How is EAX supposed to work?

[Gracler]

I'm a bit confused to put this is support, bug or feedback since I'm not sure if it is a real problem or not.

I believe EAX helps to smooth the transitions between indoor and outdoor sound ambiance for example?
Now I have noticed on a map like Xiangshan at the temple Buddha where there is a archway, if I shoot when standing directly under it my sound completely change to "indoor" sound. Is it supposed to work this way? shouldn't it be a very subtle filtering since it is surrounded by "outdoor" room?

My soundcard is onboard Realtek ALC889 if that helps. How do I know if my hardware support EAX?

ps. EAX enabled or disabled is no different so maybe it is not an EAX related problem!!! or has bf2 never had the "smoothing" of sounds.... maybe im going crazy here

[Stealth Clobber]

BF2 engine isn't that advanced to deal with that. Even BF3 has hard transitions from indoor to outdoor sounds.

[RyanJC]

In the PR launcher under Support ---> Support Info, it'll say if EAX is supported by your hardware.

[-=anders=-]

Nah, those shots are just indoor shoot sounds that only (sadly) works with 1p fire sounds. EAX is another matter. Its the reverb you hear when youre running around or hearing things outside that echoes inside a small or larger building.

[Ninja2dan]

My soundcard is onboard Realtek ALC889 if that helps. How do I know if my hardware support EAX?

EAX is a feature through Creative sound cards. Although some other cards claim to "support" it, your best option to make sure you get the most out of it is to actually use a Creative card that supports the version of EAX that you need.

If you have any other audio software such as a "control panel" or mixer that is different from your O/S built-in, check to make sure you don't have any effects enabled. Trying to use a software-mode combined with a poor audio card, as opposed to hardware-mode on a decent card, can cause problems in sound quality.


Are you noticing any similar issues in other games? Or is it just BF2/PR that you hear the audio problems?

[Prevtzer]

EAX is a feature through Creative sound cards. Although some other cards claim to "support" it, your best option to make sure you get the most out of it is to actually use a Creative card that supports the version of EAX that you need.

Creative introduced EAX and locked it to 2.0 (32 voices, occlusion, reverb) for other manufactures, while they use EAX 5.0 (128 voices, reverb, more advanced occlusion and some other effects). So yeah, other manufactures do support it.

[Mikemonster]

If your card doesn't support the 5.0 version of EAX the box will remain greyed out in the Audio settings, to my knowledge.

[Gracler]

Thanks for the reply's all. I guess i'm just getting more sensitive since this is the first time I have realized the change in the sound being so dramatic .

How is the indoor vs outdoor sound calculated in bf2? is it controlled by "domes" or is it using something similar to a light-map or something completely different?

In other words does the level designer or modeler have any control on it?

[Prevtzer]

If your card doesn't support the 5.0 version of EAX the box will remain greyed out in the Audio settings, to my knowledge.

No.
....................

[Cassius]

EAX is a creative soundcard gimmick. I believe its on its way out though. You can use it running software, but I dont think it has much of an effect.

[sprint113]

From a very casual understanding of how the BF2 engine works, I think EAX effects are tied to static objects. What I'm guessing is happening is that the archway static has a different environment preset attached to it, and when you walk under it, it thinks you're "inside" the arch, as if it were a very narrow room with two giant doors, and thus applies a different EAX effect.

It's probably tied to the BF2 audio engine which determines what ambient audio and environmental effects to use, which explains why you still hear some differences when you have EAX disabled.

Also, as far as I can tell, there doesn't seem to be any transitional effects when going between environments.

[Gracler]

From a very casual understanding of how the BF2 engine works, I think EAX effects are tied to static objects. What I'm guessing is happening is that the archway static has a different environment preset attached to it, and when you walk under it, it thinks you're "inside" the arch, as if it were a very narrow room with two giant doors, and thus applies a different EAX effect.

It's probably tied to the BF2 audio engine which determines what ambient audio and environmental effects to use, which explains why you still hear some differences when you have EAX disabled.

Also, as far as I can tell, there doesn't seem to be any transitional effects when going between environments.

Well if it is controllable on the archway (which I can't see why it shouldn't be), then i purpose that the archway is made an "outdoor" prop. It is a bit weird to me the way it is now.