Fun Bizarre Things To Do With X-com

[Chris StarShade]

Hmm, some or even many of you may have already discovered this.

 

But, for those of you who haven't, go explore the Sounds directory in the X-COM directory.

 

You will see none other than midi files! (and a few cat files)

 

Thus, to replace the music you merely have to copy a different midi into the directory and give it the name of the midi you want to replace.

 

 

If you have a men in black midi you could have a lot of fun with this "feature"

 

 

:wink:

 

If nothing else, it will give you a reason to comb the internet for midi files. Hmm... DangerZone for the intercept music... sounds good... *alters files*

[Paladin]

So, how did it go?

[Chris StarShade]

Ay, I have confirmed that it works. The midi files pump out exactly as they sound in WinAmp at the appropriate times. Now if I could figure out a way to modify the cat files, I could have aliens dying saying "Tis but a scratch!" or an alien scream that sounds like "meow!" or a plasma gun that goes "boing!" when it shoots.

 

Oh well, I'll settle for fooling with the midi files for now.

[j'ordos]

Ay, I have confirmed that it works.  The midi files pump out exactly as they sound in WinAmp at the appropriate times.  Now if I could figure out a way to modify the cat files, I could have aliens dying saying "Tis but a scratch!" or an alien scream that sounds like "meow!" or a plasma gun that goes "boing!" when it shoots. 

 

Oh well, I'll settle for fooling with the midi files for now.

use cooledit to edit cat files.

edit : to be more specific, quoting micah :

've used an old version of a program called Cooledit to open/manipulate the .cat files and saved them to a modern format. When you open the .cat files, be sure to open them with these properties:

11025khz, Mono, 8-bit, PCM Unsigned.

 

CoolEdit

 

This is an unregistered version, so select the Save feature at the very least, and whatever other one you want.

 

Back in the 'day,' the chopper sound was a driver problem.

Edited August 16, 2004 by j'ordos

[SupSuper]

i believe you can view the CAT files, but not modify them. iirc, if you try to, the CAT file no longer works in-game (either the game crashes to desktop when loading geoscape / battlescape, doesn't play any sounds on geoscape / battlescape or doesn't play certain sounds on geoscape / battlescape).

[j'ordos]

i believe you can view the CAT files, but not modify them. iirc, if you try to, the CAT file no longer works in-game (either the game crashes to desktop when loading geoscape / battlescape, doesn't play any sounds on geoscape / battlescape or doesn't play certain sounds on geoscape / battlescape).

does it just need sounds of the exact same length, or does it has some sort of filechecking routine making it completely impossible to alter anything?

[SupSuper]

i believe you can view the CAT files, but not modify them. iirc, if you try to, the CAT file no longer works in-game (either the game crashes to desktop when loading geoscape / battlescape, doesn't play any sounds on geoscape / battlescape or doesn't play certain sounds on geoscape / battlescape).

does it just need sounds of the exact same length, or does it has some sort of filechecking routine making it completely impossible to alter anything?

i think each sound has some thingy pointing out that the sound starts there. unless someone figures out how that works, it's impossible to alter anything

[Paladin]

Damn, that's low...

Then again, back in the days, they probably had to do it in assembler... that'd explain it... *roll*