Rogue Leader II - 5.1 mystery (1 Viewer)

[Lou Sytsma]

OK - this game is to be in 5.1 correct? But the Gamecube has no outputs for 5.1 correct?
Has anyone heard anything further on this? I wonder how they - Factor5 or Nintendo or both - are going to pull this off?
Latest articles at IGN definitely confirm that RL will have 5.1 sound.
This is very intriguing!
------------------
Every man is my superior, in that I may learn from him.

 

[Dan Brecher]

Odd isnt it? A few people think it's a Pro Logic 2 thing, but DPL2 is not an encoding format, it's a decoding format in amps and processors, so if there is any truth to the thought it is DPL2, then the game will actually be Dolby Surround which any HT set up with Pro Logic 2 decoding will output as DPL2 5.1 output, but even then it's not 5.1 discrete.
I have no idea how its going to work.
Dan (UK)

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Hmmm - this is a wild thought and may not be technically feasible.
Could Nintendo have some sort of peripheral addon that would take the L/R audio inputs in or maybe just one audio in - ie the Left and have a coaxial out for 5.1?
------------------
Every man is my superior, in that I may learn from him.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I don't think that Nintendo is behind it. It's probably Factor 5/LucasArts we should be looking at. I know that they will have to have some way of getting the signal out, so it could be some special feature Nintendo hasn't announced yet.

 

[Dean Cooper]

It's not 5.1, its going to be DPL2.
Dean

 

[Camp]

Dean,
You say (er..type) that with a fair amount of confidence. Know something we don't?

 

[Jeremy Illingworth]

As I see it it goes like this:
A developer from Factor 5 'accidentally' mentioned at E3 that RL will be in 5.1.
Later IGN said that they had the explanation but couldn't say because of NDAs but said it was not an digital optical output.
I think it's an unannounced digital coaxial output. Cheaper to put in the console than optical and a cheaper cable for us.
jeremy

 

[Dean Cooper]

Yep, DPL2 is the answer to the mystery.
I can't tell you how I know though, I'll see if I can't point you to the right place though, I'm pretty sure its slipped out a couple times.
Dean

 

[Dan Brecher]

But surely it'd just be straight pro logic allowing for processors to decoded it to DPL2? I don't know of any instances where something is encoded in the format. This isnt making any sense...
Dan (UK)
[Edited last by Dan Brecher on August 24, 2001 at 04:04 AM]

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Using DPL2 is really going to limit the 5.1 experience to a very small audience. How many people are going to have that kind of a setup?
Even the base for those of us with 5.1 capable systems will only be a small portion of the market this game will be sold to.
I won't be able to upgrade to a DPL2 capable system for quite awhile. Hope they have something else in mind.
Also I hope it's something Nintendo has up their sleeve. I'd hate to see this limited to one game/company.
------------------
Every man is my superior, in that I may learn from him.
[Edited last by Lou Sytsma on August 24, 2001 at 09:19 AM]

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Having High Def, 5.1, and an ethernet port cuts down the user base for the X-Box, so I don't think having DPL2 for one game for the GCN will cut down its audience.

 

[Dean Cooper]

it will work on DPL receivers, it just won't sound as good. Sorry I haven't gotten in to DPL enough to describe it properly. Its enhanced for DPL2 playback, but is still DPL compatible. Hope that clears up the confusion.
Dean
[Edited last by Dean Cooper on August 24, 2001 at 06:29 PM]

 

[Dan B]

Well, the question was just asked during the Rogue Leader chat which is happening right now at the Lucas Arts website. Here's their evasive response, yet again:
"We have some great news about this, but we can't talk about it right now...but we will soon."
-Dan B
thinks they are just jerking us around

 

[Sean Oneil]

They will tell us that it is DPL2 on the day of the system launch.

I am sure that Nintendo is loving this error in they're favor too much to comment on right now. Some unfortunate people might even buy the GC believing that it has true DD 5.1 discreet because of what they heard, and because no one at Nintendo seems to be 'officially' denying it.
Seriously though, these evasive tactics are kind of slimy on the part of the developers and Nintendo. Either the GC can do true DD 5.1 discreet, or it CAN'T. Nintendo should just speak up and tell everyone, just as Sony and Microsoft have.
I hate nothing more than deceptive marketing tactics, and this reeks of it.
[Edited last by Sean Oneil on August 29, 2001 at 02:07 AM]

 

[Dan Brecher]

it will work on DPL receivers, it just won't sound as good. Sorry I haven't gotten in to DPL enough to describe it properly. Its enhanced for DPL2 playback, but is still DPL compatible. Hope that clears up the confusion.

Ok, I think I got it now. The game is DPL but it's tinkered slightly to sound at its best on a DPL2 system? That makes a bit more sense...
I enjoy DPL2 decoding on a number of things on my Tag AV32R processor (Indy Trilogy LDs are given a real work out). While its not 5.1 discrete, it often outputs some impressive results pending how well the mix and design of the source material was done.
I just want this bloody game now!
Dan (UK)

 

[Lou Sytsma]

How can this be an error. Was it not stated that this is a 5.1 game? Either it is or it isn't. I'm not going to get a new receiver just so I can have DPL2!
------------------
Every man is my superior, in that I may learn from him.

 

[Dean Cooper]

How can this be an error. Was it not stated that this is a 5.1 game? Either it is or it isn't. I'm not going to get a new receiver just so I can have DPL2!

The problem came from when the developer stated that it was going to have Dolby surround and the reporter took it as 5.1. It really isn't all that new to Nintendo, there were a few games for the N64 that did Dolby too.
Dean

 

[Bryce D]

The problem came from when the developer stated that it was going to have Dolby surround and the reporter took it as 5.1. It really isn't all that new to Nintendo, there were a few games for the N64 that did Dolby too.

Heck, there where even a few SNES games that did dolby too.
But if a magazine writer slipped and assumed 5.1 from hearing the word "Dolby" Nintendo has certainly done nothing to put a stop to the rumors, and has used it more as a media frenzy hot point to promote the game by coming out with stupid little blurbs like "We have some great news about this, but we can't talk about it right now...but we will soon." Either its 5.1 or it isnt, and they have done nothing to clear it up.
Poo-poo on you Nintendo.

 

[Dan B]

For once, I agree with Bryce.

Nintendo is clearly trying to use this to their advantage. I hope they prove me wrong, but I doubt it. This attitude of theirs is beginning to backfire on them among some of their fans.
-Dan

 

[Kelly Scott Rickards]

I spoke to Dark Jedi Knight over at the Gaming Age forums about this very same subject (he is a sound engineer at EA)
According to him, he was baffeled at the claims of Factor five as the audio DSP in Flipper can only encode DPL in real time....
He surmised that since F5 designed the sound tools for Flipper they came up with a way to output 5 mono channels...
I dunno, it just doesn't add up to me...
One thing is for sure though....NO DICE DD 5.1 on GameCube....