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Sound Technology

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LJFHutch

LJFHutch

Grizzled Veteran
Jan 2, 2010
149
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Australia
#1
There's been plenty of talk of game audio but I'm wondering what the actual in-game technology is like, is there dynamic reverb for indoors or any kind of modification done to the sound (I wish EAX was still around :() or is it all pre-rendered stuff?

In Bad Company there's quite a good sound system with reverb (though I'm not sure how dynamic it is - perhaps it's just outside: no reverb, inside: full reverb).

What's the sound technology like?
 
#7
EAX is proprietary aka only people with eax supported hardware can really get the full stuff. The base sound engine for UE3 is quite good so I'd rather have them stick to that.

Red Orchestra recorded sounds at different distances already (although that person is now actually working for dice :p) , they have a good team doing the sounds, a professional team (the one that did the pacific) is measuring the sound at various distances so that part will likely be right.

In ut2004 the amount of sound channels is a user definable option (of course your sound card must be able to support the amount you pick). I don't see why they would have limited the amount in the UE3 engine. So its likely that by editing the ini like in Red Orchestra you can pick the amount of sound channels.

I've ran Red Orchestra ostfront at 64 sound channels for instance, its nice because it allows you to hear more stuff going on at the same time. Like for instance hearing everybody's footsteps within a short radius and hearing every gun being fired.

For reference an Creative audigy supported 64 sound channels while the X-Fi supports 4096 sound channels. In respect 80 isn't really that special.
 
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#8
Zetsumei said:
EAX is proprietary aka only people with eax supported hardware can really get the full stuff. The base sound engine for UE3 is quite good so I'd rather have them stick to that.

Red Orchestra recorded sounds at different distances already (although that person is now actually working for dice :p) , they have a good team doing the sounds, a professional team (the one that did the pacific) is measuring the sound at various distances so that part will likely be right.

In ut2004 the amount of sound channels is a user definable option (of course your sound card must be able to support the amount you pick). I don't see why they would have limited the amount in the UE3 engine. So its likely that by editing the ini like in Red Orchestra you can pick the amount of sound channels.

I've ran Red Orchestra ostfront at 120 sound channels for instance, its nice because it allows you to hear more stuff going on at the same time. Like for instance hearing everybody's footsteps within a short radius and hearing every gun being fired.
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Even if you put 120 channels, it's 64 channels max. unless you have EAX 5 card and the game supports EAX 5.
 
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#9
The max amount of sound channels doesn't have a lot to do with having EAX or not, its a property of a sound card.

I actually did have it set to 64 though as that was the max of my soundcard back when I set up my ini. With an X-Fi the advised amount of sound channels to use for UE3 is 128 so at least 128 sound channels are supported in UE3 ;).
 
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#11
Xendance said:
And didn't Win Vista make hardware accelerated sounds impossible?
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Not impossible - openal can still use the cards, as can dx games using alchemy and the like. However, there is no longer any good reason to use sound cards with modern CPU horsepower. Hence, MS' decision to go with a software sound stack. Of course, if the on-board MB sound hardware is crud (noise/distortion), a card still has benefits including lower noise, distortion, and more connectivity. That said, a recent blind test by some recording guys found that no audible difference was found between quality on-board and an add-in card.
 
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#15
HeyCarnut said:
Not impossible - openal can still use the cards, as can dx games using alchemy and the like. However, there is no longer any good reason to use sound cards with modern CPU horsepower. Hence, MS' decision to go with a software sound stack. Of course, if the on-board MB sound hardware is crud (noise/distortion), a card still has benefits including lower noise, distortion, and more connectivity. That said, a recent blind test by some recording guys found that no audible difference was found between quality on-board and an add-in card.
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Read reviews of the new X-Fi Titanium HD, they did blind tests and the Titanium was always preferred.
 
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#17
HeyCarnut said:
Well, since you posted it, and we likely have no idea who they are, or what quality onboard was compared, perhaps you could give a link to these purported reviews?
Thx
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I read through like tons of them before ordering but here's one comparing the card to titanium fatality (which surely is better than any onboard audio)
When comparing the Titanium HD to Creative's last high end consumer card, the X-FI Titanium Fatality Professional, there is simply no contest. The Titanium HD sounded better in every listening test we performed. Simply put, the sheer audio fidelity blew the older Titanium Fatality away. We used the Titanium Fatality for two years, but after installing the Titanium HD, there is no going back, ever.
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http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/10/25/sound_blaster_xfi_titanium_hd_card_review/1
 
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#18
HeyCarnut said:
Not impossible - openal can still use the cards, as can dx games using alchemy and the like. However, there is no longer any good reason to use sound cards with modern CPU horsepower. Hence, MS' decision to go with a software sound stack. Of course, if the on-board MB sound hardware is crud (noise/distortion), a card still has benefits including lower noise, distortion, and more connectivity. That said, a recent blind test by some recording guys found that no audible difference was found between quality on-board and an add-in card.
Click to expand...


Maybe you would like to provide a link to the results of this 'blind test' so we can see what was compared to what?

I ask because onboard sound cannot begin to compete with a good quality soundcard...SNR, THD, and dynamics are all in a completely different league.

However, if you are listening through some naff headphones or a midi system e.t.c you are unlikely to notice any difference, hence the desire to know what was tested and how.
 
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#19
Leopardi said:
I read through like tons of them before ordering but here's one comparing the card to titanium fatality (which surely is better than any onboard audio)
[URL="http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/10/25/sound_blaster_xfi_titanium_hd_card_review/1"][url]http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/10/25/sound_blaster_xfi_titanium_hd_card_review/1[/URL][/URL]
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Super - but where are the links to the purported blind tests of the F T HD you posted about? Your statement re: prior test is called "begging the question"...

Anyway, if it worls for you, that's fine.
 
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#20
Das Bose said:
Maybe you would like to provide a link to the results of this 'blind test' so we can see what was compared to what?

I ask because onboard sound cannot begin to compete with a good quality soundcard...SNR, THD, and dynamics are all in a completely different league.

However, if you are listening through some naff headphones or a midi system e.t.c you are unlikely to notice any difference, hence the desire to know what was tested and how.
Click to expand...
I'll try and locate the story - was in a pro recording mag / site. Might have been sound on sound.

I beg to differ re: onboard cannot compare, but you're entitled to your opinion, there's a whole industry making money selling things that many swear sound better, that strangely fall flat when tested blind.

I'm pretty certain my audio system is sufficient to reveal any audible differences. I didn't post to get in a pissing contest, I'd certainly like to see the supposed blind tests of the card in question against a quality onboard.

Might want to continue this in OT thread...
 
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