Condition I_SoundPlaying

[Woddel]

Hallo,

Can someone explain to me how the I_SoundPlaying condition works.
I don't understand the Parameters <sound event tag>.

Thanks.
Can someone explain to me how the I_SoundPlaying condition works.

[Callistonian]

If I recall correctly, this condition can only be used to check if a scripted sound event with a specified tag is playing. It can't check other sounds. The tags are defined as part of the play_sound_event command as in:

play_sound_event your_event tag = your_tag

Edit: This is wrong, I was thinking of the stop_sound_event command which only accepts <tag> and can thus only be used to stop scripted audio.

[Gigantus]

I suppose those are the sounds defined in descr_sounds_narration? Example for 'choose the heir' in EBII:

event Successor_1
   folder data/sounds/SFX/Events
   successor.mp3
end

[Woddel]

The following works:
play_sound_event STRAT_PRISONERS_EXECUTED_GUNPOWDER 2
The tag is the third file to be played.


This doesn't work:
monitor_conditions I_SoundPlaying STRAT_PRISONERS_EXECUTED_GUNPOWDER 2

[Gigantus]

Not sure what the number 2 is - but I don't think it has any impact - in fact it may be the reason why the monitor doesn't work.

[Woddel]

descr_sound_generic.txt:
event STRAT_PRISONERS_EXECUTED_GUNPOWDER volume 0 streamed
folder data/sounds/SFX/interface/campaign
prisoner_execution_musket.mp3 - tag 0
prisoner_group_execution_guillotine_01.mp3 - tag 1
prisoner_group_execution_guillotine_02.mp3 - tag 2
prisoner_group_execution_hanging_01.mp3 - tag 3
prisoner_group_execution_horse_01.mp3 - tag 4
end

play_sound_event STRAT_PRISONERS_EXECUTED_GUNPOWDER 2
The sound is played "prisoner_group_execution_guillotine_02.mp3".

declare_counter SoundTest
set_counter SoundTest 0

monitor_event MultiTurnMove FactionType hre
play_sound_event STRAT_PRISONERS_EXECUTED_GUNPOWDER 2
set_counter SoundTest 1
end_monitor

monitor_conditions I_CompareCounter SoundTest = 1
    and I_SoundPlaying STRAT_PRISONERS_EXECUTED_GUNPOWDER 2
    set_counter SoundTest 2
end_monitor

The condition I_SoundPlaying doesn't work or my entries are incorret.

[Gigantus]

Thanks for explaining the tag principle here.

My thoughts here are that the tag number is not required in the second monitor as the test is for the sound event, not the particular mp3 files being played.

I'll run a simple test myself with Hastings_Tutorial_General_1 from descr_sounds_narration. And then another one with Rocket_Launcher_Fire from descr_sounds_generic.

Edit: Well, that didn't work, eg the second historic_event didn't fire

monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionIsLocal
    play_sound_event Hastings_Tutorial_General_1
    wait 1.0
    historic_event FIRST_WINDMILL
end_monitor

monitor_conditions I_SoundPlaying Hastings_Tutorial_General_1
    historic_event EARTHQUAKE_IN_ALEPPO
end_monitor

Will test if default sound events (like clicking on a character) will work.

Edit: success!! I used the STRAT_BUILD_WATCHTOWER event from descr_sounds_generic and while it didn't work with the initial scripted sound it did when building a watch tower. The second historic_event fired - and kept on firing......
For some reason a terminate_monitor line will be required.

monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionIsLocal
    play_sound_event STRAT_BUILD_WATCHTOWER
    wait 1.0
    historic_event FIRST_WINDMILL
end_monitor

monitor_conditions I_SoundPlaying STRAT_BUILD_WATCHTOWER
    historic_event EARTHQUAKE_IN_ALEPPO
    terminate_monitor
end_monitor

Note: the sound event takes place when selecting the tower from the building choices.

I will add these observations to my 'non functioning' thread.

[Callistonian]

I_SoundPlaying - does not test sound events triggered via the play_sound_event command, requires terminating to prevent looping of commands.

The I_SoundPlaying condition certainly does return true for sounds triggered and tagged with the play_sound_event command. In fact, this was the basis of all pre-Lua custom character selection audio scripts.

The terminate_monitor line isn't required for the I_SoundPlaying condition to work, it's just that you used monitor_conditions so, of course, the effects will fire continuously while the conditions are met.

I don't think there is anything 'non functioning' about this condition.

@Woddel - Look more closely at the documentation for the play_sound_event command. I've copied the Docudemons entry below and then an example audio event from descr_sounds_generic.txt below that with the corresponding objects color coded.

Parameters: <event id> [<index>] [tag = <something>]

event STRAT_PRISONERS_EXECUTED_GUNPOWDER volume 0 streamed
folder data/sounds/SFX/interface/campaign
prisoner_execution_musket.mp3 ;audio file at index 0
prisoner_group_execution_guillotine_01.mp3 ;audio file at index 1
prisoner_group_execution_guillotine_02.mp3 ;audio file at index 2
prisoner_group_execution_hanging_01.mp3 ;audio file at index 3
prisoner_group_execution_horse_01.mp3 ;audio file at index 4
end

Example call from campaign_script.txt:

play_sound_event STRAT_PRISONERS_EXECUTED_GUNPOWDER 2 tag = our_custom_tag

if I_SoundPlaying our_custom_tag
 ;do something
end_if
if I_SoundPlaying STRAT_PRISONERS_EXECUTED_GUNPOWDER  ;this actually returns false
 ;do something
end_if

In the last bit of code, I'm demonstrating that the I_SoundPlaying condition apparently accepts both what the Docudemons calls an <event id> as well as a tag which comes from a play_sound_event command. (EDIT: This is incorrect. I_SoundPlaying only appears to accept tag for audio created with the play_sound_event command, the condition will accept <event id> for all other audio events). I assume the reason for this is because tags are meant to function as a class of event ids. E.g., you can class multiple events under the same tag:

play_sound_event your_first_event tag = custom_sound_class
play_sound_event your_second_event tag = custom_sound_class

if I_SoundPlaying custom_sound_class
 stop_sound_event custom_sound_class
end_if

Unfortunately, this final command, stop_sound_event, only accepts the parameter <tag>, i.e. audio which has been scripted to occur as in the example above.

[Gigantus]

So the reason why our custom sound monitors were not working was because we did not use a tag?

Let me try again:

monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionIsLocal
    play_sound_event Hastings_Tutorial_General_1 tag = testing_sound
    historic_event FIRST_WINDMILL
end_monitor

monitor_event TrueCondition
    if I_SoundPlaying testing_sound
       historic_event EARTHQUAKE_IN_ALEPPO
    end_if
end_monitor

Nope, that only gave me the windmill. This one however worked:

monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionIsLocal
    play_sound_event Hastings_Tutorial_General_1 tag = testing_sound
    historic_event FIRST_WINDMILL

    if I_SoundPlaying testing_sound
       historic_event EARTHQUAKE_IN_ALEPPO
    end_if
end_monitor

Does that mean I am forced to use monitor_conditions to test for I_SoundPlaying, else it has to be within the same monitor?
Unlike the 'EventCounter' event to test for the immediate change of an event counter there is no 'SoundPlayed' equivalent.

[Gigantus]

Based on the above I have changed the entry in the 'non functional' thread to this:
"Will return 'true' only while sound is playing, eg when testing in the monitor that triggers the sound or using monitor_conditions. The latter needs terminating (terminate_monitor, stop_sound_event) to avoid multiple firing. See here."

I have also added an entry for stop_sound_event:
"Does not accept event id, uses tag instead. See at the bottom here.

[Callistonian]

So the reason why our custom sound monitors were not working was because we did not use a tag?

No, the reason your first example above doesn't work is because this extremely optimistic bit of code...

monitor_event TrueCondition

... doesn't do anything. I just tested, half expecting it to spam historic_events at me every time any event happened, but it does nothing. This, however, does work as expected:

    monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionIsLocal
        historic_event aztecs_contacted
        play_sound_event Hastings_Tutorial_General_1 tag = testing_sound
    end_monitor

    monitor_conditions I_SoundPlaying testing_sound
       historic_event america_discovered
       terminate_monitor
    end_monitor

This does not work:

    monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionIsLocal
        historic_event aztecs_contacted
        play_sound_event Hastings_Tutorial_General_1
    end_monitor

    monitor_conditions I_SoundPlaying Hastings_Tutorial_General_1
       historic_event america_discovered
       terminate_monitor
    end_monitor

However, if we swap in an event that's easier to test like STRAT_BUILD_WATCHTOWER, the second historic event will fire when you go to build the watchtower normally, as you observed before. This behavior doesn't appear to depending on which sounds file the event was defined in or what type of audio files or parameters it uses.

My only guess is that the I_SoundPlaying condition cannot find an <event id> for sounds created with the play_sound_event command, whereas it does find this for 'naturally occurring' sounds. In that case, our only recourse for using I_SoundPlaying with scripted audio is to test by tag.

play_sound_event event_name tag = event_tag

if I_SoundPlaying event_name ;false
[...]
if I_soundPlaying event_tag ;true
[...]

[Gigantus]

Thanks for summarizing - I do agree with your thoughts that scripted sound events don't have or generate a event id and hence a tag is required to test for it.

[Woddel]

OK. I wanted to use I_SoundPlaying over an animation evt-file.
If it only works via play_sound_event, my question is unnecessary.


Example:
event SOUND SM_ANIM_BATTLE 14 14
event SOUND ANIM_SWOOSH 14 14


Thanks for the support.

[Callistonian]

I_SoundPlaying works for sound events defined in the sounds text files as well as scripted sounds from play_sound_event. I don't know if it works for events in .evt files.