MSU Packs and Scripts

I made an MSU pack for the SMZ3 Cas' Randomizer for the first time and did it in Linux so none of the usual tools worked. So, since I too am a tool, I made my own workflow for this.

Packs

Trials and Secrets

Songs from Secret of Mana and Trials of Mana, with the former being used in Super Metroid and the latter being used in ALttP. This pack is compatible with SMZ3 Cas' Randomizer version 9.3.0 and (presumably) mainline SMZ3. There's a track list in the ZIP and also here.

Also available as standalone packs (SM has not been specfically tested):

• SM: Secret of Zebes (track list)
• Z3: Trials of Hyrule (track list)

Version history

• 2023-05-20, v1.0: Initial release
• 2023-05-21, v1.0.1: Standalone packs released
• 2023-06-12, v1.0.2: Corrected track name for "Lost Woods" and using new sub-track feature for a few tracks (no audible changes)
• 2023-06-25, v1.0.3: Updated to be compatible with SMZ3 Cas' Randomizer version 9.3.0 and (presumably) mainline SMZ3 (no audible changes)
• 2023-06-28, v1.1: Fixed an issue in the script that was giving the standalone packs slight volume differences from the combined pack
• 2023-06-30, v1.2: Fixed an issue in the script that was applying pad_start at the end, too, instead of pad_end, causing the Mother Brain tracks to pause before looping
• 2023-07-10, v1.3: Moved "Raven" from Tower of Hera to Thieves' Town (replacing "Breezin") and added "Few Paths Forbidden" to Tower of Hera
• 2023-08-15, v1.4: Swapped PoD and Skull Woods tracks, shortened Zelda Credits, and added a BCU Easter egg
• 2024-02-27, v1.4.1: Added msu_type to the YAML so utilities don't have to guess (no audible changes)
• 2024-05-04, v1.5: Added the SoM Menu music to the end of the SM Title tracks, so it doesn't have to loop silence

Voss Gears and New Tetris Spheres

Songs from games composed by Neil Voss: The New Tetris (N64), Tetrisphere (N64), and Racing Gears Advance (GBA). This pack is compatible with SMZ3 Cas' Randomizer version 9.3.0 and (presumably) mainline SMZ3. There's a track list in the ZIP and also here.

This one is not available as standalone packs, because I was already stretching to fill out the SMZ3 track list as it was.

Version history

• 2024-02-16, v1.0: Initial release
• 2024-02-16, v1.1: Fixed incorrect keys in the YAML that stopped certain tracks from playing
• 2024-02-27, v1.1.1: Added msu_type to the YAML so utilities don't have to guess (no audible changes)
• 2024-03-21, v1.2: Adjusted a few loops and gave Armos Knights a different track so Hyper Beam would be unique
• 2024-04-24, v1.3: Started the Helmasaur King music farther into the track so it's more intense

Scripts

I wrote a few Kotlin scripts to help out with the process. Download the kotlin-compiler-(version).zip from GitHub and extract it to the same directory as the scripts. You can also put the Kotlin compiler on your PATH environment variable and remove the relative path from the "shebangs" at the top of the scripts.

(Sorry I don't currently have cross-platform support here.)

msupcm.main.kts

This script converts source audio files into PCM files with the proper header for MSU support. The script is mostly compatible with the JSON format that msupcm++ uses. Run the script with no arguments to see usage notes.

My current workflow involves adding a track to the JSON, running the script with the track number and the -raw option, and importing the resulting (headerless) PCM into Audacity to look for loop points.

Add JAVA_OPTS="-Xmx1g" to the start of the command to run the script if it runs out of heap space while processing a large file.

playmsu.kts

This script plays an MSU-compatible PCM file. The file must have a valid MSU header; that is, the MSU1 magic number and a four-byte loop point.

When run with a single argument, the script will play the given track indefinitely. Add the -loop argument to play the bit of audio surrounding the loop point over and over, to check for pops. Add the -writeloop and a filename to write the above audio to a separate PCM file that can be imported into Audacity and visually inspected for pops.

jukebox.kts

This script plays all the MSU-compatible PCM files you give it until either it runs out or you quit it. Each track will play until it hits its loop point twice, at which point it will fade out over the next ten seconds. Tracks that take a long time to hit their loop point the first time will start fading out as soon as they hit it.

Run the script with no arguments to see what of the above can be tweaked to your liking.

Contact

• Discord: CPColin
• GitHub: https://github.com/CPColin/msu
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CPColin