Half-Life 2 lip synch doesn't work

[JaredKFan]

Hi all.

I managed to get Half-Life 2 working on my computer after inputting the -nosound perimeter to start up the game (I am deaf so having sound really doesn't matter to me). But once i start up the game, none of the characters (the people) move their mouths when they speak! They just sit with neutral expressions on their faces when dialog is supposedly being spoken.

Can anyone help me here?

Jared

 

[Stucco]

Verify your game cache with Steam.

 

[JaredKFan]

I did verify the game cache. Validated just fine, doesn't seem to be any problems with the cache.

 

[Laivasse]

I just tried this myself out of interest and it's to be expected. It looks like using the -nosound parameter actually stops all the characters' lips moving. Interestingly, even Breen on the Breencasts just stands there grinning and waggling his eyebrows. It must be something to do with the technology that Valve used to map speech to the lip-syncing of the NPCs. If there's no sound coming out, the game thinks there should be no lip movement...?

You can either play on and pretend that the characters are using telepathy to transmit thoughts straight into Gordon Freeman's mind - or you can remove the '-nosound' bit which should start their lips moving again.

 

[MorganFreeman911]

That's pretty interesting. JaredK, I've always wondered this, but is being deaf really as bad as everyone makes it out to be? "Oh it's so horrible to be deaf, I'd never like to be deaf, they must go through such hardship", all that crap.

 

[Mahalis]

As I understand it, the lip-sync data is embedded in the sound files themselves. No sounds getting played, no lip sync. Just remove -nosound and turn the volume down or something.

 

[JaredKFan]

well, if i try removing the -nosound, the game is going to crash as soon as it gets to the "Half-Life 2" logo before that logo disappears to go into the G-Man's speech. That's why i put -nosound in the first place, because apparently half-life 2 doesn't like my sound card.

 

[Mahalis]

Ooh... that is a problem. I think you're stuck without lipsync, then. Sorry.

 

[JaredKFan]

I'm trying to fix it, Half-Life 2 seems to think there's a conflict with regard to audio drivers, i deleted one of the drivers off my machine. the other one seems to work fine with everything except Half-Life 2.

 

[Laivasse]

Try updating your sound card drivers (get Everest Home Edition to find out info about your system) OR for a possible quick fix try disabling your sound card via: Control Panel > System > Hardware tab > Device Manager > right-click your sound card in 'Sound, Video and Game Controllers' and hit Disable.

edit: thinking about it, I strongly doubt the latter will work.

 

[JaredKFan]

I fixed it, deleting the other set of drivers AND plugging my speakers in seems to work, at least from the saved game I made It crashed again going out the doors into the city after you meet the Combine member who asks you to pick up that can.

 

[Laivasse]

If you suspect that crash could still be a sound related issue, you could try setting the sound quality to 'low' in audio options and see if that helps.

It's also possible you're just running into the old stutter-crash. Defragging, and turning off autosaves with sv_autosave 0 can sometimes help with that, or (depending on your graphics card) turning off Fast Writes and changing AGP speed from 8x to 4x if it's possible your card is heating up.

 

[JaredKFan]

tried that. it crashed again as soon as i walked through the double doors.

 

[Laivasse]

What if you use '-nosound', does it still crash at that bit?

 

[kacation_man]

i have an the perfect solution for your problem.do this: get rid of what ever -nosound code you had... and do this:

1: go to your speakers

2: click the on/off button so that it reads "off"

problem solved.

 

[FriedchikenCamo]

i have an the perfect solution for your problem.do this: get rid of what ever -nosound code you had... and do this:

1: go to your speakers

2: click the on/off button so that it reads "off"

problem solved.

Well, apparently that's not the real problem. As I understand it, this guy has techinical problems with a lack of sound support on his motherboard. Understandable, if a compellingly odd, since the guy is deaf and has never really needed to consider sound hardware.

I don't know if this will work well, but I suggest looking into some of the cheapest sound cards possible as a temp fix for HL2.

This USB sound adapter is as cheap as I can find one:
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=CL-SU4CH&cat=SND

Do some research on such adapters, and maybe you can find something that simulates a sound card for the cheap.

As for stuff I know that works, I used this little bugger for my Dell laptop:
http://www.turtlebeach.com/products/micro/home.aspx

It definitely works as a sound card replacement, but it's too damn expensive, if I understand your condition.

Either way, best of wishes.

 

[Planetary]

That's pretty interesting. JaredK, I've always wondered this, but is being deaf really as bad as everyone makes it out to be? "Oh it's so horrible to be deaf, I'd never like to be deaf, they must go through such hardship", all that crap.

Half-life 1 must be really confusing, owing to the complete lack of captions beyond the tram ride.