3DSound

If your sound card or onboard sound chip utilises DirectSound's 3D hardware acceleration, you may experience sound problems
in certain games as the audio stack has been completely rewritten post XP. The DS audio hardware layer has been removed and
replaced with a software mixer producing less that favourable results.

Risen3D is effected because it uses DirectSound3D and EAX which is no longer supported post Win XP

There are two solutions available, basically they convert DS functions into OpenAL, restoring 3D sound effects and reverb.

1) For users with sound cards or onboard sound chips which are OpenAL compliant

DSOAL may be a solution  DSOAL Distribution

DSOAL readme  readme

IMPORTANT NOTES: Make sure the 3DSound option is enabled in the launcher for the above to work.

...

2) For Creative card users

If not wishing to use the DSOAL method then Creative provide a work around called ALchemy.

Download the correct ALchemy for your specific card and OS from Creative's website then install the program.

You then need to manually add Risen3D to ALchemy-enabled Games as illustrated below, ALchemy will then install two files
( dsound.dll, dsound.ini ) into your Risen3D\Bin folder -  the illustration below assumes you have Risen3D installed in D:\Risen3D.

IMPORTANT NOTES: Make sure the 3DSound option is enabled in the launcher for the above to work.