Add the Half-Life VOX/HEV TTS presets

CURRENT.md

@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ mobile draft at 390px.
   - [x] C11 preview caching: Discord-hosted image/GIF previews (WebP 320px, hash-addressed, 5 MiB
     cap, one attempt) run after every walk in both modes. Live run `...-20260916090722`:
     `previewed: 2`; thumbs served over `/api/media/<scrape>/<item>/thumb` (200).
+  - [x] C63 Half-Life presets. The wrapper now implements `VESKSLOP_TTS_PRESET=vox|hev` (Keith
+    Bell profile: VOX pitch 3/rate 17/prominence 22/head 52/volume 70, HEV pitch 15/rate 24,
+    expression 59; other voices untouched; preset < profile < expression; the `vox` preset implies
+    VOX prosody unless `VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX` is set). The daemon carries `tts.preset` (vox/hev/null),
+    per-line overrides on `/api/audio/speak` and MCP `speak`, the `VESKSLOP_TTS_PRESET` export and
+    `{preset}` placeholder, and the TTS panel has a preset select that auto-enables VOX (and drops
+    the preset if VOX is turned off). Wrapper syntax checked; preferences round-trip verified.
   - [x] C62 VOX prosody controls. The last open Veskslop-side item from the MicroslopSam design:
     `tts.vox` and `tts.voxClean` preferences (per-line overrides on `/api/audio/speak` and MCP
     `speak`), `VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX` / `VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX_CLEAN` exports plus `{vox}` / `{vox_clean}`

docs/voice.md

@@ -161,6 +161,10 @@ from the TTS panel:
   announcement energy; **clean** (`tts.voxClean`) drops the staccato wrapper. VOX outranks word
   mode and needs `python3` on the host. Both travel to the command provider as
   `VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX` / `VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX_CLEAN` (or the `{vox}` / `{vox_clean}` placeholders).
+  A **preset** select (`tts.preset`: factory, VOX, HEV) shifts the Keith Bell speaker profile to
+  the Half-Life approximation; `vox` also implies VOX prosody unless VOX is explicitly off, and
+  overrides travel as `VESKSLOP_TTS_PRESET` / `{preset}`. Precedence is preset < profile <
+  expression, so the sliders still win over the preset.
 - **Test lines** - Attention, Laboratory, Critical, Health, and Radiation, plus two custom lines
   kept in `localStorage`. Each button speaks the line with the current profile, so a change can be
   auditioned without touching the real queue.

microslopsam/setup/veskslop-tts.sh

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #                   VESKSLOP_TTS_ECHO         mono echo amount 0-100 (default 0)
 #                   VESKSLOP_TTS_WORDS        1 = synthesize each word, merge (Flextalk)
 #                   VESKSLOP_TTS_WORD_GAP_MS  silence between words in ms (0-500)
+#                   VESKSLOP_TTS_PRESET       vox | hev (Keith Bell profile preset; vox implies VOX)
 #                   VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX          1 = VOX prosody, NetTTS-style (Flextalk)
 #                   VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX_CLEAN    1 = VOX without the \!wH1/\!wH0 stutter
 #
@@ -52,6 +53,12 @@ WORDS=${VESKSLOP_TTS_WORDS:-0}
 WORD_GAP=${VESKSLOP_TTS_WORD_GAP_MS:-120}
 VOX=${VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX:-0}
 VOX_CLEAN=${VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX_CLEAN:-0}
+PRESET=${VESKSLOP_TTS_PRESET:-}
+
+# The vox preset implies VOX prosody unless the caller set VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX explicitly.
+if [ "$PRESET" = "vox" ] && [ -z "${VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX+x}" ]; then
+    VOX=1
+fi
 
 case "$VOICE" in
     sam)            ENGVOICE="Sam" ;;
@@ -173,6 +180,15 @@ if [ -n "$SPEAKER_GUID" ]; then
     P_LOWER=40
     P_EXPR=""
 
+    # Half-Life presets target Keith Bell only. Precedence: preset < VESKSLOP_TTS_PROFILE
+    # < VESKSLOP_TTS_EXPRESSION.
+    if [ "$ENGVOICE" = "Keith Bell" ]; then
+        case "$PRESET" in
+            vox) P_PITCH=3;  P_RATE=17; P_PROM=22; P_HEAD=52; P_LOWER=40; P_VOLUME=70; P_EXPR=59 ;;
+            hev) P_PITCH=15; P_RATE=24; P_PROM=22; P_HEAD=52; P_LOWER=40; P_VOLUME=70; P_EXPR=59 ;;
+        esac
+    fi
+
     if [ -n "$PROFILE" ]; then
         OLDIFS=$IFS
         IFS=','

poc/public/app.js

@@ -2027,6 +2027,7 @@ function fillProfileControls() {
     $("#tts-echo-value").textContent = Number($("#tts-echo").value) > 0 ? $("#tts-echo").value : "off";
 
     $("#tts-words").checked = state.speech.words === true;
+    $("#tts-preset").value = state.speech.preset ?? "";
     $("#tts-vox").checked = state.speech.vox === true;
     $("#tts-vox-clean").checked = state.speech.voxClean === true;
     $("#tts-vox-clean").disabled = state.speech.vox !== true;
@@ -2064,7 +2065,8 @@ function effectOptions() {
         words: $("#tts-words").checked,
         wordGapMs: Number($("#tts-word-gap").value),
         vox: $("#tts-vox").checked,
-        voxClean: $("#tts-vox-clean").checked
+        voxClean: $("#tts-vox-clean").checked,
+        preset: $("#tts-preset").value || null
     };
 }
 function syncVoiceControls(voices, selected) {
@@ -2743,6 +2745,17 @@ function init() {
     $("#tts-vox").addEventListener("change", () => {
         $("#tts-vox-clean").disabled = !$("#tts-vox").checked;
         $("#tts-words").disabled = $("#tts-vox").checked;
+        // The vox preset implies VOX; turning VOX off means "factory/custom" again.
+        if (!$("#tts-vox").checked && $("#tts-preset").value === "vox") $("#tts-preset").value = "";
+        void saveSpeech();
+    });
+    $("#tts-preset").addEventListener("change", () => {
+        // Picking the VOX preset turns on VOX prosody so the panel matches the engine.
+        if ($("#tts-preset").value === "vox") {
+            $("#tts-vox").checked = true;
+            $("#tts-vox-clean").disabled = false;
+            $("#tts-words").disabled = true;
+        }
         void saveSpeech();
     });
     $("#tts-vox-clean").addEventListener("change", () => void saveSpeech());

poc/public/index.html

@@ -556,6 +556,15 @@
                             <input id="tts-word-gap" type="range" min="0" max="500" step="10" value="120" />
                             <span id="tts-word-gap-value" class="vk-mono vk-dim">120ms</span>
                         </div>
+                        <div class="vk-profile-row">
+                            <span class="vk-micro-label">preset</span>
+                            <select id="tts-preset" class="input">
+                                <option value="">factory</option>
+                                <option value="vox">VOX (Black Mesa)</option>
+                                <option value="hev">HEV suit</option>
+                            </select>
+                            <span class="vk-mono vk-dim">Keith Bell</span>
+                        </div>
                         <div class="vk-profile-row">
                             <label class="vk-tts-check">
                                 <input id="tts-vox" type="checkbox" /> VOX prosody

poc/src/control-bridge.ts

@@ -563,7 +563,11 @@ function buildServer(): McpServer {
                 words: z.boolean().optional().describe("Synthesize each word and merge with gaps"),
                 wordGapMs: z.number().min(0).max(500).optional().describe("Silence between words in ms"),
                 vox: z.boolean().optional().describe("NetTTS-style VOX prosody (Flextalk voices)"),
-                voxClean: z.boolean().optional().describe("VOX without the staccato wrapper")
+                voxClean: z.boolean().optional().describe("VOX without the staccato wrapper"),
+                preset: z
+                    .enum(["vox", "hev"])
+                    .optional()
+                    .describe("Half-Life profile preset for the Keith Bell voice")
             }
         },
         async ({
@@ -579,7 +583,8 @@ function buildServer(): McpServer {
             words,
             wordGapMs,
             vox,
-            voxClean
+            voxClean,
+            preset
         }) =>
             jsonText(
                 await audio.speak(text, {
@@ -594,7 +599,8 @@ function buildServer(): McpServer {
                     words,
                     wordGapMs,
                     vox,
-                    voxClean
+                    voxClean,
+                    preset
                 })
             )
     );

poc/src/preferences.ts

@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ export interface TtsPreferences {
     vox: boolean;
     /** VOX without the staccato wrapper. */
     voxClean: boolean;
+    /** Half-Life profile preset for Keith Bell: vox, hev, or null for factory values. */
+    preset: "vox" | "hev" | null;
 }
 
 const PROFILE_RANGES: Record<string, [number, number]> = {
@@ -152,7 +154,8 @@ const DEFAULTS: WebPreferences = {
         words: false,
         wordGapMs: null,
         vox: false,
-        voxClean: false
+        voxClean: false,
+        preset: null
     },
     audio: { duck: true },
     favourites: { users: [], channels: [] },
@@ -348,7 +351,11 @@ export class PreferencesStore {
                 words: patch.tts?.words === true,
                 wordGapMs: normalizeRange(patch.tts?.wordGapMs, 0, 500),
                 vox: patch.tts?.vox === true,
-                voxClean: patch.tts?.voxClean === true
+                voxClean: patch.tts?.voxClean === true,
+                preset:
+                    patch.tts?.preset === "vox" || patch.tts?.preset === "hev"
+                        ? patch.tts.preset
+                        : null
             };
         }
 
@@ -415,7 +422,8 @@ export class PreferencesStore {
                 words: raw?.tts?.words === true,
                 wordGapMs: normalizeRange(raw?.tts?.wordGapMs, 0, 500),
                 vox: raw?.tts?.vox === true,
-                voxClean: raw?.tts?.voxClean === true
+                voxClean: raw?.tts?.voxClean === true,
+                preset: raw?.tts?.preset === "vox" || raw?.tts?.preset === "hev" ? raw.tts.preset : null
             },
             audio: {
                 duck: raw?.audio?.duck !== false

poc/src/tts.ts

@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ export interface TtsOptions {
     vox?: boolean;
     /** VOX without the staccato wrapper. */
     voxClean?: boolean;
+    /** Half-Life profile preset for Keith Bell: vox or hev. */
+    preset?: "vox" | "hev";
 }
 
 export interface TtsEngine {
@@ -354,6 +356,7 @@ export class Tts {
                           .replace("{word_gap_ms}", options.wordGapMs !== undefined ? String(options.wordGapMs) : "")
                           .replace("{vox}", options.vox ? "1" : "")
                           .replace("{vox_clean}", options.voxClean ? "1" : "")
+                          .replace("{preset}", options.preset ?? "")
                   )
             : ["espeak-ng", ...(options.voice ? ["-v", options.voice] : []), "-w", out, "-f", textFile];
 
@@ -379,7 +382,8 @@ export class Tts {
                         ? { VESKSLOP_TTS_WORD_GAP_MS: String(options.wordGapMs) }
                         : {}),
                     ...(options.vox ? { VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX: "1" } : {}),
-                    ...(options.voxClean ? { VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX_CLEAN: "1" } : {})
+                    ...(options.voxClean ? { VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX_CLEAN: "1" } : {}),
+                    ...(options.preset ? { VESKSLOP_TTS_PRESET: options.preset } : {})
                 },
                 stdio: ["ignore", "ignore", "pipe"]
             });

poc/src/webui.ts

@@ -510,7 +510,8 @@ export function startWebUi(deps: WebUiDeps): WebUiHandle {
                     words: tts?.words === true,
                     wordGapMs: tts?.wordGapMs ?? null,
                     vox: tts?.vox === true,
-                    voxClean: tts?.voxClean === true
+                    voxClean: tts?.voxClean === true,
+                    preset: tts?.preset === "vox" || tts?.preset === "hev" ? tts.preset : null
                 };
             }
 
@@ -760,6 +761,12 @@ export function startWebUi(deps: WebUiDeps): WebUiHandle {
                 req.body?.wordGapMs !== undefined ? Number(req.body.wordGapMs) : prefs.tts.wordGapMs ?? undefined;
             const vox = req.body?.vox !== undefined ? req.body.vox === true : prefs.tts.vox;
             const voxClean = req.body?.voxClean !== undefined ? req.body.voxClean === true : prefs.tts.voxClean;
+            const preset =
+                req.body?.preset === "vox" || req.body?.preset === "hev"
+                    ? req.body.preset
+                    : req.body?.preset === null || req.body?.preset === ""
+                      ? null
+                      : prefs.tts.preset;
 
             const result = await deps.audio.speak(text, {
                 provider: provider ?? undefined,
@@ -773,7 +780,8 @@ export function startWebUi(deps: WebUiDeps): WebUiHandle {
                 ...(words ? { words: true } : {}),
                 ...(Number.isFinite(wordGapMs) ? { wordGapMs } : {}),
                 ...(vox ? { vox: true } : {}),
-                ...(voxClean ? { voxClean: true } : {})
+                ...(voxClean ? { voxClean: true } : {}),
+                ...(preset ? { preset } : {})
             });
             deps.getPuppet()?.appendAction({
                 type: "audio",