Factorio Forums

I have an external soundcard (Focusrite Saffire 6 USB) on this PC, and Factorio doesn't like it. When I try to start the game, either the game window just disappears immediately with no message, or alternatively, it boots up, gives a message "unable to initialize sound" and plays without sound.

This seems a bit odd, because the card appears as a normal sound device in Windows, generally doesn't act out with other games/programs, I can play audio from multiple programs at the same time etc. There are no device settings in Factorio so I can't do anything about it.

It's not a big deal for me, because I can just unplug the card and use integrated audio instead. However someone else could be confused if the game just refuses to launch and they have no idea why.

Post the log after a session with the issue.

Loewchen wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:23 pm

Post the log after a session with the issue.

Here's what the log file says (when the game starts up and gives the "unable to initialize sound" error)

0.251 DSound: CreateSoundBuffer failed: DSERR_BADFORMAT
0.251 al_attach_mixer_to_voice failed

0.251 DSound: Deallocating voice
0.251 DSound: Deallocated voice

Log file attached

This seems to be in the technical help section now. I don't think there's anything to be done from the user perspective since there are no audio device options available and the card works with every other application I've used. I tried posting this as a bug report but it got moved by someone.

Googling around a bit, this seems to be a reoccurring issue with this device and other software using DirectSound, forcing two channel in the management software seems to fix it in some instances. Fist I'd check for a driver update.

I haven't had issues with any other software, but it could be just a coincidence. Anyway, using this setting (attachment) seems to work! ^_^