[GoldSource] EAX support removed?

[RichNagel]

OK, I haven't yet allowed the Steam Client or CS16 to update itself, but from what I've read, EAX support has been completely removed from the engine.

EAX support provides me with 4-channel surround-sound on my Sound Blaster Live, so how am I supposed to enable/have surround-sound within the game now???

Are these updates eventually going to be migrated to CS:CZ/CS:CZ-DS/DoD as well? Most everything that I've read about the HL/CS16 updates, I want NO part of.

[RichNagel]

Also, although not related to EAX: I also read that the D3D renderer had been removed. There are a LOT of folks that experience problems with the OpenGL renderer, and the only way they can play these games is by using the D3D renderer!

Although I myself primarily use the OpenGL renderer, there ARE times that I occasionally switch to the D3D renderer to prevent lockups and crashes.

[MrSchism]

EAX functions are included in OpenAL.

[RichNagel]

I've had quite a few problems with OpenAL within other (non-Valve) games (crashes and such).

Anyhow, does the game natively use OpenAL now (or will it need to be enabled within the game(s) itself)?

[RichNagel]

Oh, I also forgot to ask... SInce OpenAL supports EAX effects, I'm assuming that you mean that the 'room_type' reverb effects will still function?

[MrSchism]

I'm not 100% certain, but it should still function. As for the game defaulting to using OpenAL, I'm not sure about Windows. More than likely. It does so on Linux.

EAX was removed due to it being outdated and lacking support by its developers (Creative Labs) who have actually been the primary developers of OpenAL in recent years (After the collapse of Loki Software).

[RichNagel]

A-OK, thanks for the info :)

Anyhow, I'm assuming that OpenAL will indeed support 4-channel surround-sound on my Sound Blaster Live, correct (running under Windows XP Pro w/ SP3)?

[MrSchism]

I can't guarantee 100%. I'm researching it now. However, it -should-. Since you've been holding back the update, I'd suggest doing so a bit longer and using Creative's forum to see if there's any information about that... or waiting to see if anyone else here can give you the information you need.

However, the game updates are rather important in the long run.

As for the OpenGL rendering... there's a LOT of updates that have been applied to the game engine regarding OpenGL and OpenGL will probably remain the focus of graphical updates for the foreseeable future.

[RichNagel]

Thanks again for the info :) I CERTAINLY hope that I don't lose 4-channel support... might as well play vanilla DOOM or Quake 1/2 .

Yeah, I'm extremely leary of allowing the Steam Client to update itself, due to a bad problem that I had back in August of 2011 that literally took over a year and a half to fix (If I hadn't allowed the Steam Client to update to the August 2011 version, and had a backup of the June 2011 Steam Client way back then, I could have had a work-around for the problem).

I finally updated the Steam Client in October 2012, and finally that long-standing problem was completely fixed :) But, as you can understand, I'm really cautious of any Steam Client updates (unless I have the entire schmear of my existing installation backed up to my external hard drive).

Last question, and I'll quit bugging you: Will these updates affect CS:CZ/CS:CZ-DS/DoD (I really hope that they will be untouched)?

[MrSchism]

Being I'm not a dev, I can't say. Based on what I've seen, if they wind up on linux, they'll be set to OpenAL and (if using D3D/EFX), probably switched to OpenGL (which supports D3D/EFX).

[RichNagel]

A-OK, thanks for the info :)

Hehe, sorry about that (the 'dev' confusion)... I was thinking that you were a Valve dev. As a PC tech myself, it certainly sounds like you know what you're talking about :)

[MrSchism]

I'm a community moderator... but yeah, I got a pretty good grasp on the topic. Honestly, I have a Sound Blaster Live card (not installed), but I don't have surround so I can't really test.

[RichNagel]

Good lard a-mighty LOL! You REALLY need to experience these games with surround-sound.

I myself have four fairly hefty speakers, and I swear, I don't think I could play these games without my good old S-S. Hehe, Day of Defeat sounds like a war movie, CS/CS:CZ/CS:CZ-DS sounds like a war movie, and the S-S GREATLY enhances the overall atmosphere of these games.

Not to mention, you can hear folks attacking from behind you as well :)

[MrSchism]

24 years of gaming puts me in a position where I do well enough with Stereo headphones.

[RichNagel]

Yeah, I too have been gaming for eons (since my first 8086 way back when). But, 'ear-candy' (like eye-candy) is always welcome to me :)

[Dasani]

Someone made the suggestion that EAX and A3D were no longer used so both features were nixed. It was said that EAX uses A3D in some way so EAX went the way of the Dodo like A3D. On my Ubuntu and Windows setup I was getting distinct (5.1 surround) 3D sounds from my speakers when EAX was enable. Even though I tried to explain that Creative still offers Alchemy to restore 3D sounds the features never made it back in. It also worked fine on my Ubuntu setup as well with EAX turned on. So no more 3D sounds in GoldSrc. At least from what I could tell if you pan around a map sounds just blares out of all speakers with no distinction of where the sound is coming from using free cam in 1.6 or when in a gun fight.

[RichNagel]

So, Valve....

Can you confirm that we no longer have 4-channel surround-sound, and if so, how can we re-add it? I mean, that is DEFINITELY a 'downgrade' from what we've been used to for a decade.

[RichNagel]

@Valve, (bump), ^what I replied above^

[ghost]

I'm gonna wade in here firmly asking for some surround sound to be put back in. There's still a big competitive community left for counterstrike 1.6 and day of defeat 1.3, and taking out s_eax is a big kick in the teeth for them. Positional sounds are extremely important for competitive play.Personally I've used EAX and 5.1 settings for about ten years. Now since the update and removal of s_eax, I can't tell if i'm being shot from in front or behind, and it's impossible to pinpoint other sounds like footsteps.

Please put it back or at least provide a workaround to implement more than a measly left/right setup.

[MichaelZer0]

Despite the fact that the subject has already been closed (ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#995), I have to inform you that the author, a few wrong, causing the base to remove the 3D sound of the Counter- Strike:

[q]
[HL1/CS] A3D and EAX not implemented
Milestone: halflife-2013-01-30
alfred-valve is assigned

From what I can see, there are sound options for A3D and EAX, but they are not actually implemented under Linux, these options don't do anything.

I'd suggest removing A3D for both Windows and Linux, for the following reasons

On Windows, the A3D drivers are only compatible with Windows 95/98. Steam dropped support from Windows 95/98 years ago, you can't launch Steam on them.
A3D was only used by exploiters to be able to hear sounds from longer distances than other people
[/q]

I believe that you hurry and bring five reasons:

1. In order to prevent fraud, simply lock the CVAR "s_distance 18", in charge of the distance at which you can hear the opponent. "18" - The developer of value (http://members.optusnet.com.au/kirben/halflife2.html)
2. There are software tools that implement support for basic capabilities for any A3D sound card under Windows XP, using DS3D (http://www.worknd.ru/)
3. A3D not only works under Windows 9x, but under Windows XP, as when using the standard drivers included in the distribution of Windows XP, and beta drivers are available for download on the Internet (there are modifications for Vista \ Win7).
4. Half-Life on Steam may be used and under Windows9x with auxiliary means, such as KernelEx
5. According to statistics, Linux users is much smaller (http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey). You can not because of this 2-3%, which no one stops to put yourself Windows, 3D sound deprive everyone else.

Half-Life without good 3D sound - no Half-Life. A3D and EAX technologies allow to get a good 3D positional sound like a normal 2.0 speakers, headphones, and multi-column system (using HRTF in the front and rear pairs of pan mix).

I can suggest two options:

• Restore Windows users EAX and A3D (A Linux users to save the current version)
• Add any similar multi-platform solutions that will benefit all users. For example, to replace the Aureal WaveTracing Technology can be used GSound (http://gamma.cs.unc.edu/GSOUND)
  In Half-Life by the way, the best implementation of this technology.

We cannot leave Half-Life without sound!!!

[Fistro]

Hi all, i'm new at GitHub, sorry bad English, i'm Spanish.

I'm a Half-Life 1 multiplayer gamer, is one of my favorite games, in my opinion is the best "Adrenaline Style" online FPS ever made. One piece of art.

Since Valve remove EAX multiplayer experience is ruined.

Downgrading positional sound from 4 channels to 2, now with only Left-Right sources is not possible know if the sound is coming from front or back. Play FPS games with Stereo sound is ridiculous.

Downgrading sound quality removing smooth transitions between different sound effects, now changes between effects are instantly and with less quality, is a disaster. Stalkyard map is one good sample of these very unrealistic transitions.

I have talked with many HL1MP players at in-game chat, also CS, DOD, Adrenaline gamer mod since EAX was deleted. And all agree with this -> Want that Valve bring back old sound quality with a new Open API.

I understand the reason of remove A3D and EAX, of course, and thanks you of remove it if cheaters use A3D hacks for hear sounds at more distances that the rest of players. And for unified sound experience between Windows-Linux-MAC. Windows users not have the advantage of better sound. This is not fair in multiplayer.

But please, bring back the original Half-Life sound quality with OpenAL, before v1.1 is free Open Source, and enough for make the same work of the old EAX, or inclusive better. Work in all PC operating systems, perfect for use with new SteamPipe.

Please Alfred, tell us if you plan add this feature in future beta of the game. Thousands of players will appreciate it forever.

If Valve open a PayPal donation for help development of Half-Life Beta, i'm happy to pay ! And promise talk about this donation in-game chat to help more.

[Choum28]

Should we consider that for surround sound, valve will never fix it ?
Broken for 2% of the steam user (which all not play HL)....

[ViBE-HU]

EAX is useless but i really miss A3D. and i guess they never fix anything like the tons of client bugs what they left behind.

[SirYodaJedi]

So, it is possible to use MetaAudio to use OpenAL Soft restore 7.1, as well as simulate the effects provided by A3D and EAX, but this requires -insecure and only works in OpenGL. While MetaAudio is renowned as having some of the best 3D audio in a video game by 3D audio enthusiasts, the engine really needs some sort of proper 3D Audio implementation to avoid risking an accidental VAC ban.

[Idiot64]

why does everybody hate eax so much? it was only on ver.1 in half life and a3d was on ver.2 in half life, stop hating it sounds freaking great!