Loud Distortion/White Noise Bug? FIX Here.

[monkspider]

Just so no one thinks I am the only one still having problems, there are quite a few people over at CFC who made the change and are still having problems.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=181203&page=2

I guess one thing I haven't done is clear the Civ cache. I can try that when I get home.

[MightyTiny]

Yeah - that sounds like it could be the reason: if the XML file as cached, you might be using the old version of the file ingame even though you've got the fixed version.

With me though, the change worked immediately - I tested SAMS without the change in the XML, and got the loud noise, then edited the file, repeated the test, and the noise was gone. (As described some posts earlier)

[Tattila the Hun]

Well, here's my Audio3dscripts.xml. I'd wager it's OK to distribute, as anyone doing a mod for Civ4/WL would have to distribute it aswell...?

Hope it helps.

Edit: Yah, the cache clearing thing during startup should help... Should've thought of that.

[Slippery Jim]

Well, it definitely works so don't give up on it. I had the sound problem and once I did the fix it has not come back and I have played MANY hours since.

BTW, as a general note to people trying the fix, don't edit the XML file in Wordpad. Use Windows Notepad (with word wrap turned off) if you dont have a proper editor.

[AEdwild]

I played my first few games fine without any white noise. Yesterday, I started up the game and while it was initializing, I was hit with an unending cacophony of white noise that did not vary or abate the entire time the game was running.

I changed my audio settings, exited and restarted the game and the PC multiple times, even uninstalled/reinstalled Warlords and the white noise begins the moment that the game initializes and does not end until the game is exited.

Edit: Just tried the fix posted here and no luck. My problem is likely different than this as the noise is constant the moment the game starts.

I've even tried starting while holding the SHIFT key but to no use.

[Tattila the Hun]

Well, I noticed, that if you have a stack of sailing ships, and select them, the sailing "sound" plays... All of them. At the same time, quite loudly. Sounds rather lot like white noise.

Same with every other unit, which is bloody stupid. Same with things like culture expansion sound, or global warming sound. Breaks my ears... Not really a bug... One sfx should really suffice...

[Tattila the Hun]

I'm wondering, should I notify someone of this bug? Or has someone done so allready?

If not, who should I PM?

[yin26]

I think Alex is watching this thread, but he'd be the one to PM.

[noblearc]

I didn't get it until very late game, shortly after I got SAM infantry. The first time it happened, I was just scrolling by my ally's capital city, London. It was only in the front left channel, not the rear left, rear right, centre, front right or subwoofer. After that, (2035 AD) it was when I was moving a tank from my capital to a city I had just flipped with culture. It was sustained, for about five to six seconds, and was in the front right and left channels. It seemed to move from channel to channel as I moved my mouse (since I was freaked out.) I don't know what to make of it, but maybe it was a good omen. Seconds later, I won a domination victory.

[Tattila the Hun]

Banshee for the AI...

[diemex]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
Well, I noticed, that if you have a stack of sailing ships, and select them, the sailing "sound" plays... All of them. At the same time, quite loudly. Sounds rather lot like white noise.

I've noticed this exact thing as well. Its a real pain when it happens... usually late at night... when I least expect it. I jump 3 feet out of my chair... thrust my hand out to the volume which is futile as its over as quick as it started.... and then I wait a few moments to see if the kids woke up.

Another thing I don't like is that certain events in the game seem to have a much higher volume than others. I set my volume according to avg play activity. But I have since learned that just before capturing a city to turn the volume down as the capture city sounds are VERY LOUD.

[jdchambe]

speaking of that, I have noticed, in general that the net "sound experience" of warlords is significantly degraded relative to what it was like in the vanilla game because the baseline volumes of many of the sounds do not seem to be well balanced against the others.

I haven't been able to put my finger on it, but there is something in general "off" about the sounds in general that, even independent of the "white noise" bug, leads me to turn the volume down significantly when I am playing warlords. The expansion seems to be lacking in polish in this particular area.

[LzPrst]

aha! typical. another firaxis product with skimping on the polishing! busted!

grrr. oh well, patch in the works I assume.

just a note to profit-driven little business badgers, quality has a meaning other than the one used wildly by the marketing section. look it up in a dictionary.

[keithc]

Many thanks for finding this -- the white noise happened routinely to me. It made the late-game unplayable with sound.

I'm not sure if anyone has played CivIV Warlords at 3AM without sound. Its a sad, lonely, pathetic experience. With the fix, my escape from the real world may continue uninterupted.

[Tattila the Hun]

I'm sorry to hear that.