Infinity Sounds

Restore BG1 Spellcasting Voices

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

This component replaces the default Latin spell recitation with the sinister and ritualistic incantations from the original edition of BG1.

All the restored sound files have been cleaned of audible compression artifacts or distortion.

Restore BG1 Spellcasting Sounds

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

First and foremost, this component restores all the classic sounds from the original edition of BG1 to the appropriate spells. Additionally, it brings more consistency to many spells that use sounds reserved for other spellcasting schools.

Restore BG1 Weapon Sounds

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

Most of the weapon swings and shots in BG2 sound much different than in the prequel. Flails, spears, bows, and crossbows are prime examples here. This component restores all the combat attack sounds from BG1.

Included are tweaked bow draw and release sounds that match the speed of the combat animations slightly better.

Restore BG1 Armor Sounds

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

Much in a similar fashion as the above, this component replaces the default combat hit sounds with their BG1 counterparts. The former tend to be a bit more abrupt, while the latter have more emphasized clashes and thumps.

This component also includes the leather squeaks and metal clanks as characters move around in armor. The BG1 variants are slightly less pronounced and more realistic. Additionally, the leather armor sounds have been attenuated a little to make them easier on the ear.

Restore BG1 GUI Sounds

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

For the most part, these are very similar; however, some players may wish to restore the original BG1 sounds for the UI panels, inventory management, and tooltip paper. The most noticeable difference is that the BG2 inventory variants have an additional rattle.

Restore BG1 PC Soundsets

BG2English

This component allows you to select the original BG1 soundsets for your custom characters.

Restore Gulp Sound

BG2  BG:EE  SoD

In the original BG2 and BG:EE, potions lost one of the sound effects. This restores the memorable sound played when a character drinks a potion.

Restore Chunked Death Sound

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

If you enable gore in the game options, you will see a special death animation when HP go well below zero; however, the related "chunking" sound present in the original edition of BG1 is missing in the sequel and the EEs. This component reintroduces the original chunked death sound.

Tweak Sound Channel Volume Levels

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

These are not to be confused with the volume sliders in the game options. The sound channels are divided into: narration, ambients, actions, swings, missiles, hits, casting, GUI, dialog, characters, monsters, footsteps, and armor movement. The suggested tweaked variant attempts to balance the levels between BG1 and BG2.

Enable Footsteps During Combat

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

Due to a bug, the game engine always disables footsteps during combat, regardless of the Disable Footsteps During Combat=0 setting available in the configuration files. This is because the key was misspelled in the executable as Disable Foot Steps During Combat. This component adds the misspelled key to the configuration files so the game can finally recognize it and play the sounds.

Mute Reputation Change Sounds

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

This component disables the punishing sound that blares out on reputation loss and the fanfare trumpet on reputation gain.

Mute Tooltip Paper Sound

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

This is for players who would prefer to disable the paper-like sound played when tooltips roll out on the screen.

Restore BG1 Ambient Sounds

BGT  BG:EE  EET

This component adds a rooster crow and an additional horse whinny to the appropriate BG1 areas. It also restores an unused main day ambient to the fishing village area, which matches the rural environment a little better.

Restore Environmental & Positional Audio

BG2  BGT

The original edition of BG2 utilized the now-deprecated DirectSound3D and EAX 2.0 for hardware-accelerated audio positioning and sound effects (e.g., reverb and occlusion.) Thanks to DSOAL, this component revives environmental and positional audio in the classic BG2, without the need for legacy hardware or drivers.

Advanced users may tweak the settings in alsoft.ini located in the game directory.

DSOAL currently does not support EAX 2.0 occlusion effects in BG2, which, in this particular game, are supposed to muffle sounds farther away from the center of the screen. As a result, some sounds will not be processed correctly and may seem to blare at a distance.

Some players experience crashes on game launch with this component installed. Sadly, certain combinations of Windows versions and system configuration may prevent the use of wrappers like DSOAL. Please report any issues so the sources of the crashes can be investigated further.

Enhance Positional Audio

BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EET

While the EEs do not support EAX, positional audio still works through OpenAL, the default API. Unfortunately, due to the lack of configurability, many find the listening experience inadequate, especially with headphones. This is mostly because of the exaggerated panning that splits sounds into either the left or right channel.

This component adds the configurable software implementation of the API, OpenAL Soft, with crossfeed filters enabled to mitigate the channel separation.

Advanced users may tweak the settings in alsoft.ini located in the game directory.

Only the Windows binaries could be provided. Advanced macOS and Linux users can try to build, install, and configure OpenAL Soft following the official instructions.

Restore & Tweak Soundsets

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EETRequires TobEx and TobEx AfterLife

The biggest component of Infinity Sounds attempts to solve many audio-related issues with creatures. Its main goal is to overhaul monster, animal, atmosphere, and NPC soundsets. This includes, e.g., restoring missing sounds and dialogue lines, revamping attack sounds, as well as refining both embedded creature and animation soundsets.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Completely restored BG1, BG2, and IWD soundsets that previously suffered from animation or filename conflicts.
• Restored numerous creature sounds: melee, ranged, battle cry, selection, damage, dying, stand, morale, existence, etc.
• Properly matched attack sound alternatives without "silent attacks" or overlapping sounds.
• Synchronized attack sounds with attack animation frames.
• Restored many NPC lines and sounds: morale, battle cry, damage, dying, selection, rare, etc.
• Addressed a lot of minor soundset inconsistencies.

The game engine fixes provided by TobEx AfterLife for the classic BG2 allow this component to reach its full potential. BG:EE and BG2:EE (patch version 2.6) still suffer from several game engine bugs that make this component less effective. The bugs have been reported to the developers and, hopefully, will be fixed in the future.

More Existence Sounds

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EETRequires Restore & Tweak Soundsets

Misspelled in the game as "existance" sounds, these are also known as creature "idle" sounds and are played at random intervals, effectively acting as mobile ambients. While the component above only restores such sounds to some creatures, this one offers more existence sounds to many additional monsters, animals, and NPCs. The new sounds have been carefully selected from the available audio resources.

Tweak Existence Sound Delay

BG2  BGT  BG:EE  SoD  BG2:EE  EETRequires Restore & Tweak Soundsets

In BG2, the default interval between existence sounds is much longer than in the prequel, which takes away from the experience. This component sets the delay range to the closest matching the original BG1 behavior. Some creatures will use different values to prevent a cacophony.

Restore NPC Voiceovers

BG2  BGT  BG2:EE  EETEnglish  German  Polish  Russian

This component restores minor unused voiceovers found in the game files. You will be able to hear them during dialogues with, e.g., Bodhi, Gaelan Bayle, Edwin, Keldorn, Anomen, Sarevok, Rielev, Nyalee, and several more. Some of the restored audio files have been edited where necessary to match the existing dialogue text. (This part of the component is English only.)

Additionally, over a hundred unused minor NPC lines and sounds have been restored, complete with subtitles: morale, battle cry, damage, dying, selection, etc. This includes Chief Inspector Brega, Cor Delryn, Dermin Courtierdale, Gaal, Goldander Blackenrock, Guardian Telwyn, Guildmistress Busya, Isaea Roenali, Lathan, Lehtinan, Logan Coprith, Lord Jierdan, Terminsel, and more.

Additional NPC Voiceovers (by Salk)

BG2  BGT  BG2:EE  EETEnglish

While examining the dialogue files, Salk discovered that some character lines were clearly intended to be voiced, and hired artists to record the missing voiceovers. The characters in question are: Captain Samand, Countess Santele, and Mateo (all three met during a side quest in Saradush.) Salk kindly offered the voiceovers to be part of this mod.