Sound Control Option and Hotkeys / Some Key Combination (ALT+TAB?) Disables Sound Option

Post your ideas and suggestions how to improve the game.

Moderator: ickputzdirwech

hansson
Burner Inserter
Burner Inserter
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 10:31 pm
Contact:

Sound Control Option and Hotkeys / Some Key Combination (ALT+TAB?) Disables Sound Option

Post by hansson »

This is a simple suggestion: add hotkeys for controlling in-game sound and music. For example, by default, ctrl+M would enable/disable in-game music, ctrl+S would enable/disable in-game sound, and so on. In addition, add checkboxes in the options menu, under "Sounds" presumably, for enabling/disabling the same things (along with the already existing relevant sliders).
User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12889
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Sound Control Option and Hotkeys

Post by ssilk »

So in general you want to have faster access to the (sound-)options?

Indeed useful, cause - unlike other games - the same piece of music is sometimes too loud and sometimes to silent, no matter what kind of surrounding the character currently is standing. I don't know why. :)
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...
hansson
Burner Inserter
Burner Inserter
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 10:31 pm
Contact:

Re: Sound Control Option and Hotkeys

Post by hansson »

Yes, in addition to it being easier to toggle sound and music instead of working the sliders back and forth, forgetting the exact configuration you had them in and so on. This is a common feature in many games.

I haven't experienced the volume difference you are describing however. Not so I have noticed it in any case. Sounds like a bug?
wraithjuggler
Burner Inserter
Burner Inserter
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:31 pm
Contact:

ALT+TAB Disables Sound Option

Post by wraithjuggler »

TL;DR
A option in settings where you can disable all Factorio audio when you are tabbed out of the game. (Or disable all audio except Alerts)

What ?
You guys should add a checkbox that can either enable or disable Factorio audio when you alt+TAB or when Factorio is not selected so that way you can't hear the sounds of wind or your factory while watching a youtube video or stuff along the lines of that. This option should be displayed under Sound Settings. In my opinion, if this feature is to be implemented, it should disable all sound EXCEPT alerts.
Image

Here is a example from World of Warcraft for what I mean:
Image
Why ?
It is a nice little addition to the game that in my opinion has no downsides to it. This is also a fairly common feature in many games, and I get annoyed having to open my volume mixer everytime I want to AFK while I'm doing a really long research.
choco491
Manual Inserter
Manual Inserter
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed May 22, 2019 10:44 am
Contact:

Re: ALT+TAB Disables Sound Option

Post by choco491 »

I was about to post a suggestion about this. This very much needs to be added, it's a pretty easy feature and it'd massively help us out who go AFK or alt-tab to watch youtube while gaming.
Rseding91
Factorio Staff
Factorio Staff
Posts: 14251
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2014 5:23 am
Contact:

Re: ALT+TAB Disables Sound Option

Post by Rseding91 »

The idea sounds fine but the problems start showing up when you try this logic on anything except Windows. Linux and all the random desktop manages *love* to send false-flags to processes telling them they're focused/not minimized even if they still are and the other way around: telling a window it isn't focused even when it is.

The end result is the game would randomly mute your game even when you're still interacting with it.
If you want to get ahold of me I'm almost always on Discord.
wraithjuggler
Burner Inserter
Burner Inserter
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:31 pm
Contact:

Re: ALT+TAB Disables Sound Option

Post by wraithjuggler »

Rseding91 wrote: Fri May 24, 2019 10:44 pm The idea sounds fine but the problems start showing up when you try this logic on anything except Windows. Linux and all the random desktop manages *love* to send false-flags to processes telling them they're focused/not minimized even if they still are and the other way around: telling a window it isn't focused even when it is.

The end result is the game would randomly mute your game even when you're still interacting with it.
There should be a work around for this though, right? I mean they've had this option working fine on World of Warcraft and other games. If not, you could just limit this feature to Windows only.
User avatar
eradicator
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 5207
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2016 9:03 am
Contact:

Re: ALT+TAB Disables Sound Option

Post by eradicator »

Rseding91 wrote: Fri May 24, 2019 10:44 pm The end result is the game would randomly mute your game even when you're still interacting with it.
I'd be perfectly fine if there was a simple hotkey (or better: API interface "player.mute=true") to mute all sound playback. That would also be useful when continuing to play while talking to someone. And could probably be used on linux to make the window manager send keys to factorio whe it sees fit.
Author of: Belt Planner, Hand Crank Generator, Screenshot Maker, /sudo and more.
Mod support languages: 日本語, Deutsch, English
My code in the post above is dedicated to the public domain under CC0.
wraithjuggler
Burner Inserter
Burner Inserter
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:31 pm
Contact:

Re: ALT+TAB Disables Sound Option

Post by wraithjuggler »

eradicator wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2019 10:50 am
Rseding91 wrote: Fri May 24, 2019 10:44 pm The end result is the game would randomly mute your game even when you're still interacting with it.
I'd be perfectly fine if there was a simple hotkey (or better: API interface "player.mute=true") to mute all sound playback. That would also be useful when continuing to play while talking to someone. And could probably be used on linux to make the window manager send keys to factorio whe it sees fit.
That would also work pretty well.
wraithjuggler
Burner Inserter
Burner Inserter
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:31 pm
Contact:

Re: ALT+TAB Disables Sound Option

Post by wraithjuggler »

Bump
User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12889
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Sound Control Option and Hotkeys / Some Key Combination (ALT+TAB?) Disables Sound Option

Post by ssilk »

i bump back by joining into older thread and fixing thread title to that direction
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...
sticklord
Burner Inserter
Burner Inserter
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2018 4:13 pm
Contact:

Re: Sound Control Option and Hotkeys / Some Key Combination (ALT+TAB?) Disables Sound Option

Post by sticklord »

+1

I'd also like to see ctrl+s to mute sound and ctrl+m to mute music
Donion
Factorio Staff
Factorio Staff
Posts: 302
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2021 9:18 am
Contact:

Re: Sound Control Option and Hotkeys / Some Key Combination (ALT+TAB?) Disables Sound Option

Post by Donion »

Bump successful, I may have seen this thread in the past but forgot.
For 2.0 there will be an option to bind a key to pause music which is practically the same as muting it.
I was considering another keybind to mute all sounds but I haven't actually done it, I may reconsider.
Megouski
Burner Inserter
Burner Inserter
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 7:34 pm
Contact:

Re: Sound Control Option and Hotkeys / Some Key Combination (ALT+TAB?) Disables Sound Option

Post by Megouski »

Why is this something to consider? Please just add a mute key and/or a option to mute in background. This is a basic game feature. Its like 'considering' adding a feature to change game resolution.

Please.
Post Reply

Return to “Ideas and Suggestions”