willow wrote on 2025-08-23, 09:12:

pcgamingwiki have a list https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/List_of_gam … hat_support_EAX I don't know if it's better ou not than list on wikipedia/vogons.

I can confidently say that the Vogons EAX list is more comprehensive than the old one from Wikipedia, since many additional games have been tested by myself and others over the last couple of years. Regarding the PC Gaming Wiki EAX list, as I understand, it's generated dynamically from all the game pages on that website. So it might have some info that's not on the Vogons wiki, and vice versa.

That said, I did notice a few inaccuracies on the PCGW list. For example, it shows some fairly recent games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) as supporting EAX, which is obviously not the case

We need a utility to detect EAX extensions in games. There must be a way to detect EAX signatures in compiled files or something like that.

ott wrote on 2025-08-24, 16:37:

We need a utility to detect EAX extensions in games. There must be a way to detect EAX signatures in compiled files or something like that.

EAX is not an explicitly linked library but it is based on Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM) since it's an extension to Directsound which itself is also based on COM. So you cannot see the EAX related functions in the import section of the executable.
COM uses run-time initialization (with the help of CLSID's) that is not so easily detected by static executable analizer tools.

Falcosoft, thanks for explanation! But how does the Creative ALchemy utility detects EAX functions?

ott wrote on 2025-08-24, 18:03:

Falcosoft, thanks for explanation! But how does the Creative ALchemy utility detects EAX functions?

The Alchemy library does not have to detect anything besides hardware/driver capabilities directly. It's the other way around. Alchemy implements the interfaces of Directsound (dsound.dll ). The application executable detects the new dll in the application's folder and calls these new implementations instead of the original ones.
This works this way since dsound.dll itself if explicitly linked. But the only imported functions by the application (and exported functions by the dll) are the DirectsoundCreate related ones. All the other functions are reached by the application at run-time by querying the interfaces of the created Directsound object. All COM libraries work this way.

To be clear: Applications that use Directsound can be detected since dsound.dll is explicitly linked and DirectsoundCreate/DirectsoundCreate8 etc. functions are explicitly imported by them. But EAX usage cannot be detected this way.

@Edit:
Directdraw works the same way as Directsound. That is only DirectdrawCreate is explicitly imported from ddraw.dll and all the other functions are reached by the application at run-time by querying the interfaces of the created Directdraw object.
I could not find an example program of mine that uses Directsound directly but I could find one that uses Directdraw. I hope the following screenshots show the problem of COM call detection.

1. It can be seen that only DirectdrawCreate can be found in the import section of the executable (it is analogous to DirectsoundCreate):

2. It can be seen that debuggers/static executable analyzers can identify the call of DirectdrawCreate (or DirectsoundCreate) but the method calls of the Directdraw object cannot be identified ( the situation is the same in case of Directsound).

ott wrote on 2025-08-24, 16:37:

We need a utility to detect EAX extensions in games. There must be a way to detect EAX signatures in compiled files or something like that.

You can also use DSOAL. Get the dll (32bit or 64bit depending on the game), drop it in the game folder, set logging to level 3, run the game and if the game uses DirectSound or EAX it will make a text file in the game folder with logs of various DirectSound and EAX api calls. This even tells you what version of EAX the game is using up to EAX4.

TeddyTheBear wrote on 2025-08-25, 02:17:

ott wrote on 2025-08-24, 16:37:

We need a utility to detect EAX extensions in games. There must be a way to detect EAX signatures in compiled files or something like that.

You can also use DSOAL. Get the dll (32bit or 64bit depending on the game), drop it in the game folder, set logging to level 3, run the game and if the game uses DirectSound or EAX it will make a text file in the game folder with logs of various DirectSound and EAX api calls. This even tells you what version of EAX the game is using up to EAX4.

https://github.com/Choum28/NewAlchemy also has log support, afaik with eax versions.

Here is Deep Space 9 logs (shows EAX 2.0 effect which corresponds to Vogons wiki), McGee's Alice (shows EAX 2.0, despite i don't hear any difference 🤣) and Bloodrayne 1 (shows EAX 2.0 effects and some others, probably EAX 3.0 but its doesn't tell which version unfortunately), Max Payne 1 don't even create eax log file, so its safely to say its absent there i guess!

TeddyTheBear wrote on 2025-08-25, 02:17:

You can also use DSOAL. Get the dll (32bit or 64bit depending on the game), drop it in the game folder, set logging to level 3, run the game and if the game uses DirectSound or EAX it will make a text file in the game folder with logs of various DirectSound and EAX api calls. This even tells you what version of EAX the game is using up to EAX4.

Great solution!

KainXVIII wrote on 2025-08-25, 08:09:

Max Payne 1 don't even create eax log file, so its safely to say its absent there i guess!

Finally this case is solved 😀

Thanks guys!

KainXVIII wrote on 2025-08-25, 08:09:

Max Payne 1 don't even create eax log file, so its safely to say its absent there i guess!

Thanks! I've updated the Max Payne entry on the Vogons wiki with a note that it doesn't support EAX, only DirectSound3D, using your post as a reference link.

BTW, there are a few games which claim to support EAX, but we don't know which version they actually use. If someone could check them with one of those logging tools and report back, I could add the relevant info to the wiki. The games in question are:

• 25 to Life
• Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard
• eRacer
• Heretic Kingdoms: The Inquisition
• Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
• Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis
• The Suffering
• The Suffering: Ties That Bind

There may be more, but these are the ones that have been identified as having some references to EAX in either their documentation or the game executable.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2025-08-25, 10:42:

Thanks! I've updated the Max Payne entry on the Vogons wiki with a note that it doesn't support EAX, only DirectSound3D, using y […]
Show full quote

KainXVIII wrote on 2025-08-25, 08:09:

Max Payne 1 don't even create eax log file, so its safely to say its absent there i guess!

Thanks! I've updated the Max Payne entry on the Vogons wiki with a note that it doesn't support EAX, only DirectSound3D, using your post as a reference link.

BTW, there are a few games which claim to support EAX, but we don't know which version they actually use. If someone could check them with one of those logging tools and report back, I could add the relevant info to the wiki. The games in question are:

• 25 to Life
• Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard
• eRacer
• Heretic Kingdoms: The Inquisition
• Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
• Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis
• The Suffering
• The Suffering: Ties That Bind

There may be more, but these are the ones that have been identified as having some references to EAX in either their documentation or the game executable.

nfs hot pursuit 2 don't use eax, only directsound 3d

willow wrote on 2025-08-25, 11:32:

nfs hot pursuit 2 don't use eax, only directsound 3d

From my notes, there is a D3D/EAX setting under the game's audio options, if one has the relevant hardware/software. Here's how it looks on my WinXP system with an X-Fi Titanium sound card:

As to whether NFSHP2 actually uses EAX or not, that's what I wanted people to test using those logging tools. A while back when I was looking into that game, I couldn't find any info on a specific EAX version that might be supported.

Heretic Kingdoms: The Inquisition (aka Kult: Heretic Kingdoms in Steam) - don't have any sound if i enable EAX in game config and add game to Alchemy (EAX log is empty).

KainXVIII wrote on 2025-08-25, 12:57:

Heretic Kingdoms: The Inquisition (aka Kult: Heretic Kingdoms in Steam) - don't have any sound if i enable EAX in game config and add game to Alchemy (EAX log is empty).

I'm unfamiliar with that game, but I'm just wondering, maybe EAX is only used in certain areas? For example, in Baldur's Gate 2, EAX reverb is only used in caves and dungeons.

Not sure if the logging tools account for that, or if you actually need to have an EAX effect play in order for it to be logged.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2025-08-25, 13:05:

KainXVIII wrote on 2025-08-25, 12:57:

Heretic Kingdoms: The Inquisition (aka Kult: Heretic Kingdoms in Steam) - don't have any sound if i enable EAX in game config and add game to Alchemy (EAX log is empty).

I'm unfamiliar with that game, but I'm just wondering, maybe EAX is only used in certain areas? For example, in Baldur's Gate 2, EAX reverb is only used in caves and dungeons.

Not sure if the logging tools account for that, or if you actually need to have an EAX effect play in order for it to be logged.

Maybe, but since i don't have any sound at all with EAX enabled i'm not sure if its possible to test this game..

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2025-08-25, 12:07:

From my notes, there is a D3D/EAX setting under the game's audio options, if one has the relevant hardware/software. Here's how […]
Show full quote

willow wrote on 2025-08-25, 11:32:

nfs hot pursuit 2 don't use eax, only directsound 3d

From my notes, there is a D3D/EAX setting under the game's audio options, if one has the relevant hardware/software. Here's how it looks on my WinXP system with an X-Fi Titanium sound card:

The attachment NFSHP2_EAX.jpg is no longer available

As to whether NFSHP2 actually uses EAX or not, that's what I wanted people to test using those logging tools. A while back when I was looking into that game, I couldn't find any info on a specific EAX version that might be supported.

yes eax is displayed only here. In manual and readme no eax support indicated, only directx 8.1 sound card.
no reference about eax and I have tested this night.
I don't think that game use eax.

willow wrote on 2025-08-26, 08:54:

yes eax is displayed only here. In manual and readme no eax support indicated, only directx 8.1 sound card.
no reference about eax and I have tested this night.
I don't think that game use eax.

Yeah, that matches my experience back when I was testing the game.

But I'd still like someone to double check it with one of those logging tools, just to be on the safe side.

Forgive my lack of knowledge on this, but one question, if any of you know of course - In regards to EAX and OpenAL on Windows 10. I have just installed DOOM 3 on my Windows 10 system, X-Fi with Daniel K Drivers. I have enabled EAX, can hear the reberb etc etc, this is all through OpenAL, and not Alchemy - so with it being via OpenAL, will the sound quality, reverb, positional audio but 100% on par with a Windows XP system with an X-FI?

DrLucienSanchez wrote on 2025-08-26, 18:38:

Forgive my lack of knowledge on this, but one question, if any of you know of course - In regards to EAX and OpenAL on Windows 10. I have just installed DOOM 3 on my Windows 10 system, X-Fi with Daniel K Drivers. I have enabled EAX, can hear the reberb etc etc, this is all through OpenAL, and not Alchemy - so with it being via OpenAL, will the sound quality, reverb, positional audio but 100% on par with a Windows XP system with an X-FI?

Yup, every game which handles EAX via OpenAL should work fine on Windows Vista and up. In theory, there should be no difference in EAX functionality whether you're running those games under WinXP, or by using a later Windows version.

And of course, there is no need to use ALchemy with any game that supports OpenAL natively.

Perfect, many thanks for your response.

In regards to Mass Effect, as questioned earlier in this thread, I can confirm that EAX 5 makes a difference. I have tried the original in XP, reverb, echoes where the council are gathered in the meetings in the citadel, and reverb in the Normandy.

Positional audio seems great, from what I could hear when in thr Citadel, and there is a large difference vs non-EAX audio - which is how I played it when it originall was released.

Unfortunately the game does not perform very well in XP, lots of stuttering, smooth in Windows 7 x64 though (same specs), however I recently tried original Mass Effect in Windows 10, Daniel K Drivers, everything appeared to work fine, but some dialougue sound cut off here and there, so I installed the Legendary Edition.

Legendary Edition, X-Fi, latest Daniel K, openal from the pc gaming wiki (for Mass Effect original), no EAX in sound options, but I can hear reverb exactly the same as XP/7 - some people have reported getting EAX on via an ini edit, but this may by default work with actual X-FI hardware with no tweaking, reverb, positional audio, all bells and whistles from what I can hear (headphones firectly into card).