Player Footstep Sounds Test Map

[Daft Mugi]

 

Overview

There are three rooms:

1. Main Room: Has surface types arranged in a way that's better for testing consistency between each other (e.g. tile next to metal, metal next to water, etc.), and it includes ladders, a rope, and vines to test climbing sounds.
2. Swimming Pool Room: For testing swimming sounds.
3. Prototype Room: For testing almost all of the surface types (including some not in the main room) arranged somewhat alphabetically with duplicate sounds next to each other (e.g. grass and straw, dirt and sand).

Installation

1. Download: z_footsteps_test_map_v1.pk4
2. Place the pk4 file in the main TDM directory, alongside the other pk4 files.

To Use

• Type "map footsteps_test" into the console.
  • Use with the "Training Mission" to test TDM core sounds.
  • Use with a mission to test that mission's altered sounds.

Tips

* Reload sound shader files while in game.
    - reloadDecls
* See the names of sounds.
    - s_drawSounds 1; pm_thirdPerson 1
* See AI sound propagation volume and range.
    - tdm_spr_debug 1; con_noPrint 0
* See 3D ring of AI sound progation.
    - tdm_showsprop_radius 1
* See sound progation to AI shown as lines.
    - tdm_showsprop 1
* Show sound decoders.
    - com_showSoundDecoders 1
* Files of interest.
    - def/tdm_propagated_sounds.def
    - def/tdm_player_thief.def
    - sound/tdm_sfx_movement.sndshd
    - sound/tdm_sfx_movement_footsteps.sndshd
    - sound/tdm_sfx_movement_footsteps_player.sndshd
    - sound/tdm_sfx_world.sndshd

The method I use to make volume changes involves using tdm_spr_debug and the dB meter from OBS. I run both TDM and OBS in window mode so I can view them simultaneously.

First, I compare two footstep sound shaders with similar volumes as indicated by tdm_spr_debug. Then, I use the OBS dB meter to fine-tune the volume of the sound shader I'm modifying, making final adjustments by ear with headphones.

Credits

* Map: Daft Mugi
* Proto Pack: WellingtonCrab

License

This work is openly licensed via CC0.

[Daft Mugi]

@kingsal You might find this test map useful if you decide to tweak your custom footstep sounds.

[snatcher]

Very well done @Daft Mugi! Thank you!

Yes, it would be awesome to have a Footsteps mod from @kingsal that is compatible with all missions.

Also, considering we can now mod individual sounds (instead of having to include whole *.sndshd files) perhaps it is time for @SeriousToni to revisit and update to current standards his great Alternative Footsteps Sound Package.

I would go as far as requesting a Female sound mod from @Goldwell, based in his fantastic Noble Affairs.

[SeriousToni]

1 hour ago, snatcher said:

Very well done @Daft Mugi! Thank you!

Yes, it would be awesome to have a Footsteps mod from @kingsal that is compatible with all missions.

Also, considering we can now mod individual sounds (instead of having to include whole *.sndshd files) perhaps it is time for @SeriousToni to revisit and update to current standards his great Alternative Footsteps Sound Package.

I would go as far as requesting a Female sound mod from @Goldwell, based in his fantastic Noble Affairs.

Oh what did I miss? I see there's a test map but what do I need to revisit? Are there any problems with my footstep sounds in this map?

[snatcher]

11 hours ago, SeriousToni said:

Oh what did I miss? I see there's a test map but what do I need to revisit? Are there any problems with my footstep sounds in this map?

Not in this map but in all maps that come with default sounds. Here are some observations:

• Climbing on wood sounds like metal.
• Leaving crouching and creeping aside, some sounds are hardly noticeable (climbing on vines, walking on carpet, walking on grass and walking on foliage). Perhaps this is by design but the potential is wasted.
• Version 3 was released back in 2016 (around TDM v2.03) and some files have changed considerably since, the most important being tdm_player_thief.def (Frob Helper disabled, swim burst sounds missing).
• The mod could be presented in pk4 format.

[datiswous]

14 hours ago, snatcher said:

Also, considering we can now mod individual sounds (instead of having to include whole *.sndshd files)

What change are you revering to?

[snatcher]

From the 2.11 beta topic:

On 12/2/2022 at 8:23 PM, stgatilov said:

* It is now legal to override a single decl of core game in your mission.
Recall that "decl" means a material, a skin, an entityDef, a particle, etc.
Note that overriding a whole file from core game always worked as expected, but overriding a single decl from a file did not work reliably before (despite the common belief that it should).

[SeriousToni]

Phew seems like a lot of work to get into the new standards.. I'll try to update the mod after the summer concerning your findings. But I can't promise anything currently

[datiswous]

I was wondering (from conversation here) if it could be useful to load efx-presets in the room(s) bij script via buttons/gui? So you can hear how footsteps sound in the different efx-presets.

I'm not sure how you normally do this, but since 2.13 I think you just need to change a spawnarg.

Edited April 10 by datiswous