Portfolio > Tutorials > Ambient Noise

This tutorial will describe and explain the process behind adding specified ambient noise in a premade area in Sandbox2, from choosing the sounds to applying various parameters.

1. Adding The Sounds
2. Creating The Sound Area

Adding The Sounds

First off, navigate to the Create tab in the RollupBar, and click on the Sound section.

In this new menu, scroll down to the option saying AmbientVolume, and click on it. In the perspective view, the AmbientVolume should appear. Make sure Snap To Terrain is on (this is to ensure that the AmbientVolume isn't placed under the terrain accidentally) by pressing Ctrl + 1, and place it somewhere obvious on your map.

Select the AmbientVolume again, and you'll see its parameters appear in the RollupBar. Scroll down to the blank space where the sound file name should be and click on the Open button. The new window that pops up will display all the sounds available to you, although I am using a waterfall sound effect for the sake of arguement, sounds exist for pretty much anything you can think of, from nightime forests to seaside beaches. For the waterfall effect I used, I navigated to Sounds/Environment > Soundspots > waterfall_medium_soundspot. If you select the appropriate option in the window, you are able to hear the sounds before you select them, giving you greater control over your ambient background.

Creating The Sound Area

Navigate to the Create tab in the RollupBar, and click on the Area section. This AreaShape will be used to define where you want the sound to be played in your map. In this new menu, scroll down to the option saying Shape and click on it. In the perspective view, you should be able to see the X,Y and Z axis gizmo. Click once where you want your AreaShape to start, and keep clicking to create subsequent points. To finish off the AreaShape, double click. If you are unhappy with your shape, then click the Edit icon in the parameters of the AreaShape to drag the points around.

Making sure that you can see the AmbientVolume and the AreaShape in your perspective view, select the AreaShape. In its parameters, scroll down to the bottom and find the Target section. In this section, click the Pick button and select the AmbientVolume in the perspective view. If you have performed this correctly, a line should appear between the AreaShape and the AmbientVolume, as shown in the picture below.