Estranged: The Departure

Estranged: The Departure

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How to get binaural audio in Estranged : Act II
By xXMarT1naXx
This tutorial explains how to get binaural audio on Estranged : Act 2 using X3D Audio HRTF. This tutorial should work on every UE4 and UE3 game which uses the default sound system, but it also works with games like Skyrim, Fallout 4 etc. which use XAudio.
   
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Introduction - What are HRTF and binaural audio?
Let me first explain what those terms mean. Not everyone on the internet knows about those technologies.


HRTF is a technology that imitates how human anatomy affects sounds depending on their directions, providing a more accurate representation of 3D Sound with only 2 speakers or headphones. The advantage of this technique is that it can proccess nearly infinite directions unlike 7.1 or 5.1 surround systems.

Binaural Audio

Binaural audio is a form of 3D sound which requires only 2 speakers of a pair of headphones. Many people confused it with stereo in the past, but unlike binaural audio, stereo doesnt provide 3D sound. HRTF is often used for binaural audio due to how flexible and realistic it sounds.

Download links
X3D Audio HRTF[github.com]

96000hz HRTF Table (not included by default with X3D Audio HRTF, but needed for proper gunshot spatialisation in Estranged : Act II)
Dont forget to add the dot before com. I had to do this because steam tends to block mediafire links

http://www.mediafire .com/file/bkbf31a296zd3t3/MIT_KEMAR-96000.mhr
Installation
  • Get to the X3D Audio HRTF github page (linked in previous section)
  • Go to releases and download the latest x64 (or 32 bit if you are on 32 bit OS) release
  • Paste all the files from the archive into this directory:
    Steam/steamapps/common/Estranged : Act II/Insulam/Binaries/Win64
    (or
    Win32
    if you are on 32 bit)
  • Download the 96000hz HRTF table and paste it in
    Steam/Steamapps/Common/Estranged : Act II/Insulam/Binaries/Win64/hrtf
    (or
    Steam/Steamapps/Common/Estranged : Act II/Insulam/Binaries/Win32/hrtf
    if you are on 32 bit




Conclusion
Congratulations. Now you should have better 3D sound in the game thanks to binaural audio.

If the directions do not "feel right", you should bake your own custom HRTF tables and replace the default ones with your own. You can find the tutorial for it here

Credits
  • Kosumosu (X3D Audio HRTF)
  • Martin.Kosecky5 (this tutorial, the 96000hz HRTF table, video preview)
  • Olivier Warusfel (His HRTF samples were used as a base for the 96000hz HRTF table)


Enjoy!