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Controlling music playback with variable changes in real-time

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MG

MusicGameDev

Posted on January 24, 2024 • Intermediate

🎵 Music script not responding to variable changes

Hi everyone! I’m working on a collaborative game project and I’m having trouble with my music system. The problem is that my music script doesn’t respond when variables change during playback.

Here’s my current code:

    when I receive [Game Menu v]
stop all sounds
if <not <(Menu Mode) = [end]>> then
play sound [Menu Music v] until done
end

The issue is that when “Menu Mode” changes to “end”, the music keeps playing because “play sound until done” blocks the script. The variable check only happens once at the beginning.

Is there a better way to make music respond to variable changes in real-time? Any help would be appreciated! 🎶

AM

AudioMaster_Jake

Replied 1 hour later • ⭐ Best Answer

Great question @MusicGameDev! You’ve identified the exact problem - “play sound until done” blocks the script execution. Here are several solutions:

🎯 Solution 1: Non-blocking Music with Monitoring

Use “start sound” instead and monitor the variable separately:

    when I receive [Game Menu v]
stop all sounds
if <not <(Menu Mode) = [end]>> then
start sound [Menu Music v]
end

// Separate monitoring script
when flag clicked
forever
if <(Menu Mode) = [end]> then
stop all sounds
end
end

🔄 Solution 2: Looping Music System

For continuous background music that can be interrupted:

    when I receive [Game Menu v]
stop all sounds
forever
if <not <(Menu Mode) = [end]>> then
start sound [Menu Music v]
wait until <<(Menu Mode) = [end]> or <not <(sound [Menu Music v]) is playing?>>>
if <(Menu Mode) = [end]> then
stop all sounds
stop [this script v]
end
else
stop [this script v]
end
end

🎵 Solution 3: Advanced Music Manager

Create a dedicated music management system:

    // Music Manager Sprite
when flag clicked
set [current music v] to [none]
set [music should play v] to [false]
forever
// Check what music should be playing
if <(Menu Mode) = [menu]> then
set [target music v] to [Menu Music]
else
if <(Menu Mode) = [gameplay]> then
set [target music v] to [Game Music]
else
set [target music v] to [none]
end
end

// Update music if needed
if <not <(current music) = (target music)>> then
stop all sounds
set [current music v] to (target music)
if <not <(current music) = [none]>> then
start sound (current music)
end
end

// Restart music if it finished
if <and <not <(current music) = [none]>> <not <(sound (current music)) is playing?>>> then
start sound (current music)
end

wait [0.1] seconds
end

🚀 Solution 4: Event-Driven Music System

Use broadcasts for clean music transitions:

    // When menu mode changes
when [Menu Mode v] changes
if <(Menu Mode) = [menu]> then
broadcast [play menu music v]
else
if <(Menu Mode) = [gameplay]> then
broadcast [play game music v]
else
if <(Menu Mode) = [end]> then
broadcast [stop all music v]
end
end
end

// Music control scripts
when I receive [play menu music v]
stop all sounds
forever
start sound [Menu Music v]
wait until <not <(sound [Menu Music v]) is playing?>>
end

when I receive [stop all music v]
stop all sounds
stop [other scripts in sprite v]

💡 Pro Tips:

  • Use “start sound” instead of “play sound until done” for responsive music
  • Monitor variables in separate forever loops for real-time responses
  • Add fade effects by gradually changing volume before stopping
  • Use broadcasts for clean separation between game logic and audio

I’d recommend Solution 3 for complex games - it gives you the most control! 🎮

MG

MusicGameDev

Replied 30 minutes later

@AudioMaster_Jake This is exactly what I needed! Thank you so much! 🎉

I went with Solution 1 first to test it out, and it works perfectly! The music now stops immediately when the variable changes. I’m definitely going to implement the advanced music manager for my next project.

Problem solved! ✅

SF

SoundFX_Designer

Replied 45 minutes later

Great solutions @AudioMaster_Jake! 👏 For anyone wanting to add smooth audio transitions, here’s a bonus tip:

    // Smooth fade out before changing music
define fade out music
repeat [10]
change [volume v] by [-10]
wait [0.1] seconds
end
stop all sounds
set [volume v] to [100]

This creates professional-sounding music transitions instead of abrupt cuts! 🎵✨

VB

Vibelf_Community

Pinned Message • Moderator

🚀 Master Game Audio Programming!

Excellent discussion on responsive audio systems! For those looking to create even more advanced audio experiences, our community can help you implement:

  • 🎼 Dynamic music that changes based on gameplay
  • 🔊 3D positional audio systems
  • 🎚️ Advanced audio mixing and effects
  • 🎵 Procedural music generation

📚 Related Topics

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