`s_UseOpenAL`

Base Jedi Academy

Selects the OpenAL sound backend instead of the software mixer. With OpenAL, EAX environmental reverb is applied through the bundled OpenAL Soft and EalMan, using the current map’s eagle/<mapname>.eal file when one exists. If OpenAL cannot open a device the client prints a warning and falls back to the software mixer. Latched: takes effect after snd_restart. Video capture records no audio while it is on.

At a glance

Field	Value
Default	`0`
Value type	`bool`
Restart	Yes; the value is latched.
Manually settable	Yes
Cheat protected	No
Network scope	`client-only`: Local to the client/UI/renderer.
Category	Audio & music
Module	`engine-client`
Renderer	All / not renderer-specific
Derivation	`code-trace`
Confidence	`high`
Added	2013-04-08 in `14cea1563` (how to compare this against your build)
In-game xdocs	No
In-game menu	Yes: ingame_setup.menu:4485, setup.menu:2530, setup.menu:2553

Values

Value	Meaning	Evidence
`0`	Use the software mixer.	codemp/client/snd_dma.cpp:533
`1`	Use OpenAL, with EAX when the OpenAL implementation supports it.	codemp/client/snd_dma.cpp:536

Flags

CVAR_ARCHIVE: saved to the user configuration
CVAR_LATCH: latched until the relevant subsystem or map is restarted

Provenance

Origin: Base Jedi Academy

Baseline evidence: 14cea1563762
Upstream registration evidence: code/client/snd_dma.cpp:475
Attribution method: present-in-openjk-initial-source-import
Attribution confidence: high
Notes: Identifier is present in OpenJK’s initial Raven source-import snapshot. Dated commit evidence identifies later registration changes relative to the origin snapshot.

Later changes

These commits occur after the ultimate-origin introduction on TaystJK’s inherited first-parent lineage. Registration evidence is exact; behavior evidence requires a changed bound cvar reference or a changed registered command-handler hunk.

Date	Change source	Commit / subject	Evidence	Confidence
`2014-05-10`	OpenJK	`16f7fe7ecc48` [MP] Minor refactoring and cleanup in the sound code to move AL code all in a preprocessor. Removed an unnecessary loop in S_LoadSound_DirIsAllowedToKeepMP3s.	Changed registration, default, flags, module, renderer scope, handler, or gating. `codemp/client/snd_dma.cpp`	`medium`
`2014-05-12`	OpenJK	`575263a31897` [SP] Minor refactoring and cleanup in the sound code to move AL code all in a preprocessor. Removed an unnecessary loop in S_LoadSound_DirIsAllowedToKeepMP3s.	Changed registration, default, flags, module, renderer scope, handler, or gating. `code/client/snd_dma.cpp`	`medium`
`2015-11-24`	EternalJK	`c8f6ea17a324` Remove SP code	Changed registration, default, flags, module, renderer scope, handler, or gating. `code/client/snd_dma.cpp`	`medium`

Evidence

registration: codemp/client/snd_dma.cpp:533 (Cvar_Get); condition defined(USE_OPENAL)
behavior: codemp/client/snd_dma.cpp:516
behavior: codemp/game/NPC_misc.c:38
behavior: codemp/game/NPC_misc.c:67
behavior: codemp/qcommon/cm_patch.cpp:1317
behavior: codemp/qcommon/cm_patch.cpp:1514

Generated from source commit 77851b2c2d22 on 2026-11-10. Anything merged after that is not reflected here.