Sound problems

from Stardock Forums
Hi,

Galciv looks very promising but getting it is kind of complicated. Local shops don't sell it so I have to order it from overseas, which means a $30 shipping fee on top of the normal game at most places. So, I'd like to play the demo first.

The first thing I noticed upon entering the game was that the sound doesn't work. I've searched through the forum as well as other places on the net on how to solve this, but the suggestions I found do not help me.

- There's no music and no sfx.
- I tried the mp3_codec file (which might work for music but doesn't sound like it will do much good for the sfx) but that didn't change anything.
- I do not have WinDVD installed.
- My Windows was reinstalled last weekend, it's clean as can be (GalCiv demo was one of the first programmes to be installed on it).
- My soundcard, a SoundMax 1980, has its latest drivers (3520, don't let numbers like 3533 and 3838 fool you, they are exactly the same drivers, I spent 6 hours trying to find newer drivers so I could get the game to run, they're all 3520).
- I run WinXP pro.
- Everything else works just fine on my machine.
- When the demo starts, I can hear it "accessing" the soundcard, but no sound comes out.
- DirectX 9.0a is installed
- DirectX reports no problems

I've spent at least 8 hours trying to get it to run, which in hindsight, is more than any game should take to get run. ;-)

So, anyone have any ideas? Cause I'm out of and it seems I'm going to have to pass on this one. :(
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Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Starstormer,

Playing the heck out of this game ourselves, we'd hate to lose anybody to a simple technical issue. The only sound issue shown in the manual for the sale version is:

When I go to the planet screen and some other screens I hear crackling on my speakers.
Some sound drivers do not properly support multiple streaming of MP3s within the same process. If you update your sound drivers to the latest version and make sure you have DirectX 8.0 or later installed this should take care of it.

And again, you've already checked both of those. You may want to try a regular tech support request at strategyfirst.com, although I don't know if they support the freeware version in this manner. Good luck, good gaming.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
One simple thing to check:

Look at your Option Screen if sound and music is turned on.... (Perhaps it helps)
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Thanks for your replies...

Yeah they're on. ;-)

I spent 6 hours installing and deinstalling codecs, updated software, editing my registry, editing sound settings, testing DirectX and God knows what else.

It looks like Galciv is using Windows Media player or something like that to run its music, but isn't starting it properly.

My question would be: why use this method, why not implement your own sound system, then these problems wouldn't appear. In fact, I don't know a single game that uses 'outside' sources to play its gfx and music. Pretty lame choice if you ask me. Saves time and money but looking around in the forum here, I'm not the only one having these problems, and no one is getting them fixed.

Pity though, I have to pass this one it seems. :(

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

I didn't write the mp3 player code, and don't know much about it, but I do know that it picks codecs to use that are installed on your system, probably whatever the default ones are.  Winamp3 has been known to mess up the mp3 player, but that usually causes crashes.

I've had 2 other reports of people with your soundcard not being able to play with sound.

 

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
Considering that my Windows is almost virginal, I doubt it's the codecs. :( No Winamp installed either.

This brings back memories of old DOS games that you had to configure manually. Hard to conceive that in this day and age, people are still having these kinds of problems.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Maybe it's something that gets installed with your soundcard, since other people with your soundcard are definitely having problems.

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
Perhaps CariElf. It's quite a common soundcard though. It's being used in many mainboards. In any case, I started this thread 10 days ago and there's still no solution. As I don't expect anyone from Stardock to pay any attention, this is my official goodbye message as I give up.

Ciao all
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
i have been having sound related problems too. only mine are ctd every 3-7 turns. turn of dound problem stops. the thing is i have a audigy2. so sound problems are not just happening with your card. there is another audigy2 owner with similar problems in the 1.05. thread. i hjave tried everything you did & no results either. i think it is a conflict between media9 & the game. jmo. :notsure: