Log in

View Full Version : Sound Blaster XFi and EQ2 Settings


Darkmort
10-12-2008, 09:29 PM
<p>Unless I'm not doing a search properly there is no topics within the past year about Sound Blaster XFi so I'm posting this since there has been no doubt updates to the EQ2 client.</p><p>OK this is gonna be very confusing but I'll try and go slow.</p><p>You have these options in the sound device manager within EQ2 (options)</p><p>*Miles *Dolby *Eax2 *Eax3 *Eax4</p><p>Okay if you select either Miles or Dolby another drop menu will appear to select your Speaker Configuration, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1 etc etc etc</p><p>I presently own: Windows Vista 32bit and Sound Blaster X Fi Fata1ty XTreme Gamer</p><p>(ok this is where its gonna get confusing, again Ill try and go slow LOL)</p><p>Upon installing the applications and software for the card you actually have 3 choices for better audio performance : Entertainment Mode, Gaming Mode, and Audio Creation Mode.</p><p>If I'm playing Games, then I want to have the Game Mode, if I'm watching a Movie listening to a CD or watching a Game Trailer on gametrailers.com I would want the Entertainment Mode.</p><p>In the past I have selected and have always selected Game Mode for EQ2, last couple times I dont think it works because after a while I get a BSOD, Vista says theres a problem with my Audio Driver and reverts back to Entertainment Mode.  If I selected Game Mode after a fresh boot or even a newly installed sound card, play a game, it will still say Game Mode, if I reboot PC, it will still say Game Mode, however when I get BSODs it reverts back to Entertainment Mode.</p><p>I am aware with Vista and my Sound Card that the two cant work well together.  Creative allowed us users to download an application called "Creative AlChemy"  which restores 3D Sound.  After downloading the application and you run it, it will search your hard drive and see if there are any games that you can have AlChemy enabled, one of them being EverQuest 2</p><p>So I have a 5.1 Speaker Setup, I have that enabled within Vistas sound control scheme, as well as my Sound Card under options, here is my situation (reason for posting)</p><p>So if I have a Creative Sound Blaster X Fi that probably uses EAX 2 3 or 4, when I select it; I will not have the option to select 5.1 Speaker Setup and by selecting EAX 2 3 or 4, the sound is extremly tunneled.</p><p>So I've tried keeping it on Entertainment Mode while playing EQ2 to see if I can reproduce Audio crashes and so far none, so maybe I dont need Game Mode for EQ2 but why cant I select my 5.1 speaker package within EAX?</p><p>Also if I had my wish, if i could deal with just one simple setup I guess here is what I would wish for/select:</p><p>EAX4 and 5.1 Speaker Setup, but again I cannot select it, cause selecting EAX disables any of my speaker configuration.</p><p>Is my EQ2 client not detecting my sound card correctly?</p><p>Yes I do have the latest Audio Drivers and I havent had any problems with other games.</p><p>Anyways what are your thoughts, thank you.</p>

Roybob
10-13-2008, 07:25 AM
I use Vista64 and the same X-fi as you. EQ2 runs fine for me. No problems with either Game Mode or Alchemy. Note that I have not tried the most recent X-fi drivers.If I read your post correctly, you are not able to select 5.1 channel mode within the game? I had this problem after moving game files from my ancient AMD XP machine to the then-new Intel Vista64 rig. What I had to do was go to my EVERQUEST II directory, find and launch the stand-alone mini-program EQ2SETTINGS.EXE. Its settings tab shows all sound options, including speaker options. Select what you want to use there, exit, then launch the game. Correct sound options choices should now appear in the game's OPTIONS menu.As to Alchemy, it should work. Since I didn't actually install the game on, but merely moved it to, my new build, Alchemy didn't automatically find EQ2. I had to make a manual entry for game. I also needed to modify Alchemy's EQ2 settings to prevent gross distortion within the game. In my case, Buffers 4, Duration 15, Max Voices 128 did the trick. Newer versions of Alchemy might or might not need such modification, but this works for me so I leave it alone.Also note that some older motherboards needed a BIOS upgrade to be compatible with the X-fi and 4gb ram. You're EQ2 issue doesn't seem BIOS related so I'd not worry over it unless you have other X-fi problems, but as some point you might wanna check your mobo's BIOS update history and check for X-fi issues.-Roybob