Hard Light Productions Forums

Archived Boards => The Apocalypse Project => The Archive => Archived The Apocalypse Project Threads => Topic started by: Nuclear1 on May 14, 2003, 07:32:12 pm

Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Nuclear1 on May 14, 2003, 07:32:12 pm
...any of you found out how to make WAV files out of those AIFR files from the Speech and Music sections from HW and Cata?

Such as...

This, (http://www.swooh.com/peon/Nuclear1/wholething.wav) or this? (http://www.swooh.com/peon/Nuclear1/manaan.wav)
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on May 15, 2003, 02:09:53 am
I haven't a clue how it's done, I can't even extract the speech files, let alone convert them.
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Grug on May 15, 2003, 06:39:44 am
yeah easily. and im the special effects dude!
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Nuclear1 on May 15, 2003, 06:56:37 am
Well, poo. :D :p
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Rampage on May 15, 2003, 07:59:59 am
Do you happen to know what file archive includes all the sound EFFECTS used in the game?
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on May 15, 2003, 09:59:37 am
I'd like to know that too.

I'd also like to know how to extract them. (I know that I can convert with WinAmp)
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: ZylonBane on May 15, 2003, 05:44:51 pm
Convert... extract... what's the difference? The end result is a WAV file, right?
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Nuclear1 on May 15, 2003, 05:55:13 pm
Well, in this case with HW, the voice/music files are all in AIFR or AIF* format. The only real way to convert to WAV is to record off the sound card, then save in WAV format.
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: elorran on May 15, 2003, 05:58:28 pm
Okay, here goes again... and hopefully I won't have to explain this again (for the n-th million time).

Sound extraction and convertion 101, with your host, elorran...

And today on TAP tools, we'll be showing you how to extract and convert relic AIFF-C format files from the games Homeworld and Homeworld: Cataclysm.

First you'll need the following programs...

1. A version of 2.x Winamp
Available from http://www.winamp.com

2. The Relic AIFF-C plugin for winamp.
Available from http://www.hiigara.com/files/aifr.zip

3. The Penesound program by Delphy.
Available from http://www.hiigara.com/files/penesound.zip

You will of course need a copy of the winzip program to unpack the zip files (http://www.winzip.com)

EXTRACTING...

After carefully installing winamp (version 2.xx), you will need to place the Relic AIFF-C plugin file into the 'plugins' folder in the location where you installed winamp.

It is advised that you start up the program and go into the options/preferences.  From the file associations list de-select all file extentions of AIF and AIFR if you see more than one of each of these file types... wouldn't want a format read conflict now would we :)

Close winamp if you have it open and install penesound.  After installation, run the program (you may need to find the executable file manual with the 'run' menu or from the windows explorer).  Once the program has started it will ask you for the location of your winamp executable file.  Once you have located and confirmed this you are now ready to rumble (you must not have winamp open at the time you start up penesound or during the initial confirmation process).

You can now open the entire sound archive files of Homeworld or Cataclysms music and voice files.  Music archive files are in WXD format (eg Music4Cat.WXD) and audio voice files and general sound effects are kept in archive files with VCE extentions (eg HW_Comp.VCE)  You will also note that penesound can open BIK files.  These are RADTOOLS Bink video format which are the video format used by Homeworld and Cataclysm (as well as a number of other games).

From here you can now open either of the master audio files and extract individual voice/music files or extract the entire archive.  You can play individual tracks directly with penesound too, without having to extract the files.

CONVERTING...

Once you have extracted an audio file from Homeworld or Cataclysm you can convert it using winamp (version 2.x, not version 3 (not easily anyway)).  To do this you will need to open the file or files you intend to convert, make sure that the 'repeat' button is turned off (wouldn't want to convert the whole track list twice).  From here you now go into the options/preferences, click on 'output' under plugins and select 'nullsoft disk writer' (or something similar) as your output type.  You can select the destination of the converted files from the 'configure' button.  Once you've done that, close the options and simply click on 'play'.  Winamp should now convert the file or files into a standard PCM wave format in the location you selected.

Remember to put your output type back to what it was before you changed it, or else winamp will keep converting files when you try to play them.  You may also need to use 'all files' are visible when looking for AIF or AIFR extracted files if you deselected them from the winamp file associations (but that can't be help otherwise you'd get a format conflict and the files wouldn't play or convert).

From here you can now edit the converted wave file or I'm sure you can find a program to convert it to MP3 format.

And this concludes our tutorial 101 session on how to extract and convert Homeworld audio files.

Any questions, class?
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Nuclear1 on May 15, 2003, 06:23:12 pm
Uh..... :eek2: No thank you...
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: elorran on May 15, 2003, 06:42:59 pm
Quote
Originally posted by nuclear1
Uh..... :eek2: No thank you...


Yes, I know.  It's shocking how simple it is, isn't it? ;)
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Grug on May 18, 2003, 05:18:52 am
roflol, i could of used that tut like a month ago.
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: elorran on May 18, 2003, 03:43:14 pm
It's surprising how many people can get their head around modelling and texturing for homeworld mods, but when it comes to simple sound extraction and convertion these same 'mod gods' seem to have a lot of difficulty trying to figure out how to extract and convert the audio files.  Oh well, at least now you know GoD :)
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Rampage on May 19, 2003, 05:22:39 pm
WARNING! This is meaningless. :D

The guy who made Penesound hosts his web e-mail at www.sohu.com, which is a Chinese website.

If my pinyin classes I took back in the 80's helped, I THINK that "sohu" means "sour fox".  (Awaits for LtNarol...):drevil:
Title: Was wondering if...
Post by: Grug on May 21, 2003, 05:37:35 am
meaning what? he has already made a tut?,  now he can add elorrans to the list ;)