View Full Version : Extracting BG2/ToB Sounds


Silvershield
Sun, 15th Apr '07, 5:06pm
Hey all, was just wondering if there's a way (which I'm SURE there must be) to extract some of the in-game sounds for personal use for a new party :p


In particular, just the in-game drow sounds, in case anyone knows them off by heart :)

Elfen Lied
Sun, 15th Apr '07, 11:05pm
"the drow rule supreme!"

those sounds?

i have no idea, but id also like to know how to get certain sounds fro mthe game otherthan recording them with a mic when they occur,

as my mic sucks i have to record at a high volume level, which puts the static and "hiss" up too,

Baronius
Mon, 16th Apr '07, 12:48am
Game sounds are in WAVC format, so they must converted to WAV if you want to play them with usual software. Furthermore, sound resources are also packed to BIFFs (except for those in BG2's Override folder), so they need to be extracted first.

Your possibilities depend on the programs you use to browse your BG2 installation. In any case, you need ACM2WAV, get it from SP (http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/IEmodding/index.php). If you've Near Infinity (http://www.idi.ntnu.no/~joh/ni/), find the creature (listbox on the left, "CRE" node, type "drow01" quickly), click the "Edit" tab and scroll down (for example, find "Sound: SELECT_COMMON"). Click the button ">>Sound". If ACM2WAV.EXE is in the same folder as NI, it displays a new window when you click the button, and creates a WAV file in NI's folder. Don't use the "Export" option, simply copy the WAV file from NI's folder (when you close the player window, it removes the file!). And that's all. If acm2wav can't be found by NI when you click the button, it shows an error, but extracts the file to NI's folder. In this case, you will need ACM2WAV to convert it to normal WAV. For example, click Start menu/Run..., and type cmd. Change to the directory where ACM2WAV is located, and type this:

acm2wav drsol101.acm -m

A file called drsol101.wav will appear in the same folder. Omitting the -m switch might have funny consequences.

If you don't have NI, you need to find the filenames of your favourite sounds in a different way. For example, both DLTCEP (Cre browser, Tlk browser) and Talk Table Editor display the sound resource reference (that is, the filename). Then you can find their locations e.g. in DLTCEP ("Edit" / "Chitin KEY") or WinBiff. However, acm2wav won't work for you with files you extract in this way, for reasons I don't want to detail here. If you insist on this solution, I can quickly put together a program for you that solves the problem, but I see no reason why you wouldn't want to use Near Infinity.

Of course, certain types of BG2 sounds can be extracted in DLTCEP by selecting "Sound" / "ACM to WAV". It extracts the selected file to Override. But I suppose you've been aware of this already.

[ April 16, 2007, 02:02: Message edited by: Baronius ]

Elfen Lied
Mon, 16th Apr '07, 4:30am
thanks for all that, ill give it a try sometime

Silvershield
Mon, 16th Apr '07, 6:32am
Wow that actually wasn't too hard! Now, I've been able to find the sounds I want and export them, I just can't change them to Wav format..

Baronius
Mon, 16th Apr '07, 6:25pm
What's wrong?

Which method did you use? If the NI one with acm2wav in NI's folder, don't use the Export button, as I've said. (If you meant export in a different respect, ignore this comment.)

Silvershield
Mon, 16th Apr '07, 6:40pm
I don't think I copied it right but I'll just try again..

Then I tried doing that command but umm yeah, didn'tttt work so well :(

I think I just forgot something on the list so I'll get back to you ina sec :)

Baronius
Mon, 16th Apr '07, 7:46pm
I forgot to say that drsol101.acm is an example in the command "acm2wav drsol101.acm -m" and it must be replaced by your filename, but I guess it's obvious for everyone. Also, don't forget that you just have to copy the wav file created by NI when the sound player window appears, there is no need to do anything else such as acm2wav: the file is in "usual" WAV format.