Hi everyone :

Awesome game, it plays nice with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti at 1920x1080, but when I change from Trelawney to the New World the sound stutters several seconds after I get in the New World. That's the only issue I consider a niusance besides sometimes it crashes related a DirectX 12 issue , but the the experience is fine.

My specs : Lenovo X1 Extreme 3rd. Gen


Processor :    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10750H CPU @ 2.60GHz  2.59 GHz
RAM :   32 GB
GPU : NVIDIA GTX 1650Ti (4GB Memory)
Sound Card : Realtek In-built motherboard

@MigAng11
I get something that may be similar, though not totally sure if it's the same. I get a strange sort of knocking sound sometimes. It only happens when I enter a region, and usually only lasts a few seconds. Usually it's after I come out of the expedition screen after completing a task, bit I think it's happened once or twice swapping regions. It's been happening for ages, but like you I regard it as a nuisance. It doesn't affect game play at all. Like you, I use the motherboard's built in Realtek sound card
There is a very short clip of the sound on this video. It's hard to grab it, because it's so short by the time I've initiated the video capture it's nearly finished.

@Ubi-MrM

1) The problem has been around for months; I just forgot to report it; it's difficult to capture. But to answer your question, all drivers etc are up-to-date and files were verified after GU16.
2) I use 2:1 speakers
3) I have never installed any mods


Have a good holiday

@Ubi-Thrupney
I actually got a new sound card recently, so for the last few days I have effectively been using an alternative audio output.

At the time of my report, I was using NVIDIA High Definition Audio through my monitor into 2:1 speakers. Manufacturer NVIDIA. Driver Version 1.3.39.16. This uses the HMDI system output.


Now, I am using a Sound Blaster Audigy FX Manufacturer into the same 2:1 speakers. CREATIVE Driver Version 6.0.103.25. This uses the regular 3.5 mm jack output.
The problem hasn't actually recurred with the new card, though I've only played about 20 hours since the change. I'll let you know if it comes back.

Sorry, those speakers and a 3.5 mm headset are the only audio devices that I have so I can't try USB devices.

@Ubi-Thrupney
It happened again yesterday with the new sound card, so it's unlikely that whatever causes it is specific to my setup

@Ubi-Thrupney

A bit of an update. It seems that this always happens when I close the Expedition screen and I am in either the New World or Arctic. It never seems to happen in either the Old World or Cape Trelawney. I'm not sure about Enbesa; I don't think it happens.

I'm not sure about Enbesa; I don't think it happens.

It does, so I'll join you on the impacted regions - the Arctic, Enbesa, and the New World. The damn deafening thumping makes it quickly hard to bear, can't appreciate ingame music. I haven't any sound card, using a headset connected through jacks. Since there aren't occurrences of such stuttering in any other software I currently use, pretty sure the issue comes from the game; a shame, the music is great! I'm unable to find a common factor when it happens, sometimes (though rare) the stuttering either doesn't happen and the sound plays right, either the sound of closing expeditions' menu is shortened to half a second then straight back to local music. I removed older saves so I can't tell for them, but any recent new game on my end is impacted, so there aren't specific steps to follow to reproduce it besides playing as usual. Come to think of it, maybe that happens when you have selected a boat/building? Don't want to be misleading, I'll have to try it again.

@Mevelios
I think it happens every time you exit a full screen scene. The most obvious of these is exhibitions, but there are others like setting the research order in the Research Institute (though I'm usually in the old World for that).

@Asterix201252 Can't tell for sure, sadly, since I also am most of the time in Trelawney for these activities. Guess I'd have to turn back on the music, just don't feel inclined to as the stuttering really is deafening.

 Does the Issue also happen when starting a new game / sandbox ?

• It has happened in every game I have started since sometime around the autumn of 2022, or maybe even earlier. It coincided with a Game Update, my guess would be GU15 is most likely. Probably 3 or 4 new games

 Has this happened after reboots as well ?

• Yes. It happens several times every day

 How frequently does this happen ? Is it random ?

• It seems to happen every time that I interact with an expedition narrative and then exit while I am in either the New World or the Arctic. Probably Enbesa too based on @Mevelios's input. can't remember.
• 
  

 Does this happen with the latest Nvidia drivers ?

• Yes

 What version of HDMI do you use ?

• I haven't used the HDMI interface since the end of 2022.
• I now use Sound Blaster Audigy into 2:1 speakers. CREATIVE Driver Version 6.0.103.25. This is pretty much an industry-standard sound card.

 Save file (.zip archive for example) where the Issue happens

• I have attached file Funny Sound to a new ticket. This will take you to the start of the video below. Just activate the expedition dialogue.

EDIT: I put the dxdiag on the same ticket

Happened again; after closing the Research Institute, I switched to the NW session to complete an expedition event, then the stuttering happened.

@Ubi-MrM

Does the Issue also happen when starting a new game / sandbox ?

It does. Can't tell for sure about GU15 since I didn't play much after it went live, but it's consistent in GU16.

Has this happened after reboots as well ?

It has.

How frequently does this happen ? Is it random ?

Not exactly random; after a game restart, it seems I can get a (small) random number of proper soundplay, even in impacted region. By small number, I'd estimate a range of one to four, which varies with each play (and probably interactions leading to the bug, which I'm unable to identify right now - I did try the little Gaul's suggestion above in a play that hadn't stuttered yet, then it did).

However, as soon as it happened once, all subsequent end of expedition event soundplay goes wrong; either it stutters and produces that unbearable sound, either it cuts short after a mere half second and goes back instantly to playing the region's music (if it still plays, as the other bug that stops playing OW/Trelawney music can be "reproduced" with no music being played as soon as the expedition's is cut short). Because yes, I had an instance today in which ending an expedition event in Trelawney led to the expedition's music cut short, trying to play immediately the region's one as usual - however Trelawney had already stopped playing its own regional music earlier.

Does this happen with the latest Nvidia drivers ?

I'm running Nvidia products under their latest drivers, and it does, yes.

What version of HDMI do you use ?

2.0, but my sound output is through a jack headset rather than my HDMI terminal.

Save file (.zip archive for example) where the Issue happens

Here it is: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DyZOoSDqYE5oaE17JF3csQyohQBM9ONP/view?usp=share_link). As usual, on my Gdrive; all DLCs installed, no mod ever used. Saved immediately after the stuttering happened (mentioned at the start of this post). Good hunting!

I have the same issue, and I can add that when I last played the game in February 2022, before update 14, this bug did not exist (at least I did not encounter it over ~2 months of playing then).
I am using an Asus Xonar DG sound card.

I don't have much to add in terms of when this issue appears beyond what previous posters said, it starts happening after playing for some time, and once it starts it persists. It does not happen immediately when opening an expedition in the New World after starting the game, as I have done so trying to have the issue appear to record it.
Not using any mods.
Newest graphic drivers.

The audio settings on my Xonar card are 24bit, 48kHz, system output set to 8 channels, card analog output to headphones.
I have also tested today using the HDMI audio on my 1060, and used 16bit, 44,1kHz, 2 channels, all the issues are still present. The only difference is that as I was watching these clips I notice there are some single, small audio hitches that I don't think were present while playing, might be some issue with recording.
I had MSI Afterburner running today to check CPU/memory usage.

Here's an example of the audio stuttering when changing sessions: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CK_0lMPHpD1dAdsPBqTjCQe1v5X-ndfu/view?usp=sharing)

Looping music after closing the expedition event: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/18meowMgzYUhwylSmX_g6wQoljj3zXX-m/view?usp=sharing)

After which I switch back to Cape, do the second expedition, and the music plays fine: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AzAq8_7CjBkILJueOoRXwiKj7mH0iMco/view?usp=sharing)

This is a save a few minutes before the expeditions are ready
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_77EHpGo8wFFjwLT0J-YCGN2C-SfVkf/view?usp=sharing


I have a feeling that this is related to another issue (that also did not exist a year ago) where the whole game randomly becomes unresponsive and laggy for 20-30 seconds without any specific triggers, like here: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ohEnN5Sf_aXnqPBmXJ3kdlZj_s4kyQ8k/view?usp=sharing). I have checked for any background programs or system processes and there is nothing hogging up resources other than the game when this happens.

Additionally to all this, there is an even older audio related bug where switching sessions causes a loud sound like white noise to play at random, that might or might not be related.: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ijM_DamzDueGos2vABElE-o9McOkYQgi/view?usp=sharing) I mentioned this a year ago on the Anno subreddit and other players said it was a known issue.