Broken Sword 1 - Clicking/ noise at end when characters talk

raven772 · Post by **raven772** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:32 pm

I have a Audigy gamer updated, windows Xp sp3. Whenever a character stops talking there is like a clicking/static sound, the best I can describe it but it does not happen every time, just most of the time.
Actually I tested it out and if I skip the speech it actually happens more often though even if I don't skip it, it still happens, I also have the latest scummvm. Any ideas would be appreciated, thank you for your time.

DCDayDreamer · Post by **DCDayDreamer** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:00 pm

Are the speech files original or compressed (Flac, OGG, MP3)?

raven772 · Post by **raven772** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:36 pm

they are .clu files

clem · Post by **clem** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:49 pm

I looked through the FAQ and found this entry: FAQ 5.16.

Maybe that solves it? (If it's a SDL/driver problem)

raven772 · Post by **raven772** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:27 pm

I tried that fix, created the batch file but the problem still exists. thanks though. I hear everything that is said, it's just that little effect at the end sometimes, its weird.

DCDayDreamer · Post by **DCDayDreamer** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:23 am

I'm 100% sure something similar was happening on an earlier build of ScummVM for me (might have been a SVN package), but only with uncompressed .CLU files. I use MP3 compression on game audio files because the Dreamcast port supports it (easier to test the games on XP and on the Dreamcast), try compressing the audio with MP3 or OGG to see if that makes a difference. I'm not saying that'll fix your little problem, but it's worth a shot to get the speech working better (it might also highlight a bug with certain software/hardware).

raven772 · Post by **raven772** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 12:24 am

Ive been trying to use compress_sword1 but I must be doing something wrong. I'm using command prompt and I Enter compress_sword1.exe [mp3] <.> and it says the syntax of the command is incorrect.
I'm not sure where I'm supposed to use the program I put it in the main directory, in the speech I even copied the speech and music files and also sub folders into a new directory and tried the program every way I could.
I tried using the speech-only command as well, no luck no idea what I'm doing wrong, can anyone help, I would appreciate it big time.

DrMcCoy · Post by **DrMcCoy** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 12:58 am

raven772 wrote:Ive been trying to use compress_sword1 but I must be doing something wrong. I'm using command prompt and I Enter compress_sword1.exe [mp3] <.> and it says the syntax of the command is incorrect.

Putting [] around parameters generally denotes an optional parameter. Likewise, <> denote that you should input what's meant, not the literal string. The brackets themselves are not entered literally, either.
Also, the parameter for mp3 is "--mp3" (not the hyphens), not "mp3".

So, the correct usage would be

Code: Select all

compress_sword1.exe --mp3 .

Note that --mp3 is the default if not stated on the commandline otherwise, so it can be omitted in this case.

raven772 · Post by **raven772** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 2:42 am

I compressed to vorbis, but the effect remains. weird thing is vorbis file is 60mb vs 300 for the original. flac worked but didnt produce any sound in game, and mp3 compression got an error so i couldnt try that out.

something about not lame not reconized as internal or external command, it doesnt matter. Ill just try to ignore the static or whatever it is. Thanks everyone for their help.

DrMcCoy · Post by **DrMcCoy** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 3:14 am

raven772 wrote:something about not lame not reconized as internal or external command, it doesnt matter.

For what it's worth, that means you're missing the mp3 encoder LAME.

About your original problem: To me, it sounds like a problem with the soundcard or the drivers.
Have you tried switching to up-to-date drivers by Creative, or if you're using them, to the ones supplied by Windows (if there are any)?
Or swapping your soundcard with a different one (if you have one handy)?

DCDayDreamer · Post by **DCDayDreamer** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 3:18 am

This should help you with MP3 audio compression:

BS1 Speech Compress

Put your speech1.clu and speech2.clu files into a SPEECH directory, then put that SPEECH directory into the BS1_Compress directory provided in the download, then run the .bat file.

When finished, you should find speech1.cl3 and speech2.cl3 in the SPEECH directory, those files will be the Broken Sword speech files compressed to MP3 with the default settings, and those two files are what you'll need to use with ScummVM.

I'm not totally convinced compressing to MP3 will work because you have the same problem with uncompressed audio and OGG compressed audio, but you can try it if you want. I'd also try what DrMcCoy suggested - soundcard drivers.

raven772 · Post by **raven772** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 4:33 am

I am on satelite internet, so ill try and update a bunch of drivers tonight when I have my free download window. Then ill see how that goes.
Thanks for the help. I'm enjoying Broken Sword so far, I got into it because of Beneath a steel sky, same developers i think. So I'm looking forward to continuing but that noise is distracting as i try to be uh... absorbed into the game.

raven772 · Post by **raven772** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:15 am

http://www.filefactory.com/file/41287a/n/effect2_wav

I cant believe i didnt figure it out before, anyway I recorded the clicking noise or whatever it is. If anyone was curious as to what Im hearing, I think I recorded it well enough the first 7 seconds are me alt tabing to the game with no sound, then i start starting and stopping conversation to create the effect.

I tried different drivers but that didnt work so Im resolved to continue on. Heres hoping Broken sword 2 doesnt have the effect.

DCDayDreamer · Post by **DCDayDreamer** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 5:30 pm

That sounds really poor, almost like the speech is played back on vinyl with a blunt stylus, it's just the voices that sound like that, or does the music and SFX sound the same?.

raven772 · Post by **raven772** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:48 pm

Hmm. It sounds ok to me, just the popping or whatever it is after I continually stop the speech describing the item. Also and I dont know if Im hearing this sound glitch everwhere but I could swear it happened a lot when I was talking to the woman at the front desk in the Hospital.

The music in the game does not have that sound glitch but when I shut down my computer and windows plays the sound effect it does it as well. I'm sure its not normal. I recorded the effect2.wav with windows sound recorder.

Thanks again. I wonder if my sound card is dying. is there anyway to disable the sound card and use onboard sound or would i have to remove the sound card from the computer.