Audio Problems with HL2

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OK, there isn't anything wrong with your computers. This is affecting too many people to have it be a hardware problem. Don't you think the testers would have caught this. I know a play tester for Valve and he's played it on many PC's and even beat the game before it was released. But when he activated HL2 on november 16, he started getting the stutters. Weird right? The exact same game, now stutters, on the same machine.

When Valve unlocked our files, something went screwy. Don't go tweaking your PC lest possibly screwing it up more when they patch the game.
 
problem is still there, as bad as ever. i am not going to play anymore. it is ruining the game....

running at a nice vsynced 60fps (tried no vsync but same problem) all of the sudden the game stops for 4-10 seconds and right before it comes back online the audio loops for a second. sometimes this happens 2 or three times in a row....

hopefully there will be a patch soon so i can play.

max
 
DJShamrock said:
OK, there isn't anything wrong with your computers. This is affecting too many people to have it be a hardware problem. Don't you think the testers would have caught this. I know a play tester for Valve and he's played it on many PC's and even beat the game before it was released. But when he activated HL2 on november 16, he started getting the stutters. Weird right? The exact same game, now stutters, on the same machine.

When Valve unlocked our files, something went screwy. Don't go tweaking your PC lest possibly screwing it up more when they patch the game.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree with you, however, due to the fact that Valve has not released a patch as of yet. If you know what you are doing, as most PC gamers do, simply change the aperature settings and it will likely work. All I know is that it worked for me. Remember that I put tweaking ram last, only do that if you know what you are doing and after changing the aperature size it still doesn't work.

Note-Naturally be sure you have defragged your HD, cleaned it, checked for spyware/adware, all the basic stuff.
 
The EAX modification helps a bit, but the stuttering is still there.
 
DJShamrock said:
Don't go tweaking your PC lest possibly screwing it up more when they patch the game.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more. Well done.
 
That's odd, I can't find an EAX option, even though I have a Audigy card with the latest drivers. Maybe I need to download something else from their website?
 
I agree too, all this modification stuff is getting out of hand for just one game. It's like buying an Xbox game and it stutters. Am I suppose to go into my Xbox bios or open the sucker up to fix the problem? Hell no.
 
maxoverclock said:
problem is still there, as bad as ever. i am not going to play anymore. it is ruining the game....

running at a nice vsynced 60fps (tried no vsync but same problem) all of the sudden the game stops for 4-10 seconds and right before it comes back online the audio loops for a second. sometimes this happens 2 or three times in a row....

hopefully there will be a patch soon so i can play.

max
Click to expand...

Make sure you have done all the aforementioned helps, posted by others.

snd_mixahead 0.7
cl_smooth 0
r_mmx 1
r_3dnow 1
r_sse 1
snd_async_fullyasync 1 are a few.....

and in the config file:
cl_forcepreload "1"
sv_forcepreload "1"
etc.

Also make sure your page file is correct. It is recommened that you have 2 gb available for the page file.

ex. 1gb ram would equal a 500 initial, with a 1000 mb page file.

Try these things, what do you ahve to lose?
Or you can just wait for valve.
 
Grrr... It won't let me install the Creative Taskbar because I don't have a previous version installed, and I don't have a CD for that. *sigh*
 
I am not going to attempt that, heh. It's ridiculous to change and add so many settings to make this game playable.
 
Wthrman13 said:
Grrr... It won't let me install the Creative Taskbar because I don't have a previous version installed, and I don't have a CD for that. *sigh*
Click to expand...

It doesn't help much so you aren't missing out.
 
I'm site staff over at HL2Central.net, and believe me, I'm just as upset as you guys are. Especially since I've dedicated 2 years of my life running a site dedicated to this game, spent thousands of dollars building a PC to play the game (at least I got a voucher from ATI). I know that these tweaks look tempting and all, but just please be careful. The more you tweak the more likely you are doing things to take away from the bells and whistles, and it probably isn't going to make a difference in the long run.

I know it sucks, it brings tears to my eyes. It felt like I was losing my virginity for the first time when I started to play (hump) hl2, only to find out (metiphorically) that HL2 had AIDS! I'm not a doctor (Valve programmer), and I can't cure AIDS, but maybe the doctor can (patch).
 
DJShamrock said:
I'm site staff over at HL2Central.net, and believe me, I'm just as upset as you guys are. Especially since I've dedicated 2 years of my life running a site dedicated to this game, spent thousands of dollars building a PC to play the game (at least I got a voucher from ATI). I know that these tweaks look tempting and all, but just please be careful. The more you tweak the more likely you are doing things to take away from the bells and whistles, and it probably isn't going to make a difference in the long run.

I know it sucks, it brings tears to my eyes. It's felt like I was losing my virginity for the first time when I started to play (hump) hl2, only to find out (metiphorically) that HL2 had AIDS! I'm not a doctor (Valve programmer), and I can't cure AIDS, but maybe the doctor can (patch).
Click to expand...

I agree with you 100%. Just be careful, and if you do it right, you might be able to get it to work, ahead of the lag time it will take Valve to patch it (remember how long they took to release the game? I would not count on a quick patch anytime soon). I just shared how I got it to work. Try it at your own risk. Again, only attempt those things if you are experienced with the BIOS settings, and will know how to change them back.
 
DJShamrock said:
I'm site staff over at HL2Central.net, and believe me, I'm just as upset as you guys are. Especially since I've dedicated 2 years of my life running a site dedicated to this game, spent thousands of dollars building a PC to play the game (at least I got a voucher from ATI). I know that these tweaks look tempting and all, but just please be careful. The more you tweak the more likely you are doing things to take away from the bells and whistles, and it probably isn't going to make a difference in the long run.

I know it sucks, it brings tears to my eyes. It felt like I was losing my virginity for the first time when I started to play (hump) hl2, only to find out (metiphorically) that HL2 had AIDS! I'm not a doctor (Valve programmer), and I can't cure AIDS, but maybe the doctor can (patch).
Click to expand...

LOL. So true.
 
DJShamrock said:
I'm site staff over at HL2Central.net, and believe me, I'm just as upset as you guys are. Especially since I've dedicated 2 years of my life running a site dedicated to this game, spent thousands of dollars building a PC to play the game (at least I got a voucher from ATI). I know that these tweaks look tempting and all, but just please be careful. The more you tweak the more likely you are doing things to take away from the bells and whistles, and it probably isn't going to make a difference in the long run.

I know it sucks, it brings tears to my eyes. It felt like I was losing my virginity for the first time when I started to play (hump) hl2, only to find out (metiphorically) that HL2 had AIDS! I'm not a doctor (Valve programmer), and I can't cure AIDS, but maybe the doctor can (patch).
Click to expand...

Why hasn't this been reported on HL2 news sites? What I alluded to in a previous post was the fact that none of these sites either find such a huge problem newsworthy, or they don't have the balls to post about it.

This is a big problem, possibly affecting anywhere from 15% to 50% of players... hell it could be affecting everyone and not everyone notices.

I want to see a post about it, and also letting players know that it is being looked at. The more exposure this issue gets the better.

Do the guys at HL2Central.net have the balls to report this on the front page?
 
O one more thing, DJ shamrock, you said something about taking away the bells and whistles. May I remind you that my eax, cmss, and 5.1 surround system are enabled and sounding good, autosave is on, graphics full on everything. I'm not missing anything here. Only reason why I am posting and not playing the game, is cuz I'm doing homework.
 
There are people over at the PC General Board on IGN that are getting the same problems. On the Guru 3D forums there doesn't seem to be much of an uprising, but there are still victims.
 
Hi All, yet another "fix" to add to the list if it hasn't already. Somewhere in here is my post with most of what I tried but there was one thing I did that really made the most difference, REGARDLESS of settings.

While I was preloading HL2, I had to restart my computer or connection a couple times, so the preload was interrupted. I think something is awry with Valves Resume file downloading capability, because while playing the game I kept getting errors in console about missing files etc, but evertything seemed fine (other than stuttering).
Well, I removed everytrace of Steam and Steam Related content I could find. First I had steam delete local game files, then I uninstalled Steam, then deleted the folder. Then to make sure, I went through the registry and removed all "steam" and "Valvle" related entries and rebooted. After that, quick download of Steaminstall and then redownloaded HL2 (went to sleep and it was done this AM. I just showed my brother the intro scene up to the trainstation, and not a SINGLE glitch. There have been a couple but they have been VERY few and far between and they are really short, whereas before they were all quite long. Load times have increased and so has changing graphics options. I'm now at high model detail, 1024x768 res, 2x AA etc (shadows low, its a 5700Ultra and doesn't like shadows) with high audio quality.

So! for those of you with the problem still, I encourage a fresh install of steam and HL2. Yes you have to wait, and you'll lose savegames and configs (unless you back them up), but it was VERY well worth it to me, now I am going back through the game on hard and enjoying every flipping minute of it. PEACE!
 
arkanis said:
Why hasn't this been reported on HL2 news sites? What I alluded to in a previous post was the fact that none of these sites either find such a huge problem newsworthy, or they don't have the balls to post about it.

This is a big problem, possibly affecting anywhere from 15% to 50% of players... hell it could be affecting everyone and not everyone notices.

I want to see a post about it, and also letting players know that it is being looked at. The more exposure this issue gets the better.

Do the guys at HL2Central.net have the balls to report this on the front page?
Click to expand...


That's a good point. We are going to make a news post about this.I think we decided to wait a few days to see what Valve is going to do, if they are going to fix this soon. If they do, we'll post about it. If they don't by tomarow, its going on the front page also. If you have this problem, a news post isn't going to fix the game. I have started a topic in our forums, but more importantly, I started a poll to see how many people this has affected. Right now its hanging at about 60% of our members having this problem. So it's totally news worthy. If I don't hear anything from Valve by tomarrow, we are going to call Valve out and post this.
 
While we sit and wait, at least for a little statement that they´re aware of this, the Valve-Guys hunt the ones leeching the game and comment on it:

Gabe Newell said:
We're running a bit of an experiment. We're keeping track of the accounts that do this and will be shutting them off.
Click to expand...

But until now there´s no comment about the stuttering prob. That´s absolutely disappointing and reminds me of that 9/30/2003-thing.
It makes me feel like they give a sh1t about the customers/community. Mummyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy - /me *cries*

Just my 2cent

Cya

Wreck
 
Defiler said:
When I had 512MB of RAM DOOM3 did this to me. WHen I got 1Gig it cleared it up. I'm sure it's a glitch and Valve will fix it.
Click to expand...

I have 512mb ram and and my Doom 3 sound never shudders at all. I don't even have an amazing computer. I think all these sound problems are just a glitch valve will have to fix with a patch thats bound to come out. I can't really have an opinion though because I haven't played HL2 yet :(
 
I also experience the problem, both on my computer and my dad's. Both computers have medium overall specs with Terratec sound cards. Hope Valve solves this soon....
 
Argh, well at least I know I'm not the only one with this problem. My computer isn't exactly what you would call fast, but with a gig of ram, an xp2000+ processor, an audigy platinum and a radeon 9800 I was able to play doom 3 without any problems. I guess I will just have to try turning off the hardware acceleration on my sound card to see if that helps, because even with my rather low system specs it does appear I do get pretty solid frame rates with this game.
 
Odd, both HL2 and Bloodlines have this Problem

System:
XP 2500+/Evga 6800/Santa Cruz Sound/512mb DDR 333/Epox Nforce2 Mobo

Both Vampire: Bloodlines and Half-Life 2 have the stuttering from hell problem on my system as well, leading me to think it's some wacky source engine problem.

I'm hoping it's a config issue, and am going to scour my config changing all kind of settings (after a backup of course).

Also, anyone know how to get the console in Bloodlines?

A few more notes: I did not experience this issue with CS:S before HL2 was unlocked. I installed Steam and HL2 before Bloodlines, obviously... I'm about to load up CS:S and see if it is now and issue, will report back in a few minutes.
 
I have same problem Stutters while playing, Saving, Auto save or when I chose to save. It does not matter it happens alot. I tried messing with config.cfg, made an autoexec.bat file, change my apeture in BIOS, did the snd async That Rick from Valve suggested no luck. It is not as bad, I can save somewhat normally now.
I did notice that before I changed these things that my saved games picture clips in load game screen where getting corrrupted, especially the ones where it stuttered when it saved. I could not access them.
Now after all the changes, game runs somewhat better, at least I can play it. But, Now it crashes to the desktop every so often, takes steam down with it. It always stutters first, then bam gone, crash. But my save games are OK now.
Steam is a big pile. I've been gaming for atleast 2 decades and have seen alot of bad games, this game is not one of them, the game is great. It is Steam that is the pits. Somehow I feel that it is Steam that is everyones problem. I have a retail HL2 , but my best friend has DL version same problems. Steam, you get a rasberry. :sniper: :flame:
 
ok, i have an idea:

since this bug hasnt been tracked down to be caused by a certain hardware, or a certain hardware combo, or software, etc, there's only 1 place where the bug has it's domain: STEAM!

some people reported reinstallling hl2 cured the bug, some people said it had cured the bug, some people said it hadn't., what if there was a x% chance of getting a working version of the game instead of a 100% chance to get a working/buggy version (decided deterministically by your hardware/software) ? you'd just have to reinstall over and over again until it works.
so, i read somewhere that 50% of users might be suffering from he bug. well, i guess i have a pretty big chance if i just try the procedure 4-5x (of course not guaranteed). problem: since 1 install takes about 80 mins for me this would be timeconsuming as hell, so if anyone can explain me why this logically has no chance of success, please tell me. else im considering this the last straw for me to get a working game and not going postal!
 
This thread and the one at steam have a total of almost 100 pages. I read quite a good number of them.

I have the stuttering problem: it happens at new areas, mostly. It's annoying, and it shouldn't be there, but it doesn't make it totally unplayable. I still want it fixed.

I don't have a fix, by the way, just more impotent speculation.

Anyway, someone someplace mentioned GTA:VC runs on the MILES sound system, and it made me remember that when I changed radio stations playing VC, that the game would stutter. It didn't go into full looping like HL2 does, but it was a similar phenomeneon. Just my observation.

Oh, and .. How in the world did Valve not find this problem?
People might hate Steam, but I doubt it has anything to do with it.
 
josh7485 said:
Umm??? First off I'm A+ Certified so I think I know a thing or two about computers and all I heard in the previous threads is the idea of using the HD as extra ram??? Maybe I read it wrong, but I KNOW that if you use your HD as ram it WILL NOT PERFORM NEARLY as fast as your regular ram.
Click to expand...

All I read from his original post was that he was talking about a RAM DRIVE which as most people who know anything about computers know is just as he described, an area of ram set aside as a storage areas used like a drive. Heck even my old Spectrum 128k+2a had Ram drive abilities (very small sized ones) and I would often mess with that as a novelty (a very fast novelty - for the day - especially compared to tape ;) )... I'm not "A+ certified" so I guess my knowledge is useless :p (but I am a c++/ direct X programmer and used to work in the games industry if that is any help? ;))


"but I KNOW that if you use your HD as ram it WILL NOT PERFORM NEARLY as fast as your regular ram"

Yeah, you and a million others know this, but that is irrelevent as he never said to use the HD as some sort of extended virtual memory pool... just the opposite.. A hard drive slower than physical memory? wow thanks for letting us know ;P
 
Well i had to make one too:

halflife5.jpg


:cheese:
 
Just to make things a little crapper, on this forum on the Memory could not be read post, they have had a response from Valve about the issue.

http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=53120

My problem is that on that post there are 371 posts 17,786 pages view on our little problem page

714 posts 73,817 veiws

On the steam forum

mem prob = 126 posts 12929 veiws
stutter prob = 670 posts 116511 veiws

From: Erik Johnson [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 18 November 2004 17:21
To: michael.*****@*****.ie
Cc: Doug Valente
Subject: RE: HL2 Memory Could Not be read error

Mem response from valve

Hi Michael,

We're investigating this issue right now. Knowing the results of your test would be very useful.

When you're down redownloading, can you share the results?

It would also be useful to know anything you remember from the preload/unlocking phase of Half-Life 2's launch.

Erik

From: Erik Johnson [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 18 November 2004 17:21
To: michael.*****@*****.ie
Cc: Doug Valente
Subject: RE: HL2 Memory Could Not be read error
 
Thanks for making that post on the frontpage DJShamrock, hopefully other sites will follow your lead.

This weekend, instead of playing HL2 I can play a fun new game - "Guess the date of the HL2 Patch release!" ( my money's riding on next Thursday, I'm an optimist )
Wheeee! ;(
 
quakemazer said:
System:
XP 2500+/Evga 6800/Santa Cruz Sound/512mb DDR 333/Epox Nforce2 Mobo

Both Vampire: Bloodlines and Half-Life 2 have the stuttering from hell problem on my system as well, leading me to think it's some wacky source engine problem.

I'm hoping it's a config issue, and am going to scour my config changing all kind of settings (after a backup of course).

Also, anyone know how to get the console in Bloodlines?

A few more notes: I did not experience this issue with CS:S before HL2 was unlocked. I installed Steam and HL2 before Bloodlines, obviously... I'm about to load up CS:S and see if it is now and issue, will report back in a few minutes.
Click to expand...

I did notice something else that these games share too, Vampires, HL2 and CS will all crash before i get into the game itself... Im pretty sure its not my system cause new games like NFSU2 works just fine, so must be source bug or something like that...
 
Hey. I posted earlier how I had the stuttering, but now I've removed my SoundBlaster Live! card and turned on my motherboards onboard soundchip (Realtec 97 Codec) and the problem has gone away almost entirely for me (small hang or two after loading levels still).

I know that others have tried this and it didn't work, but for some reason it has worked for me. I suggest that if you have a spare soundcard or an unused onboard soundchip then you should at least give it a try, if you haven't already.

Dunno whyt, but it has worked for me.
 
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