Originally Posted by Silenia
Actually, now that I've thought about it for a bit.. I think I'll let one of the forum admins here comment on it. I'm sure if it were not allowed in the game, then Cairenn would not allow it (sound files that quiet in game sounds) to be uploaded here for others to download. I know the one addon here that hides the gunshot sound has been around for a long time.
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I'm not a forum admin but I would like to comment on this subject.
I think the thread you referred to with a blue post in it responding to modifying sound files is not entirely clear. It could be misread as CHANGING the actual MPQ files and that is a violation of terms of use.
With the sound files you DON'T change the actual MPQ files.
you make a path OUTSIDE the MPQ files and put a zero-byte wav file at the end of the path. The game uses the path you have created instead the one imbedded inside the MPQ file where also the graphics, music and all other things of the game are stored.
Modifying the MPQ files is a violation of terms of use !!!
The MPQ files are 'protected' with a MD5 or hash checksum, if you modify the actual MPQ files you could get in big trouble because change in the MPQ files will be detected because the MD5 or equivalent checksums won't match anymore.
Blizzard won't be able to 'see' what you have changed, but since the checksums won't match they or the server will detect a change and you could be banned.
But SOUND files are changed OUTSIDE the MPQ files themselves. The MPQ files remain the same, nothing inside MPQ is altered and the original sound files are still there !.
So technically nothing has changed and the MD5 or whatever checksum used is NOT changed.
This path override is just how the game uses sound files.
It looks for paths inside the DATA folder first, if it can't find any then the game uses the sound files inside the MPQ files.
Those MPQ files are very big (2 Gb) and contain all the data of the game. Music, graphics, maps, etc..
Graphics can NOT be changed this way and is a violation of terms of use !
By graphics I mean the looks of your character, items, weapons, mine nodes, etc... I do NOT mean the UI (user interface) graphics like the portrait window with the health bar etc.
Why the distinction between graphics and sound ?
With change of sound you can't create an advantage in any way. It doesn't really alter gameplay at all.
Change of graphics CAN alter gameplay. Even when the changes are CLIENT side only and you are the only one to see the changes !
example: lets say you could change mine nodes into giants.
so evey mine you see looks like a giant and you could see them from a very long distance.
This is just one simple example, but you can imagine whatever other changes you could implement.
The changes of graphics are only visible to yourself, other people on their own computer won't see any change at all.
But still you could create an advantage when graphics are changed and you are the only one to see them.
It is considered ALTERING gameplay and that IS a violation and is a ban-able offense.
Back to the sound:
Some people have disabled the sound alltogether by turning off the sound in the options menu and rather listen to their favorite radio station or listening to a compact disc or Ipod while playing the game. Surely that wouldn't be considered an advantage in the game over people who do have all the sound turned on in the game ?
Because if change in sound would alter gameplay then people who don't have any ingame sound/music on, listening to a cd or whatever source of music would have an advantage ?
Then listening to music while playing wow and not listening to ingame sounds should be a violation of terms of use as well imho.
Would be the same as you would change a helicopter sound into silence. I think.