not (i think). They can only decode DOLBY, but not encode to create a stream (to save).

bye

Last edited 2011

Warner

(Posted 2011) [#3]

You could save a file with the names of the sounds and their locations:

ff = writefile("sounds.txt")
writeline ff, sound_filename1$
writefloat ff, sound_pos_x#
writefloat ff, sound_pos_y#
writefloat ff, sound_pos_z#
writefloat ff, sound_vol#
closefile ff

The sounds itself are then not included into the file. Maybe the BASS module could do that?

I can imagine you've made a setup, and now you're thinking about how much work it would be to convert it into a data file? In that case, you could try to override existing Blitz functions temporarily to change them into saving commands.
Ie:

	Graphics3D 800, 600, 0, 2

;================================================================
;    Type T3DSound - to store any 3d sounds that were loaded
;================================================================

Type T3DSound
	Field id% ;replace handle returned by Load3DSound
	Field emitter% ;to store entity that emits this sound
	Field filename$ ;to store filename of sound
	Field x#,y#,z# ;to store position of entity that emits sound
End Type
	
	; <--------- some code here ---------->
	; <--------- setup camera etc. ------->

	;halfway program: here are some 3DSound commands	
	birds = Load3DSound("birds.mp3")

	cube = CreateCube()
	PositionEntity cube, 100, 0, 100
	EmitSound cube, birds

	; <-------- some more other code ------------>
	; <-----------gameplay etc. ----------------->
	
	;at end of program: save to file
	WriteSoundsToFile("sounds.txt")
	ExecFile "notepad sounds.txt" ;open file
	
	End

;=======================================================
;					Load3DSound()
;-------------------------------------------------------
; replacement
; instead of loading, store sound into Type
;=======================================================
Global ID_COUNTER% = 0
Function Load3DSound%(f$)

	ID_COUNTER = ID_COUNTER + 1
	
	t3d.T3DSound = New T3DSound
	t3d\filename = f$
	t3d\id = ID_COUNTER
	
	Return ID_COUNTER
	
End Function

;=======================================================
;					EmitSound()
;-------------------------------------------------------
; replacement
; instead of emitting sound, just remember what entity
;=======================================================
Function EmitSound(ent, snd)

	For t3d.T3DSound = Each T3DSound
		If t3d\id = snd Then
			t3d\emitter = ent
		End If
	Next
	
End Function

;===================================================
;					WriteSoundsToFile()
;---------------------------------------------------
; write all data that was stored to a new .BB file
; you can include this file into your main
; program
;===================================================
Function WriteSoundsToFile(f$)

	ff = WriteFile(f$)

	Local i% = 0
	For t3d.T3DSound = Each T3DSound
	
		If t3d\emitter <> 0
			Local ent% = t3d\emitter
			t3d\x = EntityX(ent, 1)
			t3d\y = EntityY(ent, 1)
			t3d\z = EntityZ(ent, 1)
		End If

		WriteLine ff, ";-------------------------------------------------sound" + i + ";"
		WriteLine ff, "sound_" + i + " = Load3DSound(" + t3d\filename$ + ")"
		WriteLine ff, "emitter_" + i + " = CreatePivot()"
		WriteLine ff, "positionentity emitter_" + i + ", " + t3d\x + ", " + t3d\y + ", " + t3d\z + ")"
		WriteLine ff, "emitsound emitter_" + i + ", sound_" + i
	Next
	
	CloseFile ff
	
End Function

Last edited 2011

SoggyP

(Posted 2011) [#4]

Hello.

Thanks for the responses.

Just to let you know what this is about. I'm in a play which is set on a 'blasted plain' where wind blows constantly so it's nice to have that circling the central point. Thunder, um, thunders at random locations at random times and various sound effects kick off at random times, again in random locations.

At the beginning of the play I've got speeches and vocalisations by different people, namely Hitler, Churchill, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and The Litanies of Satan (By Diamanda Galas) plus different laughter and screams, moving around the central point so that they fade in/out, overlapping eachother, etc, giving a really spooky effect.

I've got to admit it sounds bleedin' fabulous in surround.

I was hoping to be able to record the sound as a long audio file just so I could play it off CD. However, if it requires licensing and/or effort to acheive I'll just take my laptop with the program on it as the sound desk can handle output from the laptop. No problems.

Again, thanks for response.

Goodbye.

Warner

(Posted 2011) [#5]

Ah, yes, in that case, simply record 'what u hear'. Some soundcards have that option.

Kryzon

(Posted 2011) [#6]

I think you're much, much better off doing things in an audio program. The 3D feeling is nothing but panning, volume dynamics and a subtle low-pass when the sound is behind the listener (you lose a little of the higher frequencies when sounds are behind you).
You can use a multitrack software like Audacity (free) to do so (each track has a very easy to use GAIN (volume) and PAN setting to give the 3D effect you want), and then render the project as a single audio file.

Using B3D to generate this soundscape is serious overkill, you will waste time editing the entity placement (and your control is never absolute over the what-you-hear-is-what-you-get).

@Off: professional play or student, free etc.? tell me more about it :)

Last edited 2011

Axel Wheeler

(Posted 2011) [#7]

Actually, if you have some experience with 3d placement it might not be too hard and would possibly have the advantage of greater realism. For example, you could leave the sounds in their locations (i.e. don't move them) and just move the listener entity around between them. That might (might...) have the unconscous effect of the audience members building a 3d map of the soundscape in their minds. Particularly if it goes on for awhile or returns periodically.

If it works it could scare the pants off the audience.

The tricky part would be doing stereo sound, since only one listener is supported (according to my Blitz3d documentation). But you could record separate tracks with the listener pivot parented to a "head pivot" a few inches or feet to the left for the left ear, say. Then move the head pivot around it's path and record the left track, then repeat for the right. The only problem I can think of is that listeners are not directional (afaik) so you'd have to exaggerate the distance between the ears by quite a bit.