Analyzing the game executables for audio channels

[JPulowski 1]

Currently when testing the game if it supports surround sound or not I do it manually, by listening to each speaker. As you can guess it is kind of painful, because some parts of the game might have surround sounds some might not. Does anybody know a way to analyze the executable to see how many audio signals it sends? Some kind of advanced volume mixer or a logger?

[Mirh 103]

Well, I don't know if this information could be retrieved from the game executable. And even if this could be achieved, many times this doesn't. meet reality since audio pass through other "processing" before reaching your ears

 

I suppose a program which monitors every audio channel has to already exist on the net (even though after a quick search I found nothing..)

But most of times (since I only have stereo headphones) I simply google around the words "game" and "surround audio" or "5.1 sound"

 

On the other hand, if game supports Aureal 3D or EAX (3 I think, but I'm not sure about the exact version) surround audio could be easily assumed

[Mirh 103]

Ok I think I came up with a solution for the problem: 
we just need to record audio output and analyze the various channels. Audacity is more than enough for this task.
Just remember to set as many channels as possible in windows sound settings
 
Of course the most rigorous method would be something like an external recorder with cables connected (why not, optical)...
But go to find a cheap device that allows 4 s/pdif outputs...
 
Anyway returning back to earth, let's just speak of software methods.
If you are on Windows Vista or newer, well it's a cakewalk.
Games run through ALchemy can be recorded, though asus GX seems that cannot be hooked by any external program
 
On Windows XP things get tougher since explicit multichannel recording driver support is needed (in addition to obvious multichannel output).
And you'll need a program: Audacity itself it's already great, though MSI afterburner, fraps or dxtory are fine too (these can be used even on Vista, if you don't like previous one)
X-Fi boards will need to use creation mode
 
These techniques (especially if recorded using uncompressed audio) not only could be used to check game supported channels, but they could be used even to check audio accuracy, something that is often left behind.
We could compare XP original sound to windows NT6 software-only one.
And we could even test if 3DSoundBack and ALchemy really give back the same experience.
For example, I'm not sure if (with this later) the lack of ct_oal.dll (creative specific openAL hardware device) could compromise results on other vendor boards Confirmed
Or we could check even the slightest variation in extreme cases like the last remnant (assuming we are able to create time demos)
 
Possibilities of use are endless though 🙂
 
EDIT: for example, WaveSurfer could be used for some uber-analysis

Edited June 8, 2022 by Mirh
fixed dead links (except 2009-02-16 audacity-users post)