G'day grouse RPOLspians,

I would love to include sounds from Freesound.org and Soundcloud.com in my posts.

- Ambience
- SFX
- etc.

Primary benefit: complete awesomeness in being able to give your players that extra depth.

Secondary benefit: promoting inter-site community love (in particular with the independent freesound.org)

Tertiary benefit: GMs and players could take advantage of these other sites to upload their own samples to be used. (I have a Zoom H4n and make my own SFX for various projects... I'm sure I'm not the only dabbler.)

What do you think community?

So functional spec:

A) Freesound.org
- A link down in new/edit post, with the formatting options, perhaps after 'code' = 'embed audio'
- Enter URL of .wav or .mp3
- Renders in post, a small 100 x 100 box with Play / Pause. Similar to that of http://www.freesound.org/search/?q=systen+online.

B) Soundcloud.com
- Allow existing embed code to work in post, eg.

This message was last edited by the user at 06:14, Tue 26 Feb 2013.

I'm not sure what the4 maximum is, but plus that.

I have often felt the next step sites like RPoL was the addition of sensory options, including this one. (Next comes smell-o-vision!)

What I have done in the past is put a youtube link in a separate thread, and allow players to click on them to play while they read, if they wish. This would be much more organic.

Another plus, it seems to me, is that this would be one of the few requests that does not involve messing with the data!

Good luck with this one.

Serious -1
WHY?

Follow the link and see the kinds of sounds that people might imbed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHUsIU161w4

0

I wouldn't use it, as a GM or a player, but I suppose I can see why others might want it.  I don't really like it, but I'm not so strongly opposed as to vote it down.

Yeah, posting urls in line is one thing....

But having it organically in posts, with a play/pause grants the use a seamless, immerse experience.

As for embedding horrible stuff, as per Alexi:
1. No YouTube or other video
2. Flag for moderation icon with embedded clip
3. Restrict use to GM
4. Personally I would use it to add to my games, not inundate players with German metal...
5. The player can play or pause it. So if they don't like it, they have the power to stop the sound.

Why -1 instead of discuss your issues with it first?

-1

I don't know the option I think to have a link to click on seems better at least to me then having something pop on as soon as you go in. I am one who doesn't like sounds going when you click onto things like forums like this. Have the option to listen if the person chooses, but not something that automatically starts when you go in.

Besides I would think having something like this anyways especially if a lot of people are using it could take up a lot of room perhaps make that area if the site slower. It would be a little different then pictures, but I don't specifically know that side of things.

And Alexi has a point, you just don't know what some people would do with it. Just because you would use it for good, doesn't mean others would.

In reply to ashberg (msg # 5):

Here is an issue you havent answered: What happens if there are two sounds on the same page of a thread?

Here is another: What about the people who use RPoL from work and could get in trouble if their bosses knew? Or their bosses DO know and presently dont care: but would when random strains of screaming from an imbedded 'immersive' file disrupt other people in the workplace?

Seriously, from what I see this has not been thought through.

In reply to ashberg (msg # 5):

A lot of your points do solve some of the issues I've thought of, though I must disagree with #5.

It should not be up to the GM to dictate what music is played on an user's machine, it should be up to them.  So I would suggest that it needs to be set to off, and the player can turn it on if they want to.

With that change; what's been asked can be done already, without tying RPoL into a particular site.  Add in your link, and if people want to listen to it they can middle-mouse click on it (or whatever their "open in a new tab hotkey" is for their browser of choice).  Granted it's not embedded, but it's got everything else you've asked for without disempowering the end user.

Time for my rebuttal! ;)

ashberg prepares his notes (http://www.freesound.org/peopl...stein/sounds/176053/), and sighs (http://www.freesound.org/peopl...coder/sounds/146769/).

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Issue: Auto play sounds - eww





Solution: It's a mini player, not auto-player

Simply: NO sounds will play automatically. I have been building websites for 10+ years - and I'm well aware of how annoying auto-play songs are in websites. I remember back in the GeoCities era, when they were midi files!

If you go to http://www.freesound.org/ you can see on the homepage there is a Random sound of the day right there -> embedded. It uses javascript to render the file in a mini-player. It needs the user to click the PLAY icon in order to hear it. It doesn't play automatically.

^ This functionality is what I imagine.

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Issue: Server load and space


Solution: Audio content stays where it is, on other sites
No files would be stored on RPOL servers. Allowing some kind of embed code to be used in posts still loads the audio from it's original location. There would be no impact on site speed or server space.

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Issue: People will embed sounds or songs that breach RPOL policy


I think line of reasoning is unsubstantiated. GMs and players already can post images and links within a thread, which point to ANY URLs.

<img src="http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/250x250/28112719.jpg">
http://www.this-is-an-inapprop...ite.com.au.yes.it.is

Solution: RPOL policy still covers anything posted
What is the current procedure for reporting a link or image that is offensice/breaches policy? Would it not simply still apply as per usual?

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Issue: But I'm at work


Solution: User needs to hit play to activate the audio
A - I get this. I'm log into RPOL at work too.
B - Headphones / earplugs.
C - Audio is not set to Auto-Play. It's not like embedding youtube clips which auto-play. Again, please see how javascript mini-players work on http://freesound.org.

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No - I haven't written an essay about it for the OP. I wanted to put it out there for discussion. Hearing your thoughts about what wouldn't work about it is very important in the exercise of scoping requirements - so I thank you for your participation. Hearing your fears and concerns help to shape this concept into a reasonable proposal.

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Issue: To audio, or not to audio?


Solution: It's all about the mood
I understand your point here; totally. However with no auto-play of sound or song, as mentioned above:

If the GM were to embed a spooky song from Soundcloud, that requires the user to hit Play to start the track, to create a mood for the scene --

• how does that differ from putting an image inline to enhance a post (<img src="">) ?;
• is this not a technique employed by tabletop GMs hoping to set the mood for players?
• would players not have the simple choice of turning off other music to listen to that which the GM has inserted, as they read the latest posts and to write their reply? or just totally ignore it?

---

Sorry - what does this mean?

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Issue: Why not just add a link as usual


Solution: Because AWESOME, that's why.
Sure. I get this is possible - however you're asking your players to middle/right click, open in new tab, etc etc... assuming user's behaviour is risky (in design/dev); so why not make it simpler for everyone?

Why I requested this feature
RPOL is already a cut above the rest of Play By Post sites. Having a feature like this further cements RPOL as the best Play By Post provider on the internet. It adds unique functionality that separates RPOL from the rest of the pack.

I mostly play and GM games that lean toward collaborative fiction and freeform, ie I am not into hacknslash. I have a background in music, touring with independent unsigned artists and groups, and in audio production. I'm sure there are many GMs who are passionate about music who are familiar with local, unsigned artists.

Providing this feature would allow for greater exposure of  unsigned (and some signed) artists who use Soundcloud to share their music. Additionally, many users of freesound.org take requests: so if you're needing some SFX to use in your game - having the ability to embed a freesound.org-style mini-player may encourage our RPOL community to connect with users of freesound.org - contributing to the philosophy of building and maintaining online communities and friendships.

Finally, I have observed that many dev requests that come through are very admin based - for the most part helping GMs run their games more effectively. So this request is of a rare breed - in that it will have a direct impact on player satisfaction.

http://www.freesound.org/people/Halleck/sounds/18665/
This message was last edited by the user at 02:45, Wed 27 Feb 2013.

-1

I would much rather have the choice be mine.  If I'm not willing to click the link, it's a pretty good indication that I don't want to hear the music.

?

The choice is ALWAYS yours. The GM has only embedded a SFX sample or mood-setting song because they have chosen it to enhance your experience of the scene... it's up to you to click play or not.

Nobody is FORCING anything on you.

In fact, talking about forcing things on you: what I dislike personally is players and GMs who post images of Hollywood actors - but I have no choice there, I can't unsee it.

But with this it's a little player. It would not auto-start.

I am still going with my original opinion on this, if it is something that the people would need to click on to play anyways. Then it is no different then having the people go to the link provided by the GM, that in which they can use where ever they chose to get their sounds or music from.

While it could be a neat feature, I don't specifically seeing it as a needed one.

Just a quick reminder of votingness:

[Begin quote]
Voting for/against suggestions:
Positive votes:  Vote for something if you think it's a good idea.  That's simple.
Neutral votes:  Don't cast a negative vote if you wouldn't use the function or don't see a point to it.  You might not use a suggested feature but many other users would.  This forum is not about what you would like to see implemented.  e.g. another option being available that you wouldn't use.
Negative votes:  Vote against something if you think it would adversely affect you or the site.  e.g. popup advertising, all text being yellow on pink.
[End quote]
This message was last edited by the user at 02:51, Wed 27 Feb 2013.

Well, while I still think that this idea is kind of problematic, thanks at least for directing me to the free sounds site, I am currently listening to a ten minute recording of the waves off Fiji.