Who uses IndirectSound and/or Creative ALchemy?

[pyf]

Who uses any of these two softwares?


IndirectSound emulates audio hardware acceleration on modern Windows operating systems. This enables older games to have 3D positional audio (i.e. surround sound played out of rear and side speakers) like they were intended to when they were originally released.

When the game asks if audio hardware acceleration is available IndirectSound claims that it is (even though it really isn't) and then uses a newer Microsoft audio library, XAudio2, to create 3D positional sound in software. This means that anyone who has a machine capable of playing modern games can experience emulated hardware 3D positional audio on older games the way it was intended (at least until Microsoft stops supporting XAudio2).

IndirectSound - 3D Audio in Older Games
(note: currently no true EAX support)

VOGONS • View topic - indirect sound



Creative ALchemy allows Sound Blaster owners to run their favorite DirectSound3D games and experience them as game developers have intended from Windows Vista™ and above - with full hardware accelerated 3D Audio and EAX support. This is achievable by translating DirectSound3D into OpenAL calls.

Creative ALchemy FAQ
Creative Worldwide Support - All downloads
(search for 'almy')

Creative ALchemy Guide and FAQ
Creative ALchemy Guide and FAQ (updated)

https://web.archive.org/web/2013060...ivelabs.com/alchemy/Lists/Games/AllItems.aspx
(archived unofficial compatibility list, very possibly outdated)

List of games with EAX support - Wikipedia

 

[pyf]

bump!

 

[Beckett]

I have been using Creative Alchemy for many old games, such as Half-Life/Counter Strike pre Steam version, old GTA titles, but mainly for Warcraft III. And I would say the difference in sound is quite noticeable.

 

[TheLordOfChaos201]

does it really matter?

I mean I often play games without sound so I don't see myself downloading software for such a minor change

 

[pyf]

does it really matter?

Yes it does.

 

[TheLordOfChaos201]

Yes it does.

It is like downloading that software that allows you to run open gl for directx games

Sure the graphics is going to look better, in some instances, but that doesn't change the game play so.... what difference does it make? You are still going to play the game for the same length of time until you get bored of the game, because it is a game not a movie or a book

 

[pyf]

[...] what difference does it make? [...]

It allows to play the audio the way it has always been intended by the developers.


3D positional audio imho makes a notable gameplay difference in FPS games. I believe it is much better than simple stereo sound.

The oldest video game that I remember which uses comparable audio effects is Unreal, which uses the Galaxy Audio sound system.

 

[TheLordOfChaos201]

English love is so cute
there's nothing gay about it in our eyes
it's guy love, it's guy love between two guys

 

[pyf]

I doubt that it has anything to do with IndirectSound and/or with Creative ALchemy.

 

[chobibo]

does it really matter?

I mean I often play games without sound so I don't see myself downloading software for such a minor change

It does matter; What doesn't matter is that you play without sound and complain why sound matters for other players in a thread about software that processes sound. +REP