[Openal-devel] OpenAL Soft 1.8.644 is available!

[Chris Robinson]

More features and fixes, another version bump.

http://kcat.strangesoft.net/openal.html

Now included is a PulseAudio backend, the ability to install the sample config 
as a default config into /etc/openal (run cmake with -DALSOFT_CONFIG=ON), 
multiple auxiliary slots (4 by default), and sends (2 by default). Also 
improves CPU consumption for mixing, and adds two more effects: 
AL_EFFECT_EAXREVERB and AL_EFFECT_ECHO. The echo is fully implemented, however 
most extra EAX Reverb parameters (that aren't also available in standard 
reverb) do not currently have an affect, except the panning vectors and HF 
reference. More of those parameters will be supported in time.

The EAX Reverb is a little more CPU intensive due to the panning vectors, so 
the option to use the standard reverb when those extra parameters aren't 
needed would be recommended (the user can also disable EAX Reverb via OpenAL 
Soft's config, and leave the standard reverb active; being able to provide a 
lower quality reverb environment might be beneficial to those users), if 
possible.

Also, this release features a slightly modified panning method with the 
sources. As a source moves near the listener (within the source's reference 
distance), the sound will envelop around the listener instead of remaining an 
infinitely-small point to one direction. Basically it attempts to give sounds 
some spatial volume and help prevent harsh volume changes as a source moves 
around close to the listener.

Comments and questions welcome. Thanks for looking!
- Chris