If the title makes any sense to you then you may already be familiar with what I am about to write.
Built a new system has vista on it, going back to xp is not an option at this stage so please do not suggest that. My XiFi card has the latest drivers and also the alchemy program that allows the use of EAX in the vista environment for legacy games.
However what isn't made clear is that if it re-enables the 3d accel and eax checkboxes in GW or just turns EAX on all the time.
It has installed the correct dsound dll's into GW's directory but i cannot notice any difference in the audio of GW and cannot enable 3d accel or EAX.
ANy suggestions?
Vista, Creative XiFi & Alchemy
psycore
Quaker
Go back to XP 
But seriously, I have no suggestions, but this link may help:
http://www.windowsvistamagazine.com/...-in-vista.html
But seriously, I have no suggestions, but this link may help:
http://www.windowsvistamagazine.com/...-in-vista.html
Lord Sojar
I would seriously consider dumping the Creative card in Vista. Creative all but abandoned driver compatibility with Vista. You will cause so many issues and slow down on your system using the Creative card.
Your best bet is to switch to an ASUS Sonar sound card. Their drivers are gorgeous, and the cards outperform X-Fi by substantial margins.
I cannot give you better advice than to switch sound card manufacturers. The fact is, Creative are slimy, evil people who don't care about you or anything else.
Your best bet is to switch to an ASUS Sonar sound card. Their drivers are gorgeous, and the cards outperform X-Fi by substantial margins.
I cannot give you better advice than to switch sound card manufacturers. The fact is, Creative are slimy, evil people who don't care about you or anything else.
Snograt
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Rahja the Thief
I would seriously consider dumping the Creative card in Vista.
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I dumped my X-Fi Fatal1ty months ago and use the onboard HD sound on my 780i. Not a problem since.
manitoba1073
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Snograt
This.
I dumped my X-Fi Fatal1ty months ago and use the onboard HD sound on my 780i. Not a problem since. |
the sound is awesome
psycore
Well certainly not the reply i was expecting.
Might have to start looking at a new sound card. -_-;;
Might have to start looking at a new sound card. -_-;;
FoxBat
Blah blah.
GW works fine under vista with Alchemy. You'll need to run the alchemy program and point it to GW, that will create some alternate sound dlls and stick them in GW folder. Once it's set up right, you'll see the "hardware sound" and "eax" checkboxes avaliable in-game. Click those and you're good to go.
Alchemy translates dx calls from programs to openal. It doesn't provide blanket EAX setting or such. (you already have the creative control panel for that.)
GW works fine under vista with Alchemy. You'll need to run the alchemy program and point it to GW, that will create some alternate sound dlls and stick them in GW folder. Once it's set up right, you'll see the "hardware sound" and "eax" checkboxes avaliable in-game. Click those and you're good to go.
Alchemy translates dx calls from programs to openal. It doesn't provide blanket EAX setting or such. (you already have the creative control panel for that.)
Snograt
You're possibly right, FoxBat.
GW works fine under Vista with Alchemy ...for some people.
It's like graphics cards. Two people can have identical rigs with identical GPUs - one person has no problems, the other has graphics driver errors galore.
Creative make superb sound cards. nVidia make superb graphics cards. Neither of these two can write stable drivers to save their lives.
Creative's drivers, in particular, are a joke in the IT world. They are a classic example of bloatware. They stick to your installation like poo to a blanket. When I switches from X-Fi to onboard, I still had Creative crap left even after using CC and DriverSweeper.
But again, you could be right. He might get lucky.
Pardon the cynicism, I'm old* and weary.
*everything is relative
GW works fine under Vista with Alchemy ...for some people.
It's like graphics cards. Two people can have identical rigs with identical GPUs - one person has no problems, the other has graphics driver errors galore.
Creative make superb sound cards. nVidia make superb graphics cards. Neither of these two can write stable drivers to save their lives.
Creative's drivers, in particular, are a joke in the IT world. They are a classic example of bloatware. They stick to your installation like poo to a blanket. When I switches from X-Fi to onboard, I still had Creative crap left even after using CC and DriverSweeper.
But again, you could be right. He might get lucky.
Pardon the cynicism, I'm old* and weary.
*everything is relative
Quaker
Not that I wish to stick up for Creative sound cards, but part of the problem with EAX (and other things) in Vista is the lack of DirectSound. Microsoft, in their infinite wisdom, decided that no-one needs hardware audio acceleration any more.
Then again, back when I was using XP and Sound Blaster cards, I could never get EAX in GW to do anything but bugger up. I'm now running Vista with on-board sound.
(I'm older and wearier, and, therefore, more cynical.
)
Then again, back when I was using XP and Sound Blaster cards, I could never get EAX in GW to do anything but bugger up. I'm now running Vista with on-board sound.
(I'm older and wearier, and, therefore, more cynical.
)
psycore
Quote:
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Originally Posted by FoxBat
Blah blah.
GW works fine under vista with Alchemy. You'll need to run the alchemy program and point it to GW, that will create some alternate sound dlls and stick them in GW folder. Once it's set up right, you'll see the "hardware sound" and "eax" checkboxes avaliable in-game. Click those and you're good to go. Alchemy translates dx calls from programs to openal. It doesn't provide blanket EAX setting or such. (you already have the creative control panel for that.) |
Snograt
Sure, Microsoft killing off the DSound API certainly threw a spanner in Creative's works. I still stand by my statement regarding Creative's driver bundles though.
Heh, remember all the fun it was configuring the early Soundblasters in DOS? An autoexec.bat for every game? You'd think they would have progressed from there...
Ooh, another one older than me! More, more!
Heh, remember all the fun it was configuring the early Soundblasters in DOS? An autoexec.bat for every game? You'd think they would have progressed from there...
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Quaker's profile
Occupation: Retired
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fusa
Open Control Panel>Sound and make sure your XiFi sound card is selected as default. If it isn't default set it to default and open alchemy and see if GW appears on the list and enable it. If its not in Alchemy, and your XiFi is set to default, then manually add by clicking Add in alchemy, the use HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Arenanet\Guild Wars\Path for registry path or "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\gw.exe" (or your install directory) for program path.
KZaske
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Snograt
Creative's drivers, in particular, are a joke in the IT world. They are a classic example of bloatware. They stick to your installation like poo to a blanket. When I switches from X-Fi to onboard, I still had Creative crap left even after using CC and DriverSweeper.
But again, you could be right. He might get lucky. Pardon the cynicism, I'm old* and weary. *everything is relative |
Shiing!
OK, Enough of the Creative is crap stuff and let's get onto actually answering questions about how it works.
Here's my question:
I downloaded ALchemy for Vista x64, and it's running and I selected GW as a game in the game list on the program. It's put the dxsound DLL and the text file into the game directory with tells it how many voices, etc, and the game works fine.
For people who've used ALchemy with GW before: is it supposed to allow you to now select Enable 3D Sound and Use EAX? Because mine are still greyed out. Even if they're still greyed out, does this mean that EAX and 3D Sound are working, but the program just doesn't allow you to select it manually.. If you know what I mean.
Basically, even though they're grey, is ALchemy working with GW? Any way to tell or anything like that? Or has anyone managed to get the GW program to allow you to tick the two boxes?
Shiing
Here's my question:
I downloaded ALchemy for Vista x64, and it's running and I selected GW as a game in the game list on the program. It's put the dxsound DLL and the text file into the game directory with tells it how many voices, etc, and the game works fine.
For people who've used ALchemy with GW before: is it supposed to allow you to now select Enable 3D Sound and Use EAX? Because mine are still greyed out. Even if they're still greyed out, does this mean that EAX and 3D Sound are working, but the program just doesn't allow you to select it manually.. If you know what I mean.
Basically, even though they're grey, is ALchemy working with GW? Any way to tell or anything like that? Or has anyone managed to get the GW program to allow you to tick the two boxes?
Shiing
psycore
I did some more digging around on the net from what i understand vista sp1 may have broken alchemy's functionality.
Snograt
Have a lookie here: http://www.youp-pax.org/viewthread.p...extra=page%3D1
yuoP-Pax drivers for xp and vista 32/64. Might be worth a shot...
yuoP-Pax drivers for xp and vista 32/64. Might be worth a shot...
zamial
1: install all the creative "bloat ware"(all of it), update it, use audio console, put check in the "enable" box.
Until you do this it will not work. I know I run vista64 and use the x-fi extreme gamer fatality card.
There are Alot of stupid things you need to do if this doesn't work, as there are multiple apps and folders with more apps to go through (some don't even work). If you start opening them trial and error will pay off. when you are ready to give it a go don't forget to close and reopen GW so changes take effect.
I do not know what is worse Creative's support, drivers or dirty business practices. In either case this card was designed for "extreme audiophiles". there are way to many things to fiddle with so it is virtually impossible for someone to give you directions on the settings. Best of luck.
Until you do this it will not work. I know I run vista64 and use the x-fi extreme gamer fatality card.
There are Alot of stupid things you need to do if this doesn't work, as there are multiple apps and folders with more apps to go through (some don't even work). If you start opening them trial and error will pay off. when you are ready to give it a go don't forget to close and reopen GW so changes take effect.
I do not know what is worse Creative's support, drivers or dirty business practices. In either case this card was designed for "extreme audiophiles". there are way to many things to fiddle with so it is virtually impossible for someone to give you directions on the settings. Best of luck.
v0od0o
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Originally Posted by psycore
Well certainly not the reply i was expecting.
Might have to start looking at a new sound card. -_-;; |
Go in the vista game menu
Right click Guild Wars icon
Click customize
Edit your play command 1 (should be Play (Play))
Click Compatibility Tab
Check Run this program in comp. mode for : Win Xp sp2
Voilà!
Enjoy your "not in the garbage" sound card!
edit: BTW you need ALchemy.