Call of Duty 2 Soundalias CSV Format

The soundalias CSV file in Call of Duty 2 defines audio asset properties for in-game sounds. For custom multiplayer maps, create a new file named yourmapname.csv in a soundalias folder inside the “main” folder of the *Call of Duty 2* directory (e.g., main/soundalias/) and include it in your map’s IWD file to ensure proper integration.

Note: Never modify existing soundalias.csv files in the game’s main directories. Create a new yourmapname.csv file for your custom map to avoid conflicts and ensure compatibility. The header row (name,sequence,file,vol_min,vol_max,vol_mod,pitch_min,pitch_max,dist_min,dist_max,channel,type, probability,loop,masterslave,loadspec,subtitle,compression,secondaryaliasname,volumefalloffcurve, startdelay,speakermap,reverb,lfe percentage) must be included in the CSV file and is not optional.

Overview

The soundalias CSV format specifies sound aliases for in-game audio, such as ambient effects, weapon sounds, or dialogue. Each row in the file represents a sound alias, defining its playback behavior, channel, and map-specific usage. This documentation outlines the fields, their purposes, and how to configure them for custom multiplayer maps.

CSV Fields

The table below describes each field in the soundalias CSV file, including possible values for fields with preset options.

Volume Modifier Groups

The vol_mod field references categories defined in the volumodgroups.def file, which apply multipliers to adjust the volume of sounds based on their type. Below are the categories and their purposes:

• ambience: Ambient streams, such as background environmental sounds.
• bodyfall: Sounds for bodies hitting the ground or similar impacts.
• chatteral: Battle chatter for allied forces.
• chatterax: Battle chatter for axis forces.
• element: Ambient element sound effects, such as wind or water.
• emitter: Point emitter sound effects, like machinery or fires.
• explosion: Explosion-related sound effects.
• foley: Foley sounds, such as gear rattles or foliage movement.
• footstep: Footstep and landing sound effects.
• impact: Bullet impact sound effects.
• interface: User interface sound effects.
• music: Level music, excluding title or fluff music.
• reactional: Allied character reaction sound effects.
• reactionax: Axis character reaction sound effects.
• vehicle: Vehicle and vehicle-related sound effects.
• voiceover: Mission-based speech.
• wpnai: AI-controlled weapon sounds.
• wpnplyr: Player-controlled weapon sounds.
• na: Non-categorized sounds.

Note: Use the appropriate vol_mod category to balance sound types in-game. For example, use ambience for background sounds to ensure they blend well with louder effects like explosion or wpnplyr.

Example

Below is a sample yourmapname.csv file for a custom multiplayer map, placed in a soundalias folder inside the “main” folder (e.g., main/soundalias/) and included in the map’s IWD file. This example includes ambient sounds and speech, reflecting common configurations from the game’s sound aliases.

name,sequence,file,vol_min,vol_max,vol_mod,pitch_min,pitch_max,dist_min,dist_max,channel,type,probability,loop,masterslave,loadspec,subtitle,compression,secondaryaliasname,volumefalloffcurve,startdelay,speakermap,reverb,lfe percentage
ambient_custom_map,,ambient/custom_ambience.mp3,0.6,,ambience,,,,,local,streamed,,looping,,custom_map,,,,,,,
speech_custom_cmd,,Voiceovers/MP/custom_cmd_01.wav,0.93,,,,7,3000,voice,streamed,,,,custom_map,,,
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Usage Notes

• Create a new yourmapname.csv file in a soundalias folder inside the “main” folder of the *Call of Duty 2* directory (e.g., main/soundalias/) and include it in your map’s IWD file.
• Use unique name values to avoid conflicts with other sound aliases.
• Ensure the file path points to a valid audio file in the game’s sound directory.
• Use vol_mod to apply volume adjustments based on sound type, referencing volumodgroups.def categories.
• Set loadspec to your map’s name to restrict the sound to your custom map.
• For ambient sounds (e.g., ambient_custom_map), consider using looping and leaving dist_max blank for omnipresent audio, as seen in examples like ambient_france.
• The reverb field (fulldrylevel, nowetlevel, or blank) has no effect in multiplayer, as reverb settings are not included in multiplayer utility scripts.
• volumefalloffcurve and speakermap are typically not required, as most examples (e.g., ambient_africa, ctf_touchenemy) leave these fields blank unless a specific volume falloff or speaker configuration is needed.
• Test sounds in-game to verify volume, pitch, and spatial behavior.

Note: Validate the CSV structure and ensure audio files exist in the specified paths. Include the main/soundalias/yourmapname.csv file in your map’s IWD file to ensure the game loads it correctly. Be aware that reverb settings are ineffective in multiplayer due to the absence of reverb support in multiplayer utility scripts. The header row must be included in the CSV file and is not optional.