Can't use "DirectSound3D w/ EAX" option using Creative X-Fi soundcard and ALchemy on Windows 8.1

[76561198018245183]

I'm currently trying out Men of War: Assault Squad 2 during the Free Weekend and discovered the game uses EAX - a pleasant surprise since with my X-Fi soundcard and Creative ALchemy (a DirectSound-to-EAX translation layer), I can utilize it for the best sound support! However, it turns out this isn't the case; I'm stuck with no EAX support - the game automatically reverts to 2-speaker mode when I try to apply the audio changes - even though ALchemy is reporting it is working for this game. I also tried enabling EAX support without using ALchemy (for the off-chance the game's sound engine, Miles Sound System, now uses OpenAL for EAX support), which also failed.

I'm using Windows 8.1, and my soundcard is the PCI-Express variant of the SoundBlaster X-Fi Titanium Platinum Professional. If anyone's gotten "DirectSound3D w/ EAX" working under Windows 8.1, please let me know how!

[DJSatane]

Creative drivers are often quite buggy so chances are there are some problems in interaction there.

[GamingOutkast]

nice sound card

[76561198018245183]

Originally posted by DJSatane:

Creative drivers are often quite buggy so chances are there are some problems in interaction there.

If that's the case, then it's the first time buggy sound card drivers have been the culprit for a problem I've had. In my experience, the ALchemy drivers have been quite reliable, with Men of War: Assault Squad 2, a game with authentic EAX support using the modern-day incarnation of the Miles Sound System, and Gothic II Gold, a game which for some reason uses a proprietary virtual file system, being the only two games out of literally 120 games I've used ALchemy with.

[Muzlicek]

Got it working?

[Valérian]

Has anybody ever got this working? (DirectSound3D with EAX option active in game) or is there any more info about this?

I have just gotten this game and tried to set the audio to "DirectSound3D with EAX" and also without EAX but both audio settings revert back to Stereo mode when I apply the setting?!?

I've added the game into ALchemy and am using a dedicated Creative SB X-Fi soundcard on Win7 x64 and would really like to have the best possible HW-accelerated surround sound.

[Valérian]

*bump*

Anyone?

[O()O]

It does have the EAX file - msseax - in the mss folder of the game.

The AS2 wiki has EAX support shown but adds -
"Via DirectSound3D; issues with certain soundcards."

"SoundBlaster X-Fi soundcards cannot use any of the DirectSound3D options -
even using Creative ALchemy."

http://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Men_of_War:_Assault_Squad_2#Cannot_use_DirectSound3D_options_with_SoundBlaster_X-Fi_cards

- - - - - - - - -

Both of those sound systems have been phased out some years ago.
"Windows 8 - DirectSound's and DirectMusic's hardware interfaces to sound card drivers
are not implemented." - Wikipedia
"As of 2010, EAX is rarely used" - Wikipedia

- - - - - - - - -

You could try if it works with Men of War ($5) or
Assault Squad 1 ($10) as a test for yourself.

[Valérian]

Thanks for the info, so it probably will never work in MoW:AS2 ... bummer!