player initialization params, voice groups, filters for single sounds.

[alnitak]

Description

• added player initialization parameters resolves docs: Some questions about gapless looping audio. #102, resolves use case: metronome #100, resolves perf: Ability to play precise sound sequences #78:

  • sample rate
  • buffer size
  • number of channels (mono, stereo, quad, 5.1, 7.1)

• added Voice groups resolves feat: Voice Groups #92:

  • createVoiceGroup()
  • destroyVoiceGroup()
  • addVoicesToGroup()
  • isVoiceGroup()
  • isVoiceGroupEmpty()

• it's now possible to set filters not only globally, but also to single audio sources Support for non-global filters #101:

  • the AudioSource class has now
    • isFilterActive()
    • addFilter()
    • removeFilter()
    • setFilterParameter()
    • getFilterParameter()
    • fadeFilterParameter()
    • oscillateFilterParameter()

• fadeGlobalFilterParameter() and oscillateGlobalFilterParameter() added also to SoLoud for global filters

Type of Change

• ✨ New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality)
• 🛠️ Bug fix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)
• ❌ Breaking change (fix or feature that would cause existing functionality to change)
• 🧹 Code refactor
• ✅ Build configuration change
• 📝 Documentation
• 🗑️ Chore

[alnitak]

These methods now accept also the SoundHandle or the SoundHash. These parameters are needed by the callers from AudioSource when managing filters. When called from class SoLoud these parameters are not needed because the filters are managed globally (for all the sounds).
In short, AudioSource manages filters for single sounds/voices and SoLoud class global filters.

[filiph]

Should this be merging into web?

[alnitak]

Should this be merging into web?

Fixed! Sorry :)

[sbauly]

Hi @alnitak, this PR looks very exciting! Regarding support for non-global filters, will we also be able to apply filters to voice groups? I imagine that may be useful in the case of wanting to apply a filter to all sounds apart from one or two. For example, a game might have a Freeverb filter for all in-game sounds, but not for the menu sfx.

Also, I'm not sure it's possible, but would the filters be able to behave similarly to buses/sends? This would probably be the most ideal way of using filters, as very few instances would be needed whilst still offering flexibility for different use cases. It would be useful to have a Freeverb send that SoundHandles could be sent to in varying amounts of wetness, for example.

[alnitak]

Hi @sbauly, thanks for the interest.

will we also be able to apply filters to voice groups?

I don't think it is somehow feasible. In the groups laid different voice handles that may belong to different AudioSources.
A filter (or more than one) can be added only to an AudioSource (not to voice handles it owns) and all its handles are affected. Although you can set different filter parameters for each handle of an AudioSource.
So I suppose this logic should be made outside the plugin.

Also, I'm not sure it's possible, but would the filters be able to behave similarly to buses/sends? This would probably be the most ideal way of using filters, as very few instances would be needed whilst still offering flexibility for different use cases. It would be useful to have a Freeverb send that SoundHandles could be sent to in varying amounts of wetness, for example.

Don't know if I understand correctly, but maybe I answered above to this. Anyway, this is the logic:

AudioSource source = loadFile(...);
source.addFilter(Freeverb);
SoundHandle handle1 = play(source);
SoundHandle handle2 = play(source);

/// now you are able to set parameters to handles
source.setFilterParameter(handle1, Freeverb.wet, 0);
source.setFilterParameter(handle2, Freeverb.wet, 1);

I hope I have been clear and helpful

[filiph]

Sorry for taking this long. I'm really glad we're adding voice groups and per-voice filters! This basically completes the exposure of SoLoud C++ features needed for serious game development, as far as I'm concerned.

I read through the whole deal but I have to say I only skimmed through some parts (especially the bindings and the C++ files). I wish I had more time but I'm in full summer mode these past two weeks.

As far as I'm concerned, this is good to go. But as always, I'd love to have more eyes on this if possible.