Audio System Guide

Audio & Hydration Walkthrough

Master table-wide atmosphere, the signature Amber Compact Audio Deck, and tactile rotary knob volume control in Tektos for Foundry VTT v14.

1. The Compact Audio Deck

The baseline audio player in Tektos is the Compact Audio Deck, distinguished by its signature Amber theme and streamlined controls.

Tektos coordinates with native Foundry VTT Playlists while enforcing a strict rule against acoustic clutter: it prevents competing music tracks from playing over one another simultaneously. When a new atmospheric playlist or music cue is started, Tektos manages the transition gracefully.

2. The Built-in Audio Knob

For GMs equipped with physical rotary hardware surfaces, Tektos provides an official Audio Knob template out of the box:

Turn Left

Lowers table-wide Foundry music/playlist channel volume by 1% per notch.

Turn Right

Raises table-wide Foundry music/playlist channel volume by 1% per notch.

Press Knob

Toggles the Compact Audio Deck open or closed instantly on your screen.

Table Synchronization: When the GM adjusts music levels using the Audio Knob, the change is automatically synchronized in real time to all connected players at the virtual table.

3. Independent Duck Control

Tektos features an independent Duck control designed for voice clarity during dialogue, narration, or intense dramatic moments.

Crucially, Duck is separated from your base music volume: activating Duck temporarily scales audio down to the configured duck level without overwriting your baseline volume choice.

If you adjust table volume while Duck is active, the baseline volume remains recorded so that when Duck is released, music restores cleanly to your intended volume.

4. Audio Hydration

In Tektos, audio hydration refers to the mechanism by which game packages and sound libraries register structured soundscapes and playlist references cleanly into Foundry worlds.

Note on current baseline: Advanced features such as user-music custom library hydration and publisher-music substitutions are developer-facing and reserved for future updates. The current stable release focuses on playlist discipline, the Compact Audio Deck, and tactile knob management.