Overview
How to do it
TOOLS YOU’LL NEED
- HLMWadExplorer[github.com] (most up-to-date version)
- Audio editing software (Not necessarily need unless you want to edit the sound effects)
Step 1: Download HLMWadExplorer
In order to modify the sounds in the game, you’ll need a program called HLMWadExplorer. You can get it here[github.com]if you haven’t already gotten it.
Step 2: Open HLMWadExplorer
Open your HLMWadExplorer program.
I think the first time it opens it asks for the directory in which your Hotline Miami 2 copy is based. C:Users(USERNAME)DocumentsMy GamesHotlineMiami2 is where all your mods will be saved when they’re done.
The directory where you want the program to use is C:Program Files (x86)SteamSteamAppscommonHotline Miami 2.
(It might not be in Program Files (x86), depending on how you’re set up with games. You can easily find the directory by right-clicking Hotline Miami 2 in your Steam library, going to Properties, clicking the third tab called Local Files, and clicking Browse Local Files.)
Step 3: Set the base WAD
You’d think that sound effects would be included in the “hlm_music_desktop” wad file since that file concerns the audio portion of the game, but they are instead kept in the same file as you would find sprites.
Go to “File” and click “Change base wad…” Then select the “hlm_data_desktop.wad” file. If done correctly, your options should match the ones shown in the image below.
If your options don’t match the image above, you chose the wrong base wad.
NOTE: Attempting to open the “hlm2_patch_desktop.wad” file will cause the HLMWADExplorer program to crash, so don’t try to open it.
P.S. – If you came here looking for directions on how to mod the music files, I made a guide on how to modify them here.
Step 4: Selecting a sound + modding it
Once you’ve set the base wad correctly, it’s time to find a sound you want to replace. All the sounds have the same name they have while being previewed in the level editor, so it should be easy to find the sound you want to replace. Click the “+” sign on the “Sounds” category to extend the list of sound effects in the game. All sounds in the game are in .wav format, so make sure the file you are using to replace a sound is also in the .wav format. Here[audio.online-convert.com] is a good place to convert non-wav sounds into .wav format. It might change the sound quality in the conversion, so be aware of that. It’s best to have the sound be in .wav format to begin with.
Once we have found a sound to replace, click on the sound to highlight it. Then, click “Resource” and “Replace”. Then, locate the sound file you want to replace the selected sound with. Then, click “Save As…” and name your mod. (It should save to the “mods” file within your Hotline Miami 2 directory.)
Step 5: Merge Patch + test
Once you’ve got your mod saved to the correct place, you need to merge the .patchwad file into the base wad. To do this, go to “File” and select “Merge patch…” Then, locate the directory where your mod was saved to, and let the program apply the patch.
After the program has finished applying the patch, you can close the program and test the sound in game. Depending on what sound you replaced, you may need to create a “test” level using any character that can weild a weapon that uses the modded sound effect you created. If you replaced a sound for a cutscene (Explosions, the Director sound, etc…) then you need to make a cutscene and add the “Play Sound” action, and select the sound you replaced in the menu.
If the sound you replaced isn’t playing correctly, it’s likely you messed something up. Go to the “mods” folder and delete the mod you just created, and go through the process again, and pay attention to the steps listed above. If you’ve done this numerous times and are still having issues, leave a comment concerning it and I may be able to help. If it still doesn’t work, try to mod a different sound effect.
Or just give up like I do when things don’t go my way.