Changing music files in a game

[Magister]

So, I was looking at one of the ROM sites to make a back up copy of Rondo of Blood and came across one set that changed the soundtrack and used the Perfect Arrangement music instead.  I like the choice in music except for the menu music.  I know you can't just rename the new music with the original's file name.  Already tried that and it just screws up all the music.  Just wondering what exactly you need to do when changing music files?

[ParanoiaDragon]

With some games,  you can just rename the new tunes you put in, but deffinitely not every game!  I tried this on Legion, where the tunes are PSG, but it also has a redbook audio track of a guy speaking in english while you're shooting stuff.  The problem with that game, as well as many others, is that you have to make sure the new track you insert is EXACTLY the same length!

For instance, I think the redbook audio dialogue in Legion is only 30-45 seconds long, but you get all kinds of wierdness when you insert a song that's 3 minutes long!  You need a program that can open WAV files.  I use Sound Forge.  I'll open the original track, make a mark at the end.  Then I paste the new track over it, & if it goes past the mark, I delete that part.  Then I fade about 15 seconds of the end of the song, so it doesn't stop all of a sudden, but just fades like alot of songs do.  I hope that all makes sense & is helpful.

I plan on remaking the Bonk 3 CD soundtrack from scratch with my equipment(to make the songs sound more Bonkish) & do this exact teqnique soon if I can get the motivation back.  Been having trouble with 2 sound channels on my keyboard playing at the same time, so I have that to figure out, plus been having general PC problems that I hope to have resolved soon & have more time for this kind of stuff!

Also, for games that do this, the other way to take care of the problem is to have someone reprogram it.

[Magister]

Thanks for the advice.  I just want to change one track.  But when I do, it screws up the whole soundtrack for the game.  The track I'm trying to use is in MP3 form.  I wonder if changing it to WAV will do the trick.

[Magister]

Well, changing it to a WAV file didn't work.  When I get time I'll have to try your suggestion and make the music file the same length as the one in the game.

[ParanoiaDragon]

It needs to be WAV, or whatever is listed in the cuesheet.  For instance, on my WII, I have Turbo CD's that use the OGG format for the redbook audio in WiiMednafen.  OGG doesn't lose too much in quality, & it cuts down how big the games are tremdously.  Of coarse, if you want to play it on real hardware, it deffinitly has to be WAV.  I think the same goes for Magic Engine.  Probably regular Mednafen supports OGG, but I don't believe it supports MP3.

[vacantplanets]

Thanks for the advice.  I just want to change one track.  But when I do, it screws up the whole soundtrack for the game.  The track I'm trying to use is in MP3 form.  I wonder if changing it to WAV will do the trick.

I can probably help you with this; I've done this a million times.

What do you mean by "it screws up the whole soundtrack"?

It definitely has to be WAV. Yes, all you do is change the name of your new file to match the filename of the file you want to replace. I never had to worry about the length of the tracks so I guess I just got lucky. One more thing, and I bet this is your problem, when you convert your MP3 or whatever to WAV, the WAV file has to be set to 16 bit PCM and 44.1 kHz (44100 Hz) or it won't work. I use Audacity to convert my files.

[ParanoiaDragon]

I'm sure he means that tracks play in the wrong levels &/or start in the middle of the track!  IIRC, I had this on Bonk 3 CD, lot's of wierdness when replacing tracks, same goes for Legion.  Sylphia on the otherhand can be done without screwing up the placement of the tracks.  I was able to do that Hard Rock version, though I did have Bonknuts do a lil' finagling with the final boss, so that there would be an extra track.  I don't recall any problems replacing tracks in general on the game.

[vacantplanets]

I'm sure he means that tracks play in the wrong levels &/or start in the middle of the track!  IIRC, I had this on Bonk 3 CD, lot's of wierdness when replacing tracks, same goes for Legion.  Sylphia on the otherhand can be done without screwing up the placement of the tracks.  I was able to do that Hard Rock version, though I did have Bonknuts do a lil' finagling with the final boss, so that there would be an extra track.  I don't recall any problems replacing tracks in general on the game.

Okay, well I don't know how you're doing it exactly. Let me explain, if the image is in BIN/CUE format, I use IsoBuster to open the CUE file and right click on "session 1" and select "extract session one" then "extract user data" in order to convert the image to ISO/WAV format. Then of course you replace the file you want to change and rename the new 16 bit 44.1 kHz WAV file to match the old one. Now you need a new CUE sheet so use TocFixer to quickly generate one: http://www.ysutopia.net/index.php?ind=downloads&op=entry_view&iden=4 That's it.

Now if you want to convert it back to BIN/CUE then mount the CUE on virtual drive e.g. daemon tools
then open IMGburn, select create image file from disc. select virtual drive for source. make sure destination is set to BIN file type.

[_joshuaTurbo]

This is fascinating!  Thanks for the pointers!

[Magister]

I'm sure he means that tracks play in the wrong levels &/or start in the middle of the track!  IIRC, I had this on Bonk 3 CD, lot's of wierdness when replacing tracks, same goes for Legion.  Sylphia on the otherhand can be done without screwing up the placement of the tracks.  I was able to do that Hard Rock version, though I did have Bonknuts do a lil' finagling with the final boss, so that there would be an extra track.  I don't recall any problems replacing tracks in general on the game.

Dragon nailed it.  Music plays on the wrong levels, or starts in the middle of the track, or cuts off and starts playing something else.

For Rondo of Blood, I have all the music files in WAV format separate.  Then there are two ISO files, a TOC file and the CUE file.  I tried to take a music file, change it to WAV and rename it exactly the same as the one I was replacing.  It didn't work.  I only did this for one music file and yet it messed up all the music in the game.  I figured it would have been a simple renaming the new file with the old file name.  Guess not that simple.

[vacantplanets]

I'm sure he means that tracks play in the wrong levels &/or start in the middle of the track!  IIRC, I had this on Bonk 3 CD, lot's of wierdness when replacing tracks, same goes for Legion.  Sylphia on the otherhand can be done without screwing up the placement of the tracks.  I was able to do that Hard Rock version, though I did have Bonknuts do a lil' finagling with the final boss, so that there would be an extra track.  I don't recall any problems replacing tracks in general on the game.

Dragon nailed it.  Music plays on the wrong levels, or starts in the middle of the track, or cuts off and starts playing something else.

For Rondo of Blood, I have all the music files in WAV format separate.  Then there are two ISO files, a TOC file and the CUE file.  I tried to take a music file, change it to WAV and rename it exactly the same as the one I was replacing.  It didn't work.  I only did this for one music file and yet it messed up all the music in the game.  I figured it would have been a simple renaming the new file with the old file name.  Guess not that simple.

Did you use TocFixer?

[Magister]

Did you use TocFixer?

I'm new to all these programs.  Just learned how to make back up CDs.  So I have no idea what TocFixer is.

[vacantplanets]

Did you use TocFixer?

I'm new to all these programs.  Just learned how to make back up CDs.  So I have no idea what TocFixer is.

Did you read my post above where I gave you the link? http://www.ysutopia.net/index.php?ind=downloads&op=entry_view&iden=4

It couldn't be easier to use. The instructions are literally built in to the program. Download it, run it, and follow the directions. Select "Akumajou Dracula X - Chi no Rondo (J)", click browse and select your game's folder, then click repair. That's it.

[Magister]

Did you use TocFixer?

I'm new to all these programs.  Just learned how to make back up CDs.  So I have no idea what TocFixer is.

Did you read my post above where I gave you the link? http://www.ysutopia.net/index.php?ind=downloads&op=entry_view&iden=4

It couldn't be easier to use. The instructions are literally built in to the program. Download it, run it, and follow the directions. Select "Akumajou Dracula X - Chi no Rondo (J)", click browse and select your game's folder, then click repair. That's it.

Sorry, battling a really bad cold right now.  I'll check this stuff out tomorrow when hopefully I feel better.

[ParanoiaDragon]

I've never used TocFixer, will have to check that out.  Maybe that'll save my Legion project.....not that the game is all that great, but, having boosted tunes & no voice acting during the action might make it better......maybe.