I’m having a really annoying problem with TF2 and was wondering if anyone had a solution for it. When I start playing the game, I get frequent hitches where sounds repeat (doors opening, explosions, etc.) It seems to dissipate the longer I play, but its still driving me nuts when it happens and totally mucks up my shot.
This happens with most Source engine games if you’re using a crappy system, and especially if it’s onboard sound.
Have you played since last night’s patch? Some people have said it fixed the sound issue for them.
Last patch seems to have fixed my graphical glitches (frozen screen, but still moving just fine).
Never had sound problems outside those glitches, but it’s all fine now.
It happens with not-crappy systems too. It’s an issue with the engine.
For fun. Hitches here at work on SoundBlaster (minor ones, really). Totally smooth at home with on-board sound.
Happens with my Audigy 2. Usually gone in the first minute or so.
It’s definitely an engine problem, but I’ve found that onboard sound worsens the issue. For example, when I play HL2 on my desktop-replacement laptop, I get a lot of hitches, but my Creative XMOD helps.
Interesting … I’m actually getting this issue in all sorts of games and apps (music, video playing, etc.) with an onboard card. Chances are it’s dying, right?
What, PC gaming? Yes, it’s dying.
I turned down my sound quality and that helped. Hopefully it’s temporary.
If I may be allowed to talk out of my ass for a moment, I think that sound files aren’t being loaded into ram until the game is already running, unlike textures which are loaded with the level. I’m guessing there isn’t an easy fix for this, without loading ALL sounds that might possibly be used, which would be a lot.
Holy shit, they still haven’t fixed this issue, which has been widely complained about since two-thousand and fuckin’ FOUR?
Worth doing a dxdiag just to make sure your HW acceleration for sound is on. Also in my case I had a second sound driver for a sound capture program. Removing that solved the issue.
Tals
Not sure about fixed, but it is definately better than it was in 2004. Back then, my copy was freeze/block for 30 seconds or so, before it would start going again.
I’ve actually heard that some people have had good results with stuttering in TF2 by lowering their audio hardware acceleration.
Yep its the usual if it doesn’t work with it on try it with it off - I think you will find other games then have issues which is why I don’t tend to go down that route.
I adjusted the hardware accelleration (I have a SB Audigy, not using onboard) and it’s a little better. It does eventually go away like everyone has said, but if the problem is just that the sounds aren’t cached, maybe Valve could just fix it so that the game does that when the levels are loading? Seems like plenty of people have this problem.
That may be due to general hardware upgrades at the consumer level rather than engine optomizations. I recall having similar problems with Half Life 2 way back then.
My computer hangs on TF2 after 10 seconds of playing. I thought it was the sound issue but I disabled the card and it still freezes. Sucks to be me :(