Will Syrinscape run in the background on iPads and Android Tablets - HELP TESTING

Syrinscape uses the super powerful Unity engine for its 3D surround audio. At the moment that’s what’s stopping it from going into the background. Think of Syrinscape more as a fully fledged sequencer than a music player playing a single mp3. Often Syrinscape is playing back 20 or more samples simultaneously, each with dynamic positioning, reverb and even doppler effects.

1 Like
2 Likes

I’m not sure how the remote/master feature allows for background sound, so I will try to explain my use case.

While GMing, I only use my iPad, so I use Syrinscape from there. If I change to another app (check some rules for example) Syrinscape stops playing. I’ve been able to avoid it by using the multi view introduced in iOS recently. but that forces me to use Syrinscape always in at least half my screen (the stretching for different aspect ratios is terrible).

The expected behaviour is for the music to keep playing even if I play the home button to check another app.

As you are using Unity, here’s some info on the subject. Last time I tried it in a test project it worked.

https://forum.unity.com/threads/how-do-i-get-the-audio-running-in-background-ios.319602/

3 Likes

Yeah. Looks like we got background playing sorted for the next version of the Players! Yay!

Plus a few other really useful features people have been asking for for a while = a volume control for OneShots. :smile:

Soooooon…

Any estimate on when that version will release? :slight_smile:

Coming…

Later than I want it…

…soon?!

*jumps up and down on the spot

Any new update? I would love to begin using your application :stuck_out_tongue:

1 Like

+1

As is it’s hard to use when immersion is broken every time you app switch. Plus the app’s graphics don’t aspect lock when resizing (split screen, iOS) resulting in unreadable text.

Yup.

Still waiting on good time from our Unity dev… this is almost ready for release…

…but Master/Minion… Christmas… budgets… time! :smiley:

It warms the cockles of my heart to know this is being worked on and (hopefully) close to available!

You see, I’ve been listening to a lot of RPG-style music on long drives, or as background noise in the office. This morning, I had a brainwave.

“Brain,” I said to my brain, “why are you hunting through Spotify for music, instead of making use of the Syrinscape subscription you already have?”

So I did. And Lo, it was Awesome.

For two minutes. Until I discovered that music ceased when I turned off my screen.

If I can have screen-off playback then I will be supremely happy.

Any update on this? Our group is ready to plunk down some cash for a new in-game music app and we’ve been waiting to see if the iOS update fixes our issues.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Sincerely,
Christopher & Group

www.dungeonanddragon.com

Public beta of our Master/minion player goes live next week (see the other posts). This new version of the player will allow for background playing of Syrinscape, even on iOS

1 Like

So just to be clear, the current iOS app won’t be updated?
The ‘fix’ is to run through a browser?

1 Like

Current status:

  1. Android App next version will play in the background (after some addition testing etc)
  2. iOS looks MUCH harder (due to… Apple being difficult)
  3. Master/Minion will allow people to control an instance of Syrinscape running remotely (via a browser)
  4. So yes, solution is:
    a) run Syrinscape on a phone or tab or PC plugged into a stereo system somewhere nearby
    b) control Syrinscape from a browser window in your ipad
    c) now you can have this browser in the background whenever you like without the sound stopping = the browser is just sending MOOD and OneShot clicks to the Minion Player (over there)

Cools?!?

Thanks for the clarification, luck!

1 Like

Is that a temporary solution, or is that just final? I get iOS is harder, but I would still appreciate it in future updates. A nice thing about using a tablet is that I can use it when I don’t have the option to use a computer, or have a sound system nearby.

2 Likes

My instructions to the dev team:
“Syrinscape playing in the background is the Holy Grail. Whoever works it out first gets MUCH beer.”

On Android: at the moment: we have it going into the background… but it stops once each of the current samples has finished playing… Almost there.

Stay tuned!

1 Like

Thanks for the update. I know getting everything perfect can’t be easy, and I do appreciate all you do! Syrinscape brought the session to life when I introduced my friends to D&D.

1 Like

:smile:

[additional characters in addition to the smile, but what I mainly mean is the smile]

I will add my beer as well. If I ever go to Australia :wink:

I am running games at D&D AL locally and use Syrinscape on my Tablet since it’s easier to take it into the pub or store. But I also have my own DM screen with rules in PDF on the tablet and cannot use them both at the same time.

Would be glad to have them work in background. The other issue is with power drain. Syrinscape seems to be not optimized (or maybe it’s also Unity fault, although other games work better I think) and consumes battery really fast. Day-to-day I can use my tablet for a week. But when the game session comes, from 90% I go to 18% in 6 hours. This is a really bad result (even with screen backlight at the lowest level).

So… Big +1 for the background play. Would love it!