reduce umx file size?

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Zeppy
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reduce umx file size?

Post by Zeppy »

I convert the music I want in UT by first converting the mp3 file to wav so that it can be opened with OpenMPT so then I can save it as .IT to import to UnrealED and save the package, but the umx file comes too big, especially when I have some maps to put online, it's gonna take a long time to download the umx file, is there any way to reduce the size without losing sound quality?
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memsys
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Re: reduce umx file size?

Post by memsys »

Short answer: no, there is no way to make the umx smaller.

Long answer: the reason the file is so large is because you are shoving the .wav file into a .IT container as a single sample.
This dirty hack is what makes the file so large as the .wav has very little if any compression this is also the reason why it is so hard to make the music loop properly.

A REAL .IT file is composed of a set of small samples with the data on how to play those samples in order to generate the music on the fly. This is also the reason why proper .IT and .umx files are so much smaller because this approach requires a lot less disk space, the downside is that different players can play the same track (slightly) differently.

In short, unless you are going to recreate the music track you picked as a real .IT file there is no way short of decreasing quality to make the file smaller.
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Zeppy
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Re: reduce umx file size?

Post by Zeppy »

What other way to make a umx from a mp3 or other format (wav, ogg etc)? I use audacity to make from mp3 to wav
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Wormbo
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Re: reduce umx file size?

Post by Wormbo »

The Galaxy audio player in the Unreal Engine does not support any compressed samples, sop MP3, OGG, etc. is all out. You can't even use compressed WAV formats like ADPCM.
Higor
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Re: reduce umx file size?

Post by Higor »

If I had a little bit of composer in me, I would have totally remade a few UT3 tunes into real .IT trackers, but one can't do it all.
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UTPe
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Re: reduce umx file size?

Post by UTPe »

Hi Zeppy,
if you want to reduce umx file size, you can only reduce the file size of your .wav files by using low quality audio data. This means for example starting from 11Khz/8bit/mono .wav sounds, you will lose a certain amount of sound quality but your .umx music files will be substantially smaller.
Yes, you can use Audacity that is a freeware tool or if you search for something professional, you can try Sony Sound Forge, a complete audio editing package.

cheers,
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Personal map database: http://www.ut99maps.net

"These are the days that we will return to one day in the future only in memories." (The Midnight)
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Dr.Flay
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Re: reduce umx file size?

Post by Dr.Flay »

As UTPe says, you have to do a lot of reduction, and depending on the original quality and type of music will sound a lot worse.
Bad sounding music on a loop can drive you nuts, and is why many people play maps with the music disabled.

The old tutorials don't explain what you are doing, only how to do it, so you don't know why these things have to be done.
I wrote a new one a while back that covers reducing the quality and preparing the file in Audacity (so all OSs can use the same guide).
After you have done it once you will be able to do it with any audio tool you prefer, because you will know what you want to happen.
Tutorial -> https://www.ut99.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4472

As I have a modern PC and OS, I use the new OpenAL audio renderer from OldUnreal.
http://www.oldunreal.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/ ... 1399614690
The new version supports MP3, OGG, FLAC and many more tracker module formats including OctaMED (I have many MED files)
It gives twice the amount of channels (useful if more than 16 sounds are happening, so you hear it all).
The sound placement is more accurate so you can hunt easier, and more adaptive if you enable the "Sound Attenuation".
eg. The sound properties change when an object is between you and the sound, instead of just louder and quieter depending on distance.
Walk past a door or window and you hear the street sound change.

The now optional EFX addon gives mappers the functionality of the EAX profiles in the Creative Labs Galaxy patch.
By adding EFX zone actors wherever you zone, you can make convincing indoor/outdoor atmosphere, and you can tell if gunfire is outside, in a small room, a corridor or metal room. etc.
Even just adding 1 EFX actor makes a big difference in city sniper maps. The City streets EFX adds a nice bit of echo with the right sort of sound.

Note: If you want to use the simple option of just using a full quality OGG or MP3, you will have to include the renderer with the distro, or provide a link.
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Deepu
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Re: reduce umx file size?

Post by Deepu »

I think I can do 2 mb with stereo effect..
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