Anywhere to purge every single config file?

[Rufert]

I'm currently replaying for a third time. Last replay was when the Directors cut came out. Which gave me weird issues with music not playing most of the time. I was hoping with the patches since then that the issue would be resolved. But it's still present.

Which is an awful shame since the soundtrack is one of the best things about the game.

I've tried both the GoG and the Steam version same thing.

It feels like when the game lowers music volume for dialogue or other sounds the player needs to hear, it forgets to turn it back up again, you can sometimes hear it very faintly in the background.

Most glaring example is entering a new area after a game restart, the area music starts playing(I remember how it was supposed to be from the original version) like the Isles. You have the music playing, then a guy talks to you on the pier, and the music never starts back up again after that.

It's such a shame walking around to quiet except for your footsteps.

[svdp]

That... is a weird bug. Never heard of it before. Never had it myself neither. So I sort of doubt it's an inherent problem of the game on itself.

I would suggest de-installing and reinstalling it on a different place on your HD (thus, not using the typical path), BUT since you say even the version on GOG has the same issues, I doubt this will actually help.

You sure all your settings for sound are good, both on your game and OS? The only thing remaining would be some sort of incompatibility with your soundcard (well, probably a chip on the mobo, these days). Or a (sound)driver issue. So I would suggest updating or reinstalling that first.

If that doesn't help... well, are you on win10? Because, I had some really weird problems with Deus Ex myself, and *nothing* I tried and that opthers suggested on the internet helped, and steam refused to take it back, because it was older than 2 weeks (which is actually strange, because I didn't play it at all, and I couldn't, it alwauys crashed at the start). But, well, at a certain moment I upgraded my win10 to win11, and... the problems were gone. The game played normally. Till this day, I'm not sure *what* exactly the upgrade did to solve the problem, but well, it fixed it.

so, if your PC is up to it, I would mayhaps try to upgrade it to win11 (it's a free upgrade, normally), and see if that helps.

[Chilkoot]

Configs should all be under %localappdata%\BardsTale4DC\Saved, and there may be some under %localappdata%\inXile entertainment (I believe that's from the pre-DC version tho)

The problem is that some of this stuff is saved in the steam cloud (if you have that enabled) so it could get pulled down again if you blow it away and restart the game. You'll want to be careful not to burn down your saved games as they are under the same directory.

Safest thing is to probably back up that directory (the first one), disable Steam cloud saves for the game (right-click on the game in your library and it's under Properties->General), then blow away that directory and start the game up. You can then exit the game and move the save files (only, not the configs) back and try to get back in the saddle from where you left off.

Dicey operation, but shouldn't be too bad if you're used to working with this stuff.

[Rufert]

Originally posted by svdp:

That... is a weird bug. Never heard of it before. Never had it myself neither. So I sort of doubt it's an inherent problem of the game on itself.

I would suggest de-installing and reinstalling it on a different place on your HD (thus, not using the typical path), BUT since you say even the version on GOG has the same issues, I doubt this will actually help.

You sure all your settings for sound are good, both on your game and OS? The only thing remaining would be some sort of incompatibility with your soundcard (well, probably a chip on the mobo, these days). Or a (sound)driver issue. So I would suggest updating or reinstalling that first.

If that doesn't help... well, are you on win10? Because, I had some really weird problems with Deus Ex myself, and *nothing* I tried and that opthers suggested on the internet helped, and steam refused to take it back, because it was older than 2 weeks (which is actually strange, because I didn't play it at all, and I couldn't, it alwauys crashed at the start). But, well, at a certain moment I upgraded my win10 to win11, and... the problems were gone. The game played normally. Till this day, I'm not sure *what* exactly the upgrade did to solve the problem, but well, it fixed it.

so, if your PC is up to it, I would mayhaps try to upgrade it to win11 (it's a free upgrade, normally), and see if that helps.

The GoG and steam version uses the same appdata setings/save path, I've had it purged and it's the same problem.

I'm still on the same sound drivers and OS as I played the original BT on, where it worked. Everything else works fine.

I stream a lot and have a bunch of things set up in a very precarious way currently, windows 11 isn't an option as most of the software I use won't work on it alas.

[Rufert]

Originally posted by Chilkoot:

Configs should all be under %localappdata%\BardsTale4DC\Saved, and there may be some under %localappdata%\inXile entertainment (I believe that's from the pre-DC version tho)

The problem is that some of this stuff is saved in the steam cloud (if you have that enabled) so it could get pulled down again if you blow it away and restart the game. You'll want to be careful not to burn down your saved games as they are under the same directory.

Safest thing is to probably back up that directory (the first one), disable Steam cloud saves for the game (right-click on the game in your library and it's under Properties->General), then blow away that directory and start the game up. You can then exit the game and move the save files (only, not the configs) back and try to get back in the saddle from where you left off.

Dicey operation, but shouldn't be too bad if you're used to working with this stuff.

I've done both of these things to no avail alas.

[svdp]

Originally posted by Rufert:

Originally posted by svdp:

That... is a weird bug. Never heard of it before. Never had it myself neither. So I sort of doubt it's an inherent problem of the game on itself.

I would suggest de-installing and reinstalling it on a different place on your HD (thus, not using the typical path), BUT since you say even the version on GOG has the same issues, I doubt this will actually help.

You sure all your settings for sound are good, both on your game and OS? The only thing remaining would be some sort of incompatibility with your soundcard (well, probably a chip on the mobo, these days). Or a (sound)driver issue. So I would suggest updating or reinstalling that first.

If that doesn't help... well, are you on win10? Because, I had some really weird problems with Deus Ex myself, and *nothing* I tried and that opthers suggested on the internet helped, and steam refused to take it back, because it was older than 2 weeks (which is actually strange, because I didn't play it at all, and I couldn't, it alwauys crashed at the start). But, well, at a certain moment I upgraded my win10 to win11, and... the problems were gone. The game played normally. Till this day, I'm not sure *what* exactly the upgrade did to solve the problem, but well, it fixed it.

so, if your PC is up to it, I would mayhaps try to upgrade it to win11 (it's a free upgrade, normally), and see if that helps.

The GoG and steam version uses the same appdata setings/save path, I've had it purged and it's the same problem.

I'm still on the same sound drivers and OS as I played the original BT on, where it worked. Everything else works fine.

I stream a lot and have a bunch of things set up in a very precarious way currently, windows 11 isn't an option as most of the software I use won't work on it alas.

You sure? Normally, everything that works on win10 should work on win11 too. I have dozens of progs as well, and as of yet, I didn't notice any that didn't work anymore - rather the contrary, as with deus ex.

But well, it's a pretty big step, granted.

Yeah, with me everything worked as well of my games, except Deus Ex. It's weird how it goes, sometimes.

Do note though, that while the minimum specs for the OG was win7, for the DC is is win10; so I'm not sure what OS exactly you're using?

I assume you tried the usual things: latest updates for drivers of the graphical card and mobo? You have verified the integrity of your game on Steam, etc?

[svdp]

Ah yes, one other thing. Are you using a 5.1 sound-system? Otherwise, humor me, and change that into a 2-speaker or 2.1 sound-setup, and see if you still have no sound.

[Rufert]

Originally posted by svdp:

Ah yes, one other thing. Are you using a 5.1 sound-system? Otherwise, humor me, and change that into a 2-speaker or 2.1 sound-setup, and see if you still have no sound.

I'm on stereo and have tried these things.

It's not no sound, it's just the music. Everything else plays fine. I suspect it's the "turn volume down for dialogue" thing that simply forgets to turn the music back up afterwards.

Edit for other post: Yeah I was and am on win 10. All drivers updated.

[svdp]

Originally posted by Rufert:

Originally posted by svdp:

Ah yes, one other thing. Are you using a 5.1 sound-system? Otherwise, humor me, and change that into a 2-speaker or 2.1 sound-setup, and see if you still have no sound.

I'm on stereo and have tried these things.

It's not no sound, it's just the music. Everything else plays fine. I suspect it's the "turn volume down for dialogue" thing that simply forgets to turn the music back up afterwards.

Edit for other post: Yeah I was and am on win 10. All drivers updated.

And you're sure everything is set correctly in your soundsettings of the game? Can you try this: set EVERYTHING there (including music/environment/dialogue) at zero or the lowest setting, save a game that way. Then reload, set ALL the sound-options at max, then save a game with those settings, and reload and see if that helped anything?

[Rufert]

Originally posted by svdp:

Originally posted by Rufert:

I'm on stereo and have tried these things.

It's not no sound, it's just the music. Everything else plays fine. I suspect it's the "turn volume down for dialogue" thing that simply forgets to turn the music back up afterwards.

Edit for other post: Yeah I was and am on win 10. All drivers updated.

And you're sure everything is set correctly in your soundsettings of the game? Can you try this: set EVERYTHING there (including music/environment/dialogue) at zero or the lowest setting, save a game that way. Then reload, set ALL the sound-options at max, then save a game with those settings, and reload and see if that helped anything?

I've tried this yeah. I've pretty much went through your exact thought process so far and tried everything I can think of. My only idea at this point is that it's some left over file from the regular edition laying around interfering with stuff in the DC.

There used to be a bug where music volume was always at 100% no matter what people did. My long shot guess is that fixing that somehow carried over to the DC, since I've had both installed.

Also tyvm very much for help.

[Rufert]

I've mucked about a bit more. I took it upon myself to turn down everything except music and play a bit. The game is COMPLETELY silent except for when I enter combat.
Skara Brae below, silent. Alguin's tower silent. Adventureres guild, silent. Skara Brae above silent.

I've found that Rabbie's singing is under the SFX slider, so are the people singing in skara Brae above.

It's so weird.

I also installed the original non DC version and it didn't have this problem at all. It's like the DC is missing half the files, or playing them through the wrong channels.