Audio Entities and Flownodes

Overview

CRYENGINE now contains several new Audio Entities and Flowgraph nodes which are detailed below.

Audio Trigger Spot

The AudioTriggerSpot triggers an Event on a specific position. This position can be automatically randomized on each axis and/or with time delays. This Entity replaces the Sound Event Spot in previous versions of CRYENGINE.

Properties	Description
Enabled	Defines if the Entity is enabled (playing) or disabled (not playing).
MaxDelay	The maximum delay in seconds that it will take to trigger the Sound when PlayRandom is enabled.
MinDelay	The minimum delay in seconds that it will take to trigger the Sound when PlayRandom is enabled.
PlayOnX	Defines if the Sound gets positioned randomly on the X-axis when PlayRandom is enabled.
PlayOnY	Defines if the Sound gets positioned randomly on the Y-axis when PlayRandom is enabled.
PlayOnZ	Defines if the Sound gets positioned randomly on the Z-axis when PlayRandom is enabled.
PlayRandom	When the checkbox is enabled: The Sound is triggered at random intervals between the MinDelay and MaxDelay settings used and on the PlayOnX, PlayOnY or PlayOnZ axis that has been selected. When the checkbox is not enabled: The Sound is played immediately on the Entity.
PlaytriggerName	Name of the play Event.
RadiusRandom	The radius in meters in which the Sound gets positioned randomly when PlayRandom is enabled.
SerializePlayState	Defines if the play state of the Entity gets saved/loaded at checkpoints.
SoundObstructionType	Sets the number of ray casts that are used to calculate the obstruction. More ray casts used equals a greater performance requirement, but creates a more accurate result.
StopTriggerName	Name of the stop Event. If no stop Event is assigned the Sound will be stopped immediately once the respective Flownode input is triggered.

FlowNode Inputs	Description
Disable	Stops the Sound. If available, triggers the Event set in the StopTriggerName property.
Enable	Starts the Sound. Triggers the Event set in the PlayTriggerName property.
Flownode Outputs
Done	Outputs when the Event started by the play trigger has completed playing.

Audio Area Entity

AudioAreaEntities now replace Ambient Volumes (found in previous versions of CRYENGINE) and are used to play Ambient Sounds in an Area. NOTE: The Entity needs to be linked to Area Shapes, Area Boxes or Area Spheres.

The Audio Area Entity is the advanced method of setting up Ambient Sounds in Levels and requires Flowgraph logic to play and control the Ambient Sound. This however opens up many possibilities and gives advanced control over the Ambience. When setting up a basic Ambient Sound use the AudioAreaAmbience which does not require any Flowgraph logic.

Examples of this setup can be found in the CRYENGINE Sandbox Editor showcase Levels.

To learn how to setup Ambient Sounds in a Level then take a look here.

Properties	Description
Enabled	Defines if the Entity is enabled (playing) or disabled (not playing).
Environment	Defines the name of the ATL environment used inside the connected shape.
EnvironmentDistance	The distance in meters from the edge of the assigned shape where the fading of the Environment begins.
FadeDistance	The distance in meters from the edge of the assigned shape where the Flowgraph Node is starting to output values.
SoundObstructionType	Sets the number of ray casts that are used to calculate the obstruction. More ray casts used equals a greater performance requirement, but creates a more accurate result.

FlowNode Inputs	Description
Disable	Disables the Entity.
Enable	Enables the Entity.
FlowNode Outputs
FadeValue	Normalized value (0, 1) of the FadeDistance when the player approaches the shape.
OnFarToNear	Player enters the fade distance.
OnInsideToNear	Player leaves the shape.
OnNearToFar	Player leaves the fade distance.
OnNearToInside	Player enters the shape.

Audio Area Ambience

AudioAreaAmbiences are used to setup Ambiences without having to define their functionality in Flowgraph. They are used when setting up basic Ambient shapes in Levels that do not require a more complex functionality.

If you want to create Ambiences with more control in Flowgraph use the AudioAreaEntity. NOTE: The Entity needs to be linked to Area Shapes, Area Boxes or Area Spheres.

To learn how to setup Ambient Sounds in a Level then take a look here.

Properties	Description
Enabled	Defines if the Entity is enabled (playing) or disabled (not playing).
Environment	Defines the name of the ATL environment used inside the connected shape.
EnvironmentDistance	The distance in meters from the edge of the assigned shape where the fading of the Environment begins.
PlayTrigger	Name of the Play Event.
Rtpc	Set the RTPC that is controlling the playing soundobject.
RtpcDistance	The distance in meters from the edge of the assigned shape where the connected RTPC is starting to receive values. The values sent to the RTPC are always in a normalized range from 0 to 1.
SoundObstructionType	Sets the number of ray casts that are used to calculate the obstruction. More ray casts used equals a greater performance requirement, but creates a more accurate result.
StopTrigger	Name of the Stop Event.

FlowNode Inputs	Description
Disable	Disables the Entity.
Enable	Enables the Entity.

Audio Area Random

AudioAreaRandoms trigger randomized oneshots in a confined area. NOTE: The Entity needs to be linked to Area Shapes, Area Boxes or Area Spheres. The Sound is randomly triggered and positioned in a radius around the listener providing they are inside of the connected area.

Properties	Description
Enabled	Defines if the Entity is enabled (playing) or disabled (not playing).
MaxDelay	The maximum delay in seconds it will take to trigger the sound.
MinDelay	The minimum delay in seconds it will take to trigger the sound.
MoveWithEntity	When enabled the sound will move in relation to the listener after it has spawned, otherwise it stays at its initial position.
PlayTrigger	Name of the Play Event.
RadiusRandom	Defines the size of the radius in which sounds spawn around the listener.
Rtpc	Set the RTPC that is controlling the playing soundobject.
RtpcDistance	The distance in meters from the edge of the assigned shape where the connected RTPC is starting to receive values. The values sent to the RTPC are always in a normalized range from 0 to 1.
SoundObstructionType	Sets the number of ray casts that are used to calculate the obstruction. More ray casts used equals a greater performance requirement, but creates a more accurate result.
StopTrigger	Name of the Stop Event.

FlowNode Inputs	Description
Disable	Disables the Entity.
Enable	Enables the Entity.

Audio:PreloadData Flownode

The PreloadData Flownode can load and unload preload requests to optimize memory consumption.

FlowNode Inputs	Description
PreloadRequest	Defines the preload request (s) that should be loaded or unloaded.
Load	Loads the preload request (s).
Unload	Unloads the preload request (s).

The PreloadData Flownode only lists ATL-Preloads that have not been set to "AutoLoad" in the Audio Controls Editor (ACE).

Audio:Rtpc Flownode

The RTPC Flownode changes RTPC values.

If you have an entity assigned to the RTPC Flownode the ATL-RTPC assigned to the "Name" input will only control parameters on the assigned Entity.

If no Entity is assigned the parameter change will be applied to all Entities.

FlowNode Inputs	Description
Name	Name of the RTPC.
Value	Sets the RTPC's value.

An ATL RTPC that is not assigned to an Entity will set connected Game Parameter(s) on all Game Objects in Wwise.
An ATL RTPC that is assigned to an Entity will only set the connected Game Parameter(s) on the Game Object corresponding to the assigned Entity in Wwise.
In Wwise you can monitor the RTPC changes for an Entity in the Game Object Profiler layout.

Audio:Switch Flownode

The Switch Flownode sets the state of a switch. Multiple states can be selected in the node to reduce the complexity of Flowgraph logic when more than one state change should happen.

FlowNode Inputs	Description
Switch	Switch name.
State1 - 4	Name of the state.
SetState1 - 4	Sets the state.

An ATL Switch state connected to a Wwise Switch will only set the Wwise Switch on a Game Object corresponding to the assigned Entity.
An ATL Switch state connected to a Wwise Switch without an assigned Entity will be set on the Dummy Game Object in Wwise.
An ATL Switch state connected to a Wwise State will always set the state globally, regardless of the assigned Entity.

Audio:Trigger Flownode

The Trigger Flownode simply triggers Events.

FlowNode Inputs	Description
PlayTrigger	The name of the Event. This doesn’t necessarily need to be a play Event; any Event can be triggered with this node.
StopTrigger	The name of the Event. This doesn’t necessarily need to be a stop Event; any Event can be triggered with this node. If no Event is defined and a Sound was started on the corresponding PlayTrigger, it will stop at once when the stop input is triggered.
Play	Triggers the Event defined in the PlayTrigger input.
Stop	Triggers the Event defined in the StopTrigger input.

An ATL Trigger without an Entity assigned will be executed on the Dummy Game Object in Wwise.
An ATL Trigger with an Entity assigned will be executed on the Game Object corresponding to the assigned Entity.