Search / View

[Allied]

Hello folks,

I was wondering what kind of support for 5.1 surround SG has/will have. From what I read, the original Quake 3 did not support it.

Are there any plans for implementation?

Thanks,
Allied

[Tequila]

Our 1.1 engine branch based on ioQuake3 code will support Surround sound thanks to OpenAL support.
You should take a look on the ioQuake3 engine improvments.

You still can compile yourself that branch to test it. I hope to release some testing binaries with the next release update in the next weeks...

[sparcdr]

http://www.smokin-guns.org/downloads/binaries/r150/ is latest if you have Windows and want to try it. Else, Tequila should get Linux binaries up soon for the rest. Keep in mind this is not supported yet, and is based on the latest code at SourceForge of the engine. We hope it helps.

[Allied]

Thanks for the build! I'm not quite sure what "not supported" covers, but it's worth mentioning . The build ran fine (intro movie worked too), however there is still no surround sound - it's the same stereo deal. I have run the OpenAL installer that I downloaded from their website, and the useOpenAL setting is set to 1.

I am running Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit. I can also test on Windows 2000 Professional. Dual boot setup.

[sparcdr]

Consider how old a lot of our sound files are. Having 5.1 would require remastering some of the files. I don't think anything is greater than stereo. Having OpenAL allows for it, but it requires the files to be sampled accordingly.

I mean not supported as in this is not to be taken as the release version and is a representation of the current work being done.

[Allied]

Actually I was talking about positional surround, eg I hear noises from my rear speakers if they're behind me.

However I believe it's not working because I don't have a Creative sound card. Using a Realtek provided beta OpenAL "simulator", it partly works but there's loads of problems. Naturally not SG's fault, but rather Creative and Realtek's.

Thanks for your time!

[sparcdr]

Yes, you're right that positional mixing should work. Sorry to hear that you can't take advantage of it. I hope you find the beta binary helpful, and you are free to share with other SG players this thread so they can try it too, but as I said it's bound to be incremented every so often before the next SG update.

[ReD NeCKersoN]

Yes, you're right that positional mixing should work.

It does for me & makes me a better player than I would be without it. I hope you get it working eventually Allied.

[Allied]

It does for me & makes me a better player than I would be without it. I hope you get it working eventually Allied.

I have no doubt that it would help a lot, being able to tell where exactly those footsteps (and more importantly, shots) are coming from would be very useful.

Do you mind if I ask if you have a Creative sound card?

[ReD NeCKersoN]

Do you mind if I ask if you have a Creative sound card?

Integrated audio on an Abit motherboard. I think it's called SoundStorm.

[Allied]

Hmm, that could make sense if what I currently believe is correct. SoundStorm was a nVidia solution - and nVidia was part developer of OpenAL along with Creative.

Are you using the standard OpenAL installation or a special one?

[ReD NeCKersoN]

SoundStorm was a nVidia solution.

Yes, my mobo has an Nvidia chipset.

Are you using the standard OpenAL installation or a special one?

I'm not using OpenAL as far as I know. Positional audio has worked for me in Q3 games ever since I can remember. For at least 8 or 9 years I think.

[sparcdr]

If not OpenAL you're using DirectSound, both which have supported the feature for as ReD states around 8 or 9 years... and both sound API's are generic enough to work on any tech newer than the timeframe QIIIA has existed, with some exceptions in extreme cases. Affinity or parent developer companies have no bearing on such compatibility.

[Allied]

Ok, positional surround via DirectSound makes sense - I know that works for other games, including the DirectX SDK (the older ones which still had DirectSound). But it definitely does not use positional surround in SG when in DirectSound mode - can you think of any reason for this?

[sparcdr]

DirectX SDK now replaced DirectSound with XAUDIO2. We haven't changed (Not has upstream) to use it either, hence why we just use OpenAL..