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Need help with my STO Music revamp project
bmcd73
Member Posts: 263 Arc User
For me, music/audio can make or break a game and for years the music of STO has really bothered me. I know there are a lot of people out there that just turn off the music...well I'm not one of them. I actually find it very difficult to get into the game without music. So I have been searching for mods or ways to replace the music.
Not just have a player randomly playing music in the background, but actually play music that fits the scenario and comes from actual Star Trek movies/TV shows to really immerse myself into the game. Well last night, I found out how to replace the music. I've tested a small sample and it works. For instance, instead of hearing the current audio when you warp to DS9 you here this instead: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc_0ii3SLp0
What a difference it makes!
I have been collecting the soundtracks for the ST series for a long time so today I went through my collection and pulled out some of the most memorable tracks that seemed like they could fit into STO. I've extracted all the music files and gave them a first pass at what needs to be replaced and what doesn't. But this is where I need your help. I need someone to help with the legwork.
1) I need song suggestions that would mesh nicely within. I pretty much have everything but there is a TON of music to sort through. I will need the title and which soundtrack it is from.
2) I need your ideas on which files to be replaced. To figure that out, you need a few pieces of software and a little direction from me (which I will post later about later). It would probably be nice to have a spreadsheet at some point that has all the "music actions" and which song they are associated to.
I have no idea if modding is against the EULA but something like this seems pretty innocent but if you have any doubts, just PM me. I'm not looking to get banned or change any other aspect of the game...just the music and I will help others if they want to change their music. Of course, you will need your own licensed copy of the tracks.
Not just have a player randomly playing music in the background, but actually play music that fits the scenario and comes from actual Star Trek movies/TV shows to really immerse myself into the game. Well last night, I found out how to replace the music. I've tested a small sample and it works. For instance, instead of hearing the current audio when you warp to DS9 you here this instead: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc_0ii3SLp0
What a difference it makes!
I have been collecting the soundtracks for the ST series for a long time so today I went through my collection and pulled out some of the most memorable tracks that seemed like they could fit into STO. I've extracted all the music files and gave them a first pass at what needs to be replaced and what doesn't. But this is where I need your help. I need someone to help with the legwork.
1) I need song suggestions that would mesh nicely within. I pretty much have everything but there is a TON of music to sort through. I will need the title and which soundtrack it is from.
2) I need your ideas on which files to be replaced. To figure that out, you need a few pieces of software and a little direction from me (which I will post later about later). It would probably be nice to have a spreadsheet at some point that has all the "music actions" and which song they are associated to.
I have no idea if modding is against the EULA but something like this seems pretty innocent but if you have any doubts, just PM me. I'm not looking to get banned or change any other aspect of the game...just the music and I will help others if they want to change their music. Of course, you will need your own licensed copy of the tracks.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
9/27
I've updated the spreadsheet with my substitutions so far. You can hear what the old music is and what I am replacing it with. Let me know what you think. I've only done the space travel stuff at this point because the other music is so random. I've even noticed one of the space travel songs within a mission. Very strange.
9/24
What I have found so far:
I have replaced the STO music with my own music thinking that the names of the internal files would match the time/location they are played. Well I was wrong and these tracks seem to be played all over the place. This has some unexpected results when you place your "eerie space music" file and all of the sudden it starts playing when you are fighting klingons! So the first thing I need to do is figure out where and when the music files are played and if there is a pattern so I can make better choices for track selection.
So for now, I just started a spreadsheet to list out the existing music and where/when it's played. I've opened it up to allow people to comment. I plan on putting links to what I plan on switching it to as well.
I would like for comments on track suggestions. But even better, if you have any more of this information I can give you editor access and we can build this list together. Anyway, here is the link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtyAZUMDyfYSdHUzTUJDNGNTVFhERHhxVHdaanVoeGc&usp=sharing
I would have guessed that the Launcher would've thrown a fit with the changed files...
it works on the live servers. I'm not replacing any actual game files. There is a directory <install_path>\Star Trek Online\Live\localdata\ that I'm guessing STO looks at to load up any files before it hits the online data. This is where I store the music. I am still totally new to this. In fact, this is my first mod attempt so I could be wrong how this works.
It's doable. I'm not sure if it violates any hard policy since it provides no advantage. It's certainly unsupported/"do at your own risk".
I would be wary of distributing it because the music contained inside is copyrighted. (I did consider offering a mod entirely with public domain music and recordings. Generally, you're looking at military band recordings of old music; the U.S. government cedes military band recordings into the public domain although you need the music and the recording each to be PD.)
I still think this could be an amazing C-Store pack for Cryptic if they cut a deal with music rights holders to give them a cut.
The conventional thinking is that Cryptic would pay a license fee but that doesn't work well with an MMO since they'd be paying it every month forever. So my idea is that they could take a different approach and cut a deal to sell tracks formatted to work in the game to individual users. That model works better because then the music company just gets a cut of each sale rather than a huge perpetual licensing fee from Cryptic.
So, for example, BMI or whoever normally sells an album through iTunes where they make a 20% cut of a $12 album. They could simply have a similar deal with Cryptic where the music upgrade costs $12.00 or 1200 ZEN and Cryptic gives them $2.40 on each sale.
Might go over better with a new/upgraded starter pack. You know the starter packs they have now? Maybe something like that weapons crate, a title, the EC, some BOs, a DOff pack, 3 faction T1 ships, a shuttle, an EV suit, and the music upgrade for $25.
Or maybe go another route and make it a canon costume bundle with the music upgrade download.
Thing is, it makes more sense to me if a rights holder has to get paid, for individual users o pay for the music, pre-formatted for use as a kind of specially formatted album purchase, once than to have Cryptic pay a continuing license fee.
and to actually have it play while in game...makes me feel like I'm playing a new game all over.
Totally at your own risk because I don't think STO supports mods of any kind atm.
Exactly. I won't be distributing any music but will be happy to teach people how to put their own music to STO. Since I own all the soundtracks, I'm looking for suggestions on what people think would fit nicely. Maybe I will make a post about all the songs I am planning on using so people can take a listen for themselves.
I hear ya but having the REAL music is the whole purpose. I don't think any generic PD stuff would work right for me.
This is something I would pay for...easily. Or Cryptic could just code in a way to make it easy for STO to read in your own mp3 files and be done with it.
I'll post instructions here...I made a placeholder already as post #2. I won't be able to upload the mod because it contains my music files and that would be a problem with licensing/pirating, etc. I will also post what songs I used to replace which in-game songs. That way you can use your own music to re-create the mod.
Either would be good. One would be good for the C-Store and the casual user. The other would be a positive step for the game engine as a whole, if all the Cryptic games had the ability to select specific tracks from the user's personal library for certain situations on request.
I think as time goes on though, one of the things that could keep the game vital are partnerships with other Trek licensees, where those licensees produce some content and Cryptic splits profits with them. That certainly beats the skeleton crew that most dev teams eventually become.
I mean, heck, why not get IDW to underwrite the cost of a Featured episode in exchange for an ad on the site and prominent placement of a related asset? They routinely spend, I'd imagine, around $5 grand an issue in production expenses and considerably more in advertising.
As long as it's Trek licensees sponsoring FEs and not Burger King, I'd be fine with that.
IDW Presents: Children of Khan to coincide with their Khan comic or something. Anovos sponsors a TOS themed episode. That kind of thing. That seems to be in line with how PW handles outside sponsorship anyway. The player doesn't pay for content but somebody does. Why not cut a deal with other Trek licensees to do this?
I bet Trek magazine would be a regular sponsor. I guesstimate that their advertising budget for the magazine is around $15k a month given a circulation of 27,000. (They should be making more than that from advertisers ideally. That should be around what they spend to promote the magazine assuming they operate like a conventional magazine and not a niche publication.)
Just wild thoughts. Barely on topic.
This ^ right here. Excellent idea!
Saves Cryptic from the enormously expensive music licence fees and puts real Trek music in the game.
I'd throw a bunch of Zen at this.
arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1203368/pve-content-a-list-of-gamewide-polishing-pass-suggestions
I hope this turns out well, I've a couple music suggestions!
1.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhoa7oWPPhk - Entering a sector block / General Sector space cruising music.
2.) This as one of the battle tracks (Maybe it starts playing if you get heavily damaged?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eV8qR2IEHk
I'll keep watch on this, good luck!
The first one would definitely be good for the login but could also see it used elsewhere.
The second one is not bad but I don't own the soundtrack to the enterprise series...i have pretty much everthing else. I've pulled a few good battle tracks.
But this is definitely what I am looking for. More please!
Thanks for any help.