SDL2 port when ?

[Nick]

I pushed some more small cleanups (to snd-sdl.c, as discussed previously, and also fixes to some comments), but it looks like sdl2 is already merged Thanks, Takkaria. I guess Makefile.sdl2 is not necessary. Anyway, you can find three more commits here: https://github.com/t4nk074/angband/commits/sdl2

Thanks, I have merged these.

The latest build on the nightlies page has this plus a failed attempt to get the standard build system to build the SDL2 port. I have at least left it so that the build system works if you don't try to use SDL2, and so that you can use Makefile.sdl2 to use the SDL2 port. If anyone is better at getting the build system and autotools to work (and surely someone must be), please have a go.

[Magnate]

(Hi magnate!)

And hello takk!

[t4nk]

I pushed some more small cleanups (to snd-sdl.c, as discussed previously, and also fixes to some comments), but it looks like sdl2 is already merged Thanks, Takkaria. I guess Makefile.sdl2 is not necessary. Anyway, you can find three more commits here: https://github.com/t4nk074/angband/commits/sdl2

Not sending it as a pull request, since it's utterly trivial stuff, but might be useful to Nick when he'll get around to it.

[t4nk]

If anyone has any bug reports or comments about the SDL2 port, don't hesitate to post here. Now that I opened the pull request, I'll be maintaining it. The compilation instructions are here: http://angband.oook.cz/forum/showpos...1&postcount=24
If you get errors, try to compile without sound. Anyway, I'll fix the branch soon

[t4nk]

argh... that's horrible if I am seeing this right -

~/games/angband-t4nk074/lib/save$ file Shirish 
Shirish: data

I was expecting a nice .json type file but it's not to be

Yes, Angband is pretty old Older than Javascript...

I did as you shared and this time did hear a thunder but that's about it.
Nice. So it seems we have sounds, but doesn't seem to have any background music, although you might be better judge of that. Is that it as far as music is concerned ?

TBH, I never played it with sound either. All sounds are in angband/lib/sound: looks like there are some twangs and clicks and that's about it. Pretty sure it doesn't have any music.

[shirish]

[QUOTE=t4nk;133428]Well, that's the standard Angband thing... they're saved in the character savefile (and, if you run configure --with-no-install, the savefile is in angband/lib/save). /QUOTE]

argh... that's horrible if I am seeing this right -

~/games/angband-t4nk074/lib/save$ file Shirish 
Shirish: data

I was expecting a nice .json type file but it's not to be

There are still some things we can do. We can look into object files:

ldd angband | grep mixer

and

nm angband | grep sound

(run them in the directory with the angband executable)

In any case, since there were some problems with compiling with sound initally, try to recompile:

make -f Makefile.sdl2 clean
SOUND=yes make -f Makefile.sdl2

Sound is a thing quite unrelated to main-sdl2.c... it doesn't require the SDL2 port at all and can work without it (still using the SDL2 library). I always suspected that Angband's sound doesn't work very well with SDL (either 1 or 2), but most people play without sound, so there weren't a lot of bug reports. Also, Angband on Windows uses the Windows method of playing sounds, instead of SDL.

I find games boring without having their own sounds and music , makes for an immersive experience.

I did as you shared and this time did hear a thunder but that's about it.

~/games/angband-t4nk074$ ldd angband | grep sound
	libasound.so.2 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libasound.so.2 (some memory address)

~/games/angband-t4nk074$ nm angband | grep sound
00000000000acd60 T init_sound
00000000000e6da0 T init_sound_sdl
00000000000ac740 t load_sound
00000000000e6c40 t load_sound_sdl
000000000005abf0 T message_lookup_by_sound_name
00000000000aca40 T message_sound_define
000000000005ac40 T message_sound_name
00000000001633e0 b message_sounds
00000000001633d8 b next_sound_id
00000000000acca0 T parse_prefs_sound
000000000003e150 T play_ambient_sound
00000000000ac8a0 t play_sound
00000000000e6b50 t play_sound_sdl
00000000000acdf0 T print_sound_help
00000000000acd40 T register_sound_pref_parser
000000000005ac70 T sound
00000000001389a0 d sound_names.7204
00000000001389a0 d sound_names.7212
00000000001633d0 b sounds
000000000013da60 d supported_sound_files
00000000000e6bc0 t unload_sound_sdl

Nice. So it seems we have sounds, but doesn't seem to have any background music, although you might be better judge of that. Is that it as far as music is concerned ?

@Magnate , hope you are following the thread, please input if you have any questions/queries about sound/music etc as you know the game much better than I do.

[t4nk]

The options don't seem to be saved

Well, that's the standard Angband thing... they're saved in the character savefile (and, if you run configure --with-no-install, the savefile is in angband/lib/save).

FWIW, even after toggling sound=yes I don't get any sound and there is also no way to know if that option is being saved in-game.

That's the reason I was thinking of having a debug-mode so you could knwo what all is happening, for things like this.

There are still some things we can do. We can look into object files:

ldd angband | grep mixer

and

nm angband | grep sound

(run them in the directory with the angband executable)

In any case, since there were some problems with compiling with sound initally, try to recompile:

make -f Makefile.sdl2 clean
SOUND=yes make -f Makefile.sdl2

Sound is a thing quite unrelated to main-sdl2.c... it doesn't require the SDL2 port at all and can work without it (still using the SDL2 library). I always suspected that Angband's sound doesn't work very well with SDL (either 1 or 2), but most people play without sound, so there weren't a lot of bug reports. Also, Angband on Windows uses the Windows method of playing sounds, instead of SDL.

[shirish]

Press "=" in game, then "a" ("User interface options"), then "b" twice ("Use sound"). From a cursory look, the option itself can't be compiled out, so it should be there.
Angband's interface is far from ideal, don't you think? I imagine what many new players think when they try to figure out what to do with additional windows...

The options don't seem to be saved

I did try to see if ~/.angband/Angband has any options although ideally it should be using ~/.config/angband/$whatever to be in-line with freedesktop specifications but that's something for another day.

see https://specifications.freedesktop.o...t/ar01s02.html for what I mean but as shared that's something that angband people might think of looking into.

FWIW, even after toggling sound=yes I don't get any sound and there is also no way to know if that option is being saved in-game.

That's the reason I was thinking of having a debug-mode so you could knwo what all is happening, for things like this.

[t4nk]

I can't see it in the menu, the options, it doesn't seem to be anywhere. I tried but perhaps I need a nudge to see in the right direction.

Press "=" in game, then "a" ("User interface options"), then "b" twice ("Use sound"). From a cursory look, the option itself can't be compiled out, so it should be there.
Angband's interface is far from ideal, don't you think? I imagine what many new players think when they try to figure out what to do with additional windows...

[shirish]

The main differences are: the easier to use menu, less nasty color scheme, different method for controlling subwindows position and size, ability to use resizable fonts (put them in angband/lib/fonts directory), multiple windows.

right.

Did you enable it in options? ("=" -> "User interface options" -> "Use sound").
Sound is a bit problematic, because Angband uses MP3, which SDL2_mixer doesn't like very much. Alghough I'd expect Debian has it figured out (and used correct codecs when compiling SDL2_mixer...)

I can't see it in the menu, the options, it doesn't seem to be anywhere. I tried but perhaps I need a nudge to see in the right direction.

Hmm... why would you want debug mode?

[t4nk]

For the record apart from having skeleton as a wallpaper there isn't much difference in the SDL2 front-end.

The main differences are: the easier to use menu, less nasty color scheme, different method for controlling subwindows position and size, ability to use resizable fonts (put them in angband/lib/fonts directory), multiple windows.

Also there is no sound.

Did you enable it in options? ("=" -> "User interface options" -> "Use sound").
Sound is a bit problematic, because Angband uses MP3, which SDL2_mixer doesn't like very much. Alghough I'd expect Debian has it figured out (and used correct codecs when compiling SDL2_mixer...)

There also seems to be missing a debug-mode, something which tells what is going on

Hmm... why would you want debug mode?

[shirish]

right, my bad. So all looks good, except I don't hear either any sound or music

https://imgur.com/a/UGwkjEa

[t4nk]

@tn4k hope you are able to see my edited answer. It would be nice to have a windowed mode if possible, at least to show/share screenshots.

Yes, I saw it. And there is a windowed mode! There is a menu in the top left corner with various functionality; clicking on "Fullscreen" toggles fullscreen on and off. Also, click on "Size" and "Move" buttons and drag the subwindows... Well, it shouldn't be hard to figure out (in my opinion )

./angband --version

Menu -> "About". Also the "V" command in Angband

[shirish]

@tn4k hope you are able to see my edited answer. It would be nice to have a windowed mode if possible, at least to show/share screenshots.

something like -

$ ./angband --windowed

Another one which might be of immense help is -

./angband --version

For the record apart from having skeleton as a wallpaper there isn't much difference in the SDL2 front-end.

Also there is no sound.

There also seems to be missing a debug-mode, something which tells what is going on

Maybe at configure time I need to add some -debugging symbols as well ?

[t4nk]

@t4nk, I just did that, see above

Good. We still have enough time: I'll amend the pull request tomorrow