Using Syrinscape

[Grinster]

I'm very interested in using Syrinscape with my FGU games but I'm having some difficulty finding an information source that clearly and succinctly provides answers to the following questions:


What is required to run Syrinscape with FGU in terms of the level of the Syrinscape subscription and sounds or sounds packages that need to be purchased from either Syrinscape or Smiteworks?
What are the steps a DM needs to follow to correctly integrate the use of Syrinscape into a FGU supported game?


I've watched a few videos, and visited the Syrinscape website, but the support videos tend to assume a certain level of technical knowledge and understanding that I need to acquire or show how to build compilations of sounds to use within a game. I'm looking for the very basic information of what software and support packages are required and all associated setup.

[ddavison]

Currently, a Super Syrin subscription is required to access all the sounds in Sound Link Packs provided for sale by Fantasy grounds. If you have a lesser sub, then some of the sounds may work and others will not. If you want to build your own sounds, then you can either go with any kind of subscription to Syrinscape, or with individual purchases from Syrinscape. When you build your own sound links, the interface will only show you sounds that you have available for your Syrinscape account.

This Wiki Page should help:
https://fantasygroundsunity.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FGCP/pages/2078932993/Using+Sound+Links

[Griogre]

From Syrinscape you currently need the $11 dollar a month, billed as $22 every two months "SuperSyrin Subscription": https://syrinscape.com/subscriptions/3-supersyrin/

If you play D&D 5E you want the FG store's Syrinscape Sound Link Packs for the Player's Handbook and Monster Manual.

This combo will get you up and running and generally mean that most monsters out of the Monster Manual will have a sound associated with their attack and damage rolls assuming something is targeted. Likewise assuming your player's are using weapons out of the PH they will have sounds as well.

If you get this all you generally have to do for combat sounds: hit, miss, damage is put the monster on the combat tracker. And all players have to do is target a monster - most likely all stuff that is happening already in your game.

So what about all the rest? What about monsters not in the monster manual?

The monster manual has enough monster sounds you can generally substitute something from the monster manual for something else not in it. IE there's a troll sound in the MM but if you use 3rd party stuff there are lots of different types of trolls, but you can just use the troll sound.

What about all those zillion of Syrinscape moods and other sounds? The SuperSyrinscape subscription give you everything but you don't really have to use it if you don't want to. I am a bit minimalist on mine. I usually just find a mood which is non-combat, ie Forest, Dungeon, Cave environment and tie it to the map image. I just run that until the party gets into a fight or changes environment (which for me is usually a different map). When they get into a fight I load the monsters into the combat tracker and start a combat mood associated with the monsters.

The prep for this is very quick just tie a mood or two to a map which is just drag and drop. Then go through and tie any monster that don't have a combat mood associated with it to a mood also drag and drop.

You can use the Syrinscape web player/controller but I don't. I usually just click the player link to get the audio - and start and stop the sounds using the player inside of FGU. One thing that may not be obvious when you trigger a new mood in Syrinscape it auto cross fades for you cutting down then off the old mood and starting up the new one. Personally, I use only moods 98% of the time.

[Grinster]

Thanks so much for the information ddavison and Griogre. What I found the most confusing was whether I would need to use the sound packs advertised by Syrinscape and linked to each subscription level, or the Smiteworks sound packs, or both.

[Griogre]

I think it's a common misconception that the Smiteworks modules are sound packs. They are just links creating a bridge (or middleware) between creatures out of the Monster Manual / Weapons out of the PH and Syrinscape sounds.

You could do it all yourself, but unless you have a lot of free time it's just not worth creating all that yourself, IMO.

[Grinster]

Hi Griorge,

I picked up the SuperSyrin subscription, and purchased the PHB and MM sound links packs, but I've run into difficulties with my players being able to hear all the sounds that I can clearly hear when I trigger them within FGU.

We've gone over the outlined steps to use Syrinscape from within FGU (provide the authorization key, generate the session, provide the invite) but not one of the five players can hear the sounds that I'm cueing as mood music and one-offs. After about two to three hours of trying everything I can think of doing, I and my players are totally stumped.

[Moon Wizard]

Are the players opening the player link that you shared with them in their web browser?

The Syrinscape sounds play from the web browser on both the GM and player machines using the Syrinscape web player.

Regards,
JPG

[ddavison]

Once the web page opens, I believe there is also a prompt from the browser to access the speakers. Make sure they wait for that webpage to fully load. Once loaded, they can minimize the web browser or just leave it running in the background behind FGU.

[Grinster]

Yes, each of the five players opened Syrinscape from the provided link in FGU, selected "Yes to all" in the pop-up window, and then kept Syrinscape playing while they are logged into FGU, and I, as the DM, also have the Syrinscape web player running.

I feel like we're missing something very simple...but we can't identify the solution.

[ddavison]

Can you test that URL from your mobile device to see if you can hear the sounds playing through there?

[ddavison]

If you are trying them now, you can PM me the Invite URL and I can listen to see if I hear anything playing.

[Trenloe]

One of the things to check is that the GM browser playing the sounds has the same session ID as the player browser - if they're different then the player won't hear what the GM is hearing. Detailed information regarding this can be found in this post: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?78507-Syrinscape-integration-only-if-I-share-my-initial-link-can-everyone-else-hear-it&p=692545&viewfull=1#post692545

[Grinster]

Well...the only mobile device I have is my Android supported phone. Is that what you mean by trying to connect to Syrinscape using the generated URL through my phone?

My apologies here. I've been working from my home as a virtual employee for the last ten years and have little need for any sort of mobile device such as a laptop or tablet.

[Trenloe]

Is that what you mean by trying to connect to Syrinscape using the generated URL through my phone?
Yep.

[Grinster]

It appears the session ID was the issue. I had one of my players join this evening and we walked through every step in very slow motion. Getting the session ID straightened out solved the issue. Thanks so much Trenloe for your help, and also everyone else who had so much patience with a very non-techie person!

[Trenloe]

It appears the session ID was the issue. I had one of my players join this evening and we walked through every step in very slow motion. Getting the session ID straightened out solved the issue. Thanks so much Trenloe for your help, and also everyone else who had so much patience with a very non-techie person!
Thats great news! Can't have your players missing out on the cool Syrinscape sounds. Game on (with sounds)... :)

[Laerun]

Hi Griorge,

I picked up the SuperSyrin subscription, and purchased the PHB and MM sound links packs, but I've run into difficulties with my players being able to hear all the sounds that I can clearly hear when I trigger them within FGU.

We've gone over the outlined steps to use Syrinscape from within FGU (provide the authorization key, generate the session, provide the invite) but not one of the five players can hear the sounds that I'm cueing as mood music and one-offs. After about two to three hours of trying everything I can think of doing, I and my players are totally stumped.

Make sure that they are connected to the correct campaign. If they are already part of an existing or previous session they should potentially leave that one. You can also be accessing a different Syrinscape session than you shared with your players.