Wow, we've reached a milestone! The first "ACTUALLY GOOD NEWS" post in this thread!

I can confirm that the 7.1 bad-mapping bug is a problem with steam runtime. When I launch steam with "STEAM_RUNTIME=0" the issue is not present. This works any title you can actually get to launch. Steam and many of it's games are pretty finicky about libraries. The steam-libs package from the AUR mostly worked for me on Manjaro. YMMV.

However, the incorrect mapping of SL and SR to BL and BR when playing 5.1 games on my 7.1 system remains. I'm not sure if it's pulseaudio's fault. When I use KDE's pulseaudio config to set my system in 5.1 mode, it also enables the rear channels instead of the side. All 5.1 games have this same problem on my 7.1 hardware, regardless of whether steam runtime is enabled.

In other good news, Something will be removed from the shame list soon. It's 5.1-only, and affected by the above-mentioned bug, but at least it's progress!

I can confirm that the 7.1 bad-mapping bug is a problem with steam runtime.

Which library in the runtime is it specifically? Maybe sdl2, libpulse or openal? Is there an easy way to narrow this down and bring the bug to Valve's attention so it could be fixed at some point?

However, the incorrect mapping of SL and SR to BL and BR when playing 5.1 games on my 7.1 system remains.

Sounds possibly like someone simply made the wrong assumption. It sounds logical enough that the rear channels (as the surround channels are commonly enough referred to) should always be played through the "back" speakers, even if going by the spec this might not be the desired result. Can't this be overridden in pulseaudio's config?

Which library in the runtime is it specifically? Maybe sdl2, libpulse or openal? Is there an easy way to narrow this down and bring the bug to Valve's attention so it could be fixed at some point?

I'm guessing it's probably openal, or maybe asound. Doesn't Steam use it's own SDL, regardless of if you use STEAM_RUNTIME=0? I read that somewhere, but I'm not sure if that's still true.

Sounds possibly like someone simply made the wrong assumption. It sounds logical enough that the rear channels (as the surround channels are commonly enough referred to) should always be played through the "back" speakers, even if going by the spec this might not be the desired result. Can't this be overridden in pulseaudio's config?

I think that's the case. Microsoft used to do it the way you describe back in the XP days, but since Vista, they've been doing it the way I describe. Their reasoning actually makes a lot of sense. It simplifies things for the end user, and the speaker positions for 5.1 map more accurately to SL/SR than BL/BR.

I really don't like to go mucking around in PA's nightmarish config. To get around this, I can just reach down and switch the analog outputs, or use pulse-jack and Carla to more easily route the signal.

You can add DeusEx:MKD to the list too, as well as MadMax :(

we have 2 ears and a brain to calculate all this..


View video on youtube.com

we have 2 ears and a brain to calculate all this..

If only it would work.

You can add DeusEx:MKD to the list too, as well as MadMax :(

Mad Max the surround sound libs don't support surround sound (same as TR 2013) meaning we'd have to try and add in support ourselves. We had a quick look before release but we didn't want to introduce any bugs but it's possible we can enable it in a future patch.

As for DXMD surround sound works just fine if you have a correctly setup system based on other reports.

the sound quality of the title is the best I've seen on linux so far. 5.1 workings perfectly! And for once on a video game all the track mixing is balanced!

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/deus-ex-mankind-divided-released-for-linux-port-report-and-review.8457/comment_id=75894

You can add DeusEx:MKD to the list too, as well as MadMax :(

Mad Max the surround sound libs don't support surround sound (same as TR 2013) meaning we'd have to try and add in support ourselves. We had a quick look before release but we didn't want to introduce any bugs but it's possible we can enable it in a future patch.

A patch would be highly appreciated for all games in question. Surround sound is definitely a thing for gaming so it should be supported whenever possible! Given the diversity of the Linux landscape it would probably also be a good idea to specify what would be considered a "correctly setup system". ;-)
Keep up the good work!

A patch would be highly appreciated for all games in question. Surround sound is definitely a thing for gaming so it should be supported whenever possible!

We know it's important to some of you and it's certainly on our todo list! However its all a matter of resources required vs overall benefit to the entire userbase. Surround sound is still a fairly niche feature in terms of users and it is also one of the more diverse things to get working on Linux as we'll need more hardware examples, engineering test time etc before we can officially support it.

We also have other high profile things like working on Mesa support for AMD users, Vulkan for our new games in 2017 these all take up resources so we have to make choices as to what gets focused on first. Right now Surround sound is on the list but it's not first on the list so it'll get some love but not as much as AMD GPU support or other more critical items that could have a bigger impact to more users.

I hope this helps explain that we do care about surround sound but equally we need to make decisions on what gets the main focus as we only have a certain number of Linux teams so we can't do everything we want to at once. I would point out however that many things from Steam Controllers to dual monitor support to unsupported distro shell script updates have been on our todo list and made it into games over time so surround sound will get seen to (for example DXMD works) just this can take time.

Given the diversity of the Linux landscape it would probably also be a good idea to specify what would be considered a "correctly setup system". ;-)
Keep up the good work!

Problem is that very diversity means it's hard to work out what works and what causes issues.

Finally I have a bit for news for anyone reading this thread.

We have been recruiting some people with differing surround sound systems so we can work out what works and why some systems don't (as surround sound support on Linux can have a lot of edge cases) so if you're reading this thread and are interested in applying to help please email our support team quoting this thread and putting yourself forward (include details about your surround sound setup) and we can contact you the next time we need some feedback on a title. You will need to sign an NDA to join as you might be testing unreleased patches and/or games.

You can add DeusEx:MKD to the list too, as well as MadMax :(

Mad Max the surround sound libs don't support surround sound (same as TR 2013) meaning we'd have to try and add in support ourselves. We had a quick look before release but we didn't want to introduce any bugs but it's possible we can enable it in a future patch.

I know about the sound lib problem as you've mentioned it before, It was to add to the list

As for DXMD surround sound works just fine if you have a correctly setup system based on other reports.

the sound quality of the title is the best I've seen on linux so far. 5.1 workings perfectly! And for once on a video game all the track mixing is balanced!

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/deus-ex-mankind-divided-released-for-linux-port-report-and-review.8457/comment_id=75894

The clips/recap vid do. the actual game does not. Here's a vid to see what I mean regards clips.

This is done via HDMI 5.1 to a AVR-x4200w receiver

View video on youtube.com

Is there is a hidden setting somewhere ?

I don't know for sure what's happening based on the other comment it works just fine in game which is certainly suggesting something is happening somewhere likely deep in Alsa/Pulse. Or it could just be the other users think it was working but it wasn't working completely.

I'm sorry to say that debugging a specific setup over forums isn't really feasible given all the possible variations but by all means report a support report to our team and we can add your setup and details to the tracking bug and once we find out more we can let you know.

Edwin

I don't know for sure what's happening based on the other comment it works just fine in game which is certainly suggesting something is happening somewhere likely deep in Alsa/Pulse. Or it could just be the other users think it was working but it wasn't working completely.

I'm sorry to say that debugging a specific setup over forums isn't really feasible given all the possible variations but by all means report a support report to our team and we can add your setup and details to the tracking bug and once we find out more we can let you know.

Edwin

This is the problem, A lot of people confuse multi channel stereo with surround sound, I've been one in the past.

Like you say, diagnosing across a forum is beyond hard. Going on the few that do work + movies etc am inclined to be 99% certain it just don't work in DeusEx

It also wasn't a dig at you/feral regards the situation overall, the port in general is seems solid. Going on the quick go with the Steam controller doing the vid above it also works well out of the box. It's just a shame that a game like this does not work with surround sound.

It also wasn't a dig at you/feral regards the situation overall, the port in general is seems solid. Going on the quick go with the Steam controller doing the vid above it also works well out of the box. It's just a shame that a game like this does not work with surround sound.

No offence taken, surround sound is something on our todo so your feedback to support will be very helpful.

Cheers,

Edwin

3 years later, figuring it still is the same.
only stereo :(

Man whats really going on with surround sound in games on Linux this is 2020 and Still a problem. Stereo is was invented in the 1930's why are we defaulting to stereo for games on Linux of all oses. I use Analog surround 7.1 sound card and the razer tiamat 7.1 headset which i think based on Youtube reviews got it grossly wrong or they just don't know how to setup analog setups period. Anyway the sounds that this thing pumps out is amazing especially when it come to surround sound. Now on Linux i can get Netflix via chrome browser to play 5.1 surround no problem i can Watch my anime/movies VLC in surround no problem but when i load up steam or GOG games are in stereo i am talking native games not proton ones. i play alot of dota its does support surround but lfe is messed up its like its mixed in with all the channels rather than being defined by its self it sounds gross so guess what back to stereo lets go back to the 1930's.