Music in Lix?

[Strato Incendus]

I have started toying around with the editor because I had some level ideas involving jumpers (and it seems like that skill will take a while to implement into the new formats editor). With walkers, cubers (=stoners) and platformers, Lix still has a lot of the NeoLemmix skills available, in addition to the standard stuff. However, the absence of any music at all really makes it kinda monotonous.

Is activating any sort of music entirely not possible at the moment, or is it just that there haven't been any specific tracks created yet? I read something about Lix being in need of a composer, and I could certainly help on that front and try to throw some licks together (pun intended ;D ) with Guitar Pro or similar - but that would be quite pointless if there is no option implemented in the software to actually play those tracks.

[ccexplore]

Is activating any sort of music entirely not possible at the moment

Yeah there is no music support at all right now.  Simon had started exploring what it takes to do this, although it's still early and will probably be a while before music support is ready.  Then we still need people to compose.  There's no urgent need to start composing now, but at the same time there is no need to wait either.

[Simon]

Here is a fragmented answer, please ask more questions if stuff is unclear.

I have code in an unstable branch for music. This works, but is yet unreleased; it needs some high-level decisions.

I still need to spec the dir structure. I don't want to paint myself in a corner here and break installations later. Most likely a central dir music/ in Lix root, maybe with subdirs. But this doesn't allow level packages with their own music self-contained; it needs the package spread out over the Lix file tree. This decision is the main obstacle.

Formats: Ideal are common tracker formats mod, xm, it, s3m, because small filesize and give the game a desired indie/demoscene touch. Ogg is second-best because still a free, unencumbered format, but large filesize. I don't want to ship a ton of oggs with the main download. Rubix's menu music is OK in the main download, most extra oggs would go into a separate download.

Mp3 won't be supported, it compresses worse than ogg and is patent-encumbered. Midi probably won't be supported because Allegro 5 doesn't offer easy access.

Features for later, but not for (first release that has music) {
Level wishes for specific song; play random song if no wish or if wished song not found.
Text file that specifies gain per song, allowing to bring all sounds to similar loudness.
}

Technical background {
My A5-DUMB interop got merged upstream last month, and Allegro 5.2.3 has been released in the meantime, with my interop. Allegro can play tracked music in 14 formats with this, but Lix songs should ideally stick to what I wrote above because that plays with DUMB 0.9.3.

Arch Linux Allegro 5 package doesn't depend on DUMB 2.0 and plays no tracked music. But it could, and should, depend on DUMB 2.0: I know it's possible because I wrote the upstream code and tested self-built A5 against Arch DUMB 2.0 package. I filed issue and emailed maintainer, offering to answer any questions that arise. I can't write code here myself because it's a packaging issue.
}

-- Simon

[Simon]

Next release, 0.9.3, will have music support as explained in the previous paragraph: Within ./music/, create a new directory, then put any .ogg/.xm/.it/.s3m files in that child directory. Lix will randomly play your music.

Levels can't prefer a music file yet, but that's a meaningful feature for the future.

-- Simon

[Strato Incendus]

Awesome!

I have recorded a rock version of the third original lemmings music yesterday (still have to add the bass, though), which I intend to use in a future NeoLemmix pack.

If Lix is supposed to have custom melodies, I'll have to look at some of my old unused instrumentals again that I still have lying around. Writing instrumentals which sound good in a loop differs quite a bit from writing regular (linear) songs, after all, with lyrics and stuff. Since I have more experience with the latter, it will take some time to get back into it .