Mod The Sims - How to decode sims 3 audio

Mod The Sims (https://modthesims.info/index.php)

- Modding Discussion (https://modthesims.info/forumdisplay.php?f=547)

- - How to decode sims 3 audio (https://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=418050)

I downloaded the latest static build of FFMPEG and some of the SNR files don't decode completely. They'll decode most of the file and then I'll get a block of static in the wave form. These are for files that have loop in the filename.

Additionally, I made a batch file for converting the SNR files using FFMPEG.

for %%i in (*.snr) DO ffmpeg.exe -f ea_cdata -i "%%i" "%%i".wav

Hi I'm not very experienced with this kind of stuff but I followed the instructions in reply 11 to the letter and managed to get some imported music to play in the neighbourhood and buy mode in the game. It's all 128k, no extra info and the relevant fields are all identical. It was very easy and did not take long at all to replace all of the build, buy and CAS music. So many thanks to lenglel for being so clear with the instructions.

The problem is that with my mod the game always crashes, usually within minutes of hearing any of the imported music playing. This happens especially when swicthing between tracks, but will also happen quite randomly while a track is playing. In either case the music begins to stutter and the game crashes. So does anybody have any ideas on what might be going wrong?

Quote: Originally posted by AgentNightly

The problem is that with my mod the game always crashes, usually within minutes of hearing any of the imported music playing. This happens especially when swicthing between tracks, but will also happen quite randomly while a track is playing. In either case the music begins to stutter and the game crashes. So does anybody have any ideas on what might be going wrong?

I'm having roughly the same problem. I've replaced the default Ghost Hunter music while on the job with another song. The song plays fine while the job is happening, but upon completion when the game tries to fade the music out, it crashes. Been trying to figure it out for the last 4 hours or so to no avail.

Here are the two loop tracks FFMPEG can't decode completely. Anyone got any ideas?

http://www.mediafire.com/?i2cz1ey1fuzay1b

AgentNightly, how big is your pagefile? I was having problems like that before I ever played with sounds,
and fixed it by boosting my pagefile size. Are you using xp or 7? I'm using xp over here.

I know it's been a while since anyone has posted, but if someone happens to stumble across this, please help! ^_^

I was looking for one of the Music Box audios and I managed to find it in FullBuild04 of my Ambitions folder. I used the Hex editor provided and discovered in order to convert it, I'd need to use ffmpeg.

I have no problem converting the file in question, but the audio quality is horrid. It sounds like high-pitched static over the tune that plays. I've spent a few hours trying to find anything that could result in this problem, but no luck.

The .snr filed is listed as "musicbox_mummy_lp01" in S3PE when I open FullBuild04.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but if anyone could help me I'd greatly appreciate it!

The new stinger tracks in the Pets expansion cannot be decoded by FFMPEG. It gives me an error saying:

ea_cdata unknown header 0x504: Operation not permitted.

since ffmpeg didn't do the trick, did you try the ea-layer3 tool?

Well how about that. It decoded the stinger tracks.

Thank you for that

I know there hasn't been activity here in awhile but I'm having some issues when trying to get this to work. When I add music to the game it replaces the default tracks but no audio plays, its just quiet. I have the latest patch, I've followed all the steps and I'm out of ideas.

I think the specific problem might have to do with step 7 on post #15. When I drag the audio file onto ealayer3 it doesn't appear to convert into an .sns file. Does anyone know why this might happen?

EDIT: So i figured out what i was doing wrong but I'm having the same problem as Robodl95 was having back on post #12, involving the music sounding like gargling noises in game. Did anyone ever find a solution for this? The bitrate is listed as 128 kbps, I'm not sure if its a constant bitrate or not though. I'm kind of a computer noob so bare with me. :p

EDIT 2: In Audacity I changed the project rate to 32000 and this got rid of the gurgling!...but now the music is drastically sped up in-game. Admittedly, it sounds pretty awesome but its not exactly the original Sims 1 music I want playing in the game. Any suggestions?

Quote: Originally posted by Fenwick

I'm also encountering the same problem when I replaced the default Buy Mode music with the one from TS1.

EDIT: Tried editing the .snr file but the game still crashes. I'm using v0.7.0 of the ealayer3 tool.

EDIT2: v0.7.0 seems to be causing problems with encoding SNS files. Downgrading to v0.6.2 seems to solve the crash issue. What I did was follow Flyby's batch file instructions like this:
SNR:

Code:

ealayer3.exe -E %1 -n -o %1.snr --single-block -v >snrlog.txt

SNS:

Code:

ealayer3.exe -E %1 -n -o %1.sns -v >log.txt

Drag the MP3 file you're intending to convert onto the batch files. Make sure that they're in the same format as Flyby posted in the thread I linked. After converting fire up your fave hex editor and open the .snr file. Delete everything but the first eight bytes, which should be similar to the one below:

Quote:

05 04 AC 44 00 76 63 80

Change the value after 44 (the 00 byte, that is) to 40, and then save your SNR file. Rename the files to the names of the original ones, and then shove them to a package file as per lenglel's instructions in the previous replies.

And another thing: 'tis may not work if the file's longer than the original; might need some more research into that one.

I tried the drag & drop method mentioned in an earlier post although some of them don't seem to want to work with ffmpeg or the EA one, they just don't generate an MP3 at all

Actually I'm just hoping to find the prom rabbit hole music from Generations but so far no luck, for all I know it could be in a file that doesn't give me an mp3 when I drag it over the application

Can You please make a video for message #11 because I cannot understand a lot of it. please, it would help a lot

Quote: Originally posted by nodavidno

I have created a tool to easily decode The Sims 3 Sound Files, its on my website www.thesimswebsite.co.uk

You are a God among Humans, I commend you.

Quote: Originally posted by lenglel

I think you mean 128kbps. That corresponds to 44100hz in audacity.

Since I last posted here, I've created an audio mod package with
replacements for the sims 3 background music sns resources.

Here's how:

programs you will need:

audacity 1.3
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

audacity plugins
lame-mp3 codec
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/hel...tall&i=lame-mp3

ffmpeg codec
http://manual.audacityteam.org/inde...s#installffmpeg

s3pe
http://dino.drealm.info/den/denforu...php?topic=189.0

ealayer3-0.6.2-win32
http://bitbucket.org/Zenchreal/ealayer3/downloads

note: there is no pre-compiled mac version, but source code links are
posted on the same page below the windows binaries.

a batch file to convert .mp3 files to .sns
paste this text into the batch file:

"C:\Documents and Settings\no\My Documents\s3mod projects\audio\ealayer3-0.6.2-win32\ealayer3.exe" -E %1 -n -o %1.sns -v >"C:\Documents and Settings\no\My Documents\s3mod projects\audio\dia.txt"
pause

edit the paths in quotes to match the paths on your system.

notes:
the %1 is where the batch file substitutes the actual file
name of files dropped on it in windows explorer. The pause
command is so you can see the output before pressing a key
to return to windows from the batch file's command prompt.
the sample command line outputs to file dia.txt which may
be read with any text editor. "skipped empty frame" is the
usual content of dia.txt after a successful conversion on my
setup.

Step 1:
Load fullbuild1 in s3pe. Make sure the sort checkbox is checked.
(It's near the lower left corner of the s3pe program window)

Click on the [NAME] field to sort by name, then look up the
sims3_* _aud and audt resources.

For each song there is one audt and two _aud resources. Look at the
memsize field and export the _aud resource with the larger memsize.
Or check the type field. sns resources are type _AUD 0x01EEF63A,
snr are _AUD 0x01A527DB. You want the .sns resource.

step 2:
drop the exported file on ealayer3.exe to create the .mp3
file. Import this into audacity, then import the .mp3 you
want to replace it with.

Click the X in the upper left of the original soundtrack window to
close the first .mp3, this leaves its filename in audacity's title bar.

Now export the second mp3, overwriting the first. The default
value of 44100 for the bitrate will do nicely. Unless you
want it to sound like the chipmunks. In that case you
would change it to 32000.

step 3:
rename the file you just exported to match the name of the
original that was output from ealayer3.exe in the first part
of step 2. If you dropped the export on the batch file I've
suggested this is just a matter of deleting ".mp3" from the
filename.

step 4:
open a second instance of s3pe and import the .sns file into
a new package file, clicking the use resource name checkbox
to put a checkmark in it.
Make sure the imported .sns has the same name, type, group
and instance as the music you are substituting for in the
fullbuild1.package.
note:
If any of the fields are different right-click on the sns resource
in the first instance of s3pe and select details. Copy the fields
to the details window of the sns in the second instance of s3pe
until they all match.

step 5:
Save your new package to the proper mods\packages folder on your
machine naming it, for example, MyMusicMod.package. Your new
music should play in place of the old the next time you start the
sims 3.

I'm having a problem. The replacement seems to start and play fine, but when the music is supposed to stop, it crashes with the "Sims 3 has stopped working" error. Does anyone know what the problem could be?

Hi, firstly I apologise for bumping an old thread, but I've found some relevant information on how to stop the 'underwater' bitrate problem.

When saving in Audacity, what you should do is click 'Export', select MP3 file type, click the 'Options' button underneath 'Cancel', and select the following settings:

Bit Rate Mode: Variable
Quality: 3, 155-195kbps
Variable Speed: Standard
Channel Mode: Joint Stereo

Then save, convert and all the rest, and you're done.

I could never have found this out on my own (I didn't even know the 'Options' button existed until a few minutes ago) - a search lead me to this topic http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=447344 by Flyby and thankfully the instructions worked for a simple (yeah right) music swap.

Sorry if this has been discussed previously in a similar topic but I couldn't find the solution elsewhere.

Okay so I know this is an old thread but I was wondering where the _AUD resources for the radio stations are. In FullBuild1 there are stereo_* AUDT resources but no _AUD ones...does anyone know where you can find them?

Please, help me! I can`t open command window of ealayer3. It opens for a second and then closes automatically.

That's why you need to use a batch file, so you can add a pause command to the batch file so you can see the output from the command.

Anyone replaced all music yet? I replaced one of them, the Sims3_Map03, it played for a while, then just crashed to desktop.

You can do it on windows 7

Hello people, i just want to say that you know the university expansions pack for sims 3 has been released and it has some music so youll simply youll use the same type code, you just need the sns file, don't fk your mind and try to use the command thingy. just drag the sns file on the ealayer3.exe/ffmpeg.exe and release the mouse, bam you have without any mind fked thingies, thank me later.

found a file its the sims 3 pets loading theme music and it first byte in hex is 80 00

Quote: Originally posted by jonwil

Sims 3 audio comes in .snr and .sns files.
Go to http://www.cncmods.net/files/sims.zip and download this then you will have some things that can decode these files (depending on which codec the files use).
Also you will need a hex editor to verify which compression type the files use (in case any of them use compression types other than the 2 specific types I have managed to identify)
If you dont have a hex editor, you can download this one
http://www.handshake.de/user/chmaas...nload/xvi32.zip

Steps:
1.Use the resource tools to extract the audio you want.
2.Open the .snr file in a hex editor and look at the first byte. If the first byte is 04, that means its using the EA XAS ADPCM codec. If the first byte is 05, that means its using EALayer3 codec. If its using anything else, that means its an unknown codec.

Put the .snr and .sns files for the sound you want in a folder along with the contents of sims.zip. If the first byte is 04 (XAS ADPCM) you decode it via ffmpeg.exe. Open a command window, navigate to the folder containing the the files and type ffmpeg -f ea_cdata -i <snr file> <wav file>
This will convert the .snr file to a .wav file.
If you have a file of type 05 (EALayer3) you decode it via ealayer3.exe. Open a command window, navigate to the folder containing the the files and type ealayer3 -mc <snr file> and it will decode the .snr file to a .wav file. If there is a .sns file, you pass that instead of the .snr file.

If anyone finds a file with an codec other than 04 and 05 or if they see a file with a codec type of 04 and a matching .sns file (i.e. the .snr file is only 8 bytes), I want to know.

Please post here if you find such files (or any file that fails to convert). Or if there is anything about my instructions that are confusing or hard to follow.

The source code for ffmpeg.exe can be found at www.ffmpeg.org
The source code for ealayer3.exe can be found at http://bitbucket.org/Zenchreal/ealayer3
Both tools seem to be under a fairly liberal license so it should not be hard if someone wanted to re-use the code to add support for the audio to the resource extractor directly.

dude if you made a video on this it would mean a lot cuz right now its very confusing and frustrating

Some things are just hard to do

EA doesn't support mods for their game, so you can't assume any particular modding task is going to be easy!

If you don't know how to use a hex editor, for instance, this one is probably not for you.

Hi there,
was anyone able to convert the sims3_ep9_load_loop (university life) into mp3 ?
I always have probs to convert the load loops....no matter if I use ealayer3 or ffmpeg.

any hint for me?

cheers

mario