Quiet gun sounds?

[Jake]

The volume of the pistol(s) is fine, but the assault rifle and SMG sound really quiet for some reason.

Is this how it's supposed to be, or this is something that can be fixed?

[VashCZ]

same for me, looking for answer too

http://www.moddb.com/games/fear/addons/angus-weapon-sounds-mod does not help even though I hoped

edit:
I switched off all effects and features on my GPU and changed to enertainment mode... well, looks like game has quiet guns... what to do?

[VashCZ]

Did not solve :-(.
Gun shots are quieter than sound of bullet dropped on ground.

[CheekyChan]

This is pretty old but considering one of you just replied yesterday I'll give it a go. Have either of you tried to use IndirectSound or Creative ALChemy? I think quiet guns is a bug with not being able to use DirectSound on newer Windows OS's as my guns sound normal after using Creative ALChemy and enabling full EAX support.

[Jake]

CheekyChan の投稿を引用：

This is pretty old but considering one of you just replied yesterday I'll give it a go. Have either of you tried to use IndirectSound or Creative ALChemy? I think quiet guns is a bug with not being able to use DirectSound on newer Windows OS's as my guns sound normal after using Creative ALChemy and enabling full EAX support.

I haven't. Next time I install the game I'll give those a try.

Thanks!

[CheekyChan]

Jake の投稿を引用：

CheekyChan の投稿を引用：

This is pretty old but considering one of you just replied yesterday I'll give it a go. Have either of you tried to use IndirectSound or Creative ALChemy? I think quiet guns is a bug with not being able to use DirectSound on newer Windows OS's as my guns sound normal after using Creative ALChemy and enabling full EAX support.

I haven't. Next time I install the game I'll give those a try.

Thanks!

While ALChemy is a bit harder to get going (Installer + Work around.) than IndirectSound, ALChemy scans for installed games with EAX support and brings all of the EAX effects and processing back into the game, so all the reverb, enhanced positional audio/surround sound and echoing works properly, another cool feature is that sounds are much louder indoors than outdoors and any shot fired or explosion is 10x more powerful sounding indoors as well like in real life, the sounds are compressed to a smaller area bouncing off the nearby walls, gun shots and explosions outside are quieter but still very punchy and echo in the distance and get louder the closer you are to walls like in real life.

IndirectSound is much easier to install (Drag and drop.) but it lacks EAX support and only gives you surround sound and positional audio, it lacks all the effects of EAX and if you do use it, you'll need to turn off the EAX options in the game menus or some sounds won't play at all.

[VashCZ]

@CheekyChan and @Jake

Sorry for my first post. I have written GPU - graphic processing unit, but I meant SPU sound processing unit, just - sound card

The thing is, that I have http://cs.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-x-fi-titanium-hd .
I tried the game without anything.
Then Alchemy + EAX effects on.

Shell casings´ fall sounds are at higher frequency than gun shooting sound. But I still feel/hear that shooting is more quiet than bullet case falling.

You know when you shoot you should be a bit deafened and than to start hear better and better.
In this case it should be particularry in my own real life ears and probably particularry the game should quiet some sounds down after first shot a bit.
But it is not the case. Shooting sound is just quiet.
When I say quiet... it is not too quiet, but when I volume up, I am pissed off because I can hear bells ringing(bullets cases falling down)


if you guys found out anything please let me know, as I can not find any active forum or support of EAX/F.E.A.R.
PLEASE

[VashCZ]

update: The sound from youtube is worse of course, but it is same as here the first guy post http://fear.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:8439 .

Also what I noticed:
SMG and Rifle is MORE quiet than pistol and shotgun which are quite OK.

[VashCZ]

Forgot to mention as I have read that wikia fear thread:

My card is second hand. It was probably overheating. Sometimes(!when I was only listening loud music!, maybe sometimes during game) soudn started scratching and... went bad so had to restart computer. When I put there small passive coolers http://vashcz.rajce.idnes.cz/Sound_Blaster_X-Fi_Titanium_HD/#P9260001.jpg and gave there special fan, it stopped.

[VashCZ]

note:
when HW mixing is off, gun sounds are quieter and wind is more like when you have bad speakers with bad connecter shhhhshshshhhhhhhhh ?ripple or hum?

so my fast opinion HW mixing is not good

another note:
ambient music/effects to make you "fear" or panic are with are bundled with sound effects settings option, which is a bit strange.... wel probably nothing to do with my problem

https://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/932146-fear-2-project-origin/48420062
jupacu says there that FEAR 2 SMG is quiet as it is muffled/silenced, amybe in FEAR 1 it is silenced too which is reason it is quietest?

[CheekyChan]

VashCZ の投稿を引用：

note:
when HW mixing is off, gun sounds are quieter and wind is more like when you have bad speakers with bad connecter shhhhshshshhhhhhhhh ?ripple or hum?

so my fast opinion HW mixing is not good

another note:
ambient music/effects to make you "fear" or panic are with are bundled with sound effects settings option, which is a bit strange.... wel probably nothing to do with my problem

https://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/932146-fear-2-project-origin/48420062
jupacu says there that FEAR 2 SMG is quiet as it is muffled/silenced, amybe in FEAR 1 it is silenced too which is reason it is quietest?

I don't think there's anything wrong with the SMG but there is definitely something wrong with the assault rifle, it should be much louder. The SMG even back when I first played F.E.A.R. on launch sounded suppressed and I had a Sound Blaster card the AR was MUCH louder than the SMG. Do you have this problem in the expansions as well?

Also, have you tried changing your sample rate to 44100Hz in your speaker properties in Windows?

Oh wow, I just realized that the AR has a suppressor on it as well. I saw it in the loading screen and I checked one out in-game and it definitely has some kind of suppressor on it, and I don't think it's a flash suppressor because it still flashes like crazy when firing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbQl0_8HOrM

I tested three of the main regular firearms and the AR seems to be on par with the SMG, I think the SMG is slightly louder due to firing faster and shotguns un-suppressed are not very loud, pistols are louder because of their design so it makes sense the un-suppressed pistols would be fairly loud. Let me know if that's what yours sounds like. Also, sorry about the mixing, I recorded in 5.1 but YouTube downmixes to stereo so it won't sound completely right and I was too lazy to set my system to stereo.

[VashCZ]

In your video it is same as on my computer. So I can only assume it is not bug, but on purpose.

Even in video I can hear shotgun shells to be a bit louder than shotgun shooting.

http://vashcz.rajce.idnes.cz/Sound_Blaster_X-Fi_Titanium_HD/#creativeconsolesettings.jpg - these are my settings and this is my stereo http://www.microlab.com/?r=Stereosystemen&st=full&id=659 . edit: microlab SOLO 7C New

I listen to lossless metal core (or whatever it is called) in loud manner. So I quiet down bass guitar/drum a bit(-1,3dB) as it is quite too much even for me.
Example listen http://bandzone.cz/theswitch - song Peruť

No other changes are made. Only bass boost as my speakers are qualified to be 100% only down to 50HZ. See also on the picture I sent.


long story short: it may be caused by my ears too


I am going to check
1) sample rate
2) equalizer(bass back to 0 and maybe just create profile boosted for this game)
3) ask family what they think about volume(hope they will help :-D)

Thanks for help.
VashCZ

[CheekyChan]

VashCZ の投稿を引用：

In your video it is same as on my computer. So I can only assume it is not bug, but on purpose.

Even in video I can hear shotgun shells to be a bit louder than shotgun shooting.

http://vashcz.rajce.idnes.cz/Sound_Blaster_X-Fi_Titanium_HD/#creativeconsolesettings.jpg - these are my settings and this is my stereo http://www.microlab.com/?r=Stereosystemen&st=full&id=659 . edit: microlab SOLO 7C New

I listen to lossless metal core (or whatever it is called) in loud manner. So I quiet down bass guitar/drum a bit(-1,3dB) as it is quite too much even for me.
Example listen http://bandzone.cz/theswitch - song Peruť

No other changes are made. Only bass boost as my speakers are qualified to be 100% only down to 50HZ. See also on the picture I sent.


long story short: it may be caused by my ears too


I am going to check
1) sample rate
2) equalizer(bass back to 0 and maybe just create profile boosted for this game)
3) ask family what they think about volume(hope they will help :-D)

Thanks for help.
VashCZ

How are you connected to the speakers? Optical, Coaxial, 3.5MM Stereo Jack? What are your Windows sound settings set as? Edit: nevermind, I see the speakers have RCA only, so analog unless you're using a digital to analog adapter or something which I doubt. Could you have mistakenly enabled any extra channels in Windows besides just your front left and right primary channels?

Do your speakers allow for bass adjustment? A lot of software even on quality sound cards don't do bass boost right, they muddle the mids and highs and boost low frequencies sometimes beyond clipping. I'm not exactly sure how Creative's software handles it.

Another thing to note that in my video the shells may sound louder because of the 5.1 being mixed into stereo, the shells were dropping behind me (And reverbing/echoing into the front speakers.) and that translates the rear channels into the front during mixing, sounds are essentially normalized then doubled during the channel mixing, while this doesn't equate to double the volume it can make the sounds a bit louder, where as the gun shots were mainly coming from the front speakers which are already the primary stereo channels the other channels get mixed into so they're left untouched.

Another thing, what other options do you have enabled or selected in the Creative control panel? Such as the CMSS, Crystalizer and Mixer tabs.

[VashCZ]

CheekyChan の投稿を引用：

How are you connected to the speakers? Optical, Coaxial, 3.5MM Stereo Jack? What are your Windows sound settings set as? Edit: nevermind, I see the speakers have RCA only, so analog unless you're using a digital to analog adapter or something which I doubt. Could you have mistakenly enabled any extra channels in Windows besides just your front left and right primary channels?

Do your speakers allow for bass adjustment? A lot of software even on quality sound cards don't do bass boost right, they muddle the mids and highs and boost low frequencies sometimes beyond clipping. I'm not exactly sure how Creative's software handles it.

Another thing to note that in my video the shells may sound louder because of the 5.1 being mixed into stereo, the shells were dropping behind me (And reverbing/echoing into the front speakers.) and that translates the rear channels into the front during mixing, sounds are essentially normalized then doubled during the channel mixing, while this doesn't equate to double the volume it can make the sounds a bit louder, where as the gun shots were mainly coming from the front speakers which are already the primary stereo channels the other channels get mixed into so they're left untouched.

Another thing, what other options do you have enabled or selected in the Creative control panel? Such as the CMSS, Crystalizer and Mixer tabs.

cinch to cinch connection

see picture http://vashcz.rajce.idnes.cz/Sound_Blaster_X-Fi_Titanium_HD/#somethingbad.jpg , I tried to properly set to disable Sound Blaster enchs, well of all that triyng I am not able to say difference, everything is a bit confusing as I am now tring to test test test... maybe it is better maybe not. Well but guess it would be big difference wouldn´t it?
No, don´t think it is different. It was switched off as it had to be even though it wasn´t checked. Audio Control Panel by Creative probably overrided it. I remember that change of this mod makes my comp stucked for like 2 or 5 seconds when I do it in ACP by Creative.

tried to switch bass adjustment off, no cahnge, bass boost works properly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc3wEkFbYng and your https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbQl0_8HOrM sound almost same to me

CMSS = 3D? I tried using it, but no change in volume, normally it is off
crystalizer off
mixer see http://vashcz.rajce.idnes.cz/Sound_Blaster_X-Fi_Titanium_HD/#mixersettings.jpg - I can switch everything off and no changes, maybe it is overrided by anything?



from last time I changed sample rate 1 but didn t try to check better equalizer settings 2 and didn t ask anyone else yet 3

I am going to do the rest and let you know

Thank for your help,
VashCZ

[CheekyChan]

VashCZ の投稿を引用：

CheekyChan の投稿を引用：

How are you connected to the speakers? Optical, Coaxial, 3.5MM Stereo Jack? What are your Windows sound settings set as? Edit: nevermind, I see the speakers have RCA only, so analog unless you're using a digital to analog adapter or something which I doubt. Could you have mistakenly enabled any extra channels in Windows besides just your front left and right primary channels?

Do your speakers allow for bass adjustment? A lot of software even on quality sound cards don't do bass boost right, they muddle the mids and highs and boost low frequencies sometimes beyond clipping. I'm not exactly sure how Creative's software handles it.

Another thing to note that in my video the shells may sound louder because of the 5.1 being mixed into stereo, the shells were dropping behind me (And reverbing/echoing into the front speakers.) and that translates the rear channels into the front during mixing, sounds are essentially normalized then doubled during the channel mixing, while this doesn't equate to double the volume it can make the sounds a bit louder, where as the gun shots were mainly coming from the front speakers which are already the primary stereo channels the other channels get mixed into so they're left untouched.

Another thing, what other options do you have enabled or selected in the Creative control panel? Such as the CMSS, Crystalizer and Mixer tabs.

cinch to cinch connection

see picture http://vashcz.rajce.idnes.cz/Sound_Blaster_X-Fi_Titanium_HD/#somethingbad.jpg , I tried to properly set to disable Sound Blaster enchs, well of all that triyng I am not able to say difference, everything is a bit confusing as I am now tring to test test test... maybe it is better maybe not. Well but guess it would be big difference wouldn´t it?
No, don´t think it is different. It was switched off as it had to be even though it wasn´t checked. Audio Control Panel by Creative probably overrided it. I remember that change of this mod makes my comp stucked for like 2 or 5 seconds when I do it in ACP by Creative.

tried to switch bass adjustment off, no cahnge, bass boost works properly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc3wEkFbYng and your https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbQl0_8HOrM sound almost same to me

CMSS = 3D? I tried using it, but no change in volume, normally it is off
crystalizer off
mixer see http://vashcz.rajce.idnes.cz/Sound_Blaster_X-Fi_Titanium_HD/#mixersettings.jpg - I can switch everything off and no changes, maybe it is overrided by anything?



from last time I changed sample rate 1 but didn t try to check better equalizer settings 2 and didn t ask anyone else yet 3

I am going to do the rest and let you know

Thank for your help,
VashCZ

I actually found what's causing it. I made a video to show it off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6PE6xgQu-E

For some reason, the reverb HW mixing causes most sound effects to drop 50% of their normal volume. I'm honestly not sure what would cause this but a fix is to just disable the EAX HW Mixing, you'll lose the reverb but everything else should sound the same. I'm a little disappointed, I don't remember this being a problem when I had my SoundBlaster years ago so I can only assume it's a problem with Creative's ALchemy software or HW EAX emulation.

Edit: Disabling EAX HW Mixing actually disables surround sound support as well so I don't recommend doing that. I thought the DirectSound emulation handled surround and EAX handled all the effects, seems I was wrong or F.E.A.R. uses that as part of the EAX setting as well.

Instead, try this: Find your Creative ALchemy control panel, should just be called Creative ALchemy when you look at your programs from your Start menu. Find F.E.A.R. in the game's list in ALchemy and select Edit, change the Settings to:

Buffers: 2
Duration: 30
Maximum Voice Count: 128

Then select OK and try the game again. I spent a while modifying the settings to see if I could change it and that seems to give the weapons a little more oomph, I'm not sure exactly why either, i just know some games require different settings. You'll need to change this for the expansion packs too, they should also be in the list.

I'm uploading a video to compare the sounds, might take a few minutes.

[VashCZ]

VashCZ の投稿を引用：

note:
when HW mixing is off, gun sounds are quieter and wind is more like when you have bad speakers with bad connecter shhhhshshshhhhhhhhh ?ripple or hum?

so my fast opinion HW mixing is not good

is what I wrote in that many updates report
and of course I ♥♥♥♥♥♥ it up, it had to be - when HW mixing is ON, gun sounds...
yea, I noticed it even year before when I was playing base game(today I am playing datadiscs), when HW mixing was off it was better

now when I

Buffers: 2
Duration: 30
Maximum Voice Count: 128

IT WORKS with HW mixing much better! it is just like it was before without HW mixing
so it is kind of fixed up, it is better, I can play with HW mixing now
ACTUALLY, when this settings, and HW mix is off, I am getting sound glitches

So MANY THANKS TO YOU. I didn´t know there can be such difference in alchemy settings.



I think that I must have noticed sound it because of this bug! but even without bug f.e. rotary machine gun is still pretty silent and some guns are simply less loud than bullet shells ringing; sound levels are just like before an hour when I was playing with HW mix OFF

never mind now, as it is old game and no new new EAX or similar are coming out... I will live with that. Thank you again. Don´t dig to the skeleton anymore :-D.



edit: OK ONE LAST THING

now when I edited settings, all SMALL OBJECTS that fall and make sound or when I hit them/bump to them... it is now quite very LOUD, louder than shooting of some guns shooting, just like bullet shells falling to ground ringing, but at lower frequency so it is well noticeable

does it for you too?