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EMU-1212m playing games like FEAR SUCKS!

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  • Sound Cards
  • Games
  • Components
Last response: in Components
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June 19, 2006 6:19:36 PM

I have an EMU-1212m sound card and have found that it works perfectly for some games, but really crappy for others. ESPECIALLY FEAR. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this setup before?

My RIG:
P4 3.2GHZ w/ HTT
GeForce 7800GS
EMU-1212m Sound Card
Windows XP PRO w/ SP2 (and latest updates)
2GB DDR-333


While the FPS seem flawless the animations are CRAPPY. When I shoot a gun in FEAR you see the flash of the gun fire then the gun moves up in 1 frame, then back down to it's original postion in the next frame. It's not fluid by any means. I'm sure it's becuase of the sound card (when I go to the sound options I can't even get high quality sounds activated) While on the other hand playing BF2 with EAX enabled with High quality sounds turned on, works just fine. Any thoughts on how I can resolve this problem? ( I do have the latest sound drivers installed on the system.)

More about : emu 1212m playing games fear sucks

June 19, 2006 6:58:12 PM

Is your onboard audio disabled in the BIOS?

Make sure your FEAR installation is updated to the most recent version. It could be a bug between the card and the game.

Or, it's possible that FEAR just doesn't play nice with your card.

Make sure your chipset is updated, your video drivers are new, your BIOS is flashed to the most recent revision, and you have a new keyboard.
June 19, 2006 8:18:27 PM

Yes, my onboard audio is disabled. My chipset, video, and bios versions are all completely up to date.

A new keyboard?

I will check on the FEAR update, I don't know why that hasn't come across my mind (slaps self in the face).

Anything else you can think of?
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June 19, 2006 8:59:28 PM

If the EMU-1212m doesn't provided hardware accelerated audio you might see this type of behavior, perhaps? What you describe does sound a bit extreme to just be processor overload (due to having to processor overload (unlike the hardware acceleration provided by SoundBlaster ))...but it may be something along those lines.
June 26, 2006 9:29:12 PM

I'm pretty sure this will be down to Emu's drivers.

The Emu-1212m is NOT a gaming card, as you know... so I guess you are lucky that it works so well in some of your other games. Halcyon is right, it doesn't have a gaming DSP. However, it does have mastering-grade DAC's and plenty of multitrack recording capability so I presume I would be right in assuming you are using this for a home recording setup?

Because you have such a 'serious' soundcard you will have to concede the point. Either you want to build a DAW around a card like this for music creation, or you should get an X-Fi for gaming and use an external valve preamp and/or mixer for XLR input etc. If you need greater inputs and more specialised ASIO input, then you would need to invest in a firewire-based audio solution for multi-track recording.

I guess this is a classic case of 'using the wrong tool for the job'. A true DAW should not be a gaming PC, and vice versa. I took the hybrid option, and while I like the X-FI I do envy the recording capabilities of great kit like the 1212m.
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