Creative X-Fi audio renderer

[Arduras]

Is there a way to just change OpenAL Renderer to Hardware instead of Software?
Using a stereo headset I can't seem to get any directional audio in PR.

I can get amazing surround-like sound in Youtube, and other sound sources (for testing.)
but no matter what settings I choose (Software/Hardware, Med/High) in sound I can't
tell where anything is coming from in PR. It greatly hinders me when I hear people
shouting for medic and they say come towards the sound but the sound appears to be
coming from all channels at the same volume/time. (ie no HRTF or whatever)

http://www.battlefieldsingleplayer.com/ ... opic=16768
I even followed that guide, which was easier said than done at times.

[Arab]

This may solve most audio issues, but updating OpenAL for PR can fix it.

I need to search for the link that says how to do it.

Here:
(Wrong Link, fixed it)
http://www.battlefieldsingleplayer.com/ ... opic=16768

The link to the download on the forum is broken, so here's the fixed one: http://kcat.strangesoft.net/openal.html#download

Also another tutorial on how to update OpenAL
http://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/1fzonq/

[Leopardi]

It's hardware detection... It's not settings. It dedects your hardware and software.

So how to manually force it? The X-Fi renderer works great in FH2 when you enable it from in-game menu.

[Mats391]

This may solve most audio issues, but updating OpenAL for PR can fix it.

I need to search for the link that says how to do it.

Here:
(Wrong Link, fixed it)
How to enable BF2 true surround sound for Vista/Win7 - Battlefield SinglePlayer Forum

The link to the download on the forum is broken, so here's the fixed one: OpenAL Soft - Software 3D Audio

Also another tutorial on how to update OpenAL
[PSA] For games using OpenAL (including Minecraft and anything that runs on Linux) turn on HRTF audio processing! : oculus

Did anyone do this with success? I tried it, but dont get any sound and the "incompatible sound settings" message.

Edit: In the Audio.con of my profile it always switches back from AudioSettings.setProvider "Hardware" to AudioSettings.setProvider "". I also tried the fix with Sound.con, but doesnt help. Setting it to Creative does make sound work, but i have same issues as with default OpenAL.

[Leopardi]

Can this be fixed? I manually set creative and UltraHigh in the config, but the launcher doesn't let me start the game. And I know it supports and it works, since FH2 works fine.

[sprint113]

Leopardi,

If you have an x-fi, make sure that it is selected under Window's sound panel as the "Default Device", i.e., Start -> Control Panel -> Sound, select X-Fi and click on the "Set Default" button. Currently, your onboard audio card with the Realtek chip is selected as the default. After doing that, PR should properly detect the X-Fi and enable all the X-Fi related settings.

[Scubbo]

the sound on ultra high is so much better it's like a hack can hear shit from so much further away and judge distances / footsteps so well -- i'm sure soon the whole setting will be disabled due to nerfing armour gameplay in one way or another

[Mineral]

probably not. I use it myself ops:. All serious it's indeed pretty sweet. Only reason I bought a soundcard tbh,and to get rid of motherboard interference.

But yeah setting it to game-mode and primary device should fix it normally Leopardi.

[Scubbo]

other option is, I found with new mainboard it came with xfi MB3... which doesnt have it's own device in windows, but XFI MB2 does, which you can still buy, so any pc running windows can buy the XFI MB2 from creative's amazon store and have ultra FX in BF2 !!!

[MaxP]

other option is, I found with new mainboard it came with xfi MB3... which doesnt have it's own device in windows, but XFI MB2 does, which you can still buy, so any pc running windows can buy the XFI MB2 from creative's amazon store and have ultra FX in BF2 !!!

This is just a software emulation of some of the X-Fi board features.

I had X-Fi Gamer and Titanium PCI-E, both was unable to use full X-Fi feature in BF2. Tried all 3d party drivers, sound libraries, Alchemy and many more.
Last year I've bought X-Fi HD (which is Royal), just for music. And now it works in BF2/Win7 )) The sound in a good headphones is fantastic.
At last Creative made something, that works stable ))

And, for info: Ultra sound quality seriously slows down the game, also on the X-Fi boards, except X-Fi Titanium HD.

[PLODDITHANLEY]

I can't find it on Amazon. Sounds (hoho) worth a try for better sound.

What about MB3

[MaxP]

I can't find it on Amazon. Sounds (hoho) worth a try for better sound.

What about MB3

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster- ... itanium+HD
- but I can guess it doesn't fit your budget.
So you have to realise that with software solution you can't get the sound quality and speed compared to hardware X-Fi, like a X-Fi Gamer/Titainum, especially Titanium HD.
And the sound quality formula is: quality of headphones X quality of soundcard X quality of source sound.

But - just only using good headphones and software X-Fi CMSS 3D + EAX (even without enabling X-Fi and EAX in game options) will give you much better sound in BF2.

[Michael Z Freeman]

Thought I'd post this on this thread as it has references to this "broken reverb on many maps" and BF2's/X-Fi/MB3 "bugged EAX". In fact there is a fix for this that no one else seems to have found.

1. The level should have this file (for example) "D:\SteamLibrary_Win10\steamapps\common\Battlefield 2\mods\aix2ex_mm\Levels\Dalian_plant\server.zip\Sounds.con". If it does not, add it to the level "server.zip".

THIS FILE IS CONFIRMED *MISSING* IN MAPS THAT HAVE DISTORTED EAX.

The file contains ...

Code: Select all

rem ------------------------------- Global Reverb ------------------------------
rem -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
sound.setReverb "common/sound/levelambients/Openlandscape.eax"
rem -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Make sure the all important "Openlandscape.eax" is in "D:\SteamLibrary_Win10\steamapps\common\Battlefield 2\mods\bf2\Common_client.zip\Sound\LevelAmbients"

That directory also contains "City.eax" which is used in some maps that need a different EAX effect.

I have confirmed multiple times now that this fixes any EAX/reverb sound corruption. For example this manifests itself, without the above fix, as being able to hear the "clink, clink" flag sound anywhere on the map (in vanilla BF2 as PR does not have that sound). Or in PR and other mods just being able to hear everything where ever you are including huge reverb distortion. The above fixes this on X-Fi hardware or X-Fi MB3 virtual sound card.

[Arab]

Thought I'd post this on this thread as it has references to this "broken reverb on many maps" and BF2's/X-Fi/MB3 "bugged EAX". In fact there is a fix for this that no one else seems to have found.

1. The level should have this file (for example) "D:\SteamLibrary_Win10\steamapps\common\Battlefield 2\mods\aix2ex_mm\Levels\Dalian_plant\server.zip\Sounds.con". If it does not, add it to the level "server.zip".

THIS FILE IS CONFIRMED *MISSING* IN MAPS THAT HAVE DISTORTED EAX.

The file contains ...

Code: Select all

rem ------------------------------- Global Reverb ------------------------------
rem -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
sound.setReverb "common/sound/levelambients/Openlandscape.eax"
rem -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Make sure the all important "Openlandscape.eax" is in "D:\SteamLibrary_Win10\steamapps\common\Battlefield 2\mods\bf2\Common_client.zip\Sound\LevelAmbients"

That directory also contains "City.eax" which is used in some maps that need a different EAX effect.

I have confirmed multiple times now that this fixes any EAX/reverb sound corruption. For example this manifests itself, without the above fix, as being able to hear the "clink, clink" flag sound anywhere on the map (in vanilla BF2 as PR does not have that sound). Or in PR and other mods just being able to hear everything where ever you are including huge reverb distortion. The above fixes this on X-Fi hardware or X-Fi MB3 virtual sound card.

That explains the issue. Good find! Thanks for the bug report! I've added the issue to the tracker.

[Arab]

Update: Fixed for Iron Thunder, Operation Falcon, Outpost, The Falklands and a couple of other maps for v1.6

[Valmont]

Update: Fixed for Iron Thunder, Operation Falcon, Outpost, The Falklands and a couple of other maps for v1.6

Nice fixes Arab!

And special thanks to Michael Z Freeman who made them possible!

[AlonTavor]

select it in Windows as default playback device. BF2 just selects the default and i dont think we can control it

[DogACTUAL]

What are the sound cards that support this setting and is it true that i could just get an emulator instead? Actually thinking of getting this for 1.6 would appreciate if someone could tell me what exactly to look for when selecting the sound card. Like does it matter which Creative X-Fi sound card i get or aren't there any relevant differences in the outcome?