https://github.com/vgmstream/vgmstream
vgmstream - A library for playback of various streamed audio formats used in video games.
https://github.com/vgmstream/vgmstream
audio c codec decoder foobar2000 vgm vgmstream winamp
Last synced: 3 months ago
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vgmstream - A library for playback of various streamed audio formats used in video games.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/vgmstream/vgmstream
- Owner: vgmstream
- License: other
- Created: 2012-08-28T20:08:24.000Z (almost 13 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2025-04-01T23:17:15.000Z (3 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-04-02T00:24:25.671Z (3 months ago)
- Topics: audio, c, codec, decoder, foobar2000, vgm, vgmstream, winamp
- Language: C
- Homepage: https://vgmstream.org
- Size: 38.8 MB
- Stars: 1,757
- Watchers: 41
- Forks: 183
- Open Issues: 20
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: COPYING
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README
# vgmstream
This is vgmstream, a library for playing streamed (prerecorded) video game audio.
Some of vgmstream's features:
- Decodes [hundreds of video game music formats and codecs](doc/FORMATS.md), from typical
game engine files to obscure single-game codecs, aiming for high accuracy and compatibility.
- Support for looped BGM, using file's internal metadata for smooth transitions, with accurate
sample counts.
- [Subsongs](doc/USAGE.md#subsongs), playing a format's multiple internal songs separately.
- Many types of companion files (data split into multiple files) and custom containers.
- Encryption keys, internal stream names, and other unusual cases found in game audio.
- [TXTH](doc/TXTH.md) function, to add external support for extra formats, including raw audio in
many forms.
- [TXTP](doc/TXTP.md) function, for real-time and per-file config, like forced looping, removing
channels, playing certain subsong, or fusing multiple files into a single one.
- Simple [external tagging](doc/USAGE.md#tagging) via .m3u files.
- [Plugins](#getting-vgmstream) are available for various media player software and operating systems.
The main development repository: https://github.com/vgmstream/vgmstream/
Automated builds with the latest changes: https://vgmstream.org
(https://github.com/vgmstream/vgmstream-releases/releases/tag/nightly)
Numbered releases: https://github.com/vgmstream/vgmstream/releases
Help can be found here: https://www.hcs64.com/
More documentation: https://github.com/vgmstream/vgmstream/tree/master/doc
## Getting vgmstream
There are multiple end-user components:
- [vgmstream-cli](doc/USAGE.md#testexevgmstream-cli-command-line-decoder): A command-line decoder.
- [in_vgmstream](doc/USAGE.md#in_vgmstream-winamp-plugin): A Winamp plugin.
- [foo_input_vgmstream](doc/USAGE.md#foo_input_vgmstream-foobar2000-plugin): A foobar2000 component.
- [xmp-vgmstream](doc/USAGE.md#xmp-vgmstream-xmplay-plugin): An XMPlay plugin.
- [vgmstream.so](doc/USAGE.md#audacious-plugin): An Audacious plugin.
- [vgmstream123](doc/USAGE.md#vgmstream123-command-line-player): A command-line player.
The main library (plain *vgmstream*) is the code that handles the internal conversion, while the
above components are what you use to get sound.
### Usage
If you want to convert game audio to `.wav`, get *vgmstream-cli* then drag-and-drop one
or more files to the executable (support may vary per O.S. or distro). This should create
`(file.extension).wav`, if the format is supported. You can also try the online web player
instead. See: https://vgmstream.org
More user-friendly would be installing a player like *foobar2000* (on Windows) or *Audacious*
(on Linux) and the vgmstream plugin. Then you can directly listen your files and set options like
infinite looping, or convert to `.wav` with the player's options (also easier to use if your file
has multiple "subsongs").
See [components](doc/USAGE.md#components) in the *usage guide* for full install instructions and
explanations. The aim is feature parity, but there are a few differences between them due to
missing parts on vgmstream's side or lack of support in the player.
Note that vgmstream cannot *encode* (convert from `.wav` to a game format), it only *decodes*
(plays game audio).
### Windows binaries
Prebuilt binaries:
- https://vgmstream.org (latest)
- https://github.com/vgmstream/vgmstream/releases (infrequent numbered releases)
The foobar2000 component is also available on https://www.foobar2000.org based on current
release.
You may also try the alternative versions (irregularly) built by [bnnm](https://github.com/bnnm):
- https://github.com/bnnm/vgmstream-builds/raw/master/bin/vgmstream-latest-test-u.zip
Or compile from source, see the [build guide](doc/BUILD.md).
### Linux binaries
A prebuilt CLI binary is available. It's statically linked and should work on systems running
Linux kernel v3.2 and above:
- https://vgmstream.org (latest)
- https://github.com/vgmstream/vgmstream/releases (infrequent numbered releases)
Building from source will also give you *vgmstream.so* (Audacious plugin), and *vgmstream123*
(command-line player), which can't be statically linked.
When building it needs several external libraries. For a quick script for Debian and Ubuntu-style
distros run `./make-build-cmake.sh`. The script will need to install dependencies first, so you
may prefer to run steps manually, which the [build guide](doc/BUILD.md) describes in detail.
### macOS binaries
A prebuilt CLI binary is available:
- https://vgmstream.org (latest)
- https://github.com/vgmstream/vgmstream/releases (infrequent numbered releases)
Otherwise follow the [build guide](doc/BUILD.md).
## More info
- [Usage guide](doc/USAGE.md)
- [List of supported audio formats](doc/FORMATS.md)
- [Build guide](doc/BUILD.md)
- [TXTH file format](doc/TXTH.md)
- [TXTP file format](doc/TXTP.md)
Enjoy! *hcs*