Audio popping/crackling

[Eustace Clarence]

I have been experiencing an issue where the game's audio will pop, usually after a pawn picks up an item. The issue even occurs on a recording of the game when there was no audio device plugged in.

If anyone has had any success in fixing this issue, or if you don't suffer from it, please help.

edit: link to google drive video of the issue (skip to 1:28) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GWzRNwss4uU-ivLoba-QLlAK3LahBg-4/view?usp=share_link

[raystevens73]

Could be a corrupted audio file for the game, run verify game files in the Steam properties several times, sometimes it doesn't detect right off that's why you run it more than once. Also are you using any mods or language change, I never had any issues for English but I know some use the game in other languages. However that shouldn't effect other sound like item pickups but you never know.

[zadymek]

Originally posted by Eustace Clarence:

The issue even occurs on a recording of the game when there was no audio device plugged in.

Audio device? Like a microphone?
Anyway, the issue description reminds me of a mic noise issue I had the other day. My issue ceased upon unplugging the microphone.

BTW See if reinstalling audio card drivers helps.

[Eustace Clarence]

I have uninstalled the Realtek audio drivers I was using and I'm now using the default Windows ones. No change.

[zadymek]

Originally posted by Eustace Clarence:

I have uninstalled the Realtek audio drivers I was using and I'm now using the default Windows ones. No change.

Reinstall means uninstall and install again.

BTW I hear nothing unusual around 1:28 in your video. Maybe it's your speakers' issue? Check the cables.

[Eustace Clarence]

Originally posted by zadymek:

Reinstall means uninstall and install again.

BTW I hear nothing unusual around 1:28 in your video. Maybe it's your speakers' issue? Check the cables.

I have reinstalled the Realtek drivers and I still hear the pops.

The issue even appears on a recording of the game when there were no headphones or speakers plugged in, as i said already.

I've also sent the video to someone else to check and he says he hears it too.

[zadymek]

Originally posted by Eustace Clarence:

I've also sent the video to someone else to check and he says he hears it too.

Why I don't hear anything but the sound of item being picked up.
Idk, is the other person using similar speakers? Or the decoding software.

[Eustace Clarence]

Originally posted by zadymek:

Why I don't hear anything but the sound of item being picked up.
Idk, is the other person using similar speakers? Or the decoding software.

There are two pops in the last 10 seconds, both happen after the item pickup sound.

Could you try listening to it again at a higher volume? Thank you in advance.

[zadymek]

Originally posted by Eustace Clarence:

There are two pops in the last 10 seconds, both happen after the item pickup sound.

Could you try listening to it again at a higher volume? Thank you in advance.

Idk, I can't nail anything unusual, maybe cause the Pawns are talking over it.

[Eustace Clarence]

Originally posted by zadymek:

Idk, I can't nail anything unusual, maybe cause the Pawns are talking over it.

I know this probably sounds like a stupid question, but, are you using headphones?

If yes, then I think the sound is just difficult to hear for some people, as the person I asked to listen to it seemed to have a hard time pinning it down at first, despite it being clear as day when I listened to the clip on his computer with his headphones.

The game's patch notes also mention the issue, but, they say it was "minimized" rather than fixed.

Regardles, I thank you and anyone alse adding to this discussion for trying to help.

[zadymek]

Originally posted by Eustace Clarence:

I know this probably sounds like a stupid question, but, are you using headphones?

If yes, then I think the sound is just difficult to hear for some people, as the person I asked to listen to it seemed to have a hard time pinning it down at first, despite it being clear as day when I listened to the clip on his computer with his headphones.

I'm using speakers.
Hmm, think this sound may be something like the Arisen breathing sounds? Everyone can hear those but hardly everyone pays attention. I wonder if any of other ppls recordings have this "popping" too.

BTW I have googled a bit to see what ppl mean by audio pop. Seems like common restart of Windows helps for such issues.
And if it would work for you here's a workaround for such case

"The short version is:
1. Fast Startup disabled (this feature is hidden under the Windows 10 power options control panel).
2. Set computer to never sleep (power options control panel).

(This may help you if your audio issues disappear after a reboot, if you are experiencing any sort of audio issues after a reboot this workaround won´t be most probably useful to you)"

[Eustace Clarence]

Originally posted by zadymek:

I'm using speakers.
Hmm, think this sound may be something like the Arisen breathing sounds? Everyone can hear those but hardly everyone pays attention. I wonder if any of other ppls recordings have this "popping" too.

Well, I'm pretty sure it's normal not to hear such audio issues while using speakers.
I've also seen other users report the issue, most of them from 2016 to 2017, with the closest thing to a solution being to play a pirated copy which, according to a single person, doesn't have the issue. I might eventualy try the GOG version of the game as it is the most likely version to have been pirated, and it was ported by a different developer
(It also happens to be on sale right now).

Originally posted by zadymek:

BTW I have googled a bit to see what ppl mean by audio pop. Seems like common restart of Windows helps for such issues.
And if it would work for you here's a workaround for such case

"The short version is:
1. Fast Startup disabled (this feature is hidden under the Windows 10 power options control panel).
2. Set computer to never sleep (power options control panel).

(This may help you if your audio issues disappear after a reboot, if you are experiencing any sort of audio issues after a reboot this workaround won´t be most probably useful to you)"

Even though I don't hava any major audio issues with much other that this game, I have tried this to no effect, but thanks.

[Eustace Clarence]

I've checked the GOG version, and it has the exact same problem.

[⋋Parad0x⋌]

I have the same issue.

I’m assuming it’s a game problem, as I can’t see why we’d both have audio pops at the same instances.

Does it also happen on the way to the Thieves Hideout when the boulder gets rolled down the hill at you? I always get an audio pop when the rock breaks.

[Eustace Clarence]

I don't remember if i ever got a pop when any boulder broke. Though I have checked, and boulders in moonsbit pass can cause pops, but not sure if from breaking.

[⋋Parad0x⋌]

Originally posted by Eustace Clarence:

I don't remember if i ever got a pop when any boulder broke. Though I have checked, and boulders in moonsbit pass can cause pops, but not sure if from breaking.

I have the same issue even after doing a full format and upgrade to windows 11 so I assume it’s just the game, though I swear it got worse or now that I notice it it’s just extra annoying.

Honestly making me not want to play lol