32 replies to this topic

[Salk]

As reference please check this topic: http://forums.gibber...?showtopic=2855

1.

I am wondering if it's possible to implement a specific melody for generic bards and each bard kit introduced by the Song and Silence Mod.

The goal of the melody is to make the game more pleasant and realistic when the Bard starts his song. The melody should be a tune/chant (for choristers) of reasonable lenght and would replace the annoying, anticlimatic initiation sound of the Bard icon.

There are two possible ways to implement it: either to make it eventually loop so that it would last untill the Bard stops singing or instead create a .Wav file of a decent lenght (at least 30 seconds/one minute) which should trigger the tune being played only once. In both cases a "Fade in" and "Fade out" effect would be welcome.

I would love to be the one creating/proposing different .wav files to consistently match the specific bard kit or the generic bard. This is as much as I can actually do to help other than coming with this idea.

A possible problem would be the interaction of this new addition with the rest of the sounds of the game. I would not now how to implement all this else I'd have done it myself ( ) but I thought it could've been a good idea to share with you modders hoping you will like it and agree to introduce it in the mod itself.

Please let me know what you think about it and if it's possible.

2.

Another very desirable modification that might be implemented is strictly connected to the TAB function introduced by ToB. Please again check the reference http://forums.gibber...?showtopic=2855 for more specific information.

In short: we should modify the TAB function in such a way that objects won't be automatically highlighted (this incourages lazy playing, makes the game unimmersive and spoils things for developers/modders who would have want to make a specific object hard to find or to spot). A character with specific ability (I suggested the Detect Trap) in the party rolls dice checks at regular intervals to check for traps. The successful checks would affect the area objects too. While the traps are automatically highlighted when spotted, the spotted objects will be highlighted if and only the player pushes the TAB button.

Please let me know about this too as I would consider it a very important addition to make to mostly thieves. Thanks!

Edited by Salk, 02 February 2005 - 02:00 AM.

[Andyr]

Interesting ideas - I have read the other threads, but I am not sure if either are possible.

Something like 1) I think might be better achieved if the sound that plays when you click the button could be altered depending on kit. I'd be wary about adding in a longer piece, though, as it could get irritating. Though if it is possible I suppose it could be an optional component.

I don't know if 2) is possible... Personally, I like the Tab key. I'd see it as more the player's responsibility to use it or not. For example, I don't permanently have it on so have missed lots of small caches of treasure. On the other hand, in a room with severa chests I will press it so I can see if any of them can be opened.

[jester]

@ 1)

I think something like a war horn or a drumroll for a skald may be interesting, while a jester could go with a slightly odd theme and the blade ( I never used a blade, so I am not even sure they have a song ) could get something based on the Sabre Dance by Aram Khatchaturian.

I like the idea.

[Domi]

The war horn for Scald sounds awsome; I'd say ringing bells or something like that for a jester, and I am also at a loss for a Blade. Something 'swooshing'?

[Salk]

Thank you all for your interest! I have already thought about converting a little bit (about 45 seconds) of a gregorian chant to be the association for the Chorsiter (my main interest) but I am open to collaborate for all the other kits tunes you guys (and girls) need a help with. I am no modder but luckily I am at least a musician!

#Andyr, I do think that the TAB key is a function that has a reason to exist but I won't too much rely on single players way to use it "responsably". It's a lost battle, believe me. Rather we should present the game with the modified by Detect Traps TAB function.
Again, I am no programmer but if I think of it logically it seems to me not an impossible function to implement because: the game checks (when Detect Trap is activated) for traps by rolling dice at regular intervals (at least that's what I thought). The magic would be to associate such result to the TAB function too and there we go! I know it sounds easier said than done but still...Isn't there any ninja coder who can ?

About the Bard tunes, I did mean what you meant too,Andyr! That is to create a tune for each Bard type. I agree a long piece could become irritating so we should stick to the solution #1: provide a 30 sec/1 minute tune upon Bards Icon activation. No need to offer any kind of optioanl tweaks here.

#Jester, thanks for appreciating my ideas! The skald idea is surely interesting and might be implemented for that Bard type. For the generic Bard, I'd go for a piece for liute (which seems to be a popular bardic instrument).

I hope we can develop these ideas together! Thanks to Domi too!

[Andyr]

jester, on Feb 2 2005, 05:50 PM, said:

could get something based on the Sabre Dance by Aram Khatchaturian.

I like the idea.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I really like that piece.

Salk: Yeh, for the music I was thinking something shorter (e.g. 3-5 seconds) though.

[Salk]

#Andyr...3-5 seconds ? Hm...That does sound too short to my ears. It would not be so much longer than the initiation's sound that Bards already have by default and won't be enough to shape a characteristic melody. I do think the songs need something like 15-20 secs minimum to become tunes one can fall in love with!

[Andyr]

Thinking about it, this would be possible. If we can find the file that clicking the button references and replaces it with a blank, then we can add a 'play sound' effect to the songs instead.

However, as songs only last 1 round and are re-cast after this time, this limits the tune length to that of 1 round (7 seconds in BG2).

So I suppose I'll take any suggestions? Providing the music can be used without copyright problems. I'd definitely like Saber Dance for the Blade.

[Salk]

I will like to prepare the Chorister's Song...7 Seconds, you say ? I will make it my best with it and perhaps send you the .wav file to you once it's ready...What kind of quality should we use ?

[igi]

Quote

However, as songs only last 1 round and are re-cast after this time, this limits the tune length to that of 1 round (7 seconds in BG2).

You could set a global in the song spell, and then play the sound from baldur.bcs. Or the dplayer scripts.
Or just summon an invis creature to do it.
Or do it via a chained set of spell files and immunties, or even make use of the delayed duration timingmode.

[Andyr]

I personally would prefer a shorter song... Smaller file size, and a lot easier to code. Unless you are offering?

Salk: Email me the file when you've done or put it up somewhere, and I'll senf it out for people to listen. If it's not an original composition, though, I'll need source, copyright info and so on.

[Salk]

#Andyr...You'll have it soon!

[Salk]

I don't give up on the TAB idea yet!

Would it be of any help to contact directly Cam or Idobek for the matter ? They're the ones behind the TuTu Tweak pack, after all...

I expected Cam's reply at the topic but so far no good...

I do believe that this idea would be extremely valid if it's possible to implement it somehow!

[igi]

Idobek is on a leave of absence atm, iirc.
If I see Cam online tonight, I'll ask him.

There ways to accomplish something, even if the TAB key cant be disabled, but, I am unsure if they are worth the effort.

[CamDawg]

Salk, on Feb 4 2005, 11:20 AM, said:

I don't give up on the TAB idea yet! 

Would it be of any help to contact directly Cam or Idobek for the matter ? They're the ones behind the TuTu Tweak pack, after all...

I expected Cam's reply at the topic but so far no good...

I do believe that this idea would be extremely valid if it's possible to implement it somehow!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Apologies, I tend to read a lot and respond very little. I had read the original idea and have been following this thread, I just didn't feel I had anything to add to it yet.