FF7 Re-Release Sound Effects Issues

[PhildWithMalice]

I've been searching everywhere through this and Square's boards and found nothing that would apply or in the case of Square, nothing valuable. I have the horrible music working just fine, but I have zero sound effects. The \data\sound folder has 2 files: audio.dat, 70,058KB and audio.fmt, 54KB. Both with modified dates of 5-16-1998 at 3:01pm.

I have:

• Win7 Pro 64-bit up to date
• MS Security Essentials (Tried with enabling/disabling through downloads/installs/updates
• Install location C:\GOG Games\Final Fantasy VII (My C:\Games is now used for testing). I've already attempted the uninstall/reinstall of the game as per the MSSE explanation restarting each time.
• I went so far as to download the game a second time and my generated MD5 values match, so the odds of both being corrupt are minimal
• Via HD audio with the Digital Optical disabled and set for 2.0 Stereo, 24-bit, 48000 Hz. I've played around with the bit/Hz settings hoping it was a Skyrim type issue. Drivers are the most current available, digitally signed and have been uninstalled/restart, then reinstalled/restart. Works with everything else.
• Also tested with a Logitech USB headset with same results. Everything else works except the effects in this game. Disabled when using the main speakers.
• HDMI output disabled on my video card
• DX 11

The game has zero options for audio control other than the in-game volume level of which are set at music 4, sfx 100 (I cranked up the system and my amplifier volume to make sure they weren't faint). I couldn't find a config file that would give me a clue where I need to be looking. Any ideas of what I'm missing here? If you need/want screen caps/vids I can provide.

[Kaldarasha]

Do you have selected in ff7config.exe  the right sound card? Sometimes if I played on TV over HDMI I forgot it myself.

[PhildWithMalice]

No ff7config.exe in the re-release. I wish there was. The only control options that I can access through the launcher are a handful of video options, input and network options. I have no controls for sound like I would if I could find my CDs. It's designed to be as idiot proof as possible for the modern PC gamer that can't troubleshoot, but that creates bigger problems when something doesn't work.

[Kranmer]

Well there are a couple of patch's on this forum that convert the re-release to the old 1998 release, you could try these patch's and see if converting to the old game fixes the problem.
There are 2 patch's that can do this.

First is my patch that converts new to old, but is NOT compatible with UAC or languages other then English.
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=13429.0

Second is the newer patch by Kompass63, this patch is compatible with UAC and works on multiple languages
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=14047.0

after running either patch you should be able to run the 1998 version of the game, and also you should have a app.log which may help diagnose any problems you have with sound effects (if you still have the problems in the 1998 release)

[PhildWithMalice]

Look at that, the APP.LOG is now writing. The FF7Config works properly with the sound test and midi test working properly. The game is throwing a "couldn't lock sound buffer" error and "MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106"  you can see from the log file. I've tested it with the Yamaha, the Windows and ff7music capabilities and the log is the same other than the music device. Any thoughts on the errors?

Code: [Select]

INFO: FF7/FF8 OpenGL driver version 0.7.11b
INFO: Auto-detected version: FF7 1.02 US English
INFO: ATI Technologies Inc. ATI Radeon HD 4770 3.3.11672 Compatibility Profile Context
INFO: OpenGL 2.0 support detected
INFO: Found swap_control extension
INFO: Max texture size: 8192x8192
INFO: Number of texture units: 8
INFO: Original resolution 640x480, window size 1280x960, output resolution 1280x960, internal resolution 1280x960
INFO: Shader limits: varying 128, vert uniform 16384, frag uniform 16384
INFO: vertex shader compile log:
Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

INFO: fragment shader compile log:
Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

INFO: main program link log:
Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

INFO: FFMpeg movie player plugin loaded
INFO: FFMpeg version SVN-r25886, Copyright (c) 2000-2010 Fabrice Bellard, et al.
INFO: Loading external library Multi.dll
LOCK UNLOCK TEST
MATRIX INITIALIZE
INITIALIZE DD/D3D END
initializing sound...
creating dsound primary buffer
reading audio file
loading static sounds
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
sound initialized
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
INITIALIZING MIDI...
selecting device 0:Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth, mid=1, pid=27,
midi data type: YAMAHA XG MIDI
using midi data file: C:\GOG Games\FINAL FANTASY VII\data\midi\xg.lgp
midiOutGetVolume returned: ffffffff
MIDI INITIALIZED
set music volume: 127
MIDI set volume: 127
100% of 127 = 127
set music volume: 127
MIDI set master volume: 52
MIDI set volume: 127
52% of 127 = 66
Entering MAIN
Exiting MAIN
START OF CREDITS!!!
INFO: C:\GOG Games\FINAL FANTASY VII\data\movies\eidoslogo.avi; vp8/vorbis 1280x960, 30.000000 FPS, duration: 11.133000, frames: 334
ERROR: couldn't lock sound buffer
INFO: vertex shader compile log:
Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

INFO: fragment shader compile log:
Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

INFO: yuv program link log:
Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

set music volume trans: 127->0, step=60
MIDI set volume trans: 127->0; step=60
MIDI stop - OK
MIDI stop - OK
END OF CREDITS!!!
Entering MAIN
set music volume: 127
MIDI set volume: 127
52% of 127 = 66
Exiting MAIN
START OF MENU SYSTEM!!!
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
MULTIMEDIA ERROR: The requested operation cannot be performed. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\acm.cpp LINE 106
END OF MENU SYSTEM!!!
Entering MAIN
Exiting MAIN
Field Start
MIDI stop - OK
INFO: C:\GOG Games\FINAL FANTASY VII\data\movies\opening.avi; vp8/vorbis 1280x896, 15.000000 FPS, duration: 119.467000, frames: 1792
ERROR: couldn't lock sound buffer
WM_CLOSE
Field Quit
MIDI stop - OK
resetting MIDI driver volume - OK
UNINITIALIZE DD

[Kranmer]

well "couldn't lock sound buffer" error is due to the new movies being in a unsupported format, you can convert them into a different AVI format or download DLPB FMV Restoration http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=10980.0
or any other FMV pack,
But the MULTIMEDIA ERROR is a new one to me, is it actually having any effect on your game ? if not you can disable all onscreen error messages by adding this line to ff7_opengl.cfg
disable_popup = on

[PhildWithMalice]

The multimedia error is really the only issue. The ffmpeg error doesn't actually affect the video playback as it does play correctly. I haven't figured out why it does throw the error, but I'm not going to worry about that. Every time the multimedia error appears is when it's supposed to be playing a sound effect. The number of them varies depending on how many times I press the up or down key at the main menu in this snippet. That is the ultimate issue.

I've seen this problem reported at least 10 times on the Square official forum and there has been no resolution and none of their technical staff will even talk about it. The problem I had was there was no log file being written so I couldn't even get the errors. It most likely a problem with the new release and not the CD since my converted FF7Config does play sounds correctly.

I'll have to install and test this on my other computer to see if I can repeat the problem. It has the same crappy Via sound card.

[Kranmer]

Well this really is a odd problem, other people on the forum have had this problem before but there was no clear answer on how to fix it (the last person with this problem just bought a new PC which to me seems a little extreme to fix 1 problem). You could try messing with your sound acceleration settings if you have any, or if you have a integrated sound card you could try switching to that instead.
But to be perfectly honest i have no idea how to fix this problem, Sorry , It seems to be quite a rare problem.
And just so you know the sound files (apart from music) are the same as the original 1998 game so i don't think its a re-release problem since it uses mostly the same files (only major differences are the music, EXE, flevel.lgp and the location of a few files), But if you have the 1998 version you could try installing it just to see, Also let me know how you get on with installing it on your other computer, i am interested in this problem and if it can be fixed or not.

[Kompass63]

"audio.dat" and "audio.fmt" are exactly the same files in rerelease and 1998 release.
I think something is wrong in your system.
Either the sound card driver is not correct or the codecs are broken.
Please take the manufacturer of the sound card or the motherboard for the sound card driver!
Not rely on that during the installation of Windows 7 the drivers were already installed, these drivers are sometimes very poorly (same for ALL drivers, eg graphics).
If you play via HDMI, remember that now the graphics card is a part of the sound device (HDMI audiodriver).

At the codecs I like to recommend the "K-Lite Mega Codec Pack", so I have good experience (but I am still using an old version).

Write to us if something has helped.

[PhildWithMalice]

I'm currently in the process of getting ready to compare reg files. I couldn't find the "smoking gun" as it were, so I simply wiped my drive and reinstalled Windows. I say simply, but it's the first time I'd done that on my machine since 2009 when Win7 released. Everything still worked well except this game. Once I get Windows up to date and everything reinstalled, I'm going to see if I can find any obvious differences.

Just a funny note, I checked the log on the new install and it's still throwing that sound buffer error with no negative effect on the movies so I'm wondering if it's specific to the exact card revision and/or the specific ffmpeg dll they used since it doesn't do that on any other ffmpeg usage on the machine that I've logged. I tried to recreate the error on my Media machine, but it has a newer revision of that same card even though the specs are the same.

And yes, K-lite is the only codec pack worth anything even though they've slipped in one of those toolbars in the past year or so.