64bit client - Can't Disable Ambience (the sound that causes all the hissing and etc noises)

babylon · April 2016

I tried disabling Ambience in Settings Menu and set it to 0, but whenever the game decides to output some weird random (and very loud) hissing/static noise or some random ambient sound that shouldn't be there (and is also extra loud and horrific), the game then pushes my Ambient Volume back up to 60, where I'd had it set for a while.

Then I went into UserSettings.txt and tried disabling Ambience there - I set the volume to 0 and even disabled it entirely, as follows -

SET AMBIENT_VOLUME "00.00000000"
SET AMBIENT_ENABLED "0"

But found again whenever game decided to output the random bugged static hisses and loud random ambient sounds game wrote to that file and set it back to 60 (ie 60.00000000).

I am now going to set it to read only, but would a Dev like to step in and comment on this behaviour - it's obviously weird given that all the sound bugs come from Ambient Volume, and that the game turns Ambient Volume back up whenever it wants to output the bugged noises. Also makes me wonder the reason there is a setting called SET AMBIENT_ENABLED in UserSettings.txt as it doesn't seem to change anything.

babylon · April 2016

Okay after setting UserSettings.txt to read only the numbers on Ambience in the UserSettings.text file no longer changes, however in game the Ambient Volume still turns itself back up to 60 every time the game decides to output the bugged hissing or whatever bugged random ambient sound (and then all the ambient sound is back along with the bugged ambient sound).

I need a Dev to come in and sort this out, because all the sound bugs come from Ambient sound and there is no way to disable it. Seems like part of the whole bug (that the bugged Ambient sound can set Ambient sound back to whatever it wants despite what I set it to, and completely ignoring the UserSettings.text file as well), and I've never seen my settings automatically change themselves at will before.

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babylon · April 2016

Also - when is this going to be fixed? I've never seen a game bug out this badly (these are seriously annoying sound bugs, horrifically loud), and not receive a patch asap.

maboleth · April 2016

Absolutely agree. Don't forget that the music abruptly stops too. Happens even with the latest patch that was supposed to address this.

babylon · April 2016

Also notice when I go past a bugged sound area (with say a random, repeating noise), my memory usage starts rising quite quickly - way beyond anything I've ever seen the game use before. So there's your memory leak.

The glitched sounds seems tied into certain logins as well - sometimes you get no sound glitches at all, other times you get loads of sound glitches/random noises/static/repeating sounds like tapping or animal sounds or whatever...and that's in same area you usually get no problems in.

The you can relog and the sound glitches are gone again for that login (or until you wayshrine etc).

pinstripesc · April 2016

This is just freaky behaviour. I didn't have this issue when I stopped playing over a year ago, but it's hecka off-putting and requires a few restarts to get rid of it.

babylon · April 2016

Here's another clue for you people if you still haven't figured out what's going on - just bought a Chicken Breast Recipe from Logru the Chef, and when I bought it instead of the usual sound, I heard a chicken go "bock bock bock"...you get the picture.

Now how this happened...my guess is the database is pointing at many different (incorrect) sounds all with similar names or parts of names as the correct one has or also grabs the name of something related (in this case "chicken") and instead of making the "buy" sound it connects to something related to a small part of what is going on (again in this case, "chicken" instead of "buy"), and they randomly bug out and draw from one of the incorrect sounds. Or something. But a bit too strangely coincidental I heard a chicken sound when I bought a Chicken recipe right?

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Göttermutter · April 2016

Notice this! I have a soundblaster "Z" black edition. The sounds runs after over the 64 bit client, so go back to the 32-bit one.

and the chickens will cry after hunting and not afterwards you are allready gone, a old problem by that way, it was descriped some weeks ago.

babylon · April 2016

Can the Sound Dev guy please add some insight or at least let us know he's on the job, wondering if any of what I wrote here has been of any help.

babylon · April 2016

Is this fixed in DB patch or is it going to be fixed...or is it just going to be left permanently broken?

babylon · April 2016

*static*

babylon · April 2016

Ok info - running on motherboard sound using latest Nvidia drivers, from HDMI out to Onkyo Receiver (and this is the thing that processes all the sound).

Gargath · May 2016

Just get used to it, those freaky sounds are now part of eso lore

.

Suru · May 2016

Gargath wrote: »

Just get used to it, those freaky sounds are now part of eso lore .

Haha, im used to it by now, its pretty cool. Can totally understand how it bothers some people. I kinda just expected this issue to be fixed by now, but as always, there are bigger problems at hand.

babylon · May 2016

Suru wrote: »

there are bigger problems at hand.

Hell no, this is a basic game function (sound).

Needs to be fixed before any little details.

ZOS_CaseyCoffman · May 2016

@babylon

babylon wrote: »

I tried disabling Ambience in Settings Menu and set it to 0, but whenever the game decides to output some weird random (and very loud) hissing/static noise or some random ambient sound that shouldn't be there (and is also extra loud and horrific), the game then pushes my Ambient Volume back up to 60, where I'd had it set for a while.

Hi there, we are aware of these problems and are continuing to investigate.

Later in this thread you mentioned using the newest Nvidia drivers, and wanted to point you to a thread @jpsgamingb14_ESO started regarding these issues and Nvidia drivers specifically: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/256261/zenimax-and-others-possible-fix-for-the-64bit-client-audio-hiss-stutter-ambient-sounds-missing

The fix mentioned here seems to have worked for all other users who have tried it. Try it out, it should help, though do so at your own risk

(Also: if in the future you have audio issues, tag me specifically, < @ZOS_CaseyCoffman >, much easier to get eyes on things that way.)

Moloch1514 · May 2016

ZOS_CaseyCoffman wrote: »

@babylon

babylon wrote: »

I tried disabling Ambience in Settings Menu and set it to 0, but whenever the game decides to output some weird random (and very loud) hissing/static noise or some random ambient sound that shouldn't be there (and is also extra loud and horrific), the game then pushes my Ambient Volume back up to 60, where I'd had it set for a while.

Hi there, we are aware of these problems and are continuing to investigate.

Later in this thread you mentioned using the newest Nvidia drivers, and wanted to point you to a thread @jpsgamingb14_ESO started regarding these issues and Nvidia drivers specifically: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/256261/zenimax-and-others-possible-fix-for-the-64bit-client-audio-hiss-stutter-ambient-sounds-missing

The fix mentioned here seems to have worked for all other users who have tried it. Try it out, it should help, though do so at your own risk

(Also: if in the future you have audio issues, tag me specifically, < @ZOS_CaseyCoffman >, much easier to get eyes on things that way.)

I hope this isn't the official ZOS solution? Please let us know that you have a plan to sort this out!

fr33r4ng3r · May 2016

Hi @ZOS_CaseyCoffman, thanks for looking into the 64 bit client audio issues. I had originally posted this it the 64 bit client feedback thread and wanted to cross-post here to make sure you'd seen it. I have followed the steps to disable the NVidia HD audio drivers and still have the following issues:

EDIT: (5/2/2016) - Potentially good news. I tested exclusively on the 64 bit PTS client tonight for a couple of hours and didn't experience any audio issues. I will continue to use the 64 bit client for PTS testing and report back. Perhaps the fixes for the Blade of Woe audio issues resolved the more general issues also... Here's hoping

EDIT#2: (5/4/2016) - I had a couple of good days on PTS, but tonight the random sounds are back on PTS. Except for the occasional static, the sounds that play are correct and complete. It's almost like a sound lookup table has been corrupted and instead of the correct ambient sounds, the lookup table is pointing to a random sound. Most of the sounds are the correct ones but the incorrect ones are quite jarring. Tonight for example I had the drink potion sound playing every time I chopped wood.

fr33r4ng3r wrote: »

Are you still running into issues with the audio? Yes. Random background noises and static. Posted link to video below with examples.

Are you still seeing any pink or missing textures? No.

Are you experiencing any crashes? No. (Although I honestly haven't played on the 64bit client for longer than 30 minutes because of the audio issues).

Are you running the game with any addons? Yes (list below). I also tried the 64 bit client on the PTS with no addons and experienced the same audio issues.

Link to video: https://youtu.be/I_bnFfg6iQo

Addons:
Advanced Filters, Research Assistant, AUI, AutoInvite, AwesomeGuildStore, Bank Manager Revived, ChampionBar, CraftStore, Destinations, Dustman, FCO ItemSaver, FTC, LootDrop, LoreBooks, Lost Treasure, Master Merchant, Potion Maker, Ravlox' Quest Tracker, Roomba, SkyShards, Sous Chef, SpentSkillPoints, Ultimate UI Hider, Voltan's Fish Fillet, Voltan's FIsherman, Voltan's Rune Info, Wykkyd Equipment Borders, Wykkyd Framework, Wykkyd Mailbox, Wykkyd Outfitter.

babylon · May 2016

ZOS_CaseyCoffman wrote: »

@babylon

babylon wrote: »

I tried disabling Ambience in Settings Menu and set it to 0, but whenever the game decides to output some weird random (and very loud) hissing/static noise or some random ambient sound that shouldn't be there (and is also extra loud and horrific), the game then pushes my Ambient Volume back up to 60, where I'd had it set for a while.

Hi there, we are aware of these problems and are continuing to investigate.

Later in this thread you mentioned using the newest Nvidia drivers, and wanted to point you to a thread @jpsgamingb14_ESO started regarding these issues and Nvidia drivers specifically: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/256261/zenimax-and-others-possible-fix-for-the-64bit-client-audio-hiss-stutter-ambient-sounds-missing

The fix mentioned here seems to have worked for all other users who have tried it. Try it out, it should help, though do so at your own risk

(Also: if in the future you have audio issues, tag me specifically, < @ZOS_CaseyCoffman >, much easier to get eyes on things that way.)

I don't have any other sound card drivers - I have to rely on the Nvida sound drivers. Once again - my sound runs off my motherboard through HDMI out to my Onkyo receiver, and it's my receiver that processes the sound.

Please make the game work @ZOS_CaseyCoffman using Nvidia.

KerinKor · May 2016

ZOS_CaseyCoffman wrote: »

@babylon

babylon wrote: »

I tried disabling Ambience in Settings Menu and set it to 0, but whenever the game decides to output some weird random (and very loud) hissing/static noise or some random ambient sound that shouldn't be there (and is also extra loud and horrific), the game then pushes my Ambient Volume back up to 60, where I'd had it set for a while.

Hi there, we are aware of these problems and are continuing to investigate.

Later in this thread you mentioned using the newest Nvidia drivers, and wanted to point you to a thread @jpsgamingb14_ESO started regarding these issues and Nvidia drivers specifically: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/256261/zenimax-and-others-possible-fix-for-the-64bit-client-audio-hiss-stutter-ambient-sounds-missing

The fix mentioned here seems to have worked for all other users who have tried it. Try it out, it should help, though do so at your own risk

(Also: if in the future you have audio issues, tag me specifically, < @ZOS_CaseyCoffman >, much easier to get eyes on things that way.)

@ZOS_CaseyCoffman: How do those of us who don't have Nvidia audio systems fix it?

Sirvandal · May 2016

ZOS_CaseyCoffman wrote: »

@babylon

babylon wrote: »

I tried disabling Ambience in Settings Menu and set it to 0, but whenever the game decides to output some weird random (and very loud) hissing/static noise or some random ambient sound that shouldn't be there (and is also extra loud and horrific), the game then pushes my Ambient Volume back up to 60, where I'd had it set for a while.

Hi there, we are aware of these problems and are continuing to investigate.

Later in this thread you mentioned using the newest Nvidia drivers, and wanted to point you to a thread @jpsgamingb14_ESO started regarding these issues and Nvidia drivers specifically: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/256261/zenimax-and-others-possible-fix-for-the-64bit-client-audio-hiss-stutter-ambient-sounds-missing

The fix mentioned here seems to have worked for all other users who have tried it. Try it out, it should help, though do so at your own risk

(Also: if in the future you have audio issues, tag me specifically, < @ZOS_CaseyCoffman >, much easier to get eyes on things that way.)

Still hissing sounds etc....not working. And please...at your own risk....fix it so we do not need to risk... :O)