How to Record Game Audio with GameCam and FRAPS in Windows 7

So due to the impending release of the newly rebooted XCOM: Enemy Unknown, I was finally forced to get off my lazy bum and do what I should have done ages ago: make the shift to Windows 7.

So why the procrastination? Everything was working fine and dandy with Windows XP so I never really saw the need to shift to Windows 7. It is because of the above reason that I was only mildly surprised when GameCam refused to record my voice.

I found the solution though. I didn't even google for the fix. The screenshot-riddled guide after the jump. (FRAPS users can also benefit from this guide as, like GameCam, it still uses Stereo Mix.)

>>>Click here to read more...

Mass Effect Performance and Graphics Tweaks List

Mass Effect is a shooter-RPG hybrid that's a first of its kind. Some might argue that other shooter-RPG hybrids came before it (like the classic System Shock 2 and the more recent S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games), but the RPG aspects of those were watered-down affairs at best. Bioware fused the RPG aspect of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic with third-person shooter dynamics that can match most PC games today, creating the first shooter-RPG hybrid that strikes a perfect balance between frantic, cathartic gameplay and superb storytelling.

However, it didn't hit the ground running for me. Right out of the box, it struggled to deliver surround sound and had problems with anti-aliasing settings.

The Mass Effect performance and graphics tweaks I used after the jump. (The performance and graphics tweaks I used also solved the audio problems that plague Mass Effect.)

Note: No one "owns" these commands as they are common knowledge. However, Koroush Ghazi of Tweakguides.com has compiled many of the most useful Mass Effect performance and graphics tweaks and provided parameters and explanations in his Mass Effect tweak guide. For a more thorough rundown, I would advise you to visit the above page as the list below is just my personal "quick scan" reference (read: these are settings for my PC; these are not for ultra-low-end systems), just in case my hard drive suddenly goes postal.


The .ini files that hold the listed parameters can be found at (on Windows XP systems): My Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config. Make sure to take note of the individual files ("BIOEngine.ini" and "BIOGame.ini") and categories ("[Engine.GameEngine]," "[D3DDrv.D3DRenderDevice]," etc) as various entries appear multiple times in the folder. As always, please make backup copies of the files you are going to edit.

BIOEngine.ini

[Engine.GameEngine]
bSmoothFrameRate=TRUE
MinSmoothedFrameRate=22.000000
MaxSmoothedFrameRate=75.000000

**Increases the maximum allowable framerate from the default cap.

DepthBias=0.12

**Graphics tweak; enables dynamic shadows. The last patch disabled them (many gamers complain that enabling Dynamic Shadows from the in-game menu doesn't work).

ModShadowFadeDistanceExponent=0.000000

**Graphics tweak; the game won't cull shadows even if the objects casting them are far away from the player.


[D3DDrv.D3DRenderDevice]
DisableHWShadowMaps=False

**Performance tweak; makes the video card render the game's shadows (instead of the CPU).


[SystemSettings]

Trilinear=TRUE
SkeletalMEshLODBias=-1
ParticleLODBias=-1

**Graphics tweak; heightens the quality of textures and particles.

[ISACTAudio.ISACTAudioDevice]
MaxChannels=64
TimeBetweenHWUpdates=15.000000
MinOggVorbisDurationGame=20
MinOggVorbisDurationEditor=4
TotalAvailableChannels=62
//DeviceName=Generic Software
DeviceName=Generic Software
ReserveChannels=2
UseEffectsProcessing=False

**Audio tweaks; the above list fixed the sound bugs (glitches) on my system. (If you are not using a Realtek HD sound solution, the above might not work for your system. Please see Tweakguides' Mass Effect tweak guide or go to the official Mass Effect forums.) Note that "//DeviceName=Generic Software" is an added line. Without this, the fix won't work.


BIOGame.ini

[BIOC_Base.BioActorBehavior]

AllowFriendlyCollateral=TRUE

**Gameplay tweak; enables friendly fire.



[BIOC_Base.BioPawnBehavior]

m_bAllowPhysicsOnDeadBodies=TRUE

[BIOC_Base.BioPawn]

m_fCorpseCleanupFirstAttemptTime=25.0

**Gameplay tweak; increases the time (in seconds) before the game culls dead bodies.

>>>Click here to read more...

Half-Life 2 CVar Console Command Tweaks

When Half-Life 2 was launched, it was plagued with performance and stutter problems. Five years later, console commands and patches have fixed these --- I've bought a copy of The Orange Box, and my experience has so far been flawless(except that to my chagrin Gordon Freeman still feels more "glidey" than other FPS protagonists, albeit less so compared to how he moved in the first Half-Life; nausea-inducing, that one).

Being the tweak monkey that I am however, I still scrounged around for Half-Life 2 console commands and PC performance tweaks and found hundreds of CVars on the web. I picked several, applied them, and when I fired up my newest first-person shooter game, well, the changes are nothing to write home about but hey, anything to elevate a flawless experience into a cathartic romp stomping Xen transdimensional beings and Combine soldiers right?


The Half-Life 2 console commands that I use---and how to apply them to the Half-Life 2 exe---after the jump.

No one "owns" these commands as they are common knowledge. However, Koroush Ghazi of Tweakguides.com has compiled many of the most useful Half-Life 2 CVars and provided parameters and explanations in his Half-Life 2 tweak guide. For a more thorough rundown, I would advise you to visit the above page as the list below is just my personal "quick scan" reference (read: these are settings for my PC; these are not for ultra-low-end systems), just in case my hard drive suddenly goes postal:

Performance

+mem_max_heapsize 1024 - memory-related performance tweak; see the Tweakguides.com HL2 tweak guide

+cl_forcepreload 1 – Forces the game to preload everything during loadup times, eliminating stutter but lengthening the loading process.

+ai_expression_optimization 1 – Forces the game not to render NPC expression that you can’t see. (Much like that Doom 3 cull command)

+ r_threaded_particles 1 – Multi-thread-related tweak; see the Tweakguides.com HL2 tweak guide

+ r_threaded_renderables 1 - Multi-thread-related tweak; see the Tweakguides.com HL2 tweak guide

+ mat_queue_mode 2 - Multi-core-related tweak; see the Tweakguides.com HL2 tweak guide

>>>Interested in free (legal) first-person shooter single- and multi-player games? Click.

Audio

+ snd_mix_async 1 – Audio tweak; see the Tweakguides.com HL2 tweak guide

+ dsp_enhance_stereo 1 – audio improvement tweak

Graphics Improvement

+ mat_picmip -1 (I checked the console and the “highest”---lowest on the number line---Half-Life 2 setting for this tweak is “-1.”)

+ mat_parallaxmap 1 – Graphics tweak; see the Tweakguides.com HL2 tweak guide for a thorough explanation


Miscellaneous

-novid – eliminates the intro Valve movie, speeding up startup load time

+sv_autosave 0 – eliminates those annoying autosaves that shatter immersion


I linked all these into:

-novid +mem_max_heapsize 1024 +sv_autosave 0 +cl_forcepreload 1 +ai_expression_optimization 1 +r_threaded_particles 1 +r_threaded_renderables 1 +snd_mix_async 1 +mat_queue_mode 2 +mat_picmip -1 +mat_parallaxmap 1 +dsp_enhance_stereo 1

I then inserted the line into Half-Life 2's "Launch Options" (accessible by right-clicking the game's title and navigating to Properties > General > Set Launch Options) in Steam:

>>>Click here to read more...

Realtek HD High Definition Audio Codec Update

As mentioned in my Realtek AC'97 Audio Update article, audiophiles and the average PC user alike should update their Realtek audio codec as soon as a new driver version comes out.

Link to the official Realtek HD High Definition audio codecs site after the jump.

Equalizer settings I'm using (Realtek HD 2.47)

>>>Click HERE

>>>Using an older system that uses the legacy Realtek AC'97 onboard sound solution? Click HERE

>>>Click here to read more...

How to Resolve GameCam Audio Record Problems

(Apologies for the title above.)

I got so annoyed at having to go to the GameCam forums to read again on how to record audio using the software everytime I install a new version that I decided to make this. This post serves as a handy guide for senile ol' me.

Can't record video game audio with GameCam? The solution is simple:

1. Make sure you have a registered version. The free GameCam version can't record audio.

2. Make sure you have selected the correct recording device in the Windows Recording Control interface.

To do this:

1. Press Windows + R. (Or got to Start > Run.)

2. Type "sndvol32.exe /record" without the quotes.


3. On the screen that pops up, make sure "Stereo Mix" is selected. Leave the volume slider alone.


4. Run GameCam. Run your favorite game. When both are running, press F1 and under the "Audio" tab (in GameCam, not the game), check to see if the "Default Recording Device" is selected.

5. Record. (Default GameCam hotkey: HOME)

6. See if it works. If the video produces scratchy/distorted sound, go back to Step 2 and see if the volume slider is too high.

I hope this works for you. Kudos goes out to TommyBoy, Site Admistrator of the GameCam forums, for posting a similar guide (albeit without the pictures).

Here's a video I've made using the software (Area 51 freeware single- and multiplayer shooter game on Hard mode):

>>>Click here to read more...

Realtek AC'97 Audio Update

Transferred from my first blog.

UPDATED (October 5, 2008); SEE BELOW

Don’t you just love freeware? ‘Had another bout of insomnia after my work shift and couldn’t concentrate on working. I turned to thoughts about tweaking my PC again. ‘Sifted through my Cryostorage folder (yep, I never got around that Demolition Man movie haha!) and found an audio driver that I downloaded weeks ago. ‘Never got around to installing it due to my busy sched (and the massive amount of unwinding it demands to get the kinks out of my system ha. Ha. Ha.). So I did. And oh boy, Andrea Corr never sounded so good!

The AC’97 audio codec update I downloaded was better than the previous one; treble and bass got boosts that went through the ceiling. Of course I got a Logitech X-530 for a sound system for my rig but that’s straying from the point (140-watt surround sound for your Doom 3 anyone? *Evil grin*). You have gotta love the Net and the colossal count of resources it offers!

For those who are curious, Realtek audio drivers for integrated sound solutions can be found here. (These are to be used only for motherboards that have integrated sound solutions made by Realtek! Needless to say they are stable but we have different PCs. Install at your own risk.)

Bass output was a bit too powerful, but a quick adjustment on the control panel quickly brought it down to levels that were relatively tame.

Now for the ultimate test, — the reason why I bought the speakers in the first place —— I’ll take the speakers for a spin in Tribes. I wanna hear the screams of fellow players amidst the cacophony of exploding godhammer rounds.

…. and then somehow wake up at 1pm to prepare for a panel interview; someone’s going to be promoted and I want to grill the candidates down to a tasty brown hue before one of them ascends.

UPDATE 1: I installed v4.01 and it sounds incrementally better. That’s right; incrementally. But definitely better.With drivers, you don’t hope for a single update to blow you to audio/video/performance nirvana. They sort of creep up the improvement meter with every install, never bringing loud ooohs and aahs from you but there will come a point that you will exclaim "Omg, I listened to the din he’s listening to now?" when you hear what a neighbor is listening to (which is being delivered by the exact same v1.0 pre-Devonian base driver you had).

The first time you update drivers however, heh, la dee da, you WILL listen to each and every favorite track you have and repeat every part where you distinctly hear changes in the delivery of bass and treble. Speaking of tracks, I use Aquasky’s Original Crime: Most Wanted as a subjective audio benchmark. (time segment 3:09-4:58 specifically)

You can view the Youtube upload here but the downloadable version is so much clearer. I’ll post it here when I find the mirrors.

(Found the site. Get Aquasky’s Original Crime: Most Wanted movie! Trust me if you’ve got good speakers it’s worth it!)

Meanwhile, good day to all my friends and officemates who refuse to update. How are those fins? No legs sprouting out yet? Tut, tut. I wish to see you here with me on good ol’ terra firma.

UPDATE 2: v4.04 now out. I normally am VERY vigilant about audio updates but for the second time I learned of the news from Tweakguides. (Posting news that I got from other sites without citing them goes against my conscience.)

UPDATE 3: For those who are using v4.03 and above, you may notice a slight distortion when you pick the "Powerful" settings in the Sound Effects Manager. I've been using these settings since its very good for gaming but in 4.03 and 4.04, the distortion was bothering me so much that at first, I switched back to 4.02 when I couldn't seem to get rid of it. My mistake was thinking that the higher frequencies (treble) were the ones messing the audio quality when the lower ones (bass) were actually the culprits.

Try using the "Rock" settings; these will reduce your bass levels and eliminate the distortion effect without removing the "ooomph" factor when in gaming. However, if you like the treble levels of "Powerful," you can tweak the equalizer so that you will have "Rock"-level bass and "Powerful" treble levels.

Default "Powerful" settings in the Sound Manager.



My hybrid settings: I set my equalizer to "Rock" and copied "Powerful" levels for the high frequency range.

You can access the Sound Manager by following this path: Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sound Manager.

Why bother updating to 4.03 or 4.04? They have improved bass and treble separation; except for the unfortunate bass distortion, audio clarity is further improved with these drivers.

Enjoy earth shaking and glass shattering sounds with this one!


Update: V4.06 has been out for quite some time now. This new version got rid of the slight bass distortion when using the "Powerful" settings. Cymbals are also much clearer now.

Settings I'm using with this new version. The somewhat minimized bass guarantees that high frequency sounds have more "bite."

>>>Click here to read more...