2.3 New Audio system - first impression

I get it, new engine, new tools to handle it, it will need some adjustments til everything is in the right place.

However, I observed 3 major issues (EDIT: added a 4th one) with the new stuff on my first few runs :

1. Volume and treble/top end

EDIT/UPDATE : This was most noticeable on my Mjölner Discharge Witch. It´s actually very fine on other characters, so maybe it´s something about discharge combinded with fast trigger rate that causes this. (further party play with other dischargers confirms this). Just played a while on my Flame Totem Scion and everything seems fine, I even notice a lot of new sounds etc that are pretty cool.

I had to increase both my computer and ingame volume settings since everything seems to have lower volume now.

Still, despite that adjustment it´s like there´s a lot missing in the treble/overhead/high frequency area, just like the sounds don´t come out as clear and powerful as they used to, almost like I lost hearing capacity overnight (not the case, it´s only in PoE) and everything sounds a bit dull.


2. Voice acting fades out all other sounds

EDIT: seems one of the hotfixes solved this, so I´m hiding it in spoiler
EDIT 2 : not entirely gone, unfortunately


Points 3 + 4 remain as posted...though it seems my ears are slowly getting used to 3, maybe in a week I won´t even notice it anymore. Propably a normal process of "re-programming" after becoming so familiar with how everythng sounded for years.

3. Clicking Orbs/items from inventory to vendor/stash

This one´s kinda subtle, yet with a devastating effect. Clicking orbs to stash etc was way better before. The uniform sounds in the old system felt kinda good, now the problem is actually contrary to point 1.

The new orb sounds seem overly bright and intrusive, and it doesnt help that they alter their pitch on every click, adding a nasty unwanted special sound effect. These are much too loud and dominant compared to before, whereas the actual gameplay (1.) feels much weaker.

"Less is more" - the old orb sounds were simpler and superior, the new ones tickle my ears exactly in the area that´s NOT stimulated by the otherwise weaker sound effects on fighting monsters


1. + 3. combined isn´t good at all, I am not "feeling the power" when fighting stuff, and upon vendoring/stashing items my ears get the creeps. :(
At least revert 3. to former state, that felt a lot better !


4. Vendors don´t talk at all anymore

"Good day to you, Exile"
"Wottrrroubles you bring naooo ?"

I used to like the vendors talking. Yes, it was repetitive, but hasn´t bothered me ever in all my playtime.

WHY ?!?!? All of a sudden vendors aren´t meant ot speak anymore, at all ???

I agree on all counts.

First thing I noticed when starting up PoE after the patch was a disconnected feeling when slaying monsters. As described in the original post the effects of Earthquake, Leap Slam etc. doesn't sound nearly as impressive as pre-patch.

Other than that the performance seems to have improved a lot with short load times and smoother gameplay.

Issue #2 is also known as Ducking: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducking

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Grumlum wrote:

2. Voice acting fades out all other sounds

This is kinda bad, comparable to supermarket music interrupted by today´s special offers.
It´s just weird and I can´t imagine you intended the gameflow to be interrupted like that.

I hate this as well, I came to this board to complain about it. I Especially dislike it because it will mute out the sounds of very important things like DROPS and BLEED. On top of that, it's just doesn't have the immersive feel that it did before, where your protagonists voice echoes in the area they are in and such, giving you the sense they are really talking to themselves or whatever.

I hope they can add an option here to revert it to it's previous state.

The NPC dialogue audio overlapping the music and ambients sounds really puts me out of the mood, plus I've been getting the problema that after I talk to the first NPC I encounter when I log in, the second NPC doesn't have dialogue audio. I was used to hearing the greeting and the "goodbye" sound for each NPC, now they're all quiet, at least in my end.

Weapon sounds doesn't sound as amazing as they used to be, sometimes I'll just hear like a clipping sound when hitting a mob, as if the sound effect was cut to 1/4 of its normal duration.

Maybe it'll be fixed in coming patches, I hope.

On the bright side ambient sounds amazing, as well as music, I can chill in my lush hideout and hear the birds as if I wasn't really inside my house playing with the lights off..

I have yet to encounter shortened/bugged sounds, I'm using an integrated sound card though. If you experience bugged audio are you using a dedicated sound card or integrated sound card? Are you using the latest drivers from the Realtek website (Not your motherboard website) or whoever manufactured your sound card?

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Nicholas_Steel wrote:

I have yet to encounter shortened/bugged sounds, I'm using an integrated sound card though. If you experience bugged audio are you using a dedicated sound card or integrated sound card? Are you using the latest drivers from the Realtek website (Not your motherboard website) or whoever manufactured your sound card?

How can it be a driver issue when everything regarding sound was fine before 2.3 ???

Will also add missing vendor voice acting to the OP

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Grumlum wrote:

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Nicholas_Steel wrote:

I have yet to encounter shortened/bugged sounds, I'm using an integrated sound card though. If you experience bugged audio are you using a dedicated sound card or integrated sound card? Are you using the latest drivers from the Realtek website (Not your motherboard website) or whoever manufactured your sound card?

How can it be a driver issue when everything regarding sound was fine before 2.3 ???

Will also add missing vendor voice acting to the OP

Because they literally completely redesigned the audio engine that the game uses? So because the old completely different system might have worked with your old drivers (If you're not using the latest) or your specific soundcard, the new engine might not!

Not providing details about your computer doesn't even remotely help the developers to isolate the issue making the complaints pointless.

So far I have no reason to even remotely assume I have driver issues, especially when the problems are reported multiple times across the forum and reddit.

The 2.3.0.c patch notes also speak for themselves :

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GGG_Neon wrote:

We are still investigating many issues such as the sound problems.

Until GGG is done investigating on their end, I am not touching my drivers.

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Grumlum wrote:

So far I have no reason to even remotely assume I have driver issues, especially when the problems are reported multiple times across the forum and reddit.

The 2.3.0.c patch notes also speak for themselves :

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GGG_Neon wrote:

We are still investigating many issues such as the sound problems.

Until GGG is done investigating on their end, I am not touching my drivers.

I just asked if you are using the latest drivers not that you should be though it is easy to infer that from my message. Just provide the following please:

- Soundcard brand and model
- Soundcard driver version currently being used
- Version of Operating System being used

It's possible that there may be an incompatibility with old drivers that didn't previously exist, it's possible there could be a compatibility issue with new drivers that didn't previously exist and it's possible that they need to implement work-arounds for certain audio devices and their drivers (If their no longer receiving driver updates).

There is already a "--softwareaudio" argument you can add to the end of the shortcut used to launch the game (exclude the " quote marks) in order to force the game to use software audio rendering which should work around the issue you're having in the mean time. This work around was implemented to work around an issue with Creative (Soundblaster) soundcards, but it is also a valid solution to most audio related issues regardless of audio hardware being used.

Edit: Unsure if "--softwareaudio" still works with the new audio system.