What is ALchemy and what do I do with it?

andymac · 13 Apr 2008 at 10:12

Okay, windows update has just installed a Creative patch wotsit for my PC which includes something called ALchemy.

I opened Alchemy which is now a little program on my Programs menu. It asked me which games I would like the sound improved for, and a registry path.

Now, I own a number of games in which I have never noticed a lack of sound. What is this widget for? And is it worth me trawling Google to find out how to use it. I have a Creative X-Fi Extreme Audio Card running under Vista x64

Help! :confused:

PCDave · 13 Apr 2008 at 10:18

Creative ALchemy intercepts calls to DirectSound3D and translates them into OpenAL calls to be processed by supported hardware such as Sound Blaster X-Fi and Sound Blaster Audigy. basically it improves the sound quality in some games because of architectural changes in Windows Vista its not essential but may improve some of the older games you have

RobH · 13 Apr 2008 at 11:31

Yeah, Microsoft removed support for the DirectSound3D API in Vista which is used by a lot of old games and still quite a few modern games so Creative's EAX will not function under Vista on games that use DirectSound3D rather than OpenAL. As PCDave said, ALchemy intercepts the DirecSound3D calls and routes them to supported hardware, you can see a list of Games at: http://connect.creativelabs.com/alchemy/Lists/Games/AllItems.aspx

Firegod · 13 Apr 2008 at 12:18

Some games are trying to move away from EAX all together, such as Bioshock I believe which uses Dolby Digital... hopefully they will, and stuff Creative for good. (... and I own an X-Fi as well).

NVIDIA_x64 · 13 Apr 2008 at 12:37

I thought Bioshock uses EAX 5.0 :confused:

^^^

RobH · 13 Apr 2008 at 12:40

Bioshock uses OpenAL according to this: http://connect.creativelabs.com/alchemy/Lists/Games/AllItems.aspx

And this: http://www.openal.org/titles.html

I don't think it matters if your using OpenAL or DirectSound3D, EAX should work on both except in Vista where you need ALchemy to get it working using DirectSound3D.

helmutcheese · 14 Apr 2008 at 14:58

Most of the games lately inc Bioshock were Console Ports so would not have EAX to start with.

These games will be DD or have EAX ported to them.

Uriel · 14 Apr 2008 at 15:19

Bioshock is an EAX5 + OpenAL title. Says so on the box.

helmutcheese · 14 Apr 2008 at 15:23

Must have been added to it same as DX10, cause Im pretty sure it was a Console Port (not 100%).

Many of the Ports will simply have DD or some lesser settings in the Sound Menu.