Playing a soundtrack in your game

[runthis]

So since I run an online hacking game focused on "Uplink" nostalgia, I needed music, now this is obviously something you want to give a user control over and should not be something you added to be "generous" as most users might find what you consider to be "music" annoying. However this, with help of html5 will get you on the right path to getting a soundtrack going.

This code will play 5 tracks assuming they are named track1 - track5 ogg or mp3 (it is recommended you have both for browser compatibility) and is playing them from a folder named "sounds" and when finished with track5 (last track), it will loop back to track1.

 

var snd; //declare this so you can create options in other parts of your game later to pause songs, change volume, etc.
 function music(track) {
   if (window.HTMLAudioElement) {
     snd = new Audio('');
     if(snd.canPlayType('audio/ogg')) {
       snd = new Audio('sounds/' + track + '.ogg');
     }
     else if(snd.canPlayType('audio/mp3')) {
       snd = new Audio('sounds/' + track + '.mp3');
     }
     snd.volume=.60; // 60 percent is a good way to be less obtrusive
     snd.play();
     if(track == 'track1'){
      snd.addEventListener('ended', function() { music('track2'); }, false);
     }
     if(track == 'track2'){
      snd.addEventListener('ended', function() { music('track3'); }, false);
     }
     if(track == 'track3'){
      snd.addEventListener('ended', function() { music('track4'); }, false);
     }
     if(track == 'track4'){
      snd.addEventListener('ended', function() { music('track5'); }, false);
     }
     if(track == 'track5'){
      snd.addEventListener('ended', function() { music('track1'); }, false);
     }
   }
   else { }
 }

 

 

Usage example

 

  music('track1');

 

Some usage examples that can be programmed with a bit of javascript to a slider to change volume or tied to a onclick event

 

snd.volume="1.0"; // Maximum
snd.volume="0.1"; // Pretty low
snd.muted = true; // Mute
snd.pause();  // Pause music
snd.play(); // Play music 

 

Demo

Wont be available when my new game is released.

http://www.purevirus.com/demo

Edited April 7, 2013 by runthis

[Ishraq]

Is there a demo for this. I really like these types of addons.

[runthis]

Sure, I went ahead and made a demo, just view the page source to see basically the exact same code as above except with more tracks

http://www.purevirus.com/demo

[Ishraq]

nice, aint there a way to change music from the users point of view? Like next track, previous track.

[runthis]

Sure there are, but I have only showed you the door, you must open it

[Ishraq]

Sure there are, but I have only showed you the door, you must open it

ahh, thanks for showing me the door, but the door is locked, i need a key :(

only joking hehe, thanks

[bluegman991]

Lol here's your key.

button.onclick=function() { music('track4'); };

[Sim]

now I am just guesing here, but i would say snd.next? =)

[bluegman991]

now I am just guesing here, but i would say snd.next? =)

Nah, you would have to put a list of mp3 file paths in an array and iterate through them.