[Kernal]

What versian of it do you guys use? I accendently screwed my original so I redownloaded it again and I got the newest version. Now for some reason the sound doesn`t sound right.

I`m useing R6.

[karajorma]

http://developer.creative.com/articles/article.asp?cat=1&sbcat=31&top=38&aid=46

That's the link I generally give out. It comes straight from the OpenAL downloads page so it's likely to be the newest one unless they've updated in the last few weeks.

[Trivial Psychic]

Was most recently updated Jul. 14th 2006.

[karajorma]

In that case go to www.openal.org and grab the latest version from the downloads section. You want the installer not the SDK.

[CP5670]

They just link to the Creative site over there. The 7/14 version is the latest one as far as I know.

[Freespace Freak]

What is OpenAL and more importantly, why do I need it?  I downloaded the 3.6.9 candidate and it came up with an error saying I needed OpenAL 1.1 or higher to operate it.  So I downloaded it, and it still came up with that error.  Then when I actually launched the game, there was no audio. 

And what about OpenGL, too.  What does it do and is it necessary?

[Wobble73]

I believe, and please Kara, Goober, anyone correct me if I'm wrong, but OpenAL is a library of Audio Codecs and OpenGL is a library of Graphical codecs?? You should always use OpenGL for FS Open as DirectX is now unsupported by the community, (Partially because no-one here no longer knows how to code for it)

[karajorma]

Codec isn't the right word but as far as a layman needs be concerned you're in the right area with the rest of it.

Basically OpenAL and OpenGL are a way for coders to program for FS2_Open without having to worry about what hardware the computer is running on. OpenAL handles sound and OpenGL handles graphics. Coders program in a way that one of the two understand and then it's their job to make sure that the hardware understands what we want to do.

Direct X and Direct Sound are the MS equivalent of GL and AL but they only work on Windows. GL and Al are crossplatform.

[Freespace Freak]

Codec isn't the right word but as far as a layman needs be concerned you're in the right area with the rest of it.

Basically OpenAL and OpenGL are a way for coders to program for FS2_Open without having to worry about what hardware the computer is running on. OpenAL handles sound and OpenGL handles graphics. Coders program in a way that one of the two understand and then it's their job to make sure that the hardware understands what we want to do.

Direct X and Direct Sound are the MS equivalent of GL and AL but they only work on Windows. GL and Al are crossplatform.

So, if I have Windows XP, then I don't need to use it.  When I istalled 3.6.9 it told me I needed Open AL version 1.1 or higher.  I installed it, but it still gave me that message.  I took away 3.6.9, changed my launcher to 5.3 (instead of 5.4) installed 3.6.7 and the problem dissappeared.  Any thoughts, Kara?

[karajorma]

You need to use it on any operating system which runs FS2_Open. It's basic requirement for anything after 3.6.7. You can get away with using Direct 3D instead of OpenGL on Windows (if you're lucky) but the game ignores DirectSound in favour of OpenAL.

The reason why it didn't work for you is because you probably have old OpenAL drivers installed by your soundcard or motherboard. This post explains what you should be looking out for (although it's a little old now)

[Freespace Freak]

Disaster!  I went to that site, I downloaded the OpenAL1.1 Installer for Windows and the SDK for good measure.  I upgraded the driver on my soundcard (witch is the Realtek AC'97) to the latest version (released 7/7/06) and the launcher still tells me that I need OpenAL 1.1 or higher!   

[taylor]

Disaster!  I went to that site, I downloaded the OpenAL1.1 Installer for Windows and the SDK for good measure.  I upgraded the driver on my soundcard (witch is the Realtek AC'97) to the latest version (released 7/7/06) and the launcher still tells me that I need OpenAL 1.1 or higher!   

Make sure that youre AC'97 drivers are up to date, and also make sure that you don't have either of these two files in your windows\system32\ directory: ct_oal.dll or nvopenal.dll.

[Freespace Freak]

I was looking through my system folder, not my system32 folder, that's why I couldn't find it.  Yeah I found nvopenal.dll, but I haven't had time to test it in 3.6.9 yet.  I'll do that tonight when I get home.  Thanks.    Hopefully I'll be able to see the new 3.6.8 zeta vps now.

[Wobble73]

Please note FS Freak, that taylor said if have nvopenal.dll, to remove it. It's not needed and interferes with the operation of OpenAL. Alright m8!

[Freespace Freak]

Please note FS Freak, that taylor said if have nvopenal.dll, to remove it. It's not needed and interferes with the operation of OpenAL. Alright m8!

Oh, I forgot to mention that I removed it.  Yeah, I was looking for those two files in the System folder, not system32.  I'm one of those people who needs to have thing spelled out in detail, otherwise I'm not going to get a thing.

Also, for OpenGL, I didn't see anything for antialiasing.  If I run OpenGL, would it degrade graphical perfomance as compared to Direct3D with antialiasing?

[taylor]

Also, for OpenGL, I didn't see anything for antialiasing.  If I run OpenGL, would it degrade graphical perfomance as compared to Direct3D with antialiasing?

There isn't a game setting for AA yet, but it's coming with newer OpenGL code, when I get the chance to finish it.  For now you'll just have to force AA with your video card drivers.  And it shouldn't hurt performance any more than it would in D3D.

Also, if you have a problem with music or voices disappearing when you get back to testing, know that it's a bug that's been fixed but a build with the fix hasn't been released yet.  There will probably be a RC7 build released this weekend though, after I commit my last set of fixes.

[Freespace Freak]

Okay, I deleted nvopenal.dll, and I did a search to make sure I didn't have ct_oal.dll, and I don't.  I made sure I installed OpenAL 1.1 for windows from the website, and it is.  Yet, still it says "OpenAL 1.1 or new is required for proper operation."  And then it tells me to go to the SAME website I downloaded the thing from and try it again.  WTF?!!  When I start, there's no sound whatsoever.  I tried it with DirectSound, EAX, Aureal 3D, and even no sound.  (I figured why not.)

I also noticed that many of the fighters that had transparent cockpits have been replaced with ones that aren't transparent.  Why is that?

[Freespace Freak]

Do you guys think the problem is being caused by the fact that I have a Realtek 7.1 channel Karajan module attatched to my motherboard instead of a standard soundcard?  Do you think this problem will go away if I remove the Karajan module and install a regular old sound card instead?  Or possibly since I'm using something other than what most of you guys use, there's probably a .dll that's causing problems that I don't know about?

[Freespace Freak]

I deleted my last post because I didn't want to say something stupid and regret it, but after many web searches the verdict seams to be that if you do not have an Creative sound card or an Nvidia integrated audio board, OpenAL will not work.     There are some mentions of wrap arounds that should make it work, but it's not 3d accelerated.  Unfortunately, my particular audio card seems to be incompatible with even the wraparound.  So, my only option at this point is to buy an SB Audigy, because that's what you need to use the 3d accelleration.  I have an nforce 4 chip, but the designers of my board opted out of the integrated nforce audio in favor of the realtek karajan audio board.  A wise decision, because it is superior than the integrated nforce audio, it's just completely incompatible with OpenAL at this time, and likely for the foreseeable future.

[taylor]

the verdict seams to be that if you do not have an Creative sound card or an Nvidia integrated audio board, OpenAL will not work

Not sure where you found that, but it's complete BS.  OpenAL wraps around the windows sound devices, meaning that under windows it will just translate everything to DirectSound.  If you have DirectSound drivers installed for your sound card then you're set on that end.  There is the possibility of drivers which provide direct hardware acceleration for OpenAL, and that's where you would want a particular Creative sound card.  Nvidia sound is pretty much crap at this point since I still don't think that they support OpenAL 1.1 though hardware.

Something is just wrong with your system setup, and it's finding files which are incorrect.  OpenAL does have various wrappers and if there is any old 1.0 ones installed on your system then that can be causing your troubles.  Just do a full search of your system for any of these files: openal32.dll, wrap_oal.dll, ct_oal.dll, nvopenal.dll.  Let me know what ones you find and where they are.  I should be able to help you out a bit easier with that info provided.