Sound Propagation: Part 1 - Revision history

Grayman: /* Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting */

2013-05-09T18:23:47Z

Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:23, 9 May 2013
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	== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==		== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==
	If you know the handle of the portal (which you will need to use some D3 debug settings to find out), you can also set the portal attenuation directly, and get it, with these ~~two~~ scriptfunctions called on the sys object.		If you know the handle of the portal (which you will need to use some D3 debug settings to find out), you can also set the portal attenuation directly, and get it, with these scriptfunctions called on the sys object.

	void setPortSoundLoss( float handle, float value )		void setPortSoundLoss( float handle, float value ) (Sets '''sound_loss''' for both AI and the Player)
	float ~~getPortSoundLoss~~( float handle )		float getPortSoundLoss( float handle ) (Gets '''sound_loss''')
			{{red\|Rev. 2.00:}}
			void setPortAISoundLoss( float handle, float value) (Sets AI-only '''sound_loss''' w/o affecting any Player-only '''sound_loss''')
			void setPortPlayerSoundLoss( float handle, float value) (Sets Player-only '''sound_loss''' w/o affecting any AI-only '''sound_loss''')
			float getPortAISoundLoss( float handle ) (Gets AI-only '''sound_loss''')
			float getPortPlayerSoundLoss( float handle ) (Gets Player-only '''sound_loss''')

	~~This~~ can be used ~~ingame~~ to dynamically alter the flow of sound in the map in cases where the door/window code is not sufficient (for example, pushing aside a large crate that was covering a sound-conducting passage to another room).		These can be used to dynamically alter the flow of sound in the map in cases where the door/window code is not sufficient (for example, pushing aside a large crate that was covering a sound-conducting passage to another room).

	{{tutorial-sound}}		{{tutorial-sound}}
	{{tutorial-scripting}}		{{tutorial-scripting}}

Grayman: /* Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) */

2013-05-09T17:59:55Z

Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general)

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:59, 9 May 2013
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	== Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) ==		== Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) ==
	Suppose you have a transparent window looking outside from a room, that for whatever reason is not a breakable, func_fracture window. Because it's transparent, the renderer and consequently soundprop will view it as connected with the outside area. You'll have to do two things to get soundprop to attenuate ~~souns~~ when going through that unbreakable window.		Suppose you have a transparent window looking outside from a room, that for whatever reason is not a breakable, func_fracture window. Because it's transparent, the renderer and consequently soundprop will view it as connected with the outside area. You'll have to do two things to get soundprop to attenuate sounds when going through that unbreakable window.

	# Place a visportal in the window (you'll probably want to do this for performance reasons anyway). At this stage, soundprop will think it is a hole in the wall. It doesn't know about the window there blocking the sound.		# Place a visportal in the window (you'll probably want to do this for performance reasons anyway). At this stage, soundprop will think it is a hole in the wall. It doesn't know about the window there blocking the sound.
	# Place an ~~info_locationseparator~~ entity so that it's touching the visportal.		# Place an info_locationSeparator entity or info_portalSettings entity so that it's touching the visportal. Use the former if you're also marking a location zone boundary, and the latter if both sides of the portal belong to the same location zone.
	# Set the portal attenuation value (again in dB) on the info_locationseparator.		# Set the portal attenuation value ('''sound_loss''', again in dB) on the info_locationseparator or info_portalSettings.

	Soundprop can use ~~info_locationseparator or info_portalsettings~~ to make sound incur a certain loss when going through the portal it's touching. The key/value pair is the following:		Soundprop can use these two entities to make sound incur a certain loss when going through the portal they're touching. The key/value pair is the following:

	* '''sound_loss''' "Soundprop: Loss in dB incurred when a sound travels through this portal. Cumulative with door loss if a door is present."		* '''sound_loss''' "Soundprop: Loss in dB incurred when a sound travels through this portal. Cumulative with door loss if a door is present."

	The loss must be a positive number, and negative numbers will automatically be converted to positive.		The loss must be a positive number, and negative numbers will automatically be converted to positive.

	~~Note that these values affect the~~ sound ~~propagation~~ to ~~both~~ the ~~player~~ and AI.		The info_locationseparator you place to set sound loss at a portal doesn't have to be simultaneously used to "properly" define a location, but it can be. In practice, you will probably be setting up some locations to take advantage of the ambient sounds and D3 EAX soundengine, and naturally you would have a different EAX environment for inside/outside areas, which requires different locations for these two places, so you would already want to put a visportal and location separator on transparent windows.

	~~The location separator you place to set sound loss at a portal doesn~~'t ~~have to be simultaneosly used to "properly" define~~ a ~~location, but it~~ can ~~be. In practice, you will probably be setting up some locations~~ to ~~take advantage of~~ the ~~ambient sounds and D3 EAX soundengine,~~ and ~~naturally you would have a different EAX environment for inside~~/~~outside areas, which requires different locations for these two places~~, so you ~~would already want to put a visportal~~ and ~~location separator on transparent windows.~~		NOTE: Opaque windows don't need a visportal or any of this. They should already separate the inside and outside areas.

			{{red\|Rev. 2.00}}

			The '''sound_loss''' value can affect the sound propagation to both the player and/or AI. Starting in Rev. 2.00, you can place the following spawnargs on both an info_locationSeparator and an info_portalSettings:

	~~NOTE: Opaque windows~~ don't ~~need a visportal~~ or ~~any of this~~. ~~They should already separate the inside and outside areas~~.		* '''apply_loss_to_AI''' "Apply (1) or don't apply (0) sound loss to propagated sounds. Default is 1."
			* '''apply_loss_to_Player''' "Apply (1) or don't apply (0) sound loss to what the Player hears. Default is 1."

	== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==		== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==

Grayman: /* Breakable Windows (func_fracture) */

2013-05-09T17:29:45Z

Breakable Windows (func_fracture)

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:29, 9 May 2013
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	* '''editor_var loss_broken''' "soundprop: Acoustical loss experienced by sounds going through the surface after it's shattered. Must have visportal present to work."		* '''editor_var loss_broken''' "soundprop: Acoustical loss experienced by sounds going through the surface after it's shattered. Must have visportal present to work."

	~~Note that~~ these values ~~affect~~ the sound propagation to AI '''only'''. Sound propagation to the player ~~is different~~.		{{red\|Rev 2.00:}}

			Prior to Rev 2.00, these values affected the sound propagation to AI '''only'''. Sound propagation to the player was not affected.

			Starting with Rev 2.00, these values are also used in determining sound volume to the player.

	== Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) ==		== Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) ==

Grayman: /* Doors & Openable Windows (func_darkmod_door) */

2013-05-09T17:25:47Z

Doors & Openable Windows (func_darkmod_door)

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:25, 9 May 2013
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	If the visportal does not have four sides, sound is just passed through the center. This will be okay for smaller visportals, but the error (path difference from the minimal path) will get more noticeable the larger the visportal. '''The code also still assumes that when you do have four sides, they are perpendicular.''' If you have some non-90 degree angles between the sides, some wierdness may ensue.		If the visportal does not have four sides, sound is just passed through the center. This will be okay for smaller visportals, but the error (path difference from the minimal path) will get more noticeable the larger the visportal. '''The code also still assumes that when you do have four sides, they are perpendicular.''' If you have some non-90 degree angles between the sides, some wierdness may ensue.

	== Doors & Openable Windows (~~func_darkmod_door~~) ==		== Doors & Openable Windows (atdm:mover_door) ==
	A visportal must be placed within the door if you want the door to have any effect on sound propagation when it opens/closes.		A visportal must be placed within the door if you want the door to have any effect on sound propagation when it opens/closes.

	Doors and Windows are the same as seen by the code. They are both covered by ~~func_darkmod_door~~. It's probably ~~easiset~~ to list the relevant key/value pairs from the def file:		Doors and Windows are the same as seen by the code. They are both covered by atdm:mover_door. It's probably easiest to list the relevant key/value pairs from the def file:

	* '''loss_open''' "Soundprop: Acoustical loss applied to sounds going thru the door when it is open (default 1 dB)"		* '''loss_open''' "Soundprop: Acoustical loss applied to sounds going thru the door when it is open (default 1 dB)"
	* '''loss_closed''' "Soundprop: Acoustical loss applied to sounds going thru the door when it is completely closed (default 15 dB)"		* '''loss_closed''' "Soundprop: Acoustical loss applied to sounds going thru the door when it is completely closed (default 10 dB)"
	* '''loss_double_open''' "Soundprop: Acoustical loss applied to sounds going thru a set of double doors when one is open and the other is closed (defaults to 1 dB)"		* '''loss_double_open''' "Soundprop: Acoustical loss applied to sounds going thru a set of double doors when one is open and the other is closed (defaults to 1 dB)"

	~~Note that~~ these values ~~affect~~ the sound propagation to AI '''only'''. Sound propagation to the player ~~is different~~.		{{red\|Rev 2.00:}}

			Prior to Rev 2.00, these values affected the sound propagation to AI '''only'''. Sound propagation to the player was not affected.

			Starting with Rev 2.00, these values are also used in determining sound volume to the player. This aligns what AI hear with what the player hears. It also allows sound coming through the door to increase as the door opens, or decrease as the door closes, making for a more realistic experience.

	== Breakable Windows (func_fracture) ==		== Breakable Windows (func_fracture) ==

Grayman: /* Portals and Caulking */

2013-05-09T17:09:11Z

Portals and Caulking

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:09, 9 May 2013
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	== Portals and Caulking ==		== Portals and Caulking ==
	First of all, all sound propagation (both TDM soundprop and the D3 sound engine) depends on visportals to define the apertures between rooms. It is therefore essential that your map be portalized and caulked correctly. Ideally, all concave rooms should be broken up into convex sections by visportals. This is a good rule for getting ~~performane~~ out of your maps in general (as long as you can't see too many separate portals from any given portal). Occasionally, you may have a concave room where breaking it up into two convex areas with a visportal isn't necessary for improving renderer performance, but is necessary for believable sound propagation.		First of all, all sound propagation (both TDM soundprop and the D3 sound engine) depends on visportals to define the apertures between rooms. It is therefore essential that your map be portalized and caulked correctly. Ideally, all concave rooms should be broken up into convex sections by visportals. This is a good rule for getting performance out of your maps in general (as long as you can't see too many separate portals from any given portal). Occasionally, you may have a concave room where breaking it up into two convex areas with a visportal isn't necessary for improving renderer performance, but is necessary for believable sound propagation.

	Caulking is important, because the renderer uses it to distinguish separate portal areas. If you have any caulking leaks between areas that you intend to be separated, this will cause serious errors in soundprop, not to mention a decrease in performance from the D3 renderer.		Caulking is important, because the renderer uses it to distinguish separate portal areas. If you have any caulking leaks between areas that you intend to be separated, this will cause serious errors in soundprop, not to mention a decrease in performance from the D3 renderer.

	Anything that can change the attenuation of sound going ~~inbetween~~ two rooms needs to interface with soundprop.		Anything that can change the attenuation of sound going between two rooms needs to interface with soundprop.

	=== Note ===		=== Note ===
	The sound propagation code works ideally for '''rectangles''' now. In case anyone's curious, this is the part of the code that finds the minimum path length for paths that are constrained to go thru certain portals. I.e., it calculates what points on the portal surfaces the sound path should pass through to get the least distance path.		The sound propagation code works ideally for '''rectangles''' now. In case anyone's curious, this is the part of the code that finds the minimum path length for paths that are constrained to go thru certain portals. I.e., it calculates what points on the portal surfaces the sound path should pass through to get the least distance path.

	If the visportal does not have four sides ~~then~~ sound is just passed through the ~~centre~~. This will be okay for smaller visportals, but the error (path difference from the minimal path) will get more noticeable the larger the visportal. '''The code also still assumes that when you do have four sides, they are perpendicular.''' If you have some non-90 degree angles between the sides, some ~~weirdness~~ may ensue.		If the visportal does not have four sides, sound is just passed through the center. This will be okay for smaller visportals, but the error (path difference from the minimal path) will get more noticeable the larger the visportal. '''The code also still assumes that when you do have four sides, they are perpendicular.''' If you have some non-90 degree angles between the sides, some wierdness may ensue.

	== Doors & Openable Windows (func_darkmod_door) ==		== Doors & Openable Windows (func_darkmod_door) ==

Springheel: /* Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) */

2013-05-05T15:19:34Z

Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general)

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:19, 5 May 2013
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	The loss must be a positive number, and negative numbers will automatically be converted to positive.		The loss must be a positive number, and negative numbers will automatically be converted to positive.

	Note that these values affect the sound propagation to ~~AI '''only'''. Sound propagation to~~ the player ~~is different~~.		Note that these values affect the sound propagation to both the player and AI.

	The location separator you place to set sound loss at a portal doesn't have to be simultaneosly used to "properly" define a location, but it can be. In practice, you will probably be setting up some locations to take advantage of the ambient sounds and D3 EAX soundengine, and naturally you would have a different EAX environment for inside/outside areas, which requires different locations for these two places, so you would already want to put a visportal and location separator on transparent windows.		The location separator you place to set sound loss at a portal doesn't have to be simultaneosly used to "properly" define a location, but it can be. In practice, you will probably be setting up some locations to take advantage of the ambient sounds and D3 EAX soundengine, and naturally you would have a different EAX environment for inside/outside areas, which requires different locations for these two places, so you would already want to put a visportal and location separator on transparent windows.

Springheel: /* Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) */

2013-05-05T15:19:08Z

Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general)

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:19, 5 May 2013
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	# Set the portal attenuation value (again in dB) on the info_locationseparator.		# Set the portal attenuation value (again in dB) on the info_locationseparator.

	Soundprop can use info_locationseparator to make sound incur a certain loss when going through the portal it's touching. The key/value pair is the following:		Soundprop can use info_locationseparator or info_portalsettings to make sound incur a certain loss when going through the portal it's touching. The key/value pair is the following:

	* '''sound_loss''' "Soundprop: Loss in dB incurred when a sound travels through this portal. Cumulative with door loss if a door is present."		* '''sound_loss''' "Soundprop: Loss in dB incurred when a sound travels through this portal. Cumulative with door loss if a door is present."
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	NOTE: Opaque windows don't need a visportal or any of this. They should already separate the inside and outside areas.		NOTE: Opaque windows don't need a visportal or any of this. They should already separate the inside and outside areas.

	EDIT: It appears that sound_loss only applies to sounds propagating to the AI, but not sounds propagating to the player. This is a known issue and we hope to fix it someday (possibly after Doom3 goes open source). In the meantime, one alternative is to use a func_portal to turn the visportal on and off based on its distance from the player (create a func_portal and move it so it touches the visportal in question. Add the spawnarg "portal_dist" "x" where x is the distance to turn the portal off). This will cut off sound (and vision) completely through the portal until the player is within range, which can at least stop outside sounds leaking in well enough in for certain situations if the blacked-out portal isn't a problem. If anyone knows other alternatives, or if the above information isn't entirely accurate, feel free to edit this paragraph.

	== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==		== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==

Springheel at 00:30, 23 March 2011

2011-03-23T00:30:26Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:30, 23 March 2011
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	* '''loss_closed''' "Soundprop: Acoustical loss applied to sounds going thru the door when it is completely closed (default 15 dB)"		* '''loss_closed''' "Soundprop: Acoustical loss applied to sounds going thru the door when it is completely closed (default 15 dB)"
	* '''loss_double_open''' "Soundprop: Acoustical loss applied to sounds going thru a set of double doors when one is open and the other is closed (defaults to 1 dB)"		* '''loss_double_open''' "Soundprop: Acoustical loss applied to sounds going thru a set of double doors when one is open and the other is closed (defaults to 1 dB)"

			Note that these values affect the sound propagation to AI '''only'''. Sound propagation to the player is different.

	== Breakable Windows (func_fracture) ==		== Breakable Windows (func_fracture) ==
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	* '''editor_var loss_broken''' "soundprop: Acoustical loss experienced by sounds going through the surface after it's shattered. Must have visportal present to work."		* '''editor_var loss_broken''' "soundprop: Acoustical loss experienced by sounds going through the surface after it's shattered. Must have visportal present to work."

			Note that these values affect the sound propagation to AI '''only'''. Sound propagation to the player is different.

	== Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) ==		== Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) ==
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	The loss must be a positive number, and negative numbers will automatically be converted to positive.		The loss must be a positive number, and negative numbers will automatically be converted to positive.

			Note that these values affect the sound propagation to AI '''only'''. Sound propagation to the player is different.

	The location separator you place to set sound loss at a portal doesn't have to be simultaneosly used to "properly" define a location, but it can be. In practice, you will probably be setting up some locations to take advantage of the ambient sounds and D3 EAX soundengine, and naturally you would have a different EAX environment for inside/outside areas, which requires different locations for these two places, so you would already want to put a visportal and location separator on transparent windows.		The location separator you place to set sound loss at a portal doesn't have to be simultaneosly used to "properly" define a location, but it can be. In practice, you will probably be setting up some locations to take advantage of the ambient sounds and D3 EAX soundengine, and naturally you would have a different EAX environment for inside/outside areas, which requires different locations for these two places, so you would already want to put a visportal and location separator on transparent windows.
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	NOTE: Opaque windows don't need a visportal or any of this. They should already separate the inside and outside areas.		NOTE: Opaque windows don't need a visportal or any of this. They should already separate the inside and outside areas.

	EDIT: It appears that sound_loss only applies to sounds propagating to the AI, but not sounds propagating to the player. This is a known issue and we hope to fix it someday (possibly after Doom3 goes open source). In the meantime, one alternative is to use a func_portal to turn the visportal on and off based on its distance from the player. This will cut off sound (and vision) through the portal until the player is within range, which can at least stop outside sounds leaking well enough in for certain situations if the blacked-out portal isn't a problem. If anyone knows other alternatives, or if the above information isn't entirely accurate, feel free to edit this paragraph.		EDIT: It appears that sound_loss only applies to sounds propagating to the AI, but not sounds propagating to the player. This is a known issue and we hope to fix it someday (possibly after Doom3 goes open source). In the meantime, one alternative is to use a func_portal to turn the visportal on and off based on its distance from the player (create a func_portal and move it so it touches the visportal in question. Add the spawnarg "portal_dist" "x" where x is the distance to turn the portal off). This will cut off sound (and vision) completely through the portal until the player is within range, which can at least stop outside sounds leaking in well enough in for certain situations if the blacked-out portal isn't a problem. If anyone knows other alternatives, or if the above information isn't entirely accurate, feel free to edit this paragraph.

	== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==		== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==

Demagogue: /* Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) */

2011-03-22T21:58:15Z

Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general)

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:58, 22 March 2011
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	NOTE: Opaque windows don't need a visportal or any of this. They should already separate the inside and outside areas.		NOTE: Opaque windows don't need a visportal or any of this. They should already separate the inside and outside areas.

	EDIT: It appears that sound_loss only applies to sounds propagating to the AI, but not sounds propagating to the player. This is a known issue and we hope to fix it someday (possibly after Doom3 goes open source). In the meantime, one alternative is to use a func_portal to turn the visportal on and off based on its distance from the player. This will cut off sound (and vision) through the portal until the player is within range, which can at least stop outside sounds leaking well enough in for certain situations if the blacked-out portal isn't a problem. If anyone knows other alternatives, or if the above information isn't entirely accurate, feel free to edit this paragraph.		EDIT: It appears that sound_loss only applies to sounds propagating to the AI, but not sounds propagating to the player. This is a known issue and we hope to fix it someday (possibly after Doom3 goes open source). In the meantime, one alternative is to use a func_portal to turn the visportal on and off based on its distance from the player. This will cut off sound (and vision) through the portal until the player is within range, which can at least stop outside sounds leaking well enough in for certain situations if the blacked-out portal isn't a problem. If anyone knows other alternatives, or if the above information isn't entirely accurate, feel free to edit this paragraph.

	== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==		== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==

Demagogue: /* Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general) */

2011-03-22T21:57:25Z

Solid, unbreakable windows (and portal attenuation in general)

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:57, 22 March 2011
Line 52:		Line 52:

	NOTE: Opaque windows don't need a visportal or any of this. They should already separate the inside and outside areas.		NOTE: Opaque windows don't need a visportal or any of this. They should already separate the inside and outside areas.

			EDIT: It appears that sound_loss only applies to sounds propagating to the AI, but not sounds propagating to the player. This is a known issue and we hope to fix it someday (possibly after Doom3 goes open source). In the meantime, one alternative is to use a func_portal to turn the visportal on and off based on its distance from the player. This will cut off sound (and vision) through the portal until the player is within range, which can at least stop outside sounds leaking well enough in for certain situations if the blacked-out portal isn't a problem. If anyone knows other alternatives, or if the above information isn't entirely accurate, feel free to edit this paragraph.

	== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==		== Setting Portal Attenuation Directly with Scripting ==