Sound Add-On

[R'as al Ghul]

Hello Samurai Warlords,

I've wanted to release this for a long time and finally here it is:
The Sound Add-On.
This installs all original sounds and voice files of Shogun:Total War
to the Samurai Warlords mod, betas 5 & 8.
I've made two versions. One for each version of the mod.
Currently beta_8 is in use for Single players and beta_5 for Multiplayers.
Accordingly beta_5 users need the beta_5 add-on and beta_8 users get the beta_8 add-on.

Sound Add-On for beta 5: Download ~80 MB
Sound Add-On for beta 8:Download ~110 MB

I didn't have time to write a readme. The installation process should be easy.
Point the installer at the main folder of the Medieval install that contains the mod installation.
In addition to the preview version I've unofficially released a couple of weeks ago, there're some changes included in this new version.
So, those that have the previous unofficial version should get the new one in any case.
The main difference between the beta_5 and beta_8 add-on's is the size of the download.
The beta_5 download misses the campaign map sounds, which aren't needed for Multiplayer.

Here's an attempt at a list of included sounds:
(All voice files are in japanese)
- Battle Events
- Troop orders
- Battlefield Music
- Campaign map music (beta 8 only)
- frontend (menu and MP lobby) music
- Menu sounds
- arrow sound
- heavy rain sound

[R'as al Ghul]

bump

[R'as al Ghul]

added some info

[Jochi Khan]

For clarification...is this new Sound Add-on giving the same as the original Sound\Sound folder that I already have installed in the Sam Wars main dir?? From when we first started playing/testing the Mod?
That was the one that caused some players a lot of 'hassle' trying to manually install the files into the right place.

Good work R'as.

[R'as al Ghul]

Hi Jochi,

no this is totally different to the sound swapper that Tosa made.
This add-on is for those who don't have STW, don't have it installled, don't want to use the swapper, have failed to use the swapper, etc.
It contains all the sound files needed. (that's why the download is so big)There's no need for a STW install.
Install routine should not cause any problems as long as pointed at the main folder of Medieval.

R'as

[Jochi Khan]

Hi R'as

Thanks for the update.

I wont need to download and install this one because I already have the STW Sounds file in my MTW/VI install of Samurai Warlords Beta5 and Beta8. (two separate installs)

One advantage of doing it the way that I have done it is that you only need to swap the sound files once and leave them as STW. A straight forward log in to the game from the Desktop shortcut.

I appreciate not all players have the HDD space to use separate installs.

[R'as al Ghul]

FYI,
between Tosa's sound swapper and this add-on there're some differences in the result. I've changed a few more files. You'll miss the new archer sound, the changed rain and several others.
Everyone who's satisfied with his version doesn't need this download. It won't affect compatibility.
Those that use beta_8 gain the most I imagine.
Those that only play MP can either use Tosa's swapper (if they have original STW installed) or the above posted beta_5 sound add-on.

[Jochi Khan]

Hi R'as

A query about the Installer.....

Clicking next will give you the message...

"target folder does not exist do you want to create one"

It is looking for the target...

C:\Programs\Medieval Total War...which will create a folder called Medieval Total War, sitting next to the Total War folder

I think the target should read...

C:\program files\total war\medieval total war depending on where your Total War folder is located (for example mine is in E:)

It looks as if you have missed out the ...\Total War\ part of it.

Or does it require players to use the Browse option for finding their own install path?

Please clarify

[R'as al Ghul]

Hi R'as

A query about the Installer.....

Clicking next will give you the message...

"target folder does not exist do you want to create one"

It is looking for the target...

C:\Programs\Medieval Total War...which will create a folder called Medieval Total War, sitting next to the Total War folder

I think the target should read...

C:\program files\total war\medieval total war depending on where your Total War folder is located (for example mine is in E:)

It looks as if you have missed out the ...\Total War\ part of it.

Or does it require players to use the Browse option for finding their own install path?

Please clarify

Well, you're right I missed out the \Total War\ part and yes it does require
the user to use the browse option ()
But,
please consider the following:
- I have always build all my installers to install into the main folder of the install that you use for the mod and always told people so
- How should I know where your and everybody's install is?
- How should the installer know without looking at the registry(and even then it can only see the vanilla install)
- most people use multiple copies like you and they even have other languages then English, many possible install paths.
- even in your case the proposed path C:\program files\total war\medieval total war would be wrong as it is somewhere on E: (mine is sth like U:\TotalWar\beta_5)

.......
no offense, I had a bad day and don't mean to be rude....
I hope this isn't causing any trouble for people, it would suck having to upload 200 MB again only because the given path isn't optimal.

[Jochi Khan]

Sorry you had a bad day and please don't mistake my post as criticism, it isn't.
I was simply pointing out that the target was wrong and would not work even if the game resided in the C drive.

C:\program files\total war\medieval total war depending on where your Total War folder is located

even in your case the proposed path C:\program files\total war\medieval total war would be wrong as it is somewhere on E:

I did say ...depending on where your install is located.

[R'as al Ghul]

Sorry you had a bad day and please don't mistake my post as criticism, it isn't.

I actually took it as nitpicking.
No worries, maybe it's good that you've brought that up because I'm afraid this is going to be a recurring issue.

[Puzz3D]

The installer we use doesn't find your Samurai Warlords install. The user has to provide the correct path using the browse option.

[Nobunaga]

thank u R'as

[TosaInu]

Hello,

Installers typically can't find the target.

It works for a proper vanilla install, as the install path is included in the registry.
So, it c/would work for say a mappack addon to the vanilla install.

Total conversions use a copy though.

I recently found paths to SamWars in the registry, but I don't think there's a reliable method for the installer to find that using keys.

[Xehh II]

Cool sounds, makes battles much better.

[Raz]

Ra's, in order to reduce size, could I suggest converting them into mp3 files?

I haven't downloaded it yet but if you haven't already, it could greatly reduce the download size. Convert to .mp3 then when it's downloaded it is converted back to .wav. The only thing is that you'd need a third party program to convert it back to wav.

[R'as al Ghul]

Hello Raz.

I think you've answered your own question.
I know no program that can do that for me. Of course it would be nice but,
it would have to extract, convert and install to Medieval without more user interference than pointing at the Medieval folder.
I know the files are big and that not everybody has a good connection but that's all I can offer right now.

[Puzz3D]

You'll loose sound quality if you convert to mp3, and this won't be recovered when you convert back to wav.

[Raz]

IIRC, the sound you lose is at the frequency that the normal human cannot hear. Which is why MP3 is now much more common in video games with MIDI close too.

From Wiki:

It provides a representation of sound within a short term time/frequency analysis window, by using psychoacoustic models to discard or reduce precision of components less audible to human hearing, and recording the remaining information in an efficient manner. This is relatively similar to the principles used by JPEG, an image compression format.

[Puzz3D]

IIRC, the sound you lose is at the frequency that the normal human cannot hear. Which is why MP3 is now much more common in video games with MIDI close too.

You can hear the difference (even the wiki article says less audible to human hearing not normal human cannot hear), but of course it partly depends on the quality of your playback system and the sound being reproduced. MP3 is a lossy compression algorithm and an area where people, in general, have accepted lower quality in music playback. The highest mp3 bit rate is 360 kbit/sec, and at that point you might as well go to a lossless algorithm such as FLAC. An audio CD is 1,411 kbit/s which some audiophiles still consider to be inadequate for full fidelity. I don't know the bit rate of the wav files used in Shogun, but wav can equal or exceed CD audio.

[TosaInu]

Hello,

Apart from the losing quality issue, I think it makes it more difficult to get the copy installed and working.

[Raz]

<_<

Well, NTW seemed to pull it off fairly well.

[R'as al Ghul]

The NTW sound add-on is 67 MB large. It contains 29 sound files.
It needs to be installed manually.

Install Instructions for NTW sound add-on:
1.The first thing you need to do is convert all the .mp3 to .wav files,i have added a freeware program that you can use:dBpowerAMP Music Converter,but feel free to use any other program.

2.Then you will place them in the music file which is located here by default C:\Program Files\Total War\Medieval - Total War\Sounds.If your NTW install is located somewhere else put the files in the appropriate \Sounds file instead!

The Samurai Warlords Add-on is 110 MB large and contains about 160 sound files. It installs automatically.
That's the difference.
You've to take into account that a lot of people can't handle .rar or .zip archives, let alone know how to use a third party program to convert mp3 to wav.
It's just asked too much.

[Raz]

*sighs*, *gives in*, *walks away but doesn't forget to download*
But in my last defense of the case: The total play time for the music only is 1 Hour and 8 Minutes in NTW over 14 items. How much is it for this?

[R'as al Ghul]

Raz,
I'm not saying your idea is bad. I just think it's too complicated for most users.
The playtime of all files of the add-on is only a good 30 mins.
NTW has some music files that are really long.

[caravel]

Didn't the mongol invasion decompress the audio from mp3 into wav anyway? I seem to remember some kind of program that does that during the installation of MI? I'm not criticising I just think it may be worth looking into. IMHO the STW sound files are essential for this mod. You can just about do without assassination movies and the throne room but not the classic STW audio.

On the subject of the sound files, was the "noble lord excellent news you have a son!" file left out and replaced with the crying baby one from MTW, or does it sound when your Daimyo produces a son and not a daughter? I haven't heard it yet because my Daimyo has not had any sons since I've installed the audio. Also there was another sound effect when your general gains a command star, that doesn't seem to be in either?

Sorry to be come across as overly critical, this is best mod for any TW game I've played so far anyway. I'm just surprised that more aren't playing it.

[R'as al Ghul]

Didn't the mongol invasion decompress the audio from mp3 into wav anyway? I seem to remember some kind of program that does that during the installation of MI? I'm not criticising I just think it may be worth looking into. IMHO the STW sound files are essential for this mod. You can just about do without assassination movies and the throne room but not the classic STW audio.

I don't remember what the MI installer does. It's possible that it decompresses but it doesn't install that much files anyway. I'll check if there's a file or routine that can be easily used. I don't take your question as critique.

On the subject of the sound files, was the "noble lord excellent news you have a son!" file left out and replaced with the crying baby one from MTW, or does it sound when your Daimyo produces a son and not a daughter? I haven't heard it yet because my Daimyo has not had any sons since I've installed the audio. Also there was another sound effect when your general gains a command star, that doesn't seem to be in either?

In Shogun there're 2 files for birth and in Medieval only one. I haven't replaced the baby cry yet. A solution would be to take the Japanese file for the birth of a son. The promote sound is equal in both games I think. (group shouting) Unless you mean yet a different one.

Sorry to be come across as overly critical, this is best mod for any TW game I've played so far anyway. I'm just surprised that more aren't playing it.

No problem, it doesn't come across as overly critical.
Thanks for the compliments. Glad you enjoy it.

[Ala al din]

is the sound file when the mongol's enemy general routs,because hearing this always made me laugh "the enemy general runs for his life great khan he will have to run far and fast to escape his shame"

[Jochi Khan]

Except that it is in japanese not english.

[Tomisama]

Except that it is in japanese not english.

Jenglish file while still available (site closing).

http://www.clanwarscomp.org/samwars/Catholic.zip

Enjoy