Surround sound in BF2/PR - Way to test OpenAL?

[Mikemonster]

Hi guys,

Currently I have a Xonar D2 sound card, which is supposed to give 3D sound using OpenAL. The speakers are set up correctly (no doubt about this) and the 3D sound works in other games with newer sound processing software. I just want to find out if OpenAL is working.


I found the 'SoundEngineTest' app in the BF2 install folder - Is this working?

If not, is there any other way to test if BF2 is using OpenAL?



ALCapsviewer :


I've tried reinstalling drivers, OpenAL, etc etc and BF2 still won't give me surround sound.

[Mikemonster]

Low detail screenshot of SoundEngineTest:

Everything seems to be an error.

[LITOralis.nMd]

I'm not up to date on this soundcard.

Quick google search shows vista/xonar2/bf2 has problems with surround sound.

Possible solution 1: completely uninstall drivers, then reinstall drivers from Asus:
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. - Multimedia


Possible Solution 2: A quick google search shows some people using this software to get OpenAL to work with vbf2. However IDK if it works, if it works with PR, or if it will cause various other problems, suchas PB kick or BSOD or whatnot.

rapture 3d
Rapture3D 2.4.11 Released | Blue Ripple Sound

Caveat Emptor, I don't have a xonar card to test any of this, it's a wild arsed guess.

[Mikemonster]

Thanks!

Already gone through installing every version of the drivers out there, including unified ones (by Daniel K).

I'll try Rapture3D, worth a punt.


People have got 5.1 successfully working in BF2, including the DS3D GX mode that emulates EAX support:

Asus Xonar DS 7.1 PCI Sound Card Review - Results

Next up, I tested Battlefield 2, one of the few games that originally made heavy usage of EAX features on vast open ended multiplayer maps where up to 64 players produced sounds. EAX 5.0 was designed to support 128 simultaneous voices and up to 4 effects, hence Battlefield's reliance on this technology. Surprisingly using the Xonar DS, I was able to select the Creative X-Fi option in the audio window and Ultra-high was selectable. Although the Xonar does not support EAX 5.0 on a hardware level, it does so by intercepting DirectSound 3D and EAX calls produced in game and redirecting them to ASUS's own DS3D GX audio engine which does a good job replicating those effects. However, in game I noticed a lot of popping and squealing sounds even during quiet game play. Lowering the setting to high did not solve those issues. That said, the actual audio quality was on par with the X-Fi, and all bullets shots were accurate. The slight rustle of the player's backpack and clothes can be heard crisply as he runs. None of the sounds produced were muffled at all, and everything was clear. However the popping sounds does get distracting and may adversely impact your gameplay.

That EAX emulator runs on OpenAL, leading me to believe that my problem is due to something in OpenAL. My DS3D GX emulator does not work - BF2 does not recognise it and I can't use the X-Fi sound setting like most people are able to.

I don't really care about EAX, however I have a really nice home assembled hi-fi system and it's frustrating to be playing in stereo.

Note: BF2 VOIP comes through CENTRE channel [no others].. So obviously the game knows in some capacity that I have more than just Stereo speakers..? Or is VOIP a Windows process and not related to BF2's own sound output?

[BloodyDeed]

VOIP isnt rendered by OpenAL compared to the rest of the game.
Don't have any solution for ya yet, will look into it.

[Mikemonster]

Thanks Deed, it's really appreciated. Based on others' accounts of the Xonar working with BF2 in 5.1 i'm tempted to try reinstalling Vista.. But obviously a bit reluctant.

Just installed and tried Rapture3D, unfortunately it didn't work in giving BF2 surround sound (still in Stereo unfortunately). But it did recognise the correct speakers in the 'Speaker Layout' device (i.e. the sound played correctly from each individual speaker.

I'll play more with it to see if I need to force it in some way.. My over-riding hunch though is that I have an OpenAL problem, hence trying to find a tool to test it.

I've had a look for such a tool and couldn't find one, i'm sure something exists though. There is a reference to an OpenAL Compatibility Test app online, but the link was removed (I even registereed on the forums and checked their download section with no luck).

Edit: Thread i'm on about is here http://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/thread-1677.html

EDIT2: I've reinstalled OpenAL numeerous times but it all points to a problem somewhere along the way.. Bearing in mind that the OpenAL imitator in the ASUS Xonar Control Panel (DS3D GX) doesn't work for me in any driver install i'm beginning to wonder if something is missing and that's what's causing the problem.~

HSmgr.exe and HSmgr64.exe both exist and are running, so it's activated..

EDIT3: Sorry to ask again guys, but is the SoundEngineTest program in the Battlefield 2 folder functional?

[MaSSive]

I dont have any advanced sound card, but I did quick search and this thread says something about copying openal driver to bf2 directory and replacing bf2 original one.

Make sure to do backup first.

This is latest openal driver in case you need it.

Test image from post #2 says that it couldn't open some wav file, so it couldn't complete the test. That why there are errors.

[LITOralis.nMd]

First off, Dev RHino owned your Xonar card for a short time and ditched it he had so much trouble.

Second, I searched the PR forum archive and found this:

Woooah guys, don't write off the Asus Xonar DX for gaming, I have been using it for PR for ages and it sounds brilliant. YOU MUST SET ITS SETTINGS PROPERLY!

To setup Asus Xonar DX to get it to work well with BF2/PR do this:

- Install latest drivers!

Firstly you CANNOT just plug-in/install drivers and play BF2, your sound quality will be pitiful.

- Go into your Xonar DX Audio Center (Black logo with blue bubbles), on the right you will see a volume dial, below this is 5 icons with the text "DSP Mode" just below.
- Select the two bottom icons (Icons are called Game and DS3D GX 2.0), I am not exactly sure what the game button does technically however the DS3D GX 2.0 button turns on the EAX Emulation (Allows EAX to work).

You are not done with settings yet but you are done with the settings for the Xonar DX Audio Center.

- Now you need to run PR, get into the game so you have the main menu on screen.

- Go into you Options and Audio settings, at the top you will see the drop down box "Audio Renderer" you want to select Creative X-Fi, this setting is similar to hardware in terms of allow processing on the Sound Card instead of CPU but adds the ability to set Ultra High sound quality.
- The next box down is "Sound Quality" set that to Ultra High.
- Click the check box "Enable EAX" (You want to see an "X" in it) if it isn't already.

You now have the maximum quality audio settings configured, I have had a very good experience with these settings, full surround sound for those that can use it and the added advantage of EAX. Not exactly sure of the benifits of EAX other than things sounding differently when being inside or out of a building in-game (In your character).

Issues:
I have noticed some very audible clicking sounds when running PR that seemed to occur very regularly in-game and was triggered more often when crouching, jumping, reloading and shooting etc.
I think the issue was with a particular driver version and it seems to be almost gone with the version I am running (Audio Driver Version 7.12.8.1775). I do still hear it occasionally, maybe once or twice every minute or two but it maybe even less as I don't even notice it now or maybe only when first starting play.

[LITOralis.nMd]

So I found this online.. which Rhino had mentioned in passing after he ditched his xonar card.

1) Creative introduced X-Fi range in 2005 and got much applause for this, as the new chip was quite an achievement. But as time passed and Vista came along new powerful sound cards came to market including Asus Xonar.

2) At its launch Xonar was marketed as EAX 2.0 card. As this is a standard from the late 90s this could not sell well to gamers so ASUS readied an update which claimed EAX 5.0 support.

3) EAX 3,4 and 5 are Direct X extensions proprietary to Sound Blaster. Some companies licence this e.g. Auzentech - with their Prelude card. ASUS does not. People here and elsewhere thought they do. But it appears they instead implemenetd an algorithm that aproximates what might have sounded like EAX - but it does not. ASUS admitted yesterday:

"Our implementation is not a 1:1 reproduction of EAX 5.0."

Well, if it is not 1:1 then it is not EAX 5.0. Coding is about zeros and ones, so you can't really bend that truth...
Creative say Xonar it is not EAX 3 or 4 either, consequently:

4) Creative have issued a statement in which they accuse Asus about false advertizing:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multime...X_Support.html
Two days later ASUS fired back:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multime...xtensions.html

For the time being it is not about truth, but PR statements of two large companies that talk $. We have yet to see any decent tests to see what the truth is ...

Interesting, nonetheless.

[Mikemonster]

Thanks Massive, I've already tried that (replacing the BF2openal file, etc).

With regards to the Sound Test not playing the .wav file, is this because the SoundTest program is non-functional, or because the .wav file is rendered through OpenAL?


Thanks as well Litoralis - I already knew that the EAX emulation wasn't perfect or necessarily workable (although the above posts state that it is, in some capacity).

My real problem is no surround sound (only stereo in game).. I can't understand why surround sound doesn't work, EAX or not. Like I said, all the speakers are set up correctly (VOIP comes through the centre channel).


Cheers guys!

[MaSSive]

Thanks Massive, I've already tried that (replacing the BF2openal file, etc).

With regards to the Sound Test not playing the .wav file, is this because the SoundTest program is non-functional, or because the .wav file is rendered through OpenAL?

Not sure. It says "Failed to open/parse..." so that either means that file does not exist, so there is nothing to open, or the file is corrupted so it cant parse it. I doubt its a broken driver.

[Mikemonster]

Cheers Massive, I think I might try a vista reinstall.