Staredit Network

At SEN we have 3 categories of sounds: Music, effects, and other. What would you say if those sounds were available to you always in your patch_rt.mpq file? Who wouldn't want to stick no sounds in their map yet still play them in game? By utilizing the "size-less sounds" method people can keep their maps at an all time low filesize and provide a standard solution for sounds in maps. That way the only thing anyone needs to do to play that sound is have it in the proper place in the patch_rt.mpq file to hear sounds played in your map!

What does this all mean? Small map sizes with as many sounds as many sounds as you want in them!

This is what I propose. Everyone considering using sounds in their map will use sounds from the DLDB or upload their sounds to the DLDB if they aren't already there. Everybody who wishes to use the OSF format can send me a PM signing themselves up for a ... let's say "weekly digest" of what sounds have been uploaded. I will PM people every friday.

PM me with subject "I LOVE OSF " to receive PM's about updated sound files

An example PM would look something like this:


Here is the tutorial link to show you how to add sounds to MPQ files and to Maps:
http://www.staredit.net/index.php?tutorial=179

And here is the link to a test map to show you it in action, unlocked to help you:
http://www.staredit.net/index.php?download=2686

Now once you have finished this and your map has been tested and works great you can simply display some text saying your map is OSF (open sound format) compliant and the instructions to hear those sounds are found at SEN. Something like:



I hope everyone can appreciate and use this to it's fullest! Abuse the power of an MPQ file and embrace quicker downloads in BNET!

ALSO:
If you submit a map to the DLDB that is OSF compliant. You should have your mapname like "My Gosu Map (OSF)". And you should link people to sounds in the DLDB that are used in your map. That way people can also selectively modify their MPQ files to work with certain maps if they want or if they don't want to download a lot of sounds.

wouldnt it be the same, just storing the music in a different place?

With this method you download the sounds ONCE. Then you are done. If the same sound is used in 4 different maps, you have only downloaded it once. It also gives people the option of not hearing your sounds at all.

If any of you recall, the same technique was first demonstrated in my "Haunted Battlecruser map", it uses the same method. Its totally seperate and harmless..

Perhaps this could be downloaded via torrent? I'll stay on as a constant seed.

Where would we upload it? I would seed it also.

Server the torrent and the tracker on SEN

I can be a seed as well sometimes

I tried to use this to send people some stuff
http://bnbteasytracker.sourceforge.net/

MPQ Sounds?
Isn't that what SF does?
SCFreeSounds?
(Even the Sound Utility?)

What makes this so special?

I proposed that to Yoshi, he didn't like the idea before (with huge map pack downloads) ... maybe he'll reconsider for this though.

Oh, I understand.
You import your .wav's to the patch_rt file then people with the same patch_rt file hear your sounds?
Interesting...

So it's like a mod, except you can play with other people.
And another way to advertise SEN.

If everyone downloads and MPQ's the sounds, then there will be a wider selection of MPQ sounds. People won't have to add sounds to their map. People won't have to download maps with huge sounds slowly over BNET. Everyone benefits. I thought that was obvious?

I didn't understand at first.
I thought this was another SCFreeSounds program. Not modding patch_rt.
Yes, this way everyone benifits, everyone being the person that downloads your addition to patch_rt.

Very useful, but hard to make popular.
Good idea. (If done: Good job )

Made by you Chu Chu Train?

Yes it was my idea. Thanks goes out to Yoshi for helping me with the zipped files in the DLDB and LegacyWeapon with the tutorial.

Btw, go check out the map. Tell me that isn't the smallest map you've ever seen.

im confused(like always )

so we download it, and everyone has it? isnt that the same as using SF as stated above?

anyways, i dunno, somneone explain plz...


Let me think...
so if i have it and someoen else has it, they dont need to DL it?(guessing)

IF you have a map in OSF and IF you don't have OSF ... you will not hear sounds.

IF you have a map in OSF and IF you have OSF ... you will hear sounds.

IF you make a map and IF your map has sounds ... use OSF to make it smaller.

ok, that means, i will advertise SEN! il put, go to Staredit.net>downloads database>files>wavs>OSF packages.

but then...it takes around 8 minutes or mroe to download all the sounds...

but what is different with the SF method?

EDIT:
My gay enzip keeps making a folder inside the "other" folder...dam, i deleted the first other, and tried to make a new folder, and it still made 2!

EDIT2:

Ok, it was because you had a folder inside the En-zip....

The idea is to pre-download all the sounds possibly available on any maps so you don't have to do it on the spot. This also eliminates wasted time downloading sounds you already have anyway.

Unfortunately, this will mean that you'll likely download sounds from maps you never want to play anyway.

To counter this, all mappers should be encouraged to use pre-made sounds that already exist in the OSF format instead of trying to add their own, to reduce the chances of downloading more sounds that you won't need anyway.

ò.ô Is that interpretation close?

SF/SCMD2 work based off of sounds in Stardat/Broodat/install.exe. They work off of STARCRAFT sounds. This method allows you to use ANY wav sounds.

If OSF grows in popularity, I will release programs and such to take over all the work needed in downloading the sounds and adding them to the MPQ file, that way you just open the program for an auto-update ... or leave it open if you have a broadband connection.

EDIT:

PCFredz, that is dead on accurate.

While you may never use some of these sounds, even most of them ... they will always be there for people to use. All you have to do is continue to make maps with OSF and spread the word and it will be a lot more useful than you think in no time at all.

cool, no worries, all the sounds i used ever were from SEN, since it's right there lol.

Cool, if you have maps in the DLDB you should update them.

Sounds like fun.
Just not changing all the sound strings.
Good job Chui.

wow, we finally can make a music studio game

very nice, i was suprized, only 7kb!

alright, il advertise it on my next map.

on the tutorial, i have a Q.

do i have to open it in Xtra or staredit?
cause i have sprites and other stuff on my map...
also, next time, i will upload all the songs into my map first, that way i can easily select which ones i want

I suppose I can make a tutorial on how to do it in other editors. I'll do that now.

ADDITION:


That works in SCMDraft 2 AND Starforge!

So, you need to use a 3rd party editor?
Or will a patched one work...somehow...

You need to edit the strings, so yes you do need a 3rd party editor.