How To Play TATW With Your Own Music

[Baron Samedi]

Always wanted to know how to play TATW with for instance your own LOTR Music? With the help of my extensive tutorial, now you can. I tried to make it as easy as possible so now everybody can do it! [I am aware that there are other sound tutorials on this website, but they are as I experienced: incomplete, outdated, not mod-specific and not always easy to understand. ]


Some side notes:

• This tutorial is ONLY useful if you have a clean install of Medieval 2 Total War + Kingdoms + TATW. Check that you have the following files stored in …\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\data\sounds: events.dat, events.idx, Music.dat, Music.idx, SFX.dat, SFX.idx, Voice1.dat, Voice1.idx, Voice2.dat, Voice2.idx, Voice3.dat, Voice3.idx. Without these files you are going to experience problems.
• If you already have let the game rebuild events.dat, events.idx files in: …\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age_3\data\sounds, without further problems with sounds, then you shouldn’t complete step: 2 and 3. This also counts for the people who already have installed a mod that alters the sounds of TATW.
• Don’t use copyrighted music to avoid any legal problems.
• Use for your music only mp3 formats to avoid any technical problems.

Now let’s begin:

1. Make a back up (stored in a different folder) of the four following files: ‘‘events’’ (.dat & .idx) and ‘‘music’’ (.dat & .idx) files in:
…\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age_3\data\sounds
This step allows you to undo any changes that you have made with respect to sounds. To restore everything to the original settings, simply copy and past these four files back.

2.. Download the attached file and extract the text files in:
…\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\data
Copy these text files also to (WITHOUT allowing them to overwrite the original files!):
…\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age_3\data

3. Download the IDX extractor developed by Vercingetorix. Extract the download file in:
…\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age_3\data\sounds
You will see that it contains several programs. Right click on the file ‘‘extract_sounds’’ and edit the file. Change it so that it looks like this and save it once finished:

.\xidx.exe -x music voice sfx
pause

Now click on the program and you will see it starts to extract files. Once the program is finished, press a button and you will see a new folder appearing called: ‘‘data’’. Cut and paste this folder in:
…\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age_3
Allow it to overwrite everything.

4. Now we are ready to mod the music in TATW. Go to:
…\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age_3\data
Find the text file called: ‘‘descr_sounds_music’’ and open it with notepad. You will start to notice that the file is separated into different sections. Each section allows you to mod the sounds of different cultures/factions in TATW. We have for instance: ;;;;Gondor;;;;;, ;;;;;;;Elves;;;;;;;;;, ;;;;;;;;;Mordor, Isengard, Orcs;;;;;;;;;;;, etc...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Make a decision of which culture/faction you want to make changes. Let’s for instance assume you want to add music to Isengard. Go to the section: ;;;;;;;Mordor, Isengard, Orcs;;;;;;;. Next make a decision of which aspect of the mod you want to add music. Let’s for instance assume you want to add music to the campaign background. Go to the section: ;;; CAMPMAP, place the mp3-file of your music stated in the folder under this section. In our example it should be in: data/sounds/music. This means in other words:
…\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age_3\data\sounds\music

Now that you have put your music file in the right folder, you need to put the name of the music file in the text file (we are still in: descr_sounds_music!). Let’s say it is called: Frodo.mp3. Type ‘‘Frodo.mp3’’ under: ‘‘folder data/sounds/music’’ in the right section. Repeat this step many times based upon the number of music files you want to add to the mod (off course with different names). Don’t forget not to allow spaces in the name of your music files. So NOT: ‘‘Frodo 3.mp3’’, but use instead ‘‘Frodo_3.mp3’’.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Note: do NOT alter any folder destinations in descr_sounds_music. Place mp3 files manually in the right folder based on what folder destination is already stated in descr_sounds_music. Be AWARE that one spelling error in descr_sounds_music, a incomplete match of the name in descr_sounds_music with the actual mp3 file or editing parts of descr_sounds_music you should not edit, will result in not hearing your own music correctly in the game!

Overview of the parts in descr_sounds_music.txt file that you can edit:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

* Intro music under section: [;;; FRONTEND]
* Music at the beginning of the battle under section: [;;; BAttlE MAP] --> [state MUSIC_BATTLE_TENSION]
* Music when your units march under section: [;;; BAttlE MAP] --> [state MUSIC_BATTLE_MOBILIZE]
* Music when your units encounter the enemy under section: [;;; BAttlE MAP] --> [state MUSIC_BATTLE_BATTLE]
* Music if your win was closely under section: [;;; BATTLE MAP RESULT] --> [state MUSIC_RESULT_WIN_CLOSE]
* Everything else rest under section: [;;; BATTLE MAP RESULT] is self explanatory.
* Music when loading your campaign under section: [;;; CAMPMAP --> [state MUSIC_CAMPAIGN_LOADING]
* Music when the pre battle scroll appears on the campaign under section: [;;; CAMPMAP] --> [state MUSIC_PREBATTLE_SCROLL]
* Music when your units won closely on the campaign under section: [;;; CAMPMAP] --> [state MUSIC_RESULT_STRAT_WIN_CLOSE]
* Everything else under section: [;;; CAMPMAP] is self explanatory.
* Music if you successfully completed your campaign under section: [;;; CAMPAIGN RESULT] --> [state MUSIC_CAMPAIGN_VICTORY]
* Music if you failed to complete your campaign under section: [;;; CAMPAIGN RESULT] --> [state MUSIC_CAMPAIGN_DEFEAT]
* Music if you display credits in menu under section: [;;; CREDITS]
Note: for background music you need to put the names of your music files under section: [state MUSIC_STRATMAP_SUMMER] as well as section: [state MUSIC_STRATMAP_WINTER] as you can see in my example with ''Frodo.mp3''.

Now you have added your own music to the mod. You now must decide if you want to hear only your music, just everything or your own selection of choice. If you aren’t satisfied with some music in the mod, you put this sign: ‘‘;’’ before the name of the music file. This will disable it. To undo this, just delete ; again. After you are done: don’t forget to save the text file or else you will have to repeat everything again!
Note: if you put your music file name on the bottom of the list in a certain section in descr_sounds_music, then it is less likely you will hear it at the start of a certain event in TATW (start of a battle, start of campaign etc.).

5. If you are happy with all the changes you have made and have saved the text file, go to:
…\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age_3\data\sounds
Delete the following four files: events.dat, events.idx, Music.dat, Music.idx. Make sure you have a back-up! Now start TATW. The game will need some time to rebuild these files (the more music files you have added, the longer it will take). Remember if you want to make changes afterwards: begin again from step 4 until you are done. Enjoy TATW now more than ever with your own music!

+ rep if my tutorial was helpful for you ,

Baron Samedi

[Varjon]

Very good tutorial Baron Samedi, it will be heldful for lots of people! +rep

I'll make this a sticky.

[Baron Samedi]

Very good tutorial Baron Samedi, it will be heldful for lots of people! +rep

I'll make this a sticky.

Much appreciated Varjon, thank you.

[gaunty14]

thankyou

1 question.....what do I use to open the music files, I tried notepad, but it was just inconprehensible gibberish ?

thanks ^-^

[Baron Samedi]

1 question.....what do I use to open the music files, I tried notepad, but it was just inconprehensible gibberish ?

The right application to open the text file should be as you said notepad. I used it. Have you for instance tried a similiar application? The text file (descr_sounds_music) should contain ordered sentences once you have opened it, just as you can see in the pics in my first post.

[gaunty14]

k now it works thankyou (I was trying to open the data/sounds/music folder rather than descr_sounds

[Ironicus]

...or you could just run winamp in the background. Works with all games.

[Baron Samedi]

...or you could just run winamp in the background. Works with all games.

No it simply does not work for this game. You still might want to hear other sounds like unit voices and battle sounds good without background music disturbing it for instance. You want to know what is going on at all times and not hearing these sounds greatly reduces the overall experience of the game, especially for a mod like this that really relies on the right atmosphere!

[Ironicus]

No it simply does not work for this game. You still might want to hear other sounds like unit voices and battle sounds good without background music disturbing it for instance.

That's what the volume slider's for.
That said, I generally turn off the music during battles (dying screams of burning dorfs being the sweetest music I can imagine), only sometimes I play the Warrior March or Soldiers' Chant from TW: Rome, which are simply perfect.
Well, it's a matter of taste I guess.

[Baron Samedi]

That's what the volume slider's for.
That said, I generally turn off the music during battles (dying screams of burning dorfs being the sweetest music I can imagine), only sometimes I play the Warrior March or Soldiers' Chant from TW: Rome, which are simply perfect.
Well, it's a matter of taste I guess.

Before we are discussing if it is good or not good to simply play with other background sounds from other sources than the game itself, I want to keep this thread as informative as possible. Let me first explain exactly what I mean by playing TATW with your own music. You need to know what we mean with the term ''music''. In my tutorial I give an example what you can mod, namely background music. But there is much more:

• Intro music, when the game starts; under section: ;;; FRONTEND
• Battle music at the beginning of the battle; under section: ;;; BAttlE MAP
• Battle music when units march on the battlefield; under section: ;;; BAttlE MAP
• Battle music when your units clash with the enemy; under section: ;;; BAttlE MAP
• Music when you march victorious from the battlefield: under section: ;;; BATTLE MAP RESULT
• Music when you fail hopeless on the battlefield: under section: ;;; BATTLE MAP RESULT
• etc...
• etc...
• etc...

And some only apply to certain cultures like Gondor, Elves, Evil factions (Mordor, Orc, Isengard), etc... Maybe now you understand what the possibilities are and what I mean with ''music''. You can mod everything to your own taste with the help of my tutorial. (Now if that doesn't make you excited, I can't help you and it's really that easy!)

[EmperorDude]

It's not working for me..this is the second time I've use this same program (another sound and music submod uses the same and I tried that one earlier, before I found this)

I get this when I click on the batch program after having extracted the files.

Extracting files in music...
successfully extracted idx pack music

Extracting files in voice...
successfully extracted idx pack voice

Extracting files in voice1...
failed to open voice1.idx

Extracting files in voice2...
failed to open voice2.idx

Extracting files in sfx...

Then Windows tells me: xide.exe has stopped working. A problem has caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you in a solution is available.

Finally, the batch program says this : C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval 2 Total War\mods\Third_Age\data\sounds>pause
Press any key to continue...
So I hit a key and it finally closes the program.

Now my OS is Vista x64. Could that be the problem?

[Baron Samedi]

@ EmperorDude:

Try the following steps which were discussed in another thread:

''Right click on the Medieval II - Total War folder (usually in C:/Program Files/SEGA) and go to properties, then the security tab, and click the big "edit" button. Then go to Administrators and check "full control." Then it will work. … ''

Also do the following, just to be sure:
Right click on the file: ‘’extract_sounds’’ and press ''edit''. You will see something like this:

.\xidx.exe -x music voice voice1 voice2 voice3 sfx
Pause

Delete ONLY the words: ''voice1'', ''voice2'' and ''voice3'' and save the file. It is not really necessary for the program to extract them since they don’t exist in TATW. If you have tried what I said and it works, I will put it in my first post for the Vista users.

[EmperorDude]

Ok. I did what you said to do, I edited in the security tab and got control over all the files, and I edited out the voice1, 2 and 3 from the batch file. But it still crashes when the process reaches the sfx portion of the extraction.
Perhaps I might uninstall TA and reinstall again, then do this immediately after I do. I'll do that and report how it goes.

[Baron Samedi]

Ok. I did what you said to do, I edited in the security tab and got control over all the files, and I edited out the voice1, 2 and 3 from the batch file. But it still crashes when the process reaches the sfx portion of the extraction.
Perhaps I might uninstall TA and reinstall again, then do this immediately after I do. I'll do that and report how it goes.

Ok lets fix this problem here for ya. So the extractor has only problems with extracting the sfx files stored in events.dat & events.idx. That is really strange. Since the sfx files is only 5 mb big I have uploaded if for you on filefront. Check the following link: http://files.filefront.com/SFXrar/;13713129;/fileinfo.html

Extract it in:
...\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age\data\sounds
Now you are good to go.

[EmperorDude]

I just played a new game and...it worked! +Rep and lots of thanks to you!

[Baron Samedi]

I just played a new game and...it worked! +Rep and lots of thanks to you!

Glad to be of service. I updated my first post so other people will not encouter the problems you faced. So basically you improved my tutorial.

[SSJPabs]

Hmm, except for the dedicated battle folder, is it any different than adding your own tracks to regular M2? It doesn't seem to be.

[Baron Samedi]

Hmm, except for the dedicated battle folder, is it any different than adding your own tracks to regular M2? It doesn't seem to be.

Let me point out to you that EVEN if you would not complete step 1 of my tutorial you WILL fail to mod any music of TATW as I personally experienced not to long ago. Those two things you mention are not really comparable. But I agree if you have some experience with modding sound of Med 2 some things should be pretty familiar to you.

[Warlord62119]

Hello!
I'm new in this forum but I follow the TATW's development since lots of months.

Firstly, Sorry if I've got a really bad english indeed I'm French and we are often known for our bad english... lol

Secondly, thanks you Baron Samedi (may be you're french too, because samedi is the equivalent in france for saturday) for your tutorial and your help.

Thirdly, i used Vista and i haven't got mod in my M2TW file except TATW.
I tryed to making my own LOTR music file for the game but i've got a really and basic problem.
Indeed, i followed your instructions (full controll etc.) and i launched the extract_sounds.bat. And I've got a problem with Voice1 Voice2 and Voice3.
So, i edited extract_sounds.bat as you said.
And i obtained this:
.\xidx.exe -x music.idx
pause
I just wanna edit music and i also tested with sfx in the end of the command line.

So, i launch extract_sounds.bat , the command write this "Successfully extracted idx pack music.idx"
Unfortunately, i haven't got new file...
Nothing is changed...

Thank you for your help

[asteris_]

Is it possible to use LOTR:TW music on TA:TW just by copying the files on the exact directories?