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AudioUtil

AudioUtil is an SKSE64 plugin (a C++ DLL built on CommonLibSSE-NG for Skyrim SE 1.6.1170, all-runtime) plus a small Papyrus API layer. It plays loose WAV files directly by folder path — with no SNDR/SOUN sound-descriptor forms and no ESP edits.

Point it at a folder of .wav files and call AudioUtil.PlayVoice(actor, "Category") from Papyrus. The plugin resolves which voice pack the actor uses, shuffle-picks a file from the category folder, plays it as a 3D sound that follows the actor, and — for loose PCM wavs — drives the actor's mouth in sync with the clip's loudness.

This is a dependency, not a standalone mod

The plugin is game-neutral and ships SFW by default: the bundled AudioUtil.toml defines no voice slots and no SFX. Content mods (voice-slot / category / SFX mappings) are shipped by consumer mods that overwrite that TOML through load order. These pages are the developer reference for authors building on AudioUtil — the Papyrus API and the TOML config schema. All examples use neutral placeholder categories (BattleCry, Taunt, …).

What it gives you

  • Folder-based voice playback — PlayVoice(actor, category) resolves the actor's voice slot (per-NPC pin → voicetype → race → default by sex) and shuffle-picks a wav from <slot>\<category>\. No repeats until the bag empties.
  • SFX, files, and folders — PlaySFX, PlayFile (loose or BSA-packed), PlayFolder.
  • Tag-scored pools — files inside a category may carry tags (subfolders, [bracketed] filenames, a _tags.toml manifest); PlayVoiceTagged(actor, category, facts) picks the best-matching pool, untagged files stay the always-valid floor. Vocabulary is defined by the consumer's [tags] config — dormant without one. See Tag-Scored Pools.
  • Per-instance & group control — every Play* returns an int handle: stop it, revolume it, query duration. Group volumes and ducking apply live to all members; channels give exclusivity lanes (a new line on a channel stops the previous one).
  • Automatic lipsync — reads the wav's amplitude envelope and drives the MFG Aah/BigAah phonemes per frame. No .lip baking, no dialogue records; works for any loose PCM wav.
  • PPA bridge — optional integration with the third-party Accurate Penetration plugin, republishing depth/context to Papyrus as throttled mod events. See AudioUtilPPA.
  • TomlUtil — a generic, audio-independent TOML reader hosted by the same DLL, usable by any mod. See TomlUtil.

Start here

  • :material-language-lua: Papyrus API

    The functions you call from .psc. Start with Overview & Concepts for the handle / volume / group / channel model, then the per-script references.

  • :material-language-cpp: C++ API (SKSE plugins)

    Native inter-plugin exports mirroring the PlayFile natives — resolved at runtime via GetProcAddress, no link-time dependency.

  • :material-file-cog: TOML Configuration

    How a consumer mod's AudioUtil.toml maps voice slots, categories, and SFX. See Voice & Category Resolution for the lookup order and the full Config Reference.

  • :material-console: Console Commands

    Reload config and play test files from the in-game console (via ConsoleUtil Extended) while developing or troubleshooting.

Minimal example

; slot auto-resolved from the actor; shuffle-picks a file from the category folder
int h = AudioUtil.PlayVoice(npc, "BattleCry")

; volume + group, then a channel that replaces the actor's previous line
AudioUtil.PlayVoice(npc, "Taunt", 0.8, "npc_voice", "npc_main")

; block the calling thread until the clip ends
AudioUtil.PlayVoiceAndWait(npc, "BattleCry")

The changelog and downloads live on the GitHub releases page. AudioUtil is licensed under GPLv3.