It's EAX via OpenAL, the OS doesn't matter.

Hi, guys,
Some modifications are needed for restoring the EAX in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl levels, as this game was released mostly broken. Dropbox link in the Steam's forum thread is long time dead, so you'll have to search the i-net for the files needed.

Good luck!

lowenz wrote on Today, 13:41:

It's EAX via OpenAL, the OS doesn't matter.

aVd wrote on Today, 14:01:

Hi, guys,
Some modifications are needed for restoring the EAX in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl levels, as this game was released mostly broken. Dropbox link in the Steam's forum thread is long time dead, so you'll have to search the i-net for the files needed.
Good luck!

Thank you both for the replies!

I thought XP was the last OS to support EAX natively so that is what I am using for my EAX ready retro gaming/games anyway.

Found this guide and did some more test.

https://vandalfsen.me/tweakguides/STALKER_7.html

Sound hardware acceleration is enabled, I checked with console.
I tried messing with the OpenAL32.dll file and the wrappel file in the stalker folder (replacing those), no change.
Only when copying the latest OpenAL32.dll from the System32 folder to the Stalker folder I had no sound at all.
But nothing mattered for EAX reverb, still absent.

So it's just simply the fact that this game released with broken (absent) EAX Reverb not matter the OS and no matter the game update and I should Google how to restore it, even under Windows XP 32 bits?
I thought those guides were all about restoring EAX in Stalker SOC because modern OS'ses do not support (hardware) EAX anymore (Since Windows Vista, I believe)?
I believe this should not be necessary for Windows XP 32 bits?

Hi, @HugoBoss1985,
Windows XP supports EAX perfectly fine, but the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC has broken and disabled EAX support and missing EAX maps for most of the original levels. It's like "made in USSR" release 🤣

I think, I still have on some of my archive/backup HDDs all the EAX maps for the original levels plus the other files and software tools needed for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC EAX restoration mod. But even if I find them, there's no way to share big files here.

My advise for you is to watch the video from the Steam's thread I linked for you. There are links to files needed for EAX restoration (seems like some of them are alive) in the video description.

Years ago I played this broken game on win7 x64 with fully restored in-game EAX support (I made myself the very same mod like the one shown in the video) by using OpenAL. So, the reason for non-working EAX in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC is not the OS, but the broken game release.

P.S. I just watched the video and can confirm, that all the information and instructions needed for full EAX restoration in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC are there. Just watch the whole video form start to end.

HugoBoss1985 wrote on Today, 16:39:

I tried messing with the OpenAL32.dll file and the wrappel file in the stalker folder (replacing those), no change.
Only when copying the latest OpenAL32.dll from the System32 folder to the Stalker folder I had no sound at all.

OpenAL32.dll is a *router* DLL, the real implementation DLL is ctoal.dll for Creative Cards.
So you can leave OpenAL32.dll, just remove wrap_oal.dll (rename the extension, not just the name, or the router will continue to find it as a valid OpenAL implementation, because that's the basic one working through the default DirectSound device in the system).

Remember that WinXP64 has the 64 bit binaries in the "system32" folder, so you must search in the "syswow64" folder for the 32 bit DLLs.
EAX can work in 64 bit appplications only through OpenAL (see UT2004 64 bit), there's no EAX through DirectSound in 64 bit systems (WinXP too!)......the SDK has never gone public. As for DirectX <= D3D8 :p

lowenz wrote on Today, 17:59:

HugoBoss1985 wrote on Today, 16:39:

I tried messing with the OpenAL32.dll file and the wrappel file in the stalker folder (replacing those), no change.
Only when copying the latest OpenAL32.dll from the System32 folder to the Stalker folder I had no sound at all.

OpenAL32.dll is a *router* DLL, the real implementation DLL is ctoal.dll for Creative Cards.
So you can leave OpenAL32.dll, just remove wrap_oal.dll (rename the extension, not just the name, or the router will continue to find it as an OpenAL implementation): it's the basic OpenAL implementation working through the default DirectSound device in the system.

aVd wrote on Today, 17:10:

Hi, @HugoBoss1985, Windows XP supports EAX perfectly fine, but the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC has broken and disabled EAX support […]
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Hi, @HugoBoss1985,
Windows XP supports EAX perfectly fine, but the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC has broken and disabled EAX support and missing EAX maps for most of the original levels. It's like "made in USSR" release 🤣

I think, I still have on some of my archive/backup HDDs all the EAX maps for the original levels plus the other files and software tools needed for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC EAX restoration mod. But even if I find them, there's no way to share big files here.

My advise for you is to watch the video from the Steam's thread I linked for you. There are links to files needed for EAX restoration (seems like some of them are alive) in the video description.

Years ago I played this broken game on win7 x64 with fully restored in-game EAX support (I made myself the very same mod like the one shown in the video) by using OpenAL. So, the reason for non-working EAX in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC is not the OS, but the broken game release.

P.S. I just watched the video and can confirm, that all the information and instructions needed for full EAX restoration in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC are there. Just watch the whole video form start to end.

Thank you both (again).
I did not want to step on anyone's toes/act like a smart-ass but at least now I am sure that it's 100% the game.

"Euro Yank" 😁 😜

I tried some more stuff... tried to copy paste the same 3 files (eax.dll, wrap_oal.dll, OpenAL32.dll) from the Call Of Juarez game folder.
Call Of Juarez seems to have broken EAX too, but at least the reverb will work when switching from OPENAL to Directsound (but this introduces more audio bugs...) anyway COJ is another story.
So anyway using those files from COJ in the Stalker SOC folder did not change anything.
Neither did starting Stalker SOC with the "-dsound" added to the shortcut.
I did see this removed a lot of the OPENAL checks/soundcard info when opening the console after just starting the game.

I will try to remove the wrap_oal.dll and see what that does.

@aVd thanks for the information!

Not to be too negative (and before trying anything) but do you think that the 64 bit solution/workaround will work for my 32 bit os?

And If I understood everything correctly... this way (with the workaround) of EAX implementation in Stalker SOC will always be a software solution?
And hence running on the cpu and not on the Creative (XFI Titanium) Soundcard?

So there is actually no real reason for me to run Stalker SOC on my "old retro XP gaming machine" just because of EAX (because it will not use my soundcard to it's fullest anyway)?

I already found several files and indeed a whole .zip file with a lot of "EAX levels".

The original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC release (including the latest game patch v.1.006) has completely disabled EAX, due to bugs and lack of EAX maps for most of its levels. Nothing will help with the broken EAX support, except the in-game full EAX restoration mod for which I gave enough information.

@HugoBoss1985, the guy in the youtube video explains everything as simple as possible. Even if you manage to force EAX sound mode in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC to be activated, without the EAX level maps there will be no EAX effects in most of its levels. The broken game itself is a 32-bit release, so I don't get about what 64-bit EAX restoration you're thinking. Perhaps on windows XP you will not need to install OpenAL, but you still need to restore the in-game EAX mode and the EAX maps for all the levels.

The EAX problem is in the broken game, not in the windows XP or whatever later windows you may use to run it.

P.S. The software solution for win Vista, 7 and newer is the OpenAL, due to lack for hardware EAX support in these newer OSes, but with win XP you have no need of software EAX solution - you have win XP EAX capable sound driver, right. I think, you have to apply the S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC EAX mod backwards starting from EAX maps restoration for levels and skipping all the OpenAL related stuff.

aVd wrote on Today, 18:12:

The original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC release (including the latest game patch v.1.006) has completely disabled EAX, due to bugs and lack of EAX maps for most of its levels. Nothing will help with the broken EAX support, except the in-game full EAX restoration mod for which I gave enough information.

@HugoBoss1985, the guy in the youtube video explains everything as simple as possible. Even if you manage to force EAX sound mode in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: SoC to be activated, without the EAX level maps there will be no EAX effects in most of its levels. The broken game itself is a 32-bit release, so I don't get about what 64-bit EAX restoration you're thinking. Perhaps on windows XP you will not need to install OpenAL, but you still need to restore the in-game EAX mode and the EAX maps for all the levels.

The EAX problem is in the broken game, not in the windows XP or whatever later windows you may use to run it.

It was already clear enough that the game is the issue, not the OS.
Thanks again for the help and all the information. 😀

I just assumed the entire guide was made for/based upon a 64 bit os because modern Windows Os'es are 64 bit.
Like I said, I probably should not have talked about that before actually trying the guide.

I might just give up on player Stalker on my Windows XP machine with the Creative XFI card.
And play it on one of my more modern systems (with the EAX restoration/mod) to get the benefit of higher resolutions and higher refresh rates.

For win XP: Restore the EAX maps for all the levels. Restore the in-game EAX sound mode support. Skip all the OS-related additional software stuff like installing OpenAL, mess with OpenAL's libraries, etc. (you don't need OpenAL on win XP to use EAX capabilities of your SB X-Fi). Activate EAX + HRTF in game settings menu. Use some high quality headphones while playing this buggy game. That's it.