Loading the UT3 Audio Engine

[Mang Nux]

What's the easiest way to max out the sources/channels in UT3? I'm trying to see it's limit. I think it's 64, but even with 32 bots in a small map it's not consistent enough for me to be sure.

And is this game supposed to have EAX, because I can't hear much of that...

 

[Gothik]

I have it set to 128 channels, which is the max for my soundcard. I think that is the max for UT3. It was 64 for UT2K3/4 and 32 for UT. Both earlier games crashed if you set it over the maximum, maybe UT3 does as well (haven't tested it) but that may be one way to find out.

UT3 uses EAX 4.0

 

[GreatEmerald]

There's plenty of EAX in the game. Just make sure it's enabled in your audio driver and in the game. I have an EAX 5.0 card, but it should work with software EAX 3.0 as well.

 

[Mang Nux]

There's plenty of EAX in the game. Just make sure it's enabled in your audio driver and in the game. I have an EAX 5.0 card, but it should work with software EAX 3.0 as well.

I have the Titanium HD and EAX is enabled. Can you tell me of a good area that demonstrates EAX, as I still haven't heard any.

I have it set to 128 channels, which is the max for my soundcard. I think that is the max for UT3. It was 64 for UT2K3/4 and 32 for UT. Both earlier games crashed if you set it over the maximum, maybe UT3 does as well (haven't tested it) but that may be one way to find out.

Yeah, that's my point. I want to find out but I need a steady load of more than 64 sources. With max bots and heavy fighting it's mostly around 40-50 channels. I've only seen it reach 64 for a second now and then, but never above (leading me to believe it's capped at 64). What trick can I use to make more than 64 sounds constantly?

PS. I've never had crashing in any Unreal games as a result of setting too many channels.

 

[Raynor.Z]

PS. I've never had crashing in any Unreal games as a result of setting too many channels.

Really? As far as I have tested various UT audio settings, going over 32 channels in first UT results game crash (that is with Galaxy).

 

[GreatEmerald]

I have the Titanium HD and EAX is enabled. Can you tell me of a good area that demonstrates EAX, as I still haven't heard any.

CTF-Hydrosis, the pipe near the flag.

Titanium HD? That's a Creative card. In that case, make sure you have it set to Game Mode, then in your Creative Audio control panel, enable EAX effects and pull the 'Amount' slider all the way to the right.

 

[Mang Nux]

Really? As far as I have tested various UT audio settings, going over 32 channels in first UT results game crash (that is with Galaxy).

Oh, well Galaxy is another matter. I've never tried in that engine (I use the OpenAL engine in the community patch).

CTF-Hydrosis, the pipe near the flag.

I went into that square pipe and fired off some shots. They sounded 'different', but not really in a good way. Seems like some unusual EAX...

 

[GreatEmerald]

It's an echo for enclosed spaces. It's the most pronounced in that pipe, but it doesn't sound as good because, well, in reality firing a shot in a pipe won't sound as good, either.

Another place to test it is WAR-Torlan, near the prime node where the jump boots are. That small enclosed area generates some echoes. Another one to keep in mind is DM-Sanctuary, you can hear the effects in different places, but the cave is probably the most pronounced.

 

[Mang Nux]

After testing a bunch of different maps I don't understand why they even advertised this as being an EAX game. The effects are barely audible, and completely undetectable if you enable music. When you can hear them they don't really sound realistic. I think they had it right in UT2004... Bridge of Fate and Asbestos for example.

 

[GreatEmerald]

I can hear them just as well in both UT2004 and UT3... It's probably something else on your end, since I can hear the effects just fine with music on.

 

[Mang Nux]

Great, something else wrong with Creative's latest and most expensive card...

 

[GreatEmerald]

Probably the drivers, they are notorious with those.

By the way, do you use the X-Fi patch for UT2004?

 

[Mang Nux]

I tried it a long time ago and from memory it changed too many sound effects for my liking.