Well, I posted this at the request of some people at (url="http://"http://www.ev-nova.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5083&start;=20")ev-nova.net(/url), and while it is on my site, you may as well get in on the fun. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/infernostudios/downloads/BGM_Plugin_Example.zip")This link(/url) is a plugin file that contains two different types of background music, which play in different systems. It is only 2.5 MB.

It also includes detailed, annotated instructions on how this was implemented, and how to add more BGM types. You can have quite a bit, though it will increase the size of your plugin quite a bit. If you plan on using this, it is suggested to offer it as an expansion to your plugin, for the sake of those most unfortunate 56kers out there.

The documentation describe the two minor glitches that occur, which do not truly affect gameplay in the least, but are merely odd. It also describes how to compress the SND resources (system 7 sound file) to work in Nova.

Enjoy!
~ SpacePirate

Music composed by (url="http://"http://www.students.sonoma.edu/users/w/walz/ffmidi.htm")Aaron Walz(/url), based on music from FF6 and FF7.

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Eat blazing electric death!

That is a great idea! Too bad you have to use the SND format (even at low quality it's huge!).

Woot. Total Woot.

Of course, SS already does this..... NOT. But it might now... ah, the list grows ever longer.

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~Charlie
Sephil Saga Homepage: (url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")www.cwssoftware.com(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Masamune:
**Ah, the list grows ever longer.

**

Sorry.

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Eat blazing electric death!

Heh, maybe if we keep thinking of ideas Sephil Saga will never come out at all... Masamune will be too busy having to add every single one! Mwahahahaha!

Or not.

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(url="http://"http://www.mazca.com/")Mazca(/url) , Moderator, (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=9&SUBMIT;=Go&urgaylol;=yes")EV Developer's Corner(/url)
burn burn the truth, enjoy the flames in celebration

Quote

Originally posted by Mazca:
**Heh, maybe if we keep thinking of ideas Sephil Saga will never come out at all... Masamune will be too busy having to add every single one! Mwahahahaha!

Or not.

**

Doh!

I did think of a slight problem with this, though- namely the fact that Nova only has a limited number of sound channels- two, I think- so you will continually be using one. This might make combat slightly tougher, since you may not be able to hear what your opponent is shooting at you.

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~Charlie
Sephil Saga Homepage: (url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")www.cwssoftware.com(/url)

I think that it's great that there is a way to implement music into Nova, but this is like the time the US Government spent millions of dollars developing a pen to write in space when they could have used a pencil.

For any Mac user with a recent Macintosh, iTunes is the perfect solution for playing music while playing Nova. I've never used a PC, but I'm sure there's a similar music program there as well, if not a bit inferior. There's simply no need for in-Nova BGM.

And Masamune... I suppose if you actually listen to what your enemy is firing (you have the weapon sounds memorized or something?) it might pose a problem, but I hate the Nova sounds. All weapons are simply annoying and the landing sounds "captain anora, please report to the anteroom"... I can't stand those either...

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When viewing a Terrapin for the first time, I realized that anything flies-if you throw it hard enough!

Quote

Originally posted by Zzap212:
I think that it's great that there is a way to implement music into Nova, but this is like the time the US Government spent millions of dollars developing a pen to write in space when they could have used a pencil.

That's actually an urban myth. A separate company came up with the idea and approached the government after producing it. Pencils are dangerous because leads can break and drift into people's eyes or short circuit things and both lead and wood easily combust in largely oxygen atmospheres.

Quote

For any Mac user with a recent Macintosh, iTunes is the perfect solution for playing music while playing Nova. I've never used a PC, but I'm sure there's a similar music program there as well, if not a bit inferior. There's simply no need for in-Nova BGM.

You might want background music for atmosphere in certain systems. There are most certainly uses for it.

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(url="http://"http://homepage.mac.com/jonathanboyd/evn/index.html")Classic4Nova plug-in(/url)

Sounds great, SpacePirate.

It also, somehow, sounds (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum9/HTML/004555.html")vaguely familiar...(/url)

I remembered touching on a similar idea a while ago, but I didn't really do very much with it.

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"Trust me, this'll work..." - Me.
"WARPCORE BREACH IN 10 SECONDS." - Computer.
"... Of course, I could be wrong..." - Me.

Quote

Originally posted by Zzap212:
IFor any Mac user with a recent Macintosh, iTunes is the perfect solution for playing music while playing Nova. I've never used a PC, but I'm sure there's a similar music program there as well, if not a bit inferior. There's simply no need for in-Nova BGM.

I think you are looking at it from the wrong perspective. While iTunes would provide music, it would be the user's playlist rather than sounds that fit with the system. And while there's no need, there's no need for TCs, but did that ever stop anyone?

Masamune: I think we're going to have to draw a line somewhere, lest we end up with a 300 MB file (compressed) that causes Nova to take half an hour to load. Hehe.

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The programmer's code of entomology: there's always another bug.
Windows users: stop asking for plugins. (url="http://"http://www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW/")Make one yourself.(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")Sephil Saga Website(/url)

Orca, I have no intention of throwing a bunch of BGM at the plug. There is only one place where I think it would be worthwhile- the "final battle". And even then, there are going to be so many other sounds there that it's probably not worth it there either. I'm trying to reign in the scope of the project- I really am. But while I'm doing that, why don't you do some more writing?

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~Charlie
Sephil Saga Homepage: (url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")www.cwssoftware.com(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Masamune:
**Doh!

I did think of a slight problem with this, though- namely the fact that Nova only has a limited number of sound channels- two, I think- so you will continually be using one. This might make combat slightly tougher, since you may not be able to hear what your opponent is shooting at you.

**

Nova can play a lot more than two sounds at once. It works fine. Also, you by increasing the count of the BGM weapon, it reduces the volume of the sound. But for this to work past one loop, you would have to have the BGM ship use standoff attacks.

Quote

Originally posted by Eugene Chin:
**Sounds great, SpacePirate.

It also, somehow, sounds vaguely familiar...

I remembered touching on a similar idea a while ago, but I didn't really do very much with it.

**

Wow, I definitely missed that topic. I actually came up with this back in 1.0.1. While your could be easier to set up initially, there is no way to get the sound to loop. However, a definite benefit to your method is that it would be easier to get music to play in battles that may reoccur in a different system. I'm pretty sure I explained how to do this from missions in my documentation, but I recall it was kind of vague...

Hey! By combining our methods, we could have some interesting effects... Use my method for the background music, and use your Pxxx method to play a victory chime... Something like Final Fantasy battles. To keep the BGM from playing after the chime is over, you will need to move the player to another system. If you Sxxx another mission as well, you can give the mission complete text explaining where you moved the player to. Throwing an ending movie either before or after that description could end it nicely.

However, as I said in the documentation, if you have a long song, it will keep playing until it is finished, even if the player leaves the system. It would be great if there were a way to stop all sound effects that are currently playing, perhaps with P0 or something.

~ SpacePirate

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Eat blazing electric death!

(quote)Originally posted by Masamune:
**But while I'm doing that, why don't you do some more writing?:D

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The programmer's code of entomology: there's always another bug.
Windows users: stop asking for plugins. (url="http://"http://www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW/")Make one yourself.(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")Sephil Saga Website(/url)
**

Well, since Nova only has 2 or 4 sound channels, and I think Pxxx takes precedence over whatever else is playing, if you made a "null" sound, and tossed about 4 P(null)'s in a bit string, that should kill all the sounds. That sound about right?

Orca: what are you talking about? There's PLENTY of writing to do, it's just not necessarily main-plot related. There's an infinate number of small strings you can write- think escorting the band or Cunjo hunting. And read my Mr. Johnson/Shadowrun ideas- we can always use repeatable missions with twist. In any case, Hector has promised to integrate your SW1 stuff with all the changes by next Wednesday, at the latest. He promised- so you can smack him if he falls through.

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~Charlie
Sephil Saga Homepage: (url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")www.cwssoftware.com(/url)

(This message has been edited by Masamune (edited 01-09-2004).)

(quote)Originally posted by Masamune:
**Orca: what are you talking about?:) ), for instance.

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The programmer's code of entomology: there's always another bug.
Windows users: stop asking for plugins. (url="http://"http://www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW/")Make one yourself.(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")Sephil Saga Website(/url)
**

Quote

Originally posted by Masamune:
**Well, since Nova only has 2 or 4 sound channels, and I think Pxxx takes precedence over whatever else is playing, if you made a "null" sound, and tossed about 4 P(null)'s in a bit string, that should kill all the sounds. That sound about right?
**

I'll play with that, but I believe that Nova only stops playing new songs if there already is one playing. IE, assuming that there are 4 channels, if one long sound is playing, Nova could only play 3 other sounds until the first stopped playing.

Again, I'll look into this.

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Eat blazing electric death!

This is a great idea for EV. I'll soon be using using this kind of stuff in all of my plugs.
Thanks SpacePirate!

By the way, the music "Fierce Battle" on your sample plug sounds like it came from Final Fantasy III

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"You can't catch Jesus, he's the gingerbread man."

Quote

Originally posted by Sam_the_Smart:
**This is a great idea for EV. I'll soon be using using this kind of stuff in all of my plugs.
Thanks SpacePirate!

By the way, the music "Fierce Battle" on your sample plug sounds like it came from Final Fantasy III

**

Indeed, it was from Final Fantasy VI, which was originally released in Japan as III. FFVI is the name it was released under in the USA.

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Eat blazing electric death!

Um, you got your countries reversed, SpacePirate. It was FFVI in Japan, FF3 in the US.

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~Charlie
Sephil Saga Homepage: (url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")www.cwssoftware.com(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Masamune:
**Um, you got your countries reversed, SpacePirate. It was FFVI in Japan, FF3 in the US.

**

Huh. What do you know... I was wrong.

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Eat blazing electric death!

This post has been edited by SpacePirate : 10 February 2005 - 01:18 AM