EAX/Surround Audio Fix Guide

[Thumper]

Heres a link to my guide for reimplementing EAX support and Surround Sound in thief 1-2, or any game that uses EAX 1-4.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2292412423

[PainkilleR]

Hmm...

What's the difference between this and simply installing OpenAL? Because I can use EAX in Thief 1/2 without applying any fixes/custom dlls?

[Thumper]

Using OpenAL in hardware mode has much more simplistic audio panning, OpenAL emulates some of the effects that EAX manages but not the full library. Also using OpenAL will give you surround sound audio, but if you turn on EAX it will revert to Stereo. Hardware Acceleration on without this plugin, EAX is not possible. With this plugin you can activate both surround sound and the full EAX effects library. I haven't found another fix anywhere that offers both. (This fix also works with hundreds of old EAX games, so it's worth keeping a copy on the desktop.)

[PainkilleR]

Originally posted by Thumper:

Using OpenAL in hardware mode has much more simplistic audio panning, OpenAL emulates some of the effects that EAX manages but not the full library. Also using OpenAL will give you surround sound audio, but if you turn on EAX it will revert to Stereo. Hardware Acceleration on without this plugin, EAX is not possible. With this plugin you can activate both surround sound and the full EAX effects library. I haven't found another fix anywhere that offers both. (This fix also works with hundreds of old EAX games, so it's worth keeping a copy on the desktop.)

I see... Can you elaborate a little bit more on the differences between OpenAL and hardware accelerated EAX?

My hw supports EAX, but OpenAL in Thief 1/2 sounds identical to hw accelerated EAX to my ear. I am playing with different settings for an hour now, but still OpenAL and HW accelerated EAX is indistinguishable from each other.

[Thumper]

This is from the readme:

: : HIGHER ORDER AMBISONICS INSTALLATION: :

"If you play on a surround setup, you can actually gain enhanced 3D positional audio through OpenAL Soft's Higher Order Ambisonics. It's far superior to the discrete panning of standard surround sound and can be done on as few as 4 speakers."

As an example, you'll notice with OpenAL people talking in the next room will sound the same with the door closed or open, because the sound does not propagate around the environment correctly.

Using HW ON in the same situation the audio should be quite muted if the door is closed, because the audio can't travel through the door. (just an example)

Basically OpenAL will give you surround sound, but the way it interacts with the environment is quite basic compared to DirectSound emulation.

[Thumper]

If you have a Creative soundcard + alchemy that also works, but only with a Creative card.

[Thumper]

what kind of sound setup do you have btw?

[PainkilleR]

Originally posted by Thumper:

If you have a Creative soundcard + alchemy that also works, but only with a Creative card.

I see... That's why I don't hear any differences. I have exactly that: an X-Fi card with alchemy.

So in my case the situation you have mentioned in your previous post (muted voices behind closed door) plays out similarly in both hw accelerated and openal modes (ie when the door is closed the sounds are muted properly just as you'd expect).

[Thumper]

Ah well crap thats exactly why haha, For someone not using an X-FI card, they would not have access to those effects because those only work with Creative cards.

Basically this fix is for everyone else haha, sorry for the confusion!

That being said only certain games are supported by Alchemy even now, so this tool should still be useful to you, maybe just not for Thief :P

[Thumper]

Heres a list so you see what i mean, it should still be worth keeping a copy on the desktop:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_games_with_EAX_support

[Pierpalle_Scroti]

Now we're talking! It works perfectly with Thief Gold, too. Thanks!

[Thumper]

No problem! glad to hear it works for you o/

[Lex]

Originally posted by Thumper:

Using OpenAL in hardware mode has much more simplistic audio panning, OpenAL emulates some of the effects that EAX manages but not the full library. Also using OpenAL will give you surround sound audio, but if you turn on EAX it will revert to Stereo. Hardware Acceleration on without this plugin, EAX is not possible. With this plugin you can activate both surround sound and the full EAX effects library. I haven't found another fix anywhere that offers both. (This fix also works with hundreds of old EAX games, so it's worth keeping a copy on the desktop.)

This is actually a very useful elaboration. Thank you!

I can add that OpenAL rarely utilizes center and LFE channels in 5.1 setup while dsoal helps with utilizing center at least.

[Thumper]

No problem, glad this is still helping people. On Windows you can emulate the missing side speakers and center speaker with the Channel Phantoming option in:
Sounds/Playback/Speakers/Properties

[᠌󠀡󠀡]

Originally posted by Lex:

Originally posted by Thumper:

Using OpenAL in hardware mode has much more simplistic audio panning, OpenAL emulates some of the effects that EAX manages but not the full library. Also using OpenAL will give you surround sound audio, but if you turn on EAX it will revert to Stereo. Hardware Acceleration on without this plugin, EAX is not possible. With this plugin you can activate both surround sound and the full EAX effects library. I haven't found another fix anywhere that offers both. (This fix also works with hundreds of old EAX games, so it's worth keeping a copy on the desktop.)

This is actually a very useful elaboration. Thank you!

I can add that OpenAL rarely utilizes center and LFE channels in 5.1 setup while dsoal helps with utilizing center at least.

This is not true since at least January 2022. It's fixed once you actually use OpenAL Soft and
you can also use EAX(source[github.com]). There is no need to search for channel phantoming settings. I don't think DSOAL is necessary anymore in most games, especially NewDark based which don't rely on Direct3D at all. Most of these audio guides need updating.

[Lex]

Originally posted by ᠌󠀡󠀡:

This is not true since at least January 2022. It's fixed once you actually use OpenAL Soft and
you can also use EAX(source[github.com]).

Could you clarify, please, what part of the cited (in your post) you refer to?

If you speak about LFE and center channels - could you give some link about that?

I managed to sometimes utilize the center channel in my 5.1 setup by tackling with DSOAL in Thief 1-2 and also in Kotor1-2, VtMB. And haven't been able to do so with OpenAL Soft, however. I haven't managed to utilize LFE channel in either situation. So the best I could get is somewhat 4.0 or sometimes 5.0 sound.

Moreover, there is a case when the creators of the Darkmod implemented OpenAL Soft instead on native doom3-engine sound middleware, that, in fact, turned 5.1 output into 4.0. We discussed this with them and they confirmed here[forums.thedarkmod.com].

So I asked for a link if there's an update in this regard as it potentially might be really useful for many applications.

As for improved EAX emulation via OpenAL Soft - that might be ture, yes.