Can't use voice chat programs while running Civ IV

[reloath]

Hello,

I hope somebody can help me with this problem.

I'm trying to use Ventrilo (or TeamSpeak) while playing Civ IV, but its not possible.
If I open the voice program first, and then try to open Civ IV, the game quite during the loading screen without any error. This happends at the time where you would normally see 'init audio'.
If I on the other hand starts Civ IV first and then the voice program, then I get an error that directaudio is in use(if using directaudio in Ventrilo, otherwise another error for wave). Therefore I can hear other people talk, but Im not able to talk myself.

I have used both Ventrilo and TeamSpeak with other games before this without any problems. I have tried to both disable / enable voice chat in Civ IV, but that has no effect on the issue. If you wonder why Im not using the ingame sound chat, it's because of two reasons. I would prefer Ventrilo, and I can't get ingame voice to work either

Any suggestions anyone?

 

[Yoshua]

I'm in the same boat, wish I could tell you how to fix it, but there doesn't seem to be a satisfying answer forthcoming.

A couple workarounds come to mind though. If you have both onboard sound and a PCI sound card, install'em both. Use one exclusively for ventrillo, and the other exclusively for Windows/Games. This is pretty easy to setup under Audio Properties and both in-game and in Ventrillo. Though I haven't tested this. There is the possibility that Civs 4 would lock both devices and this wouldn't help.

In a similiar vein, you could get a USB headset. Since they are basiclly a simplified audio card to the OS, you could do the above (I hear the X-Box headphones are good for this). Easier to setup, but I don't much like the thought of buying a new headset since I just bought the one I have now and it works fine. But if you have one lying around, give it a go.

What kills me, is the folks I play with on Vent don't seem to have any problems playing and chatting. (am guessing this is gonna be some odd driver issue and not something specific to Vent or Civs 4).

 

[WarlordBlackWol]

I have civ4 installed on 2 computers. one runs like a dream and the other runs like a nightmare. this has been somewhat helpfull in finding solutions to problems. The problem you are describing with the game dropping to desktop durring the load screen when it supposed to be loading the "init audio" is caused by the sound cards input device. This was discovered when someone tried using an alternate profile to play the game, and found it worked when their original profile didn't. The alternate profile uses default audio settings, and this helped narrow the source of the problem.

In short, I would try creating a different profile and trying to run it through that profile with Vent.

not sure how much this helped.

 

[Yoshua]

I had tried making a differant user account. That didn't help. Didn't do anything fancy with it, just gave it enough permission to run Civ 4 and Ventrillo.

 

[GertFroebe]

I use skype while playing civ4. it works!

 

[Yoshua]

I use skype while playing civ4. it works!

That's no help. Everyone I know uses Ventrillo, and Ventrillo works fine with everything else I play.

 

[Citizen Philip]

That's no help. Everyone I know uses Ventrillo, and Ventrillo works fine with everything else I play.

I ran into the same problems myself, I could listen but couldn't respond. A limit of the scripting language, each program: CIV4/Vent fighting for control over the sound device.

I do have AC97 on-board, maybe I'll enable that and restrict it, see if it works that way..

 

[Joz]

I had the same problem this weekend. Yesterday I replaced my Audigy Gamer with an Audigy 2 Value (Best Buy ~$60) and the problem is gone. Team Speak works fine again.

 

[reloath]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Yoshua: Nice workaround you found. I do actually have two soundcards, but one of them is a onboard that refuses to work when I enable the second card. Too bad, since this would've been a nice and easy solution.

I'll try out the idea with a second profile as soon as I have the time for it.

I do actually have Skype installed, so as a last resort I could use that. But I would prefer to find another way to solve the problem with Ventrilo.

 

[Yoshua]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Yoshua: Nice workaround you found. I do actually have two soundcards, but one of them is a onboard that refuses to work when I enable the second card. Too bad, since this would've been a nice and easy solution.

I'll try out the idea with a second profile as soon as I have the time for it.

I do actually have Skype installed, so as a last resort I could use that. But I would prefer to find another way to solve the problem with Ventrilo.

Check your BIOS options. Usually there is an option that tells the BIOS to either enable or disable the onboard sound if another sound card is installed. You would obviously like it to not disable the onboard sound.

 

[Yoshua]

I had the same problem this weekend. Yesterday I replaced my Audigy Gamer with an Audigy 2 Value (Best Buy ~$60) and the problem is gone. Team Speak works fine again.

I have an Audigy 2 ZS. Same card you have basiclly. Still a problem for me .

 

[alamo]

Try updating the driver.

 

[Yoshua]

Try updating the driver.

Done did that. Usually the first thing I try even.

 

[Mors]

Have you tried using the built-in voice communication option within Civ?

 

[Yoshua]

Have you tried using the built-in voice communication option within Civ?

Yes, it's dreadful. Folks I played with were complaining about how I sounded. And it uses the scroll lock key for the Push To Talk button (bad choice IMO), and of course you can't re-map keys in Civ 4. But even if you could, it doesn't change the fact that the built-in option is very much inferior to programs like Vent and Team Speak (both of which are free, so it boggles me why companies keep insisting on wasting programming time re-inventing the wheel).

 

[p5ych0_p4N]

CP from my last reply, hope admins won't mind:
got onboard soundstorm on DFI Lnaparty Ultra B
lucky for me I've got my old SB Creative labs 128 to

"Now
1. run TS, set SB as input/output device to TS, run the game (ingame also SB as VOIP capture and playback device),
2. pres ok when Civ report error acesing Audio capture device,
3. Alt+Tab, set my I/O card in TS to primary onboard sound
and here we go.
Sound in game is still operational and using primary system sound card, which is onboard soundcard, and TS uses onboard soundcard. Now I can play with music and sounds, and talk to my friends...

Jesus.....!!!!!

To make such a great game, so modable and not to put some ekstra options like "No, I don't wanna use your Voip service, becouse it stinks" (chech related topics for more details)

does anybody knows where can I turn that VOIP option in some file? Do I really nead to lern python to be able to turn it off?

This extra sound card is eating my power suply, I nead a better solution "