OpenAL vs EAX

[Francisè von Spitroast]

I've noticed something odd. EAX and OpenAL sound very different. Isn't OpenAL's purpose to emulate EAX? So shouldn't there only be minor differences since one is software and one is hardware? I have a Realtek card and somehow got EAX working (I believe Realtek HD unofficially supports EAX 1 & 2 if I'm not mistaken) not just OpenAL and I noticed the difference between the two is night and day, with OpenAL surprisingly coming out vastly superior to my ears. Footsteps are very quiet with EAX and sound quality is just generally inferior but also less in your face. Why would this be the case?

[GORT-SMDM]

Yeah, OpenAL will make it more louder. I'm not sure why, but get this. The EAX effects can differ between Sound Blaster cards and the RealTeks. Here's a video example I put up on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOjMrJwgxwY

[Francisè von Spitroast]

Originally posted by GORT-SMDM:

Yeah, OpenAL will make it more louder. But get this. The EAX effects can differ between a Sound Blaster cards and the RealTeks. Here's a video example I put up on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOjMrJwgxwY

Wow that's a huge difference. Sounds silly on Realtek but has a really cool effect for the Sound Blaster. I didn't realise there would be such a difference. Guess that answers my questions then! EAX is so bad on Realtek I'd honestly rather play with it off. Thanks for the video.

[Zombits]

Well i tried hardware accelerator ON and/or EAX , coudn't differenciate LEFT from RIGHT, so not playable unless both off

[Sikobae]

Realtek doeesn't support EAX. EAX is as dead as A3D in the current year. You need much older Creative cards to use this. Much older as in "cards from 1998-2003 that aren't supported on anything past Vista"-older.

Right now, the only option is emulated EAX through OpenAL, which is why Shock 2 and Thief have this option. For other games, ALchemy exists.

[Francisè von Spitroast]

Originally posted by Sikobae:

Realtek doeesn't support EAX. EAX is as dead as A3D in the current year. You need much older Creative cards to use this. Much older as in "cards from 1998-2003 that aren't supported on anything past Vista"-older.

Right now, the only option is emulated EAX through OpenAL, which is why Shock 2 and Thief have this option. For other games, ALchemy exists.

Wrong. Realtek does support EAX. Up to EAX 2. You have to run stuff like ALchemy to get it working. That's why I have the two options. EAX and OpenAL. EAX is clearly working as shown in the video and my my own playing, it just sounds very different to OpenAL.

Originally posted by Zombit:

Well i tried hardware accelerator ON and/or EAX , coudn't differenciate LEFT from RIGHT, so not playable unless both off

That's not even remotely true. Something must be wrong with your sound card. Don't spread misinformation when it's clearly working for everyone else.

[Sikobae]

Originally posted by Let There Be More Light:

Wrong. Realtek does support EAX.

And Windows supports Metroid Prime.

[Francisè von Spitroast]

Originally posted by Sikobae:

Originally posted by Let There Be More Light:

Wrong. Realtek does support EAX.

And Windows supports Metroid Prime.

I don't know why you're denying facts. Google it instead of staying ignorant. It's well documented, and how the hell would you explain me being able to use EAX then?
I also don't get why everyone is so petty on the Steam forums that they constantly have to fall back on sarcasm to make a point. I thought only kids get frustrated at people with different opinions. I guess man children fall into that category too.

[Zombits]

Originally posted by Zombit:

Well i tried hardware accelerator ON and/or EAX , coudn't differenciate LEFT from RIGHT, so not playable unless both off

[/quote]That's not even remotely true. Something must be wrong with your sound card. Don't spread misinformation when it's clearly working for everyone else.'' [/quote]

My sound system works perfectly on any other game. I'm not talking about the speaker test in the options menu. there was simply no left right , since i listen carefully on NPC's walking

lol ♥♥♥♥♥♥ quotes are messed up

[GORT-SMDM]

Here's a link form RealTek. http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/productsView.aspx?Langid=1&PFid=37&Level=5&Conn=4&ProdID=144

They even say that it can use EAX. You would have to look up the version of the RealTek chip. Some of them do not suppot EAX (usually the older version). The HD versions should support EAX (At least with OpenAL installed).

[GORT-SMDM]

Originally posted by Zombit:

Originally posted by Zombit:

Well i tried hardware accelerator ON and/or EAX , coudn't differenciate LEFT from RIGHT, so not playable unless both off

That's not even remotely true. Something must be wrong with your sound card. Don't spread misinformation when it's clearly working for everyone else.'' [/quote]

My sound system works perfectly on any other game. I'm not talking about the speaker test in the options menu. there was simply no left right , since i listen carefully on NPC's walking

lol ♥♥♥♥♥♥ quotes are messed up [/quote]

Oh, ok. So, the game is playing the audio in mono? Can I see your cam.cfg file? LOL Looks like the quotes aren't working for me too. :-P

[Sikobae]

Originally posted by Let There Be More Light:

how the hell would you explain me being able to use EAX then?

Emulation. Which is why I made the "Metroid on Windows" snark. Talk about 'everyone getting petty' when that analogy of all things makes you mad as hell.

Creative owns the tech. Why would it exist in a Realtek product?

[GORT-SMDM]

@ Sikobae

I think you're right about it being an emulation on the RealTeks. Speaking of emulation, I did find an edited Creative ALchemy Universal for sound cards other than Sound Blaster ones. At one point, this enabled the EAX for "Thief: Deadly Shadows" on my RealTek. If you want to check it out, here's a link to it.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9hs1d5ocnyluhvs/ALUNI_PCVTAPP_LB_1_00_8.zip?dl=0

[svfn]

ALchemy Universal is old and outdated since 2008. Use the new Creative ALchemy 1.45.15 instead: https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/68-creative-alchemy/

EAX is an audio extension and in TDP (EAX 2.0) is just environmental effects, which changes the reverb for example depending on place you are in, like a cave, cathedral or corridor.

OpenAL is an api that provides the 3D positional audio since support for DirectSound3D was discontinued after Win XP, and also allows modern PCs to enable EAX in games that support it.

the best way to restore this for Thief 1&2, is to use NewDark engine (TFix 1.25d currently uses NewDark 1.25, so EAX still works by translating it to EFX). there is a guide here on how to set it up: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=113158282
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYIc7HLpk-w
the most obvious EAX effect you can notice is in this vid below, at 0:47, he moves into a different room and the reverb changes with the room space:

https://youtu.be/wxIYNG4TQ7U?t=43s

[legendary pair of shoes]

Originally posted by Sikobae:

Originally posted by Let There Be More Light:

how the hell would you explain me being able to use EAX then?

Emulation. Which is why I made the "Metroid on Windows" snark. Talk about 'everyone getting petty' when that analogy of all things makes you mad as hell.

Creative owns the tech. Why would it exist in a Realtek product?

Three people explain him that certain Realtek chips come with EAX and even take the time to provide sources.

Dude still is not able to grasp it, not able to put realtek eax into google, and apparently never heard about mankind´s discovery of licensing BUT of course is able to insist on his wrong fact.

Ladies & Gents, I present you the living definition of idiocy

[vBidon]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Thief/comments/2w5hvn/thief_gold_directional_sound/