Creating Portal Speakers

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Introduction

This tutorial will teach you how to create speakers.

First, complete this guide Making GLaDOS speak

The Speaker

Create a prop_static entity and set its world model to models/props/speaker_system01/speaker_system01.mdl

If the speaker is inside an Observation Hallway set its skin to 0. If the speaker is a maintenance area, set its skin to 1.

Skin 0 on the left, skin 1 on the right

Create an info_target entity and name it to glados_speaker1. Put this info_target in the center of the speaker part of the model.

Create an env_microphone entity inside of the nodraw box of the GLaDOS' generic_actor area. Enter the following properties:

Property Name	Value
Name	glados_microphone_speaker01
Start Disabled	Yes
Speaker target	glados_speaker1
Speaker DSP Preset	8 LOUDSPEAKER, ECHO

Underflags, untick

• Hears Combat sounds
• Hears World sounds
• Hears player sounds
• Hears bullet impacts

then tick Ignores non-attenuated sounds

Bug: Although you are outside of the microphone area. It is still possible to hear yourself and the portalgun from the speaker.

Fix: Create a filter that filters only the generic_actor entity, then set the env_microphone's Listen Filter keyvalue to the filter you created

Reset DSP Microphone

Create an env_microphone and enter the following properties:

Property Name	Value
Name	glados_microphone_resetdsp
Start Disabled	Yes
Speaker target	glados_speaker1
Speaker DSP Preset	1 NO EFFECT

Underflags, untick

• Hears Combat sounds
• Hears World sounds
• Hears player sounds
• Hears bullet impacts

then tick Ignores non-attenuated sounds

The Scene

Create a logic_choreographed_scene and set its Name and Scene File to what you need.

Enter the following outputs:

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnCompletion	glados_microphone_speaker01	Disable	<none>	0.00	No
	OnCompletion	glados_microphone_resetdsp	Enable	<none>	0.5	No
	OnCompletion	glados_microphone_resetdsp	Disable	<none>	1.00	No
	OnCanceled	glados_microphone_speaker01	Disable	<none>	0.00	No
	OnCanceled	glados_microphone_resetdsp	Enable	<none>	0.5	No
	OnCanceled	glados_microphone_resetdsp	Disable	<none>	1.00	No

Starting The Scene

Usually, a trigger_once is used to start the scene. If you are using a trigger_once, enter the following outputs:

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnStartTouch	glados_microphone_speaker01	Enable	<none>	0.00	No
	OnStartTouch	name of your logic_choreographed_scene	Start	<none>	0.01	No

Extra

The voice lines used in the BTS areas in Portal were modified to have a "speaker" effect.

Here's a sample of a line with the speaker effect:

Retail Voice Line

Here's a sample of the same line but without the speaker effect (taken from the beta):

Beta Voice Line

According to Tim Larkin, he used the Audio Ease Speakerphone VST Plugin. Unfortunately he doesn't remember which effect(s) were used. If you found out what makes the "speaker" effect, please add it here.

See also

• Making GLaDOS speak
• Creating a Portal AI Voice
• Portal Level Creation