Garry's Mod

Garry's Mod

BattleBeats | Ambient and Combat music
 This topic has been pinned, so it's probably important
HOW TO CREATE PACKS
Creating a music pack for BattleBeats is very easy and requires no coding or special tools. You just need a proper folder structure and your music files. Here’s how to do it:

1. Create the Folder Structure
First, create an addon folder with a name of your choice
Inside your addon, create the following directory structure:

sound/battlebeats/your_pack_name/
Remember to replace your_pack_name with a 'technical' name for your pack! For example, if you're creating a pack for Final Fantasy XVI, you could name it something like ffxvi

Inside the your_pack_name folder, create two subfolders:
ambient/ combat/
These folders will hold your ambient and combat tracks, respectively
Note: If you want to create an ambient-only or combat-only pack, you can leave the respective folder empty or delete it

Tip: The pack name your_pack_name won't be shown in-game. Only the Workshop title will be displayed (after uploading, of course), unless you're in debug mode

2. Add Your Music Files
Now place your music tracks into the appropriate folders based on their type
Note: only .mp3 and .ogg files are supported!

IMPORTANT:
  • Make sure your audio files are in 44100Hz sample rate (Source engine limitation). You can use tools like Audacity or online converters to change this. There are plenty of tutorials available online.
    Turns out this isn’t necessary, sound.PlayFile doesn’t use the Source sound engine. It uses the BASS Audio Library, which means it should support pretty much any sample rate without issues
  • Use only ASCII characters in your file names (letters A-Z, numbers 0-9, and basic symbols). You CAN use spaces, however avoid special characters, accents, or non-English letters to prevent loading errors

You can name your tracks anything you like: forest theme.mp3, chillwalk.ogg

3. That's it!
If everything is set up correctly, you can upload your addon to the Workshop
To test your pack locally:
  • Place your addon inside addons/ folder inside GMod directory
  • Enable Debug Mode in the BattleBeats settings (Q menu > Utilities > BattleBeats > Advanced)
  • Reload packs using button below debug mode option or restart the map
  • If your pack shows up and plays, it works!
  • Make sure to test each track using the Track Previewer to confirm it plays correctly. You can simply click through them one by one, if a track fails to play, a standard GMod notification will appear

You can download a pack template HERE[github.com]

TL;DR:
  1. Create a folder: sound/battlebeats/your_pack_name/
  2. Put music in ambient/ and combat/
  3. Supports MP3 and OGG, no special filenames needed
  4. Test with Debug Mode + Preview Player
  5. Upload to Workshop - Done!

Tips for Best Results
  • Make sure your tracks aren’t too loud or too quiet - aim for consistent volume
  • Avoid silent gaps at the start or end of tracks - remove any long pauses or empty seconds after the music ends
  • You don’t need to add fade-ins or fade-outs manually - the script handles smooth transitions automatically
  • Use proper song titles or descriptive names for easier management

Comparison of the Music Pack Creation Process
Aspect
BattleBeats
SBM
Nombat
File Naming
Any names are allowed - script automatically formats them for display
Must end with track length (e.g. `songname_165.ogg`)
Strict naming required: a1.mp3, a2.mp3, c1.mp3, c2.mp3
Track Count
Any number of ambient or combat tracks; each is handled independently. You can create ambient or combat only packs
Requires at least one track for each category
Must have the same number of ambient and combat tracks
Sample Rate
Any - most sample rates should work, no conversion needed
Must be 44100 Hz, 22050 Hz or 11025 Hz or track will fail to play
Must be 44100 Hz, 22050 Hz or 11025 Hz or track will fail to play
Code Editing
None - everything is automatic via file.Find
None - packs are loaded based on filename patterns
Manual Lua editing required: pack name, hook name, sound length, Workshop ID
Ease of Use
As simple as dragging and dropping files - no Lua knowledge needed
Works if you follow the naming pattern - but no way to test in-game aside from dev console dumps
Requires Lua editing skills and precision - easy to break if done incorrectly
Last edited by ricky dicky doo dah grimes; 1 Aug @ 1:32am
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Showing 1-5 of 5 comments
pko 1 May @ 1:26pm 
Wow, so simple.
Instructions unclear. What do you mean when you say "create an addon folder inside of your addon"?
ricky dicky doo dah grimes  [developer] 30 May @ 6:50am 
Originally posted by awsomeguyistheman:
Instructions unclear. What do you mean when you say "create an addon folder inside of your addon"?
Every addon in GMod starts with a folder named after your addon - like "battlebeats" or anything you want. Inside that folder, you add subfolders based on what your addon needs, like lua, materials, sound, etc.

If you're making a BattleBeats music pack, you only need the sound folder. Inside that, create a battlebeats folder, then inside that, a folder with your pack name (the name doesn't affect how it shows up in the selector). Then create two folders inside your pack: ambient and combat.

Drop your .mp3 files into the appropriate folder and you’re done.

For a more detailed guide on creating GMod addons, check the wiki:
https://wiki.facepunch.com/gmod/Workshop_Addon_Creation
Originally posted by ricky dicky doo dah grimes:
Originally posted by awsomeguyistheman:
Instructions unclear. What do you mean when you say "create an addon folder inside of your addon"?
Every addon in GMod starts with a folder named after your addon - like "battlebeats" or anything you want. Inside that folder, you add subfolders based on what your addon needs, like lua, materials, sound, etc.

If you're making a BattleBeats music pack, you only need the sound folder. Inside that, create a battlebeats folder, then inside that, a folder with your pack name (the name doesn't affect how it shows up in the selector). Then create two folders inside your pack: ambient and combat.

Drop your .mp3 files into the appropriate folder and you’re done.

For a more detailed guide on creating GMod addons, check the wiki:
https://wiki.facepunch.com/gmod/Workshop_Addon_Creation

Thank you.
okak 15 Jun @ 6:07am 
Thanks
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