I am having an issue with the surround sound on Condemned 2. I am only running 3.1 but notice that no dialogue/voices comes through my center channel. Gunshot sounds or me hitting someone definitely comes from the center channel speaker but not dialogue like normal. The dialogue comes from the left and right speaker which makes it quite hard to hear at times. I don't remember having this issue with my old Onkyo receiver that quit working a few weeks ago. I purchased a Panasonic SA-XR57 digital receiver which I love. I tried other games and don't seem to have this problem. Is this just an issue with Condemned 2 or am I missing some setting on my receiver that only needs to be set with this game? Thanks in advance!

A lot of games don't use the center speaker for dialogue for whatever reason. For some reason, a lot of developers/game sound designers use phantom centering for dialogue on many platforms including PC. My guess is that they mix the dialogue and score in stereo, then just drop it into the 5.1 mix instead of remastering it. Could be a number of things/reasons though.

FWIW, I've noticed this on quite a few games this generation and last as well.

-Brad

A lot of games don't use the center speaker for dialogue for whatever reason. For some reason, a lot of developers/game sound designers use phantom centering for dialogue on many platforms including PC. My guess is that they mix the dialogue and score in stereo, then just drop it into the 5.1 mix instead of remastering it. Could be a number of things/reasons though.

FWIW, I've noticed this on quite a few games this generation and last as well.

-Brad


Thanks for the response. I noticed tonight that later in the game a character talks and the dialogue does come out of the center channel but then when when Ethan answers (your character) it comes through my left and right speakers. I think you are right though and that's just how they did the sound for the game.

Yeah, it's a real bummer. Most of the time the dialogue gets lost in all the action. Not just this game but others as well. I do have to say, though, the hand to hand combat sounds absolutely brutal when cranked up. That's the only way to play this game, in my opinion.

-Brad

the hand to hand combat sounds absolutely brutal when cranked up. That's the only way to play this game, in my opinion.


Yup. Crank it up through your speakers or headphones! Give the headphones a try if you haven't already, it brings the constant background noise to life.

-JR

I tried it with headphones and it's a bit much on the senses, but in a good way. I can only handle about an hour with headphones versus 2-4 with surround sound. I know, I know. I'm a pansy.

-Brad