Sound operators

These are the root sound operators referenced in Portal 2. See scripts/sound_operator_stacks.txt and Soundscripts#Operator stacks for more details.

To chain operators together, values can be set to @prev_op_name.property_name to read a value. For vectors the names can be appended with an index in square brackets to set/get a specific value.

Todo: Make this more beginner-friendy?

Usage

VFX.LightFlickerEnd 
{
	channel		CHAN_AUTO
	soundlevel	SNDLVL_105db
	volume		1.0
	rndwave
	{
		wave		"vfx/light_flicker/light_flicker_end_01.wav"
		wave		"vfx/light_flicker/light_flicker_end_02.wav"
		wave		"vfx/light_flicker/light_flicker_end_03.wav"
		wave		"vfx/light_flicker/light_flicker_end_04.wav"
	}

	soundentry_version 2

	operator_stacks
	{
		start_stack // applied when the sound begins
		{
			import_stack 	"P2_exclusion_time_blocker_start" // defined in scripts/sound_operator_stacks.txt

			// We are now extending/configuring P2_exclusion_time_blocker_start

			block_entries // prevents another sound from playing
			{
				input_duration 0.25 // seconds to block for
				match_entry "World.LightFlickerEnd" // the sound entry to block
				match_entity false // only on the same entity that this sound is playing from?
			}
		}
	}
}

Common properties

execute_once

Whether the operator should run every time the stack is evaluated, or only the first time. Output values are presumable stored between executions in the latter case.

input_execute

The operator will only run if this value is true (i.e. non-zero).

output

The result of the operator (if there is one). Accessed with @OperatorName.output.

There is also one special command that is not an operator:

import_stack

Inserts another named stack into this one.

Operator list

System

Affect sound playback.

sys_stop_entries

Ends existing sounds.

match_entry

The sound entry name to look for.

match_substring

Whether match_entry can be part of a larger string (e.g. "MyGun" matches MyGun.fire, MyGun.reload).

match_channel

Sound must have the same channel (e.g. CHAN_STATIC) as this one to match.

match_entity

Sound must be coming from the same entity as this one.

input_max_entries

Confirm:Stop all but this many instances of the sound?

sys_start_entry

Plays another sound.

input_start

Confirm:In addition to whether the operator is active, only start if/when this value is true?

entry_name

The entry to play.

sys_block_entries

Prevents new sounds from playing.

input_duration

How long to suppress sounds for.

input_active

Confirm:In addition to normal duration, suppress only when this value is true?

match_entry

Sound entry to suppress.

match_sound

A raw WAV/MP3 filename to match. Possibly deprecated?

match_substring

Whether match_entry can be part of a larger string (e.g. "MyGun" matches MyGun.fire, MyGun.reload).

match_channel

Sound must have the same channel (e.g. CHAN_STATIC) as this one to match.

match_entity

Sound must be coming from the same entity as this one.

sys_output

Sends a value back to the sound system relating to the current entry.

input_float

Takes a float value to send to the system.

input_speakers

Takes an array of floats to send to the system, each to do with a certain speaker. Use only with the speakers output.

output

Says what value should be altered, for example:

speakers

Use in update_stacks only. Adjusts the volume of each speaker according to values given by input_speakers.

pitch

Use in update_stacks only. Adjusts the playback pitch of the sound to the value given with input_float.

dsp

Use in update_stacks only. Adjusts the DSP of the sound to the value given with input_float.

delay

Use in start_stacks only. Waits for the number of seconds specified in input_float before starting the sound. A negative value results in it starting the sound that many seconds into the WAV file instead of at the beginning.

block_start

Use in start_stacks only. Prevents the sound from starting if the value given with input_float is non-zero.

mixlayer_trigger

"Tell the mixlayer we're active" if the value given with input_float is non-zero.

Todo: What does this mean?

save_restore

Confirm:Use in update_stacks only. Tells the system to save and restore the state of the sound if the value given with input_float is non-zero.

stop_hold

Use in update_stacks only.

Confirm:Prevents the sound from stopping if the value given with input_float is non-zero.

facing

Confirm:Make the sound play in a certain direction?

sys_platform

Tests what platform the engine is running on.

pc

x360

ps3

Should the operator return true if running on this platform?

sys_mixlayer

Configures a sound mixer. See scripts\soundmixers.txt

mixlayer

The layer to alter.

mixgroup

The sound group within the layer to alter.

field

Property of the group to alter.

input

Floating point value to set.

Maths

Generate or process numbers.

The result of these is stored in @name.output.

math_random

Produces a random number.

input_min

input_max

Range of values to output.

round_to_int

Set to "true" or "false"(default). This makes the output a whole number.

math_float

Performs elementary maths operations with two values.

input1

input2

The two operands to use.

apply

Specifies the operation to perform:

add

A + B

sub

A - B

mult

A * B

div

A / B

mod

Returns the remainder of A / B, or the modulus.

invert_scale

Unknown behaviour. Always performed on the output of cos(), and then used to multiply another value.

min

Outputs the smallest of the two numbers.

max

Outputs the largest of the two numbers.

less_than

Checks if A < B, and outputs 1.0 or 0.0.

greater_than

Checks if A > B, and outputs 1.0 or 0.0.

less_than_or_equal

Checks if A <= B, and outputs 1.0 or 0.0.

greater_than_or_equal

Checks if A >= B, and outputs 1.0 or 0.0.

equals

If both are equal outputs 1.0, otherwise 0.0

math_float_accumulate12

Does the same as math_float, but uses 12 inputs instead. All examples use mult.

math_func1

Executes various maths functions.

input1

The argument to pass.

function

Specifies the function to call:

round

Round to the nearest whole number.

fabs

Compute the absolute value of the input.

sqrt

Computes the square root of the input.

exp

Computes e raised to the power of the input.

log

Computes the natural logarithm of the input.

sin

cos

tan

Computes the normal sin/cos/tan values. Angles are given in radians.

asin

acos

atan

Computes the inverse of sin/cos/tan. Angles are given in radians.

normalise_trig

Set to "true" or "false". Unknown behaviour, but false computes normal trignometric values.

math_logic_switch

Selects one of two possible outputs.

input_switch

Chooses which of the other values is outputted.

input1

The value to output if input_switch is 0.

input2

The value to output if input_switch is 1.

• math_delta
• math_remap_float

Remaps a value from one range to another (identically to math_remap).

input

The value to remap.

input_min

input_max

The smallest/largest value the input will be set to.

input_map_min

When the input equals input_min, the output will be this value.

input_map_max

When the input equals input_max, the output will be this value.

Getters

Provide values from the engine.

get_convar

Retrieve the value of a console variable.

convar

The name of the console variable to read.

• get_dashboard

get_map_name

Checks if the given map_name matches the name of the map.

• get_opvar_float
• get_soundmixer
• get_track_syncpoint

get_sys_time

Collects the host/client time.

output_client_time

output_host_time

get_entry_time

Collects information about the playing sound.

output_entry_elapsed

The time this sound has been playing.

output_sound_elapsed

output_stop_elapsed

-1 if playing, otherwise the time spent after being stopped.

output_sound_duration

The duration of the current sound. Zero during the start stack.

get_source_info

Collects a variety of information about the sound source.

source

Specify "entity" or "emitter" to choose which entity is checked. The emitter is the entity where the sound emmenates from, the entity is the entity which made it play.

output_entity_index

The index for this entity.

output_position

The position of the entity.

output_angles

The rotation of the entity.

output_radius

Only valid for the emitter.

output_volume

output_level

output_pitch

The relevant values of the soundscript.

output_source_count

The number of sounds (including this one) produced by the entity.

game_view_info

Collects a variety of game-specific information about the player for specialised uses.

output_velocity_xy

output_velocity_vector_z

output_position_x

output_position_y

output_position_z

Returns the vector or X/Y/Z position for the provided input_source_index.

output_stop_elapsed

Setters

Change values in the engine.

• set_convar
• set_opvar_float
• increment_opvar_float

Calculations

Calculate pre-set algorithms.

• calc_angles_facing
• calc_distant_dsp
• calc_occlusion
• calc_falloff

calc_source_distance

Calculates the distance from this sound to the provided input_position.

• calc_spatialize_speakers

Other

util_print_float

Displays a float in the console, along with the name of this operator.

input

The floating point value to show.

• util_pos_vec8
• op_accumulate_ss_float
• iterate_merge_speakers
• track_queue
• track_stop
• track_update