8.6 KiB
SOUND VOLTEX EXCEED GEAR
!!! danger "Warning"
Please make sure your data is from an appropriate source and unmodified before proceeding, this guide is unable to troubleshoot any problems related to bad or poorly managed data.
This guide will use [spice2x](https://spice2x.github.io/) which is a fork of SpiceTools that gets regular updates and will be needed to get the game running.
This guide will try to accommodate for both an Upgrade Kit and a whole file set.
Getting Started
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Before we even touch the game, let's fiddle with our audio settings to minimize crashes on start up. In Windows, go to Playback Devices and then right click on your default device and go to Properties. From there, hit the Advanced tab and set your Default Format to 44100 Hz and check both of the options inside Exclusive Mode as pictured.
!!! tip "" Once that's done, it's time to work on setting up your data.
After downloading your data, the first thing to do is make sure your files aren't set to READ ONLY, if that's the case, uncheck it from the main folder in the Windows Properties tab if so. Then, put your spice2x 64-bit tools inside the game's contents folder. Pictured below is what your folder should look like.
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Why does this look different than the usual? This installation includes a modules folder that Spice automatically detects, keeping things clean and simple. If your version of the game doesn't have this, it probably has the contents folder populated with many different dll files such as the main soundvoltex.dll. Below is an example with the populated contents folder.
!!! info "If you have gotten a complete data set, you are done and can head over to Configuring for an Online Network"
Merging Current Data with New Data
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In this case, I'll be using KFC-2021083100 as my old data and KFC-2023042500 as my new data. Both can be replaced with what ever you have at hand or would like to update to. Just make sure that it is compatible with your current version, for example in my case, it's conveniently named KFC-2021083100-to-KFC-2023042500.
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Next, unpack the contents of the archive and drag & drop all files into your contents folder of KFC-2021083100. Make sure to confirm if it prompts you to replace files in the destination, this is normal. The folders in which files are getting replaced should look like this:
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Lastly, head over to \contents\prop and open up ea3-config.xml with a text editor of your choice. I'll be using Notepad++ for that. In this example, I'll use 2023101800.
Look for these lines which should be at the top:
```
<soft>
<model __type="str">KFC</model>
<dest __type="str">J</dest>
<spec __type="str">F</spec>
<rev __type="str">A</rev>
<ext __type="str">2023042500</ext>
</soft>
```
If `<ext __type="str">2023042500</ext>` already has `2023042500` then you're good to go. If it has anything other than that, change it to `2023042500`.
This is the games datacode, basically telling the game what version it is on.
!!! info "If you'd like to enable the Valkyrie Model mode, which is off by default, head over to Valkyrie Model"
Configuring for an Online Network
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Now that you have your files ready, open up spicecfg.exe and head to the Options where we'll set our desired parameters.
On the `Service URL: -url` parameter, we're going to input our chosen network URL like so: `http://yoururlhere.com/`
To go alongside this, we'll also be inputting into the `PCBID: -p` parameter, the PCBID given to us from our network, like so: `XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX`
Lastly, we'll click on the `Windowed Mode: -w` parameter.
What do these different parameters do?
- `-url` allows you to specify a custom service URL to connect with, simply replace `http://yoururlhere.com/` with your chosen network's URL.
- `-p` takes your PCBID on your network of choice, simply replace `XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX` with your PCBID.
- `-w` will boot the game in windowed mode which will ease our initial setup and testing later, make sure to remove `-w` to run the game fullscreen once you're done setting up!
Pictured below, the selected options inside the `Options` tab in `spicecfg.exe`.
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One final note, since you're playing on a network, you will have one additional step of setting up your card file if you do not already have one.
For this, simply head to the Cards tab and press Generate.
I highly recommend that you copy your `Card Number`, create a `.txt`, paste the `Card Number` and store the `.txt` file somewhere safe where you won't lose it. It doesn't matter what you name it. **For the purpose of this guide, I've chosen the root of my `D:\` drive for easy access and called the text file `guidecard.txt`.**
Next, click on the three dots (`...`) next to `Card Path` and locate your card text file. If you have done everything correctly, it should look like this:
Audio & Keybinds
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Before we go over the keybinds, I'd like to mention that Sound Voltex Exceed Gear by default, uses WASAPI. This has (from my experience) the highest chance of working.
If you're having issues, feel free to join our [Discord server](https://discord.gg/yAtdhvee79) and ask away in the troubleshooting section as this could be something very specific. Keep in mind that if you're using `WASAPI`, SDVX will go into WASAPI exclusive mode which means that only SDVX will output it's audio and nothing else [(this can be changed with a hex edit if you'd like).](problems.md#when-i-run-this-game-all-other-background-audio-is-gone-whats-going-on)
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The last steps you'll have to do is simply setting up your desired keybinds inside the Buttons and Analogs tabs. If you'd like an example, I've shown my keybindings below on a Keyboard. Make sure you setup the Test keybind as it will be critical for setting up the game.
Disabling Cameras
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Go back to the Options tab and make sure to enable SDVX Disable Cameras or else you will encounter an error (or potentially a crash) and you will be unable to proceed otherwise.
Setting up the game
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It's important to note before booting the game that Sound Voltex uses portrait mode and attempting to boot the game fullscreen in most landscape environments will result in a crash. To alleviate this, we must set our main monitor to portrait mode and be ready to rotate it. To do so, right click on your desktop and go into Display Settings, then simply set the orientation to Portrait as pictured.
!!! tip "" In the event that you do not have the means to run the game in portrait mode and cannot rotate your monitor, it is recommended you boot the game in windowed mode.
!!! tip ""
Finally we're ready to start the game. Go ahead and start spice64.exe.
To not clutter everything with a lot of blackscreens, I've cut the images to only show what is important.
If it's your first time running the game, you'll immediately be greeted with this screen.
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Hit the Test keybinding to start calibrating your analogs. You'll be instructed by the game on where to navigate inside the menu.
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Select I/O CHECK and hit your Start button.
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Navigate to CALIBRATION SETTINGS with your designated A and B buttons and hit Start
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In here, you're instructed to turn your left knob 3 whole rotations to the left. If you're on keyboard simply hold your VOL-L Left button.
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When you have done that, the COUNT = X (X being the value at which the knob stopped) should turn to COUNT = OK. Press your Start button.
Now repeat the same steps but with your right knob. Once you're finished, select `SAVE AND EXIT`.
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You're all done! From the service menu select GAME MODE and the game should load ready to be played! Have fun!
!!! warning "Have any other errors?" Check out the Common Problems/Tips section and Error Code section to resolve any issues not seen in this guide to greater depth.
Valkyrie Model specifics can be found: [here](valk.md)