Hexen scripted ambient sounds

Hexen and its expansion set use ACS to manage ambient sounds in their map, using script 254.

Example script

These scripts are generally of this form:

script 254 OPEN
{
   int whichsound;

   delay(random(x, y) * 100);
   whichsound = random(1, z);
   switch (whichsound)
       {
       case 1:
           {
           ambientsound("Ambient1(t, u));
           break;
           }
       ...
       case z:
           {
           ambientsound("Ambientz(v, w));
           break;
           }
       }
   restart;
}

The values for t, u, v, w, x, y and z depend on the script.

Ambient sounds

Logical sound names are usually rather explicit, however some of them are identified only by a number. This table helps identify them.

Logical name	Lump Name		Logical name	Lump Name		Logical name	Lump Name
Ambient1	insects1		Ambient6	owl		Ambient11	rocks
Ambient2	crkets		Ambient7	bird		Ambient12	chains
Ambient3	crkets1		Ambient8	shlurp		Ambient13	gong
Ambient4	katydid		Ambient9	bubble		Ambient14	steel1
Ambient5	frogs		Ambient10	drop2		Ambient15	steel2

Hexen

The ambient sound scripts in Hexen use a delay expressed in tics. There are 35 tics per seconds, so a maximum delay of 700 tics corresponds to a maximum delay of 20 seconds. The volume at which each ambient sound is on a scale of 0 to 127, so for example (50, 80) corresponds to between about 40% and 63% of full volume (rounding up). For concision, the random keyword is not explicitly written, so any bracketed pair of values in these table should be understood as being a random integral value between the two boundaries given, inclusively. Each sound is listed only as its logical name followed by its volume. Note that some sounds may be listed several time in a single script; this is how it was coded by the Raven Software level designers.

Map		Delay value	Ambient sounds
MAP01	Hub 1: Winnowing Hall	(3, 7) * 100	5	Ambient1(50, 80), Ambient10(50, 80), Ambient1(50, 80), Ambient10(50, 80), Ambient12(50, 80)
MAP02	Hub 1: Seven Portals	(2, 7) * 100	4	Ambient7(50, 80), Ambient10(50, 90), Ambient10(70, 110), Ambient11(30, 70)
MAP03	Hub 1: Guardian of Ice	(4, 7) * 100	5	IceStartMove(20, 90), EarthStartMove(50, 80), IceStartMove(50, 90), EarthStartMove(50, 80), IceStartMove(20, 60)
MAP04	Hub 1: Guardian of Fire	(2, 5) * 100	4	Ambient9(50, 90), Ambient9(50, 100), LavaMove(50, 80), Ambient10(50, 90)
MAP05	Hub 1: Guardian of Steel	(2, 4) * 100	5	Ambient15(50, 80), Ambient14(50, 80), Ambient15(50, 80), Ambient14(50, 60), Ambient12(50, 127)
MAP06	Hub 1: Bright Crucible	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient8(30, 90), Ambient8(80, 100), Ambient9(50, 90), Ambient7(50, 80), WaterMove(50, 70), Ambient1(50, 100)
MAP08	Hub 2: Darkmere	(100, 200)	8	Ambient1(50, 110), Ambient5(50, 100), Ambient8(50, 100), Ambient8(50, 70), Ambient9(50, 90), Ambient4(50, 100), Ambient1(30, 90), Ambient5(50, 80)
MAP09	Hub 2: Caves of Circe	(3, 7) * 100	5	Ambient10(50, 100), Ambient10(50, 70), Ambient11(90, 120), Ambient11(50, 90), Ambient2(50, 80)
MAP10	Hub 2: Wastelands	(5, 7) * 100	5	Ambient1(50, 80), Ambient1(50, 100), Ambient11(50, 100), Ambient11(30, 70), Ambient10(50, 80)
MAP11	Hub 2: Sacred Grove	(3, 4) * 100	5	Ambient1(50, 80), Ambient2(90, 100), Ambient3(50, 90), Ambient4(50, 90), Ambient7(80, 110)
MAP12	Hub 2: Hypostyle	(3, 6) * 100	5	Ambient9(50, 80), Ambient9(70, 110), Ambient10(50, 100), Ambient10(50, 70), Ambient12(50, 70)
MAP13	Hub 2: Shadow Wood	(2, 4) * 100	8	Ambient1(50, 100), Ambient2(50, 90), Ambient3(50, 80), Ambient4(50, 90), Ambient6(50, 90), Ambient6(30, 80), Ambient7(50, 100), Ambient7(30, 90)
MAP21	Hub 4: Forsaken Outpost	(5, 7) * 100	5	EarthStartMove(50, 80), Ambient1(50, 90), Ambient10(50, 70), Ambient10(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 100)
MAP22	Hub 4: Castle of Grief	(3, 7) * 100	5	Ambient11(50, 100), Ambient12(50, 90), Ambient12(80, 110), Ambient1(50, 90), Ambient7(50, 90)
MAP23	Hub 4: Gibbet	(2, 7) * 100	5	Ambient10(50, 80), Ambient10(50, 110), Ambient12(50, 127), Ambient12(40, 90), EarthStartMove(50, 90)
MAP24	Hub 4: Effluvium	(2, 4) * 100	7	Ambient5(70, 100), Ambient8(50, 120), Ambient8(80, 110), Ambient9(50, 80), Ambient9(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 80), WaterMove(50, 90)
MAP25	Hub 4: Dungeons	(2, 4) * 100	5	Ambient12(50, 100), Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient8(50, 70), Ambient8(80, 110), Ambient10(50, 90)
MAP26	Hub 4: Desolate Garden	(5, 7) * 100	4	Ambient1(50, 80), Ambient2(50, 90), Ambient3(70, 120), Ambient8(50, 70)
MAP27	Hub 3: Heresiarch's Seminary	(4, 8) * 100	7	EarthStartMove(50, 80), EarthStartMove(50, 90), Ambient13(50, 90), Ambient10(30, 70), Ambient11(50, 80), Ambient13(50, 110), Ambient13(30, 120)
MAP28	Hub 3: Dragon Chapel	(2, 7) * 100	5	Ambient12(50, 127), Ambient12(50, 90), Ambient13(30, 80), Ambient13(50, 70), Ambient13(60, 90)
MAP30	Hub 3: Griffin Chapel	(3, 7) * 100	5	Ambient10(50, 110), Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient13(50, 80), Ambient13(60, 90), Ambient13(30, 70)
MAP31	Hub 3: Deathwind Chapel	(2, 4) * 100	5	Ambient10(50, 80), Ambient12(50, 90), Ambient13(50, 60), Ambient10(50, 80), Ambient13(50, 80)
MAP32	Hub 3: Orchard of Lamentations	(2, 4) * 100	5	Ambient1(50, 100), Ambient2(50, 120), Ambient7(50, 80), Ambient13(60, 70), Ambient6(80, 127)
MAP33	Hub 3: Silent Refectory	(5, 7) * 100	5	Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient12(50, 100), Ambient13(50, 80), Ambient12(30, 50), Ambient11(50, 70)
MAP34	Hub 3: Wolf Chapel	(5, 7) * 100	5	Ambient13(50, 80), Ambient13(50, 90), Ambient10(50, 90), Ambient13(50, 60), Ambient13(30, 50)
MAP35	Hub 5: Necropolis	(3, 4) * 100	6	Ambient1(50, 80), Ambient2(50, 90), Ambient3(50, 90), Ambient6(50, 80), Ambient6(70, 110), Ambient12(50, 70)
MAP36	Hub 5: Zedek's Tomb	(500, 700)	5	Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient14(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 70), Ambient15(50, 80)
MAP37	Hub 5: Menelkir's Tomb	(2, 5) * 100	5	Ambient8(50, 90), Ambient8(50, 70), Ambient12(50, 90), Ambient10(50, 60), WaterMove(50, 70)
MAP38	Hub 5: Traductus' Tomb	(4, 7) * 100	5	Ambient13(50, 60), Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient13(50, 60), Ambient10(50, 60), Ambient10(50, 127)
MAP39	Hub 5: Vivarium	(4, 7) * 100	5	Ambient10(50, 80), Ambient12(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 70), Ambient14(50, 90), Ambient15(50, 70)
MAP40	Hub 5: Dark Crucible	N/A	Korax fight scripts instead

Deathkings of the Dark Citadel

The deathmatch maps in Deathkings do not feature ambient sounds.

Map		Delay value	Ambient sounds
MAP33	Hub 4: Transit	N/A	Deathmatch map
MAP34	Hub 4: Over N Under	N/A	Deathmatch map
MAP35	Hub 4: Deathfog	N/A	Deathmatch map
MAP36	Hub 4: Castle of Pain	N/A	Deathmatch map
MAP37	Hub 4: Sewer Pit	N/A	Deathmatch map
MAP38	Hub 4: The Rose	N/A	Deathmatch map
MAP41	Hub 1: Ruined Village	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient1(30, 90), Ambient2(80, 100), Ambient3(50, 90), Ambient4(50, 80), Ambient7(50, 70), Ambient10(50, 100)
MAP42	Hub 1: Blight	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient10(30, 90), Ambient10(80, 100), Ambient11(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient12(50, 70), Ambient14(50, 100)
MAP43	Hub 1: Sump	(4, 7) * 100)	6	Ambient1(30, 90), Ambient8(80, 100), Ambient9(50, 90), Ambient10(50, 80), WaterMove(50, 70), WaterMove(50, 100)
MAP44	Hub 1: Catacomb	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient1(30, 90), Ambient2(80, 100), Ambient11(50, 90), Ambient11(50, 80), Ambient10(50, 70), Ambient10(50, 100)
MAP45	Hub 1: Badlands	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient1(30, 90), Ambient7(80, 100), Ambient11(50, 90), Ambient11(50, 80), Ambient10(50, 70), Ambient10(50, 100)
MAP46	Hub 1: Brackenwood	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient1(30, 90), Ambient2(80, 100), Ambient3(50, 90), Ambient7(50, 80), Ambient4(50, 70), Ambient1(50, 100)
MAP47	Hub 1: Pyre	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient8(30, 90), Ambient9(80, 100), Ambient9(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient12(50, 70), Ambient10(50, 100)
MAP48	Hub 2: Constable's Gate	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient9(30, 90), Ambient8(80, 100), Ambient8(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient12(50, 70), Ambient12(50, 100)
MAP49	Hub 2: Treasury	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient5(30, 90), Ambient8(80, 100), Ambient9(50, 90), Ambient10(50, 80), Ambient8(50, 70), WaterMove(50, 100)
MAP50	Hub 2: Market Place	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient10(30, 90), Ambient11(80, 100), Ambient11(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient12(50, 70), Ambient12(50, 100)
MAP51	Hub 2: Locus Requiescat	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient1(30, 90), Ambient7(80, 100), Ambient2(50, 90), Ambient3(50, 80), Ambient4(50, 70), Ambient13(50, 100)
MAP52	Hub 2: Ordeal	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient12(30, 90), Ambient12(80, 100), Ambient13(50, 90), Ambient14(50, 80), Ambient15(50, 70), Ambient12(50, 100)
MAP53	Hub 2: Armory	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient14(30, 90), Ambient14(80, 100), Ambient15(50, 90), Ambient15(50, 80), Ambient12(50, 70), Ambient12(50, 100)
MAP54	Hub 3: Nave	(7, 9) * 100	4	Ambient10(30, 90), Ambient12(80, 100), Ambient12(50, 90), Ambient13(40, 60)
MAP55	Hub 3: Chantry	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient12(30, 90), Ambient12(80, 100), Ambient13(50, 90), Ambient10(50, 80), Ambient11(50, 70), Ambient10(50, 100)
MAP56	Hub 3: Abattoir	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient12(30, 90), Ambient12(80, 100), Ambient14(50, 90), Ambient15(50, 80), Ambient11(50, 70), Ambient10(50, 100)
MAP57	Hub 3: Dark Watch	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient1(30, 90), Ambient2(80, 100), Ambient12(50, 90), Ambient10(50, 80), Ambient11(50, 70), Ambient10(50, 100)
MAP58	Hub 3: Cloaca	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient1(30, 90), Ambient5(80, 100), Ambient12(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient8(50, 70), Ambient9(50, 100)
MAP59	Hub 3: Ice Hold	(3, 6) * 100	6	Ambient10(30, 90), Ambient10(80, 100), IceStartMove(50, 90), IceStartMove(40, 60), IceStartMove(50, 90), EarthStartMove(40, 60)
MAP60	Hub 3: Dark Citadel†	(4, 7) * 100	6	Ambient13(30, 90), Ambient15(80, 100), Ambient12(50, 90), Ambient12(50, 80), Ambient10(50, 70) Ambient14(50, 70)

• † Ambient sounds are disabled in deathmatch mode in this map.

Sources

The information above was obtained by using Descript on each map of both IWADs, hexen.wad and hexdd.wad, both in their 1.1 versions.

See also

• Heretic ambient sound things

External links

• Ambient sound at the ZDoom wiki