A Java-based program that allows users to auto generate mod folder structure for custom Arma 3 music mods. Based on Scarlet Aquiline's Custom music packs for Zeus module guide on Steam.
If you want to build a music mod in Arma 3 for mission triggers or to use whilst zeusing, you may be discouraged by the painfully long time it takes to create the file hierarchy and various code files needed to make it work. The A3ZMMG project was made to alleviate that hassle by automating most of the manual labour and streamlining the music mod making process so that anyone could do it!
Head over to the Releases Page to download the latest version of A3ZMMG. The program is available in two versions: Runnable Java JAR or Windows Executable. NOTE: Both cases still need the Java JRE to be installed on the system. Download it here.
Using the program to make a music mod is straightforward using the following guide.
Set the general project settings by going to File>Project Settings>General.
The following are the attributes that can be changed:
- Mod Name: The name of the mod that will appear in the launcher, in-game, and in the folder structure.
- Author: Name of the person publishing the mod. Does not have to be the same as your Steam name.
- Default Logo: Whether to use the provided mod image (.paa format) or the default one. This can be changed later as well.
If you want to upload a custom mod image that will be visible in-game, go to File>Project Settings>Add Cover Image (.paa).
Add tracks to the list by selecting the Add Song button, which will open a file choosing dialog. You can select multiple tracks at once and all tracks must be of type .OGG. Tracks can be removed by selecting them in the list and clicking Remove Song.
Double click a track in the list to open the Metadata Editor where attributes of each song can be modified including the track name, tag, duration, and decibel modifier.
- Track Name: The name of the song that will be visible in game.
- Tag: A short optional descriptor that ideally goes before the name to describe what the track is about. Example: Setting the tag to be "SFX" on a C-130 Flyby track will be displayed as [SFX] C-130 Flyby in-game.
- Duration: The song length in seconds. Doesn't need to be correct for songs to work, but is nice to have. Auto song length retrieval has now been implemented in v1.1.4a.
Once you're ready to export the basic mod file structure, go to File>Export.... This will bring up the Export Settings where you have two options.
- Append tags to track names: If you want to add the [Tag] in front of track names in-game, keep this box checked.
- Use default logo: If you want to use the default logo instead of a custom one uploaded, tick this checkbox.
If the mod was exported successfully, a confirmation dialog will appear and the mod folder should be created in the same directory as your A3ZMMG executable. This folder will have all the necessary config files and tracks generated inside of it.
DO NOT CLOSE THE A3ZMMG SOFTWARE YET!
Open the Arma 3 Tools application on Steam and click on the Addon Builder option.
- Set the Addon Source Directory to the mod folder that was generated by A3ZMMG.
- Set the Destination directory to any folder you want the PBO to be generated to (I used the same folder).
- Make sure Binarize is unchecked or the music may not play properly in game!
- Press Pack and wait for the "Build Successful" message.
To quickly deploy your PBO as a mod, you can use A3ZMMG's addon packager by going to Tools>Build Addon... and selecting the PBO you just created in the Arma 3 Tools Addon Builder.
You will now have a folder that starts with an '@' symbol created in the same directory as your A3ZMMG executable.
Inside the Arma 3 Launcher, select the Local Mod option in the Mods menu.
Finally, load the mod and start up Arma 3. Your music will be in the Zeus menu under the project name. Happy mod making!
- tomj74's Chunk-Template Library
- Rob Camick's ListAction class
- Scarlet Aquiline's Custom music packs for Zeus module
- JThink's JAudioTagger Library
If you liked the project and want to show some appreciation, consider buying me a coffee!
