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I deal primarily with audio files and software-end modifications. Everything from cleaning up tracks to enhancing them. I work mostly with Sound Forge, Wave Studio (and now) SoundBooth CS5. Occasionally I'll do some dabbling with texture editing and very minor scripting, and am usually willing to figure out how to go about making changes to games myself - if it's within my means to do so. I'm still working mostly with the STALKER series, and my work can be found being used in the following mods: *SoC - Rebalanced 1.2 *SoC - STALKER Weather Overhauled 3.0 *SoC - Super Mod Pack 2.4 *SoC - Complete 2009 *SoC - LURK 1.4 *CS - Complete *CoP - AtmosFear 2.1

Comment History  (0 - 30 of 57)
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Lost Alpha

dez, brother, regarding last reply:

"Hi, It turned out the new openal causes trouble on non ac97 chipsets, which is strange, but ok, thats why we re-added the 1.3003 openal dll, which we always used. I still don't know why we added a new one, when the old already worked, but the next patch will contain the old one. Other than that, all should be the same as it was before.

Im sorry if im not following everyone's pc specs, we couldve talked on skype, i sent you my skype account several times, but you always post only here. So about your vga, no idea, but that card is really old, maybe try to use medium or low settings, and dont edit the advanced options. You know its hard to give advices, when the game works just fine on your end. Everyone has different computers, with different parts, some are older, others a newer, if we had millions, we could afford a huge tester team, who would work 8-10hrs a day on all possible pc parts to check the gane, and ofc that would need a paid programmer team with at least 20 members, who also work on it 8-10hr a day. But then we wouldn't be here :D

Regarding to those crashes, I checked google, and:
Forums.techguy.org
and
Answers.microsoft.com"

... friend, I think we're missing each other's points.

I've done the leg work myself with my own mod developments here and there. I know LA is far beyond my own undertakings, but I *fully* understand complications arise.

The reason I mentioned the GPU crashes - this card worked fine with v1.3003 running DX10. with v1.400x, attempting r3 gives consistent crashes no matter how minimal settings I select, even times after just loading in and sitting at main menu, and crash log points to DX11 rendering. It could be something with the drivers, but a hunch says different. Though DX9 (r2) render can be maxed out with v1.400x. The posts were more informative for other users using similar hardware that might run into a similar problem. It *could* be changes to XR_3DA, or it might not, I don't know. I personally hate running nVidia hardware in the first place, but it's currently the only DX11 capable card I have. ***I intend to install an AMD DX10.1 complaint card and see how things go. I honestly believe it's more a conflict between the dll's and card drivers, and that's not y'all's fault, and I would never assume such.

The audio issues tend to irk me just a bit more (though v1.3003 I didn't have any problems with), but only because that's my "specialty" so-to-speak. I know you offered my your skype address, but as I had mentioned numerous times in the past... I don't have time for skype. As well as the team, I work 10-12 hours a day, and if I'm lucky, I can manage 2 to 4 hours max per day for modding and development. With dealing with a family, I don't have any set time I can set for video-chat. Solid text has always been preffered. I've offered my email address, my messenger addresses, and we used to converse via email - as the whole team have always had access to my email address (via yourself, as we've emailed in the past with old beta builds long before the initial LA release), and through my profile links on gsc-forums. I've always attempted to be above and beyond helpful with the engine's audio handling and how it processes things. Hell, if I remember correctly, I had even offered to re-write and tailor the EAX environments for the team years ago (at least 2012 or prior), when you, or the team, were still considering cutting EAX environments entirelly. This isn't stuff I *gripe* over, as it can be changed via modding, which I'm not above doing adn stands alone separate from "official" channels. Audio devices are some of the most finicky, fickle, touchy, sensitive and most problematic devices - which is why MS did away with DirectSound and hardware acceleration with Vista

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Lost Alpha

dez - I'll try the older OAL drivers supplied from previous .dll... but honestly, I'm not seeing any major change difference in the older drivers compared to supplied with DC. Am I wrong? As well, for a director's cut release... why supply an OAL package with questionable drivers? I had done the leg-work regarding both functional OAL and EAX drivers for SoC, CS and CoP ages ago and have found no *newer* drivers than those I had provided in the past, that functioned with x-ray, without going in to x-ray and re-writing many of the audio calls that linked to more recent drivers... which I'm getting the feeling, based on .dll release dates that I'm seeing, the team decided to package newer drivers without re-writing the calls within xr3da.exe?
Lord... I'm gonna have one hell of a time fixing this should I decide to continue AAO development for LA. v1.4 throws everything for a loop, sadly. The amount of audio discrepancies I've noted within the first few hours of play, related entirelly to 'actor' compared to v1.3003 is through the roof. But hey, I offered help ages ago, numerous times, here, via email, via PM... nothing against the team, just extremely sad those correspondence fell by the wayside.
As to the AMD card... unless you missed, I'm currently running and nVidia GTX460, not an AMD card. The card is DX11 capable, but I can only run v1.400x in DX9 mode, not DX10 as was previously capable in v1.3003. I'm running into stack overflow render game crashes simply sitting at main menu without even loading a saved game. I do not know if other nVidia DX11 players are having this issue, hence why I brought it up.
In this next week, I intend to reinstall an AMD DX10.1 compliant card and see how things go.

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Lost Alpha

Seeing as how comments are quickly buried amongst the detritus, and I can't remember my gsc-forums login right at the moment... regarding my previous post about the stack trace errors, i.e.:

stack trace:

0023:51E54903 d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:51E574F0 d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:51E03E5A d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:51D4A829 xrRender_R3.dll, SupportsDX10Rendering()
0023:012A4F68 XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::on_idle()
0023:012A488A XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::message_loop()
0023:012A53FE XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::Run()
0023:01272261 XR_3DA.exe, CApplication::CApplication()

stack trace:

0023:0F867904 d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:0F86753C d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:0F813E5A d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:5BFEA829 xrRender_R3.dll, SupportsDX10Rendering()
0023:00264F68 XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::on_idle()
0023:0026488A XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::message_loop()
0023:002653FE XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::Run()
0023:00232261 XR_3DA.exe, CApplication::CApplication()

[error][ 18] : There are no more files.

stack trace:

0023:0F867904 d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:0F86753C d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:0F813E5A d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:5BF5A829 xrRender_R3.dll, SupportsDX10Rendering()
0023:00934F68 XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::on_idle()
0023:0093488A XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::message_loop()
0023:009353FE XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::Run()
0023:00902261 XR_3DA.exe, CApplication::CApplication()

[error][ 87] : The parameter is incorrect.

I've been able to determine - keep in mind I'm currently running a GTX460 on WIN7 64b - these render memory errors only occur if I have rendering mode set to DX10, regardless of individual "advanced options" settings; set to bare-minimum DX10, the game will crash at main menu without even having a save loaded, with one of the aforementioned errors. Though... running DX9 render doesn't seem to cause out of memory errors when set to max DX9 capability...

As to the OAL error I see at startup - "failed to create device" - only occurs if I set audio selection to "SB XFi Audio [0001]" in main menu (which, as irks me, this selection has always been what I've run in SoC, CS, Cop, and initial LA release, and throughout all AAO testing/development). The engine simply won't start with that selection, even with acceleration disabled, EAX disabled, or a combination of either disabled/enabled. Setting audio to either 'generic software' or "generic software on speakers xfi' work; though I can't quarantee the output is correct for the hardware device, nor the amount of latency involved in output (takes much longer to process raw audio through software than through the correct hardware channels). Not sure what all got changed on the driver end of the spectrum, but OAL version doesn't seem to matter with this error, and there have been no new XFI updates that I'm aware of over the length of time I was last playing/tinkering with LA and the recent developer's cut release... leading me to assume the problem lies with the main x-ray engine and it's audio handling...

...which is kind of a shame, as if that's the case, it makes it nil improbable I'll be able to aptly work on AAO development for LA:DC.

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Lost Alpha

Plain install brother, i havent started messing with files for modding. Assuming its stack overflow errors on graphics side, ive tried disabling 'keep textures in ram' lowered shadow map size, lowered ansiotropic, lowering grass density, disabling DoF and soft particles... all the usual culprits for overloading video ram and processor, but no dice. Its intermittent, and I cant consistently duplicate the crash - but at most the engine runs between 5 min and 25 mins before lock up.
Running currently an nvidia 460, shamefully...
As to the OAL fault, intermittent too, even when i have it set to generic software for snd_device. But if i set to x-fi audio or genwric software on x-fi, it kicks back inmediately at start up, so sticking with generic for the time being.

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Lost Alpha

just a heads up; been getting a lot of:
stack trace:

0023:0F867904 d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:0F86753C d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:0F813E5A d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:5BFEA829 xrRender_R3.dll, SupportsDX10Rendering()
0023:00264F68 XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::on_idle()
0023:0026488A XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::message_loop()
0023:002653FE XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::Run()
0023:00232261 XR_3DA.exe, CApplication::CApplication()

[error][ 18] : There are no more files.

and:

stack trace:

0023:0F867904 d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:0F86753C d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:0F813E5A d3d11.dll, D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain()
0023:5BF5A829 xrRender_R3.dll, SupportsDX10Rendering()
0023:00934F68 XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::on_idle()
0023:0093488A XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::message_loop()
0023:009353FE XR_3DA.exe, CRenderDevice::Run()
0023:00902261 XR_3DA.exe, CApplication::CApplication()

[error][ 87] : The parameter is incorrect.

I've been adjusting various visual/graphic parameters and keep running into either of these 2 errors, clean install from v1.3, patches, and DC install. Occasionally run into an issue where lauching kicks a OAL window saying selected device unavaiable, requiring me to open user.ltx and set snd_device to "generic software" to execute. Never had any of these issues with v1.3003 - I'll continue my troubleshooting and report back if I find a solution. Good hunting, brothers

Good karma+4 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Clear Sky Ambient Audio Overhaul v0.3

v1.0 kinda fell by the wayside. figuring out the changes to x-ray from SoC to CS slowed me down, then I focused on Frozen Sky for a while; which lead into the release of CoP, which uses the same engine as CS. I just never got around to reworking changed meant for CoP into CS.

Good karma+2 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Lost Alpha

Holding off development of AAO for lost alpha until the DC release. Looking forward to the release, guys!

Good karma+6 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Lost Alpha

Dez, and crew, warmest wishes over this holiday season...
This merc is still alive and well... though I may not frequent GSC too often anymore, I still keep an eye out here on LA's progress.
I am *patiently* waiting on the final cut to further progress AAO development for the mod. I had put off any type of RC of AAO, with the hopes of being able to integrate and finish development with the final release of LA... I'm still looking forward to that.
If you're up for it, I'd like to have the opportunity to continue AAO development while the final release is still in development... though I understand you, and your teams, reservations considering how other users in the past have gone down... but you also know I put the projects before the community and and how I handle development of my own endeavours. I'd still love to help, as I can. Feel free for you, or any of your team to drop me a message at some time. The zone continues to live brothers, fare thee well!

Good karma+6 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Lost Alpha

My workshop is finally back up and running. I've made 2 playthroughs of LA so far and have gotten a feel for the ambient thus I am beginning work on AAO for LA. But, when is the next update planned? I'm going to try and stay as compatible as possible to avoid update conflixts. expect the high quality audio upgrade that I've offered in the past for various other titltes and m9ds

Good karma+6 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Back from the dead

SMRT - awesome to see you're still kicking, man. Email me, bro, I'd still love to give you a hand with some of the audio work.

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Lost Alpha SDK soon!

I'm feeling an Ambient Audio Overhaul might be in order...

Good karma+3 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Frozen Sky

BTW, everyone... I find it very gratifying to see where Frozen Sky ranks on moddb - even though it's a WIP, and I haven't had anything new to add over the last year or two... seeing the popularity and drive of the community does give me inspiration to get myself back to this project at some point. Thank you, all!

Good karma+10 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Frozen Sky

For the moment... yes. I still have some material hanging around, but life has gotten so crazy for me since last Sep/Oct that I'm not sure when I will be able to focus on this project again. A recent move across country, and I'm currently planning on moving back, so...

... but, many of the gameplay ideas/changes I've made I've passed on to other modders, in hopes of seeing some of those ideas surface somewhere, somehow... perhaps someday I can get back to Frozen Sky... just, I'm not sure yet when :/

Good karma+2 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ MISERY Ver.1.0 Patch 2

Some other "tweaks" that will address micro-stutter (which has been a problem since SoC, especially in heavily populated areas and stems from the numerous DRAM access going on as AI are turned "off" and "on") . . . they're a little more technical, though - If you're up for it (and if possible), overclocking your system will help . . . especially the BUS speeds, as this will speed up CPU, DRAM, SATA channels and PCIE lanes. Tightening DRAM timings can improve things, too.
If possible, setup a RAID 0 or 10 array (10 preferred, and preferred using similar or exactly the same HDDs). It can help reduce HDD access times, and if you have fast HDDs it can greatly improve loading times as well.
Remove as many background apps as feasibly possible - if need be, disconnect from the internet and shut down any AV apps and firewalls also - these can slow down MEM and HDD access times.

Good karma+3 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ The Dark Mod (Standalone)

Hmmm . . . I'm not a music composer, but can edit music if need be. I do a lot of ambient, environmental and other miscellaneous sound effects. I'll get around to at least throwing up a post sometime soon, though.

Good karma+2 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ The Dark Mod (Standalone)

Greetings from an old ttlg member! I've been around before, and still don't forget about this mod . . . as always, you're the first to receive my vote this time of year!

If y'all are ever in need of a sound designer (especially for ambient), hit me up - I've been trying to expand my project horizons a bit and thereby expand the portfolio some more.

Good karma+4 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ MISERY

Hey guys . . . I might have some audio stuffs for y'all. Someone from dev hit me up, or I'll track down 1oner :p

BTW - I'm liking how all this is coming together. Excellent work!

Good karma+2 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Frozen Sky

Everything is kinda on hold ATM. The last few months have been a real-life nightmare, with simply too much crap going on. So much so, that I simply don't have the time to focus on any mod projects. I haven't fully abandoned FS yet, I still have some hurdles to clear . . . I just don't know if and/or when I'll be able to get back to it. The project itself has always taken a back-seat to my audio projects, which I'd really like to get around to finishing their final versions soon . . . but don't know how RL is going to play out just yet.

Good karma+3 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Reviving the original Poltergeist concept

You might be able to change up some sounds by changing the footstep class from heavy - something else I had meant to test, but got sidetracked trying to add new sounds to mutant schemes (if you remember the headache I discovered with that). It won't change the shaking and all, but there might be ways around that, too.
I've been meaning to get back in touch with you over that stuff, anyhow . . . it's just that RL has taken me on a roller coaster the last few months . . .

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Doom 3 Source Code Released

This is excellent news for the modding community! Considering what some teams have been able to do without the source code already, limits (I predict) would be endless. Thankfully, ID haven't yet entirelly forgotten their shareware roots, either, and are passing things along to the community again.

Definitely looking forward to seeing how projects like The Dark Mod progress after this release.

Good karma+5 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Frozen Sky

I agree with the ground textures - but, kinda got stuck on that one too, considering how one texture is used across a whole map . . . I've given thought to decompiling the maps and applying texture changes via the SDK to liven things up a little.

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ No mod support for Battlefield 3

That's BS and you know it. Take a look at mod's like The Dark Mod for Doom3 - last I checked, that crew are still working independently, and it's one of the most impressive game mods out there. We've seen the same from those in the Crysis modding community (MechWarrior springs instantly to mind), and those in the STALKER community (too long of a list to mention), and numerous others. Some modders come to the table with professional backgrounds and experience, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're going to be hired by any game devs . . . even more-so for some of us, we'd prefer not to make this a "job," but would rather keep it as a hobby.
Personally, IMHO, I'm the same way - this is a hobby for me. I'd grow to hate this kind of work if I had some director breathing down my neck and demanding things by certain dates, wanting things to fit their vision with little creative input from my side, or wanting to cut corners to make room for other features. This is what I like doing in my free time, and I'd prefer to be able to keep at it as such without the strings a paycheck would add.

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ No mod support for Battlefield 3

I'm sorry, but this is pathetic. The complexity of an engine hasn't stopped resourceful modders in the past, even when the community in question recieves a beta SDK with practically no documentation... Nor even the tools to open the game's archives. Look at what the STALKER community has done with all 3 titles over the last 4 years, the majority of our tools and mod knowledgebase all come from users who've taken the time to create their own tools, learn the engine, and figure out how things work.
Saying a game is too "complex" for the modding community as a whole is an insult to the broad PC modding communities.

Good karma+2 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Monolith prayers

Gotta say this is probably one of the most interesting and best looking screenies I've seen for any mod in a long while.

Good karma+2 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Audible Immersion

Extremelly interesting read - it has given me some ideas for my ongoing work with STALKER projects. Thanks for sharing this info!

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ The Summer of TGZ

Looks good, man - y'all doing some 1337 work, like usual! BTW, 3nc - get back to me on that last PM ;)

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ How can we lower game piracy?

I don't download any pirated media of any sort. It's just ethically wrong, IMHO. If I'm interested in a game, I read the reviews, and ask other users on tech/game forums. TBH, the best reviews come from other users, not webzines.
Regarding the argument that games are too expensive - keep in mind that the actual cost of a game has gone up maybe $10 in the last 2 decades. We're actually paying less for games now, once you factor in inflation, than we were 10 years ago.
I'm sorry, but price is not an argument for pirating. I've been in ****** situations myself and still have yet to download a pirated game - this is where you have a "fallback," a game that you can play that never really gets old. Save your money and buy the damn product, people. You don't have to buy on release day - wait a few months for the price to drop (hell, some titles are already into the bargain bin that quick). Use Steam - they're constantly offering killer sales for titles; it's one of the few places you can pick up 5+ highly rated games for $10.
There's truly no excuse to justify such practices.

Good karma+2 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Call of Pripyat Ambient Audio Overhaul v1.0

This mod won't cause that, as there's no changes to any conditions associated with yanov station. Attempting to use this mod without starting a new game could cause other scripts and what not to "break" - which could end up with your current situation. I haven't yet released the update which gets around having to start a new game with AAO, hopefully soon. The files are already available with Cromm's Atmosfear2.1, but I'd like to finsih up some updates to the ambient sections before I release . . .

Good karma+1 vote
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ {imperialreign}

Getting by. Things have been a bit hectic on the RL front . . . split with my gf of 8 years, so that's kinda had my head in a swim. Soon as my head's back on straight, I intend to get caught up with some of the projects I'm working on for some other mod teams. All I can say is that karma's a bitch, and drama is for high school. o.0

Good karma+3 votes
{imperialreign}
{imperialreign} - - 57 comments @ Lost Alpha April Foolz 2011

I enjoyed it - it's fun in a not having to think about things sorta way . . . but, those long extended gaming hours of mine still go to STALKER.

Good karma+3 votes