basic question

I swapped out the Entrenchment menu music and it never gave me any issues.  I presume that the same holds true of the other sound files.

That does not change the checksum fro multi. Yes just replace sounds with different sound files is easiest

http://soase.weebly.com/sound.html

EDIT: Not Recommended to change the base game files. Make a mod with just sounds or music. Post back if you need help creating a new mod for your sounds

where do i place the reference files when downloading them?

you can keep a copy anywhere for future use. Just copy the files you need to your new mod folder and keep the rference files intact for future use. You can just use it as a start to a new mod as well, just rename the folder to your new mod name and place it in your Dip mods folder.

create a folder on the computer, them extract the reference files into the folder.

reference files are the game file after conversion to TEXT mode for easier editing. you can copy them into your new mod's folder and edit them there to make the changes you want.

harpo

I am guessing you want to change the SoundData or SoundMusic files if you dowloaded the reference files. When I did my first sound mod I avoided this step and copied the sounds I wanted to replace to my NewMod\Sound folder and edited and saved as ogg. Well they were ogg so just get the free ogg editor

yeah, wincustomize said i had reached my download limit even though i hadn't downloaded anything...

so they have to be ogg without the reference files?

That could be to your benefit though. Once you change the SoundData or SoundMusic you cant take advantage of staking mods. Lets say you change all the battle songs in your mod, then you download SOA 2 Star trek mod. If you place your mod on top and that mod did not change the names of the battle songs yours will play. If you had the SoundMusic in your mod it would override the Star Treks so only your music and the original game music would play

I never heard of Wincustomize download limit??? 3 downloads since midnight. Its a direct download, check your browsers download folder.

If you don't want it to effect multiplayer compatibility, don't change the SoundData or SoundMusic files (or anything else in the GameInfo Folder). Just convert the tracks you want to .oggs and but them in a folder called Sound. Then rename the tracks to have the same name as the ones in Sins soundtrack (TEC 1, Battle 3 etc.) and then put that sound folder in a folder called "Music Mod" or whatever in your mod folder. Enable it and you should get your different music/sounds.

Yes thanks, forgot about that point as well 

 thanks

is it possible to keep the original music along with the ones i add though? becaause i wouldn't be able to add any more after i run out of names for the files

It depends on what you name it. For example, if you go to the Sins of a Solar Empire folder and open its sound folder, you'll see all the music and most of the sound effects (the expansions have their own sound folders, but they don't add any music). Give your new track the same name as one of the original files and when you enable that mod, your track will play instead of the game's track. The easiest way to test it is to change the main menu music, so name your track "Opening Theme" for Vanilla/Entrenchment or "TEC 3" for Diplomacy.

First off everything in modding is very case sensitive. Not sure on the folder but be safe and name it Sound.

Use a player to go thru the original music files and find one you want to replace. Copy the name EXActly (i use rename and copy the the name) goto your mod\Sound folder and name it exactly.

Thats when you get into the MusicData in the GameInfo folder. Adding a track requires updating the count at the top. No more multi-play though unless they have the same mod enabled

I have multiple music mods and i switch them out like cds in a car

thanks, i think i have the hang of it now

what do you use to convert wavs or mp3s into oggs?

Audacity is free open source and its in that link I gave you earlier http://soase.weebly.com/sound.html

thanks

i downloaded a mod that adds new ships, how do i add sound effects for these ships (the mod doesn't have any sound-related folders or files)?

It might reference sound files that are there already.

In the GameInfo should be an entity for the ship and the sound references look like this

NumSoundsFor:ONATTACKORDERISSUED 4
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONATTACKORDERISSUED_0"
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONATTACKORDERISSUED_1"
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONATTACKORDERISSUED_2"
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONATTACKORDERISSUED_3"
 NumSoundsFor:ONCREATION 1
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONCREATION"
 NumSoundsFor:ONGENERALORDERISSUED 3
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONGENERALORDERISSUED_0"
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONGENERALORDERISSUED_1"
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONGENERALORDERISSUED_2"
 NumSoundsFor:ONSELECTED 3
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONSELECTED_0"
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONSELECTED_1"
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONSELECTED_2"
 NumSoundsFor:ONSTARTPHASEJUMP 1
 SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_ONSTARTPHASEJUMP_0"
 MeshNameInfoCount 1
 MeshNameInfo
 meshName "CapitalShip_PhaseBattleship"
 criteriaType "None"
 meshNameIncreasedEffectName ""
 meshNameDecreasedEffectName ""
 ExhaustParticleSystemName "Exhaust_PhaseBattleship"
 ExplosionName "CapitalShip0"
 CommandPoints
 StartValue 0.600000
 ValueIncreasePerLevel 0.200000
 weaponCooldownDecreasePerc
 StartValue 0.000000
 ValueIncreasePerLevel 0.030000
 weaponDamageIncreasePerc
 StartValue 0.000000
 ValueIncreasePerLevel 0.050000
 HyperspaceChargingSoundID "HYPERSPACE_CHARGEUP"
 HyperspaceTravelSoundID "HYPERSPACE_TRAVEL"
 EngineSoundID "ENGINE_PHASECAPITALSHIP"

These are linked to GameInfo\SoundEffects.sounddata or GameInfo\SoundDialogue.sounddata which tells what sound is played for each SoundID

here's my small sound mod experiment if anyone wants to see it

http://www.mediafire.com/?u843zysb9sx8yas

music is either classical or from games, voices are from starcraft

is it possible to give a unit a new set of sounds when it is affected by a certain buff

It is not possibly for a specific unit, but a specefic buff, so if the unit has the buff then yes. Tell if you're interested in further detail.

well, i want to change domination so that a unit affected by it will reference new sound files

any pointers on how to do this

Hmmm one way that could be possible would be using different triggers (like OnWeaponFired) with the attached effect. Just only add sounds without adding any effects. Some sounds like on selected is not possible.