FC2 sound FAQ

[c0ff]

Dear users, the new sound engine is making it's first steps in public, and has some issues, which we haven't found during testing. If you are affected by any problem with the sound, use the workaround suggested below, until we issue a patch, or report to this thread. Please, post ONLY if your problem is not reported yet.

 

1. I have no sound in the simulation, but the editor sounds ok.

FIXED IN THE PATCH! Workaround moved to the bottom of the post.

 

2. When in the cockpit, outer sounds are very low in volume or not audible at all.

The problem: When you're in the cockpit, only low frequencies of outer sounds are heard. Depending on your audio output system, the percieved volume may be too low.

Workaround:

2.1 A bit of theory: When you're in the cockpit, outer world sounds are both attenuated (lowered in volume) and low-pass filtered (i.e. their high frequencies removed). There are two variables (which can be set via Config/autoexec.cfg) which affect the process (default values are shown)

sound.cockpit_world_volume = -9.1
sound.cockpit_world_lowpass = 1000

The "sound.cockpit_world_volume" variable sets attenuation values in dB (every -3 gives twice lower volume).

The "sound.cockpit_world_lowpass" sets up low-pass filter cutoff frequency in Hz. (24000 will give no filtering).

2.2 The practice: I'd suggest you to experiment bit, because the results depend on your output system, and start with adding the following line to the top of your Config/autoexec.cfg file:

sound.cockpit_world_volume = 0

Then, if you find the outer sounds to be too loud, decreasing the value to your liking.

 

 

There was also a suggestion from jspec3:

sound.cockpit_world_volume = 2.6
sound.cockpit_world_lowpass = 5000

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=878002&postcount=22

 

 

3. Does FC2 support surround output?

Not yet. Only stereo output is supported at the moment.

 

4. Which audio card is best for FC2?

Any card will suffice. FC2 sound engine does not use any specific hardware feature.

 

5. I want to tune/replace the sounds and/or make my sound mod.

All sounds settings are stored in "Sounds/sdef" folder of the installation path. SDEF stands for Sound DEFinition and describes settings of the in-game sound sources. "Sounds/sdef/.sdef" file (yes, without name) contains detailed documentation. Please note, at the moment, support requests for user modifications will get lowest priority.

NOTE: sdef documenation is missing one parameter:

-- FILTERING:
lowpass = 24000.0
-- source lowpass filter cutoff frequency

 

6. Rare "Sound Stutter" problem

If you have an ATA drive, right click on the drive in "My computer" Then goto "Hardware", then, click on "Properties". After that goto "Policies".

Once there, Enable both "write caching" and "Advanced Performance"

VOILA!

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=885854#post885854

Thanks to Michael.

 

----

For the history:

1. I have no sound in the simulation, but the editor sounds ok.

FIXED IN THE PATCH!

The problem: FC2 uses sample rate of 44.1 kHz, instead of card's default.

1.1 Workaround (by topdog): set your Speaker's Advanced properties Default Format setting to 24 bit, 44100 Hz (not needed if sound card is set to 44100 already like this).

 

1.2 Another way: you can set FC2 sound sample rate to match your default setting. If your default sample rate is 48000, locate "Config/autoexec.cfg" file in the installation folder and add the following line to the top of the file

sound.samplerate=48000

Edited May 27, 2010 by c0ff
added missing sdef parameter

[topdog]

1. I have no sound in the simulation, but the editor sounds ok.

The problem: FC2 uses sample rate of 44.1 kHz, instead of card's default and many Creative/EMU chips support only 48 kHz.

Workaround: locate "Config/autoexec.cfg" file in the installation folder and add the following line to the top of the file

sound.samplerate=48000

 

I found, with a SB Xtreme Audio sound card, that 48 KHz wasn't the only one supported, but if it was my current Default Format as set under Sound > Playback Devices > Speaker (properties) > Advanced, then I would have to use sound.samplerate=48000.

 

If my Default Format was already 16 bit, 44100 Hz then I did NOT need to use the line to make it work.

 

If my Default Format was instead 16 bit, 96000 Hz, then I had to use sound.samplerate=96000.

 

Easiest option - set your Speaker's Advanced properties Default Format setting to 16 bit, 44100 Hz and modify no FC2 files (not needed if sound card is set to 44100 already like this).

 

 

 

To c0ff: I apologize if you'd rather keep the FAQ to 'official ED only' content, please feel free to delete if so, but hope this helps with testing and fixing missing sound issues some more. Most users would have 44.1KHz or 48KHz in Sound control panel, but if they do not, they will still have missing sound even after using the original workaround.

[Ven]

Good info and got it working.

Edited April 25, 2010 by Ven

[c0ff]

Sound initilization problem is fixed in the patch.

[GumidekCZ]

Is there some way to decrase volume of warning sounds in cockpit? Or slightly incrase engine noise in cockpit?

[159th_Viper]

Is there some way to decrease volume of warning sounds in cockpit?

 

 

Audible Warning Cues/Advices:

 

Navigate to SP GUI/Options/Audio and move Headphones Slider to left until desired effect is reached.

 

Beryoza and AN/ALR-69 RWR:

[RAlt]-[,] to decrease volume.

[RAlt]-[.] to increase volume.

 

Apparent as above, confirmed on SU-25T and A-10A only. I however assume that it would be relevant for the other Airframes as well.

[zangler]

nevermind...missed the part where i add those lines to the file...

Edited May 17, 2010 by zangler
im an idiot

[104th_Crunch]

What audio file is the A-10 cannon using for inside the cockpit and what sdef file is used for this sound?

 

Also, if the line gain = x is not in a sdef file, do you simply add the line and it will then take effect?

 

Thanks. I am enjoying the work done on the sound engine.

[c0ff]

A-10 cannon uses GAU8*.sdef outside the cockpit and that's it.

[104th_Crunch]

A-10 cannon uses GAU8*.sdef outside the cockpit and that's it.

 

Thank you Coff for your reply. So, is there no way to edit the cannon sound inside the cockpit then?

[c0ff]

No, only FAQ:2.

 

Btw, .sdef helpfile describes all possible parameters for sdefs. If param line is not present, just add it.

[104th_Crunch]

No, only FAQ:2.

 

Btw, .sdef helpfile describes all possible parameters for sdefs. If param line is not present, just add it.

 

That is excellent. You can adjust every sound file to a specific level using the gain = X parameter in the sdef file. Very nice feature.

 

(edit: it doesn't seem using a negative number works for ex. gain = -3.0. Are only postive numbers allowed?)

 

I still don't understand why though that all planes use the same gun sound from within the cockpit. I guess these sounds are not played from the effects folder using *.ogg or *.wav? Just curious how the the sound engine is working. Thanks again.

Edited May 22, 2010 by Crunch

[Thunderbird]

i only see this in my autoexec.cfg

 

affinity_mask = 0

 

--[[

For 3-cores CPU (AMD Phenom):

 

affinity_mask = 0 = 000 - all cores

affinity_mask = 1 = 001 - 0 core

affinity_mask = 2 = 010 - 1 core

affinity_mask = 3 = 011 - 0, 1 cores

affinity_mask = 4 = 100 - 2 core

affinity_mask = 5 = 101 - 0, 2 cores

affinity_mask = 6 = 110 - 1, 2 cores

affinity_mask = 7 = 111 - 0, 1, 2 cores

--]]

[Nate--IRL--]

i only see this in my autoexec.cfg

 

affinity_mask = 0

 

--[[

For 3-cores CPU (AMD Phenom):

 

affinity_mask = 0 = 000 - all cores

affinity_mask = 1 = 001 - 0 core

affinity_mask = 2 = 010 - 1 core

affinity_mask = 3 = 011 - 0, 1 cores

affinity_mask = 4 = 100 - 2 core

affinity_mask = 5 = 101 - 0, 2 cores

affinity_mask = 6 = 110 - 1, 2 cores

affinity_mask = 7 = 111 - 0, 1, 2 cores

--]]

 

Yep that looks correct, you have to add the lines for the sound engine if you want to change them.

 

Nate

[Thunderbird]

so it shud be like this? pls help a bit

 

affinity_mask = 0

 

--[[

For 3-cores CPU (AMD Phenom):

 

affinity_mask = 0 = 000 - all cores

affinity_mask = 1 = 001 - 0 core

affinity_mask = 2 = 010 - 1 core

affinity_mask = 3 = 011 - 0, 1 cores

affinity_mask = 4 = 100 - 2 core

affinity_mask = 5 = 101 - 0, 2 cores

affinity_mask = 6 = 110 - 1, 2 cores

affinity_mask = 7 = 111 - 0, 1, 2 cores

sound.cockpit_world_volume = -9.1

sound.cockpit_world_lowpass = 1000

--]]

[Nate--IRL--]

Ah I see.

 

This is mine and it works fine........

 

sound.cockpit_world_volume = 2.5

sound.cockpit_world_lowpass = 2000

affinity_mask = 0

 

--[[

For 3-cores CPU (AMD Phenom):

 

affinity_mask = 0 = 000 - all cores

affinity_mask = 1 = 001 - 0 core

affinity_mask = 2 = 010 - 1 core

affinity_mask = 3 = 011 - 0, 1 cores

affinity_mask = 4 = 100 - 2 core

affinity_mask = 5 = 101 - 0, 2 cores

affinity_mask = 6 = 110 - 1, 2 cores

affinity_mask = 7 = 111 - 0, 1, 2 cores

--]]

 

 

Nate

[Thunderbird]

thanks i will try this

[Tucano_uy]

Own aircraft damage is specially low. I guess that the shaking and noise heard from inside the cockpit must be really loud in RL when getting hit, no low pass filter or whatever there. What would be the files to modify and how to solve it without affecting the volume and filtering of the other outside sounds?

 

Thks

[Nate--IRL--]

You could try adding Gain=2.0 to PlaneHit.sdef (I'm Guessing this is the correct SDEF) Increase the number if it is still too quiet.

 

Nate

[Tucano_uy]

I set gain to 15!!!! It is a little bit better, but not the way I think it should be. I guess a shot in the cockpit should sound like somebody is hitting your car with an iron bar.

[sereupin]

Yep that looks correct, you have to add the lines for the sound engine if you want to change them.

 

Nate

 

 

hello,

 

i am new of this kind of config but it sounds very interesting because I have a e8400 (dualcore) and in the future I plan to have six cores...

 

could you explain me how to config this file for to use all the powerfull of the cpu?:)

 

ps: i have x-fi sound car also... so the audio, maybe, It can to be processed only by audio card .. is it wrong ?

[Nate--IRL--]

hello,

 

i am new of this kind of config but it sounds very interesting because I have a e8400 (dualcore) and in the future I plan to have six cores...

 

could you explain me how to config this file for to use all the powerfull of the cpu?:)

 

ps: i have x-fi sound car also... so the audio, maybe, It can to be processed only by audio card .. is it wrong ?

 

Mainly what we are talking about in this thread are the

 

sound.cockpit_world_volume = 2.5

sound.cockpit_world_lowpass = 2000

 

lines of the autoexec.cfg.

 

As far as the CPU cores are concerned FC2 will only ever use 2 cores and even then only in a limited way. The simulation engine is a single core application and nothing short of a complete rewrite will change this. However with FC2 the sound engine was re-written from scratch and this made it possible to run the sound engine on a separate core.

 

So FC2 can use 2 cores but only in a limited way. Any more cores would be left unused.

 

Also the new sound engine is completely run in software (effectively the CPU is now the sound processor), so your sound card does no processing at all. This was done to maintain compatibly for all sound cards.

 

Nate

[Frazer]

This is what the GUI manual contains. Not sure what you mean by not being updated as It includes all the optons available...

 

 

 

 

Audio Settings

 

Along the right side of the screen are the settings to control the audio environment in the game. This is done through a combination of six sliders and two radio buttons.

The audio sliders increase volume when moved to the right and decrease when moved to the left. Each slider is dedicated to a specific audio channel:

 

 VOLUME. This controls the master volume of the audio settings and affects all channels equally.

 

 GUI. The volume of the Graphics User Interface (GUI) devices, like button clicks, is controlled with this slider.

 MUSIC. The volume of the music that is heard when in the menu screens is adjusted with this slider.

 

 WORLD. The volume of audio sources outside of the cockpit.

 

 COCKPIT. This slider controls the volume levels of audio sources inside your cockpit. Examples include switches and fans.

 

 HEADPHONES. Use this slider to adjust volume levels that would come through the pilot's headphones such as radio messages and warnings.

 

Below the sliders are two radio buttons that act as on-off switches:

 

 RADIO SPEECH. Turn all radio speech on or off.

 

 SUBTITLES. Turn all text subtitles on or off.

Thanks Crunch for this clear description. I think this is very FAQ ;)

[Redcoalition]

I'm having a problem when i use the F3 camera to check the sonic boom effect of supersonic aircraft. The sound begins, but stops soon after. As it only reads the first 4 seconds of the audio file of this effect!

 

 

Thanks for listening, have a nice day!

[c0ff]

In the new engine, sonic boom effect is not sample-based, but simulated.

 

"SonicBoom.ogg" file is not used at all.