List of HL2 Soundscapes

Here is a list of 245 soundscapes for use in Half-Life 2. An easy way of testing them is to use the playsoundscape console command, which includes limited searching for soundscape names so you shouldn't have to print out a copy of this list for reference.

Soundscapes with 'util' in the name are intended for inclusion in other, full soundscapes. While they should work without problems in-game, they generally aren't nearly as varied or deep as the resulting composites.

Others have positional sounds which will be played at certain locations specified in the env_soundscape entity's properties. If these locations are not given, the sounds will not be heard. The list below will in time be upgraded to include descriptions of each soundscape's positional components if present.

Soundscapes with positional information are indicated by the prefix [POS]. These soundscapes were tested in a 1024 x 1024 x 1024 closed chamber, with the soundscape at the center, the player near the center and the eight directional markers in a circle with a radius of 512 around the soundscape and player. Marker 0 is at the left of the player (his nine o'clock), at player height; Marker 1 at a left 45 degree angle; Marker 2 dead ahead (12 o'clock); Marker 4 to the right of the player (three o'clock), and so on around the circle. After testing from the center, the player is walked in a circle through the markers to detect local sounds.

Generic and Test

Name	Description and Notes
Nothing	No DSP, no ambients
Automatic	Automatic dsp at 50% mix
automatic_dialog	dsp "1" dsp_volume "0.5"
e3_techdemo_gmanspeaking
e3_Techdemo_02	'Physics room'
e3_Techdemo_03
e3_Techdemo_05	Dripping cave ambient
e3_Techdemo_06	Lake
e3_end
GenericIndoor	Electric hum
GenericOutdoor	Same hum, but quieter
Cabin	[POS] General: medium-low sound of fire burning or rumbling; soft clicking; a slightly louder four-tick rhythm followed by a release or exhaust sound (ahuugha). Position 0: faint banjo-like music and indistinct singing. Position 1: a regular melodious whirring sound, like a small engine trying to start or a sump pump kicking in.
cabin_outdoor	[POS] No pronounced directional effects. Faint ambient white noise or rumble with occasional bird twittering. In the background, a faint but noticeable medium low sound that regularly builds up and then drops off before beginning again: wwwwwwwwwwwww - enuu.
test_tvset	Music coming from a TV set

Train Station and City 17

Name	Description and Notes
d1_trainstation.util_city	Distant sounds of trains, cars, helicopters and other aircraft. APC and city alarm sounds.
d1_trainstation.city	All of the above plus a steady uproar in the background.
d1_trainstation.Platform	Loud and static hissing sound, city sounds barely audible in the background.
d1_trainstation.Turnstyle	Similar to d1_trainstation.city but city sounds less audible.
combine.computer	Loud, flat whine and an occasional blip.
d1_trainstation.Interrogation	Mixed uproar of the surrounding city and combine.computer.
d1_trainstation.TerminalSquare	Similar to d1_trainstation.Turnstyle.
d1_trainstation.QuietCourtyard	Same as above but the tumult is quieter.
d1_trainstation.Occupants	Footsteps, clinging dishes, coughs, creaking floors and doors, distant rumbles, no background noise.
d1_trainstation.AppartmentCourtyard	Above mixed to city sounds.
d1_trainstation.Appartments	Door knocking, breaking plates, woman screams and man grunts like being hit.
d1_trainstation.RaidCityvoice	Cityvoice: Failure to cooperate will result in permanent offworld relocation.
d1_trainstation.RaidOccupants	Breaking glass and boxes and knocking on door.
d1_trainstation.RaidAppartments	Knocks on doors, PA woman asking citizens to assume inspection positions, people chattering nervously, breaking glass, man shouting, PA stating city block suspected to contain infection.
general.concrete_quiet	Semi-loud hum of moving air.

PA announcements for City 17

Name	Description and Notes
cityvoice_level0	PA system invokes unrest procedures, requests player id
cityvoice_level1	Player is evading capture, cops are summoned
cityvoice_level2	Player convicted of civil disruption, city block on alert
cityvoice_level3	Player convicted of anticivil activity, city block punished
cityvoice_level4	Citizenship revoked, cops fire at will
cityvoice_level5	City looking for player
city_searching_level1	City background noise with helicopters and alarm sounds.
city_searching_level2	Same as above.
city_searching_level3	Same as above.

Canals

Name	Description and Notes
d1_canals.util_windgusts	Wind gusts.
d1_canals.util_drips	Water dripping.
d1_canals.util_fardrips	Water dripping a bit further away, with interior echo.
d1_canals.util_headcrab_canister	Strong hissing noise.
d1_canals.util_shoreline	Sounds of small waves hitting shore.
d1_canals_tunnel01	Constant sound of what sounds like a train in the distance, PA system announcing unidentified citizen and ordering CP to investigate, city alarm sounds.
d1_canals_citystart	City sounds, trains horning close by, PA system announcing unidentified citizen and ordering CP to investigate, city alarm sounds.
d1_canals_citadel	Same as above but with occasional low, massive metallic noises.
d1_canals_traincanal	City sounds, PA system announcing unidentified citizen and ordering CP to investigate, city alarm sounds.
d1_canals_traintunnel	Same as above and a strong, low tunnelish rumble in the background.
d1_canals_watercanal	Very faint city sounds, audible APC alarm, a helicopter, constant sounds of waving water and water masses hitting pontoons.
d1_canals_junkyard	Similar to d1_canals_traincanal. Distant helicopter also.
d1_canals_copcanals	Similar to d1_canals_traincanal plus water dripping and different PA announcement concerning evasion behaviour and alerts.
d1_truck_pass	Quick, low noise. For use with other soundscapes.
d1_canals_barnacle_tunnel	Wind gusts in a tunnel. Distant city noises and sirens. PA announcement charging the player with "socioendangerment level 1" and instructing CPs.
d1_canals_pipe_chamber	Drips. Distant city noises and sirens. occasional helicopter fly-bys.
d1_canals_cop_alerted	Similar to d1_canals_pipe_chamber. PA announcement charging player with "socioendangerment level 5".
d1_canals.heli_slide_tunnels	Interior. Loud running water and drips close by. Distant PA, trucks and sirens.
d1_canals.heli_attack	Exterior. Loud city noises. PA, helicopter, squeak of rapidly accelerating trucks.
d1_canals.drainroom	Loud running water and industrial hum. Distant PA.
d1_canals.03copsattackthroughboards	Exterior. City ambience. PA ("Individual, you are charged with..."), constant close helicopters left and right, occasional train and other traffic sounds, distant sirens.
d1_canals.03entrytunnel	Interior, tunnel. Close frequent dripping sounds left, right and centre. PA ("Individual..."), distant helicopters left and right, occasional train horn, various distant sirens.
d1_canals.steamtunnel	Interior. Continuous varying PA announcements ("Attention occupants..."), soft ambient industrial humming.
d1_canals.waterpuzzleroom	Loud industrial hum. Drips. No PA.
d1_canals.util_birds	Infrequent bird squawks.
d1_canals.util_critters	Infrequent croaking noises.
d1_canals.util_tunnel_windgusts	Occasional (infrequent) wind blowing through tunnel, varying pitches.
d1_canals.util_critters_under_docks	Constant chirping as of a cricket (centre) with additional occasional croaking and chirping sounds left and right. Occasional shoreline noises.
d1_canals.util_toxic_slime	Gurgling and hissing.
d1_canals.util_industrial	Brief industrial ambience, elevated pitch, as of air passing through a small enclosed space such as a vent.
d1_canals.general_dripping_tunnel	Numerous constant dripping sources, regular wind gusts of varying pitches, random panning of sounds.
d1_canals.general_windy_tunnel	Loud, centred, continuous wind gust (fairly low-pitch), with occasional trees/plants rustling, and occasional additional wind gusts at different pans.
d1_canals.general_watery_tunnel	Interior. Sound of continuously running rivulets of water in a cave/tunnel, occasional (frequent) additional drips, croaks and chirps at different pans.
d1_canals.general_watery_tunnel_shore	As above with the sound of waves regularly breaking in a small rocky lagoon.
d1_canals.redbarn_ambience	Hissing (of a headcrab canister?) Distant critters and creaks.
d1_canals.floodgate_base_ambience	Interior. Loud continuous machine humming at centre, continuous beeping and buzzing to left, high-pitched drone to right, occasional mechanical sounds, plus beeping and electronic squeaks, to right.
d1_canals.floodgate_machineroom
d1_canals.shore_and_reeds
d1_canals.spooky_infested_pipe
d1_canals.water_tunnel_with_frogs
d1_canals.windchimes_and_wind
canals_slime_outside
canals_slime_tunnel
canals_tunnel_dry
canals_tunnel_wet
canals_canal_nowater
canals_canal_water
canals_canal_water_industrial
canals_river
canals_river_calm
d1_canals_05_shanty_approach	Continuous glutinous gurgling/boiling/bubbling sound to centre, plus random glutinous burping sounds, occasional wind gusts, hissing and water noises.
d1_canals_05_shanty
d1_canals_07_entry_tunnel
d1_canals_07a_warehouse	Occasional creaking of wooden structures, repeated random high-pitched wind howling at varying pans, continuous sinister-sounding low-pitched modulated humming/droning sound.
d1_canals_08a_gun_tunnel_entrance	Continuous running water sound, centre, plus sound of waves breaking, centre.
d1_canals_08a_puzzle_arena	Waves breaking, infrequent chirping and wind noises.
d1_canals_08a_gun_scene	[POS] No pronounced positional effects. Very faint low rumble, faint but regular sound of pump or other reciprocating mechanism (ah hooo e-clik!), and louder sharp intermittent dripping sounds that echo as if in a closed chamber.
d1_canals_08a_tunnel_exit
canals_canal_water_creaking_wood
canals_canal_water_creaking_metal
d1_canals_08_entry_tunnel
d1_canals_08_reservoir
d1_canals_08_island	[POS] Sound source at position of soundscape (that is, from Position 0 it appears to be to your right, from Position 4 it appears to be to your left, and so on). Running water, moderately loud, and rhythmic splashing, with very faint bird calls or other nature sounds.
d1_canals_08_base_interior	[POS] No pronounced positional effects. The base sound is a constant high whirring and staticky crackle, with intermittent bursts of static, mechanical buzz-clicks, and low buzzes.

Kleiner's Lab and Black Mesa East

Name	Description and Notes
K_lab.LabSounds
E3_lab.LabSounds
eli_01_lab_main_1	[POS] General: machine hum with glutinous dripping in an irregular pattern; regular low and rather indistinct sound of pressure escape. Position 0: gurgling is louder. Position 1: faint electrical beeping. Position 2: beeping; machine noise louder and more sonorous. Position 3, 4: lower resonant hum like a largish fan. Position 5, 6, 7: quieter except for ambient dripping and soft pressure escaping sounds.
eli_01_elevator_1	[POS] No pronounced positional effects. Low volume medium pitch machinery sound accompanied by a regularly recurring, almost bell-like hum: hwuuung - hwuuung - hwunng.
eli_01_upperhall_2	[POS] No pronounced positional effects. Musical throbbing note, medium low, that reverberates three times (bwaang-weh-weh-weh), mixed with clinking noises that resemble kitchen sounds, occasional dripping, and a man coughing.
eli_01_upperhall_1	[POS] No pronounced positional effects. Low atmospheric rumble/wavering sound with the ahhhh-ho clik! of some slow pump or piston device in the background.
eli_01_lowerlab_hall_1
eli_01_lower_corridor_1
eli_01_lower_ravenhall_1
eli_01_lower_ravenhall_2
eli_02_lowerlab_hall_1
eli_02_lower_corridor_1
eli_02_ravenshaft_1	[POS] No pronounced positional effects. Windy, hollow low rumble with frequent background sounds half-way between the creak of metal and a zombie's scream.
eli_02_ravenshaft_2
eli_02_scrapyard_1
eli_02_scrapyard_2

Ravenholm

Name	Description and Notes
d1_town.Start	Wind gusts, distant zombie howls and screams, 'drum beats'.
d1_town.Street	Wind, metallic scrapes and bangs, distant and close-range zombie sounds. Feels much 'closer' than the previous.
d1_town.CorpseRoom	[POS] No directional effects at the marker positions, but irregular buzz-throughs by an aggressive fly that makes an unusually sharp sound, as well as occasional softer bursts of squeaking from mice or rats. Pronounced echo.
d1_town.WoodBuilding	Wooden creaks, rodent sounds.
d1_town.ConcreteBuilding
d1_town.Rooftop
d1_town.MineshaftDown
d1_town.WaterCave
d1_town.HeadcrabCave
d1_town.CaveTunnel

Coastline and Highway 17

Name	Description and Notes
coast.util_headcrab_canister	Silence with occasional bizarre Combine tech noise.
coast.util_metalstress	Silence with occasional sounds of metal stress.
coast.util_shackmetal	Silence with occasional quick squeeks from moving metal.
coast.util_crumblycliff	Silence with sounds of crumbling landmasses.
coast.util_windgusts	Silence with wind gusts.
coast.util_fardrips	Silence with water dripping.
coast.util_birds	Silence with occasional sounds of seagulls calling.
coast.util_lakeshoreline	Waves breaking gently.
coast.util_shoreline	Similar to above, but with what feels like much more massive waves.
coast.util_distant_shoreline	Similar to above, but from a greater distace.
coast.util_antlion_den	Antlions hissing.
coast.general_windy_tunnel	Steady whine of wind in a tunnel and muffled sounds of waves crashing.
coast.general_tunnel	Similar to above but quieter and with waterdrips mixed in.
coast.zombie_tunnel	Steady, tunnelish sound and some occasional train sounds.
coast.general_oldwoodbuilding	Wood stress, wind gusting, seagulls calling
coast.general_oldwoodbuilding_with_windchimes	Same as above but with chimes.
coast.combine_controlroom_ambience	Steady whine of Combine tech.
coast.general_shoreline	Waves crashing, wind gusting, seagulls calling.
coast.positional_shoreline	Similar to above, but closer by.
coast.shoreline_with_antlion_dens	Similar to coast.general_shoreline, but with antlion sounds.
coast.bridge_ambient	Wind blowing, seagulls calling.
coast.bridge_shack	Same as above but quieter.
coast.cliffside	A mix of coast.general_shoreline and coast.util_crumblycliff.
coast.bridge_concrete_room	Muffled, distant wave sounds. Ideal for coastal buildings which aren't completely open to the elements.
coast.distant_shoreline	Distant waves breaking, wind gusting and close-range antlion sounds.
coast.generic_ambient_01	Similar to above, but without the antlions.

Nova Prospekt

Name	Description and Notes
prison.util_distantcombat_verylight
prison.util_distantcombat_light
prison.util_distantcombat_heavy
prison.util_antlion_burrows
prison.util_fardrips
prison.util_drips
prison.util_distant_trains
prison.util_radio
prison.util_control_room
prison.citizen_camp	[POS] No pronounced positional effects. Outdoor gusts, low booming, and whistling of wind, dying away to silence before repeating after a few seconds.
prison.redlight_bunker
prison.outdoor_courtyard
prison.outdoor_courtyard_hvycombat
prison.trainstation
prison.teleport_area
prison.control_room
prison.control_room_simple
prison.combine_wall
prison.util_quiet_cellblock	Relatively loud ambience, with fluorescent lighting hum, metal flutterings and scrapings. Utility, but works quite well on its own.
prison.util_louder_cellblock	Quiet ambience, actually.
prison.larger_cellblock_vlightcombat
prison.larger_cellblock_hvycombat
prison.larger_cellblock_lightcombat
prison.general_hallway_lightcombat
prison.general_hallway_vlightcombat
prison.general_dripping_tunnel
prison.hall_with_burrows
prison.electric_water_room
prison.laundry	Loud, whooshing metallic machinery sounds.
prison.watery_hallway
prison.showers	Loud, fairly high-pitched water pipes and water dripping.
prison.zombie_infested

War-torn City 17

Name	Description and Notes
streetwar.util_combine_atmosphere
streetwar.util_rubble
streetwar.util_sirens
streetwar.util_light_sirens
streetwar.util_zombie_infested	Occasional buzzing flies and faint chirping birds.
streetwar.util_light_combat_atmosphere
streetwar.util_heavy_combat_atmosphere
streetwar.util_muffled_light_combat
streetwar.util_light_combat
streetwar.util_medium_combat
streetwar.util_heavy_combat
streetwar.util_drips
streetwar.util_fardrips
streetwar.zombie_water_room	Occasional buzzing flies and fairly loud dripping water.
streetwar.car_tunnel
streetwar.general_small_tunnel
streetwar.car_tunnel_opensky
streetwar.toxic_car_tunnel
streetwar.infested_appartments
streetwar.general_indoor_light_combat
streetwar.general_indoor_medium_combat
streetwar.general_indoor_heavy_combat
streetwar.general_outdoor_light_combat
streetwar.general_outdoor_medium_combat
streetwar.general_outdoor_heavy_combat
streetwar.destroyed_concrete_building
streetwar.rooftop_heavy_combat
streetwar.control_room
streetwar.bank_control_room
streetwar.bank_machine_room
streetwar.bank_general
e3_c17_01_battle
c17_02_street_lower_1
c17_02_street_upper_1
c17_02_street_upper_2
c17_02_inside_apartments_1
streetwar.underground_manhack_tunnel
streetwar.vertical_warehouse_arena

Combine Citadel

Name	Description and Notes
d3_citadel.silence_and_dialog	Seems to mute all sounds (except dialogue, presumably). Could be useful for cutscenes when music is playing?
d3_citadel.util_hits
d3_citadel.util_activity
d3_citadel.util_pods
d3_citadel.deep_dropoff_inside
d3_citadel.pod_vista
d3_citadel.generic
d3_citadel.generic_moody	Fairly loud, near-musical Citadel ambience; no combat sounds
d3_citadel.generic_moody2	Quieter Citadel ambience; no combat sounds
d3_citadel.stasis_room
d3_citadel.combine_ball_room
d3_citadel.general_control_room
d3_citadel.alyx_teleport_control_room
d3_citadel.final_portal_chamber
d3_citadel.top_of_teleport_chamber
d3_citadel_01.pipe_entrance
d3_citadel_01.cliffside1
d3_citadel_01.citadel_entrance
d3_citadel.breen_field	Nearly the same as breen.office but with deep metal scraping sounds.
d3_citadel.breen_hall	Computer humming
d3_citadel.breen_office	Deep vent sounds and occasional jet-like sounds and very very light combine marching sounds.