[Guide] Reduce sound effects to hear boss voices more clear

[Vladinator]

Read this topic on the official forums: WoW-Europe.com Forums -> Boss Speech Volume

So I thought I could do a small how-to to accomplish the OP's wish.

Included the guide and files required to do this in this archive:
Filebeam - Free Fast File Hosting (broken)

The content of the guide I can also post here:

1. Export the "Sound" folder in a temp folder in this order:
	a) First from "common.MPQ"
	b) Then from "patch.MPQ"
	c) Also "patch-#.MPQ" if there is one, and if there is a "Sound" directory in it

2. Open the temporary folder with the sound files, delete all folders EXCEPT:
	a) Character
	b) Effects
	c) Item
	d) Spells
File size should be around 110 MB after in total for those 4 folders that are left in the folder.

3. Put "normalize.exe" and "batch_all.bat" in the temporary "Sound" folder now.

!. BEFORE you go to step 4, take a look on the pictures "beforebatchrunning_1.jpg" and "beforebatchrunning_2.jpg", that's how the folder and "Sound" folder should look like before you run the "batch_all.bat" file!

4. Edit "batch_all.bat" (in Notepad) if you want a custom dbBFS level, then run it.

5. After the convert is done, you have to put the "Sound" folder in a MPQ file, like this:
	a) Download MyWarCraftStudio from here: http://www.wowmodelviewer.org/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=35&func=showdown&id=12
	b) Run "MyWarCraftStudio.exe" after you extract the files and continue to step 5c.
	c) Click "Pack(P)" then "Create MPQ archive"
	d) Navigate to: "..\WoW\Data" (on your own installation directory)
	e) Create a file named "patch-#.MPQ" where # is 1 number higher than the existing one, if none then name it "patch-2.MPQ", if there is a "patch-2.MPQ" from before name it then for "patch-3.MPQ" and so on.
	f) Right-click the empty list on the left side and select "Import Folder..."
	g) Navigate to the "Sound" folder and open it.
	h) Select the file "dummy" and click "Open"
	i) Click the Save button (or "Pack(P)" then "Save and Close Archive")
	j) Close the program

Start the game and enjoy a adjusted sound effect level where you can hear boss voices without the annoying spell effects, warrior swings and shaman windfury procs!

The pictures included in the archive:



There is a "normalize.exe" file that can adjust db levels in sounds, and a batch_all.bat to do the batching for you. You can edit the db levels in the file if you edit the .bat in Notepad or other text editor.

(updating)

Since the filebeam files are gone now, I will add some more info if you want to do this yourself:

You can get the normalize.exe from: http://normalize.nongnu.org/
You can use this bat file code:

@echo off

REM // --- Sound settings for the batch job ---

REM // Amplitude normalization levels (from 0.0 to 1.0)
REM // On WoW sounds 0.05 sounds like 1/5th lower sounds, use 
REM // 0.1 for 1/3rd. Default value is: 0.05
set wowvol_amp=0.00



REM // --- Below this line is just for the batch and comments for information ---

if "%wowvol_amp%" == "0.0" (
  @echo.
  @echo  - Please edit the .bat file before using it!
  @echo.
  @pause
  @exit
)

echo.
echo  - Starting batch-job...
echo.

REM // Character sounds and voices (ugh, sigh, scream-n-attacking, e.g. :P)
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\BloodElfFemalePC\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\BloodElfMalePC\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\DraeneiFemalePC\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\DraeneiMalePC\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Dwarf\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Dwarf\DwarfFemale\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Dwarf\DwarfMale\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Dwarf\DwarfMaleNPC\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Dwarf\DwarfMaleNPC\DwarfMaleNpc1\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Footsteps\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Footsteps\EnterWaterSplash\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Footsteps\GiantFootSteps\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Footsteps\WaterSplash\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Human\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Human\Female\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Human\Male\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Human\MaleNPC\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Human\MaleNPC\HumanMalePirate\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Human\MaleNPC\HumanMalePirateHeavy\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Human\MaleNPC\HumanPesantMale\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Human\MaleNPC\HumanWarrior1\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Human\MaleNPC\HumanWarrior2\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Human\MaleNPC\HumanWarrior3\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\NightElf\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\NightElf\NightElfFemale\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\NightElf\NightElfMale\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Orc\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Orc\Female\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Orc\OrcMale\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Orc\OrcMaleNPC\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Orc\OrcMaleNPC\ORcMaleNpc1\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\DwarfFemaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\DwarfMaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\GnomeFemaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\GnomeMaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\HumanFemaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\HumanMaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\NightElfFemaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\NightElfMaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\OrcFemaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\OrcMale\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\TaurenFemaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\TaurenMaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\TrollFemaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\TrollMaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\UndeadFemaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerExertions\UndeadMaleFinal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\PlayerRoars\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Scourge\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Scourge\ScourgeFemale\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Scourge\ScourgeMale\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Scourge\UndeadNPC\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Scourge\UndeadNPC\UndeadMaleNpc1\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Scourge\UndeadNPC\UndeadMaleNpc1\UndeadMaleNpc1\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Tauren\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Tauren\Female\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\Tauren\TaurenMale\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Character\VryKulMale\*.*

REM // Death sounds when someone dies and the corpse falls on the ground
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Effects\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Effects\DeathImpacts\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Effects\DeathImpacts\InWater\*.*

REM // Item use sounds and when people hit, parry, e.g. very annoying most of the times!
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\FoleySounds\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\UseSounds\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Axe1H\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Axe2H\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Bow\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Dagger\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Ethereal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Gun\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Mace1H\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Mace1HMetal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Mace2H\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Mace2HMetal\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\MissSwings\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Parry\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\ParrySounds\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Shields\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Sword1H\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Sword2H\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Unarmed\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\WeaponSwings\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Item\Weapons\Whip\*.*

REM // Spell sounds, sometimes very annoying so why not make it a bit lower?
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Spells\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Spells\Cast\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Spells\DirectDamage\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Spells\Fizzle\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Spells\Missile\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Spells\PlayerDamage\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Spells\Tradeskills\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Spells\WarriorSwings\*.*

REM // Who needs vehicles effects to be as loud as speach effects? No one!
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Vehicles\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Vehicles\AllianceGunShip\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Vehicles\Demolisher\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Vehicles\FlyingBomber\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Vehicles\FlyingMachineCreature_Vehicle\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Vehicles\ForsakenCatapult\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Vehicles\HordeGunShip\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Vehicles\MotorcycleVehicle\*.*
normalize -a %wowvol_amp% Vehicles\SiegeVehicle\*.*

echo.
echo  - Done normalizing using amp=%wowvol_amp%!
echo.
echo  - Put the files in the root filter, WoW\Sounds\ to make them load.
echo    Alternatively put them all in a MPQ file and call it patch-9.MPQ
echo    (any number not used by a original WoW patch) - GL and HF!
echo.
pause
exit

I hope someone will find this useful, you don't even need the model edit fix for this to work, the wav files will be loaded from the custom MPQ file.

[khaled1994]

nice +rep