Enables the sound improvements originally taken from Dead Air for Ekaia!'s Enhancement Addons Pack, or EAP.
For more information, see Ekaia!'s Enhancement Addons Pack page. I extracted the required files from his pack to make this particular addon work, so other players don't have to download the entire overhaul just to get this one feature. It's a neat thing that deserves to be experienced by all.
At v1.1, this addon adds the effect to most maps. There are only a few maps left that do not have this enabled.
The result is better spatial sound in general and on the maps it supports, neat reverb effects. There are some minor glitches that you will be either able to live with or not. Make sure you can revert to the original files if you don't like the changes this makes.
Installation instructions:
- make a copy of your \bin folder
- make a copy of your \gamedata\levels folder if you have one
- extract this addon into a new folder
- copy the gamedata folder into your CoTZ folder
- overwrite if prompted
Start the game. In Settings>Audio, see what is listed under Sound Devices. If your sound card is there, select it. Don't use the Generic Software based one if you don't have to. Enable EAX, and click Apply. Restart the game. If your card supports this feature, it should work now. Start a new game as a Loner and spawn in Rookie Village. Go say hi to Sid. You should notice the difference right away. It doesn't always sound right, and it doesn't always work, but when it all comes together it's really cool.
If you don't notice reverb and echo when Sid starts talking to you, the spatial sound isn't working properly and probably isn't supported by your sound card. You can try Generic Software if it's listed as a sound devicce, but make sure to Apply the change, and restart the game even though it doesn't prompt you to.
Be aware that software based EAX with these level edits is very taxing on your CPU. It may not be worth it.
If Generic Software isn't listed, or if it is and Sid still doesn't echo, copy the bin folder from this addon into your CoTZ folder and overwrite, then try again. If at this stage still none of your sound devices make Sid echo and reverb and you do have EAX enabled, this won't work for you. First world problems. Sigh, shrug, move on.
Slight update: If this addon didn't work for you before, please download the file linked below and try again. This is the current version of the OpenAL drivers, including some stuff that's required to get software EAX to work properly.
Download this: Mediafire.com
- extract the bin folder in this archive to your CoTZ folder (NOT the gamedata folder)
- start CoTZ and in the Sound options, make sure the selected sound device is "OpenAL soft" and EAX is enabled
- apply the settings and restart the game
Check if you hear Sid echo and reverb in his bunker.
--
To uninstall, remove the new \bin and \gamedata\levels folders and restore the old ones. Should be entirely safe to use with existing savegames, but always make a backup just in case.
v1.1 update: added snd_env files from the A.R.E.A. mod for Jupiter, Dark Valley, Bar, Army Warehouses, Radar, Pripyat and Zaton.
Before I forget: this is compatible with vanilla and with map ports like COTZ+ and A Breath of Dead Air.
I'm not describing the glitches because you may not notice them unless I point them out. If you don't notice them, great. If you do, it's your call whether or not you want to keep the addon or revert back to vanilla.
Issues I am aware of:
> Death screams and / or gurgles sound like they're on the wrong channel
This is quite jarring and it happens on both hardware and software EAX. It's why I made the Shush addon; it silences those death screams. Highly recommended. Moddb.com
Ey! I forgot to make a separate option for this feature from Dead Air. Nice you done it. Sadly last time I tested in Anomaly-family mods, this didn't work. I did a separate one for Rayto HD models for COC but missed this one (and remember some people ask for).
And answering to the text: Yes, I only moved the dlls and the snd_env existing files, I have no clue about snd_env files works and how to make new ones (as seems to be SDK mapping files).
Yeah, I have no idea how they work, or how they're generated either. I had a quick search but gave up.
Since it requires .dll files, I assume it will only work on 32-bit CoC variants. Or does it work on 64-bit CoC? I haven't tried.
It's strange though, Limansk doesn't have a snd_env file, but I'm sure the reverb was there. No idea why :D But you know, don't ask questions and just be happy it works.
I posted on Anomaly discord, maybe they know more about.
Yeah, maybe snd_env works for something but the dlls itself with openal or whatever could apply effects "by default".
No idea about testing on 64, but maybe the "trick" could be done migrating dlls to 64...
Do you happen to speak Russian? :D I just extracted some new snd_env files from the A.R.E.A. mod. This adds the effects to Jupiter, Dark Valley, Bar, Army Warehouses, Radar, Pripyat and Zaton.
Looks like the A.R.E.A. guys figured out how to make new ones, too. There's not many locations left to do, now. The only thing I'm worried about is that AREA also made many changes to the level layouts, so maybe now there are places outdoors that sound like bathrooms. Haven't thoroughly tested this everywhere, yet.
No, I'm from Spain :)
But we could ask him, I will search AREA discord.
Anyway, we could try the dlls and snd_env with Anomaly family. AREA has a modified engine, but I think is 64 bits. Maybe works.
I tested with AREA dlls and also the same problem: "OpenAL: Can't create sound device.".
I also noted that Anomaly onlye have "openal soft" and no "generic device" in the sound options.
And finally I tested AREA and I can't hear the effect...
AREA comes with an installer for the OpenAL drivers you have to use, I think. Not sure, the one time I actually tried to play the mod it ran so badly I immediately uninstalled it.
So finally I tried more things: the problem is the 32/64 bits architecture. All these dll are for 32 bits, and Anomaly just ignores 32 bits dll, so the error is like the files are not present. I sent the info to Anomaly devs, but seems that only Dead Air devs knows the trick. Will se if anyone could contact or wanna continue the way.
It's all based on OpenAL though. I don't know why 64-bit OpenAL doesn't pick up the snd_env files. Guess it may simply not be supported.
PPl have been dying to get this. I'm one of those ppl! Can ya keep us posted on the news? especially on the Anomaly version.
Any news on adapting EAX to the 64-bit anomaly?
do you know if this will ever cause any crashes? or do you consider this mod to be 100% stable?
The addon will not cause crashes, but it is pretty intensive on the CPU. It can cause gameplay to stutter like crazy on slower hardware.
Cool thanks, not a problem i have a mid-high end PC. Another quick/random question, do you think there's any huge barrier for someone to port this to anomaly?
edit: Oops, I just saw you had a whole thread about this with the other folks. I guess there's been no breakthroughs yet then
As far as I understand, there is some kind of 32 and 64 bit compatibility problem
I tried to adapt dll files from your mod, together and separately, and even similar dll files from Dead Air and AREA - failed, error Onen al.
I also tried to enable "Generic Software"(GS), it's not in the settings, so I tried to activate it forcibly via a special separate file from the Internet and even manually via user.ltx - GS is simply ignored by the game. I think EAX will work if you activate GS somehow
After installation my 'generic software' is gone and changes to:
- DirectSound Software
- DirectSound
- MMSYSTEM
- MMSYSTEM
yep, the last one appears twice, and only the first option results in me game creating any sounds at all (basic stalker sfx)
So it doesn't work for me sadly, however that may be for the better considering it's intensive on the CPU
If this addon didn't work for you before, please download this file and try again. This is the current version of the OpenAL drivers, including some stuff that's required to get software EAX to work properly.
Download this: Mediafire.com
- extract the bin folder in this archive to your CoTZ folder (NOT the gamedata folder)
- start CoTZ and in the Sound options, make sure the selected sound device is "OpenAL soft" and EAX is enabled
- apply the settings and restart the game
Check if you hear Sid echo and reverb in his bunker.