[Solved] Speech really slows things down

[mcarans]

I have turned off the speech synthesizer because it leads to stuttering on leaving space stations (or other dockable objects). Also it can be quite annoying like the long message when you pause. Does the speech actually add anything useful or if you have a custom sound oxp, can you dispense with the speech?

[Getafix]

Stuttering was resolved by the use of PulseAudio.
You may use the alternative library delivered with the Oolite installation.
The HowToInstall.txt describes how to work around this.

You always have the option to play with no speech synthesis, if it disturbs the gaming.

EDIT: Quote from HowToInstall.txt:

Troubleshoot speech feature
---------------------------
If you encounter issues with the oolite speech feature,
you could try one of the following workarounds:
1. If your system has libportaudio.so.2 installed:

Code: Select all

cd [/usr or ~/.local]/lib/Oolite/oolite-deps/lib/
[sudo] mv libportaudio.so.2 libportaudio.so.2.oolite

Note: If libportaudio.so.2 is not part of your default installation,
you could get it from your distro's repository.

2. If your system is configured with PulseAudio:

Code: Select all

cd [/usr or ~/.local]/lib/Oolite/oolite-deps/lib/
[sudo] cp -p libespeak.so.1 libespeak.so.1.portaudio
[sudo] cp -p libespeak.so.1.pulseaudio libespeak.so.1

Note: If PulseAudio is not part of your default installation,
you could get it from your distro's repository.

[Getafix]

Since you have your audio setup to use PulseAudio on your machine,
the workaround number 2 should address the stuttering issue you encounter.

Can you send some feedback if this is true or not?

[mcarans]

Ok I will try later.

1. Do sound set oxps like custom sounds negate the need for the speech synthesizer or will I miss important announcements?
2. If the answer to 1 is that the OXPs negate the need for the speech synthesizer, why not build one of them into Oolite and remove the speech synthesizer?

[Getafix]

Do sound set oxps like custom sounds negate the need for the speech synthesizer...

Not at all. Sound-set OXP's add digitized voices, sounds and effects,
while the speech synthesis actually reads the text displayed on-screen.

...will I miss important announcements?...

It could happen that a sound-set OXP doesn't cover the announcement of all the events.
With speech synthesis, you could also miss an announcement, in the case where more than one messages pop on screen.
It is hard to draw a line and say what is better.

...why not build one of them into Oolite and remove the speech synthesizer?

This is a possibility.

Oolite is gradually evolving. There is space of improvement for both speech synthesis (as Kaks indicated here),
as well as for sound-set OXP's (e.g. completeness, synchronization etc.).
Only time will tell if "there can be only one" or if a combination of the two approaches will be chosen.

[Kaks]

There is space of improvement for both speech synthesis (as Kaks indicated here),

D'oh, forgot I said that... it's a bit more complex than I'd hoped for, but quite doable, when I've run out of 'shiny' things to do!

[another_commander]

People are never satisfied... When speech was available only on Macs, everyone wanted speech synthesis ported to the other two platforms. Now that we have it, they want it removed.

[mcarans]

It's not so much removal of speech synthesis - it's:

1. integrating it in some way with the speech that is in the sound sets - sometimes you get two voices: one from the sound set and another the speech synthesis saying the same thing. Perhaps sound sets should take precedence in this case?
2. Making some of the speech less verbose or removing it - it doesn't need to read out absolutely everything

[another_commander]

Personally, what I am doing as far as (1) is concerned, I am removing from the soundset all sounds that have a speech equivalent, like id messages, hyperspace countdown, missile locks etc and am keeping the rest of the sounds as I think they do enhance the game ambience.

As for (2), the option is already there. Just set speech to off in the options. Only it's an all or nothing situation at this time, I'm afraid.

[Getafix]

D'oh, forgot I said that...

You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
You have the right to speak to an attorney.
If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you.
Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?

...it doesn't need to read out absolutely everything

This is the idea discussed in the link I gave to my previous post.

[mcarans]

Since you have your audio setup to use PulseAudio on your machine,
the workaround number 2 should address the stuttering issue you encounter.

Can you send some feedback if this is true or not?

Sorry I forgot about this - I will try to remember to do it later.

[mcarans]

That didn't work, but just doing line 1 worked:
[sudo] cp -p libespeak.so.1 libespeak.so.1.portaudio

ie. use system espeak libs.

[Getafix]

Nice!
I'll add a third option in the workarounds list.

Thank you for testing.