Editing SFX

BARS

Splatoon 2's sound effects are stored in BARS files in Sound/Resource, including all the SFX for Octo Expansion (which only adds Streamed audio files, which are used for ambience, music tracks and SFX baked into cutscenes). Each BARS file contains a Meta Data folder with amta files and Audio folder with bfwav files.

Preparing New Sounds

First, copy the .bars file into a convenient place, then extract all the original .bfwav files to a new folder. Make sure the files in this folder remain unedited, both to use as reference and for their use in repackaging the .bars file. While the exact limits of what is acceptable are unknown, it is advisable to try to match the metadata of the original when making a new sound effect. Save your new SFX as .wav files.

The next step involves the Citric Composer. Install it, run it, and select the Isabelle tool. You can use this tool to import your new .wav files, export to NX Wave (.bfwav), then use Tools→Game File to Game File to re-process the .bfwav, making sure the version of this new file is the same as the .bfwav found in the base game's files. Make sure the new files has the same name as the files you wish to replace, and store them in a separate folder.

Next we use BotWTool's Bars Injector. This is a python script, meaning you need to have python installed. The readme describes how to use it, using the previously described original .bars, the extracted bfwav folder and the folder with your new bfwav files. The script will skip any files that do not have new versions. If all is successful, and new file called output.bars should be created. Place it into the SD card's [GAME_ID]/Sound/Resource folder, rename it to the file it is replacing, and play the game in an attempt to find a place where it plays. If something has gone wrong, the game will crash upon trying to play the new SFX. Otherwise, enjoy your new SFX.