by cri_oguchiComment Closed

CRI ADX(Unreal Engine) v1
Introduction 05 Streaming

What is streaming playback?

Streaming playback loads a file into memory from the storage device by small chunks and play them. As the whole file does not need to be loaded at once, less memory is needed.

Benefits

  • Lower memory footprint.
  • Faster loading times when transitioning between scenes

Disadvantages

  • Requires disk access
  • Time lag between the issue of the playback command and the actual playback (however, there is a way to avoid this).

For more information, see Streaming Types.

How to set up streaming playback?

The configuration is done in CRI Atom Craft.
For more information, please see "CRI Atom Craft Introduction.02 / Compression Settings, Streaming Playback Settings."
The "ADX data" distributed in "Introduction to this tutorial.01" includes a Cue named "stream_bgm" set for streaming playback, so please use this.

Before streaming

To avoid any confusion, please remove the sound that you placed in the level in the previous tutorial (Introduction.04 / Playing Sound).

Streaming playback procedure

Check the location of the AWB file

Make sure that the "SimpleMusicAcb.awb" file is placed in the "Unreal project folder/Content/CriWare/Sounds/Tutorial" folder.
If it is not located there, go back to "Introduction.02 / Importing ADX data" and import it as described.

Note
Make sure you import the AWB file instead of copying it manually.
This is because the appropriate settings are automatically made during import.
There is also a way to manually copy and set the AWB file, but it is not covered in this introductory guide.

Editing project settings

  • Open your UE5 project and go to the "Packaging" page in "Project Settings".

  • Display the advanced settings in the Packaging section.

  • In the "Additional non-asset directories to package" field, specify the "[Unreal project folder]/Content/CriWare/Sounds" folder.

Placing Cues in a level

Drag and drop the “SimpleMusicAcb_stream_bgm_Cue” asset onto the level.


When you start the game, the sound will play.
Although you can't tell it with your eyes or ears, that sound is being streamed!

Tips

Why set the "Additional non-asset directories to package" in the Project Settings?

If you do not set this, the AWB file will not be included in the package.
This results in a no-sound issue with streaming playback.
If you get an error message stating that the AWB file cannot be found, first check that this setting is correct.

What is a Cue?

Please see the glossary.