First, you'll need a tool to extract and convert the .afc files (where ME2 audio is packed) to .ogg (an open source alternative to MP3). Download, extract and start the program of your choice:
- Gibbed's Audio Extractor has a nice UI with search feature before extraction, but can only extract audio from the core game. In the left window part is a list with all .afc files from the \\Mass Effect 2\\BioGame\\CookedPC folder. Each .afc file contains a number of .riff files (in the right window part) that need you can select, restrict by search and extract. This is the tool I used, when writing this guide.
- kyp108's afc2ogg can extract DLC audio and some of the core game audio that Gibbed's tool misses or errs on. It can extract either a specific .afc file, or all of them in a given folder and its subfolders ("batch-extract"). However, the resulting file names seem a bit different, but I'm not sure whether that invalidates the following guide.
No matter which tool and method of extraction you choose, you should end up with a bunch of cryptically named folders, subfolders and .ogg files. Now the searching and listening starts ;-) .ogg files can be played with many modern media players, such as MediaMonkey, VLC Media Player, CoolPlayer, Songbird and many others.
=== understanding the file names ===
Under construction: feel free to add/correct/comment. I used the english game version here, so some files have en_us_ prefix and/or _int suffix. For other languages it's probably different, but shouldn't matter for the following guide. Unfortunately, the naming scheme for DLC audio files is different from the core game files, so they are not included in this tutorial. Less restrict-by-searching is possible, more listening is necessary.
The 'key codes', 'strings', 'name parts' or whatever you like to call them have defined meanings and are pretty much universal throughout all ME2 audio content. Therefore, knowing some important ones of them lets you find pretty much any in-game audio item behind its cryptic name :-) I hope this step-by-step tutorial helps you reduce the search time for any given audio item.
1) Most file/folder names start with a 6-letter code which consists of several parts. Usually these are 3-letter location codes:
cit = Citadel
hor = Horizon (also crit_path and critpath)
kro = Tuchanka
nor = Normandy
omg = Omega
prs = Purgatory prison ship
twr = Illium
rpr = derelict Reaper ship
qua = Quarian Migrant Fleet
other planets that you can land on have such codes as well, but I haven't looked at most of them
and either
2a) an 'auxiliary' 3-letter location code:
hub = non-mission areas (map available, stores etc.)
gal = galaxy map on Normandy
and some others
or
2ba) a 3-letter character code consisting itself of two parts:
character code name:
as = assasin = Thane
cv = convict = Jack / Subject Zero
gr = Garrus
gt = geth = Legion
jk = joker = Jeff
kg = krogan = Grunt
lm = leading (male?) = Jacob
mw = mystic (woman?) = Samara
pr = professor = Mordin
thief = Kasumi (there doesn't seem to be a 2-letter code for her)
tl = Tali
va = vampire = Morinth
vt = veteran = Zaeed
vx = vixen = Miranda
please note that characters can appear under any of these designations in other name parts: 2-letter-code, code name and real name
and
2bb) a single letter:
l = loyalty mission
a = acquisition (e.g. recruitment mission; sometimes also marked by _acq_)
c = conflict (loyalty fights Jack vs. Miranda and Legion vs.Tali)
3) Prologue and Endgame have different 6-letter codes:
procer = Lazarus station
profer = Freedom's Progress
pronor = the first few scenes on Normandy SR-2
endgm1 / 2 / 3 = base approach / infiltration / epilogue
4) After these initial 6-letter codes, a bunch of content derived _keywords_ follow, usually for characters (see codes above, or their real names) or situations, such as:
_ad = advertisements
n7 = everything related to N7 mission (usually combined with a special location code, which I haven't looked into)
conflict = loyalty fights Jack vs. Miranda and Legion vs.Tali
culm / culmination = (romance) scene before entering Omega 4 relay
debrief = in the conference room after you've recruited a squad mate
loyalty / loy = squadmate presenting loyalty mission
relationship = dialogues with team mates on Normandy / romance buildup (01 to 05 indicates process)
starter = general conversations with squad mates (upgrade ideas, "Sorry, I'm busy right now.", etc.)
and some others pretty obvious ones ;-)
Other character codes include:
_ai_ = EDI
asari_ruler = Aria
doctor = Chakwas
giver / info_giver = Cpt. Bailey
illusive = Illusive Man
player_f / player_m = female / male Shepard
yeoman = Kelly
qua = generic Quarian
tur = generic Turian
and some other pretty obvious ones ;-)
Other general keycodes include:
_tp_ = the triggerable comments of squadmates on some aspect of the surroundings
hench / global_hench = general lines of your squadmates, command/attack/power responses
cine / ambient / wwise / mus / _streaming / _music = cinematic/ambient/background sounds and music
and some other ones that I haven't figured out/looked into/cared about ;-)
The item names end with two 1-letter codes such as:
_a_, _c_, _h_ = non-dialogue lines (like Kelly's 'You have new messages...')
_d_ = normal dialogue (whenever the dialogue wheel appears???)
_s_ = ??? (maybe statements without the dialogue wheel???)
and the language code (_int in my case).
There is also a bunch of folders, starting with special codes:
wwise_ followed by a location code (see above), name or squad mate name = background music and noises
ss_ = battle cries / taunts and dying sounds, mostly: 'I'll kill you!' and 'Arggghhhh...' :-D
Up till here all code snippets were explained for .afc files (before extraction in Gibbed's Audio Extractor) or folder names (after extraction).
The actual audio files are a little different, as they start with a language code (en_us_ in my case) and end with an ID number and an _m or _f tag for MaleShep and FemShep. The order of the name parts is also a bit different. But a normal search for the codes listed here brings them up as well. The ID numbers probalby are used by the game to track the conversation trees and are the same for the same lines of MaleShep and FemShep. However the numbering does not necessarily reflect the order of the lines in a n in-game dialogue. If you just play them alphabetically ordered you'll listen to each person talking in one piece, then the next...
Please feel free to add and comment on my explanations, or request keywords for a specific search.
=== commented list as a .rtf file ===
=== trivia and fun ===
Here I will insert some items that caught my interest in one way or another.
EDI calls Morinth by name, Shep doesn't do that in front of the crew
hench_ai_endgm2_huddle_03a_d_ (ai = EDI, huddle = the part of the endgame, where you have to 'huddle' under the biotic shield)
Squadmates complain about impossible odds
_hench_ * _twrmwa_detective (twr = Illium, rma = mystic's (=Samara's) aquisition mission)
comments on Shep getting poisoned by Batarian bartender in lower Afterlife
shepard_sick
Mordin's relationship advice
norpr_relationship_04 (nor = on Normandy, pr = professor = Mordin)
Harbinger's idiotic taunts
ss_collector_general_
the Turian/Quarian relationship conversation in Illium's Eternity bar
twrhub_quaturtalk_a_s_int (twrhub = Illium hub)
Editado por Bravenu3, 10 marzo 2013 - 09:04 .
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It's very logical but a bit confusing at first ^^
