How do you guys decide what general volume to use?

[Arsist]

Okay, Ace music and sound is far louder than normal custom content.
I generally operate with my laptop volume at the lowest setting with headphones on to play Ace.

But then there are volume control scripts. But that controls volume for all sound effects or bgm.

So how do I work volume in a way where nothing will be too loud or quiet for players?

Are there any guides or methods you use for working sounds properly?

 

[Kes]

When you are selecting music or SE, you can use the volume slider to set it to the level you think appropriate.  It doesn't need a script, unless you are intending to do something very fancy and out of the ordinary. 

As for "too loud or quiet for players" : as players will all have their own personal preferences you can't do it for them.  They will adjust their controls the way you do.

As a very general rule of thumb (and there are lots of exceptions) I put music at 100% and SEs at 80%.  

 

[Vinedrius]

This may be what you need:

http://yanflychannel.wordpress.com/rmvxa/menu-scripts/system-options/ (the link to the script on this page is broken)

It lets the player change different types of volume individually.

You can get the script here:

https://github.com/Archeia/YEARepo/blob/master/Menu/System_Options.rb

 

[Arsist]

I know all of these things. But RPGMakerVXAce's RTP audio is much louder than others. For example, when in a battle, the animations and interface noises hurt my ears but the volume of custom audio is normal. If I turn my computer volume down, then my custom audio is too quiet. So that means that I should play all Ace RTP audio at 20% less than the usual?

 

[Kes]

No need to do that.

If you use the script that vinedrai linked to, then it is quite easy for the player to have what they want.

If you want to control it, then 

In 'Animations' edit the level of SEs shown top right on each animation.  By default it is 80%.  If that is too high, then slide the volume down to whatever you think is appropriate.

Whenever you event a sound in, again set it to the volume that you think is right.

 

[zacheatscrackers]

When you are selecting music or SE, you can use the volume slider to set it to the level you think appropriate.

More or less what I do, yeah. It's all about keeping balance.

That said, I make certain tracks just a bit louder to add a degree of tension. I'm weird like that

 

[Galenmereth]

Think what Arsist is saying is that some custom music he's using has a lower volume than Ace's RTP music volume. It's quite common for audio files to have different volume levels (which is "built into" the file). The only thing you can do here is to make sure all audio tracks have roughly the same audio level to begin with. Ace's RTP audio levels seem to follow the standard, so I'd find a program that lets me boost the base audio level of the custom music files so that they match.

 

[Simon D. Aelsi]

Too much overthinking. If you're going to use custom music, use an audio editor to adjust the volume. Make the volume (whatever you will go with) consistant, though.  I like to use this general rule of thumb:

If my computer is at full blast with headphones and my ears start to hurt, it's too loud.

 

[Kes]

Actually, if you are using custom music, then ask the composer to adjust the level properly.  It's only stuff available 'free' where you have to deal with the level as is, and make your own adjustments.

 

[TheoAllen]

80% for SE, and 100% for BGM

Default animations tends to have 100% SE volume, and I hate that -_-

 

[Simon D. Aelsi]

Actually, if you are using custom music, then ask the composer to adjust the level properly.  It's only stuff available 'free' where you have to deal with the level as is, and make your own adjustments.

The problem is... that "Properly" is subjective... IIRC there's no actual standard DB level.

 

[cabfe]

I do all my volume settings with my headset on.

I agree that the default volume of the RTP musics is way too loud. I often have to go down to 50% volume for it to be bearable while playing some demos.

One thing with Yanfly's system menu script is that 100% equals "music volume is 100% of what is set in the editor".

So, you have to set a quite loud music volume by default *before* the player can get access to the menu to lower the volume, which can be bothersome.