# reforger-surround

Temporary PipeWire/PulseAudio 5.1 sink helper for testing Arma Reforger surround output on Linux.

The goal is narrow: create a virtual 5.1 output device, make it the launch-time default, then let Arma Reforger decide whether to create a surround stream. Carla, QPWGraph, EQ, convolution, and long-term routing are intentionally manual follow-up steps.

## Requirements

- PipeWire with PulseAudio compatibility
- `pactl`
- Arma Reforger running through Steam/Proton or another Linux audio path that appears in PipeWire/Pulse

## Install

Run directly from the repo:

```bash
./reforger-surround --help
```

Or place it somewhere on your `PATH`:

```bash
install -Dm755 reforger-surround ~/.local/bin/reforger-surround
```

## Basic Test Workflow

Create the 5.1 sink and make it the temporary default:

```bash
reforger-surround up
```

Launch Arma Reforger manually while `Reforger Surround 5.1` is the selected/default output device.

After Arma has created its audio stream, restore your normal default device:

```bash
reforger-surround restore
```

`restore` first pins the running Arma stream to the 5.1 sink, then switches normal system audio back to the previous default device.

Check whether Arma negotiated surround:

```bash
reforger-surround check
```

Clean up the temporary sink:

```bash
reforger-surround down
```

## Commands

```bash
reforger-surround create   # create the 5.1 sink without changing defaults
reforger-surround up       # create the sink, save current default, make 5.1 default
reforger-surround pin      # move a running Arma/Reforger stream to the 5.1 sink
reforger-surround restore  # pin Reforger if running, then restore the saved previous default
reforger-surround down     # restore previous default and unload the 5.1 sink
reforger-surround status   # show sink/default/game stream state
reforger-surround check    # report whether Arma is 2ch or 6ch
```

## Configuration

Defaults are intentionally generic:

```bash
REFORGER_SURROUND_SINK_NAME=reforger_surround_51
REFORGER_SURROUND_DESCRIPTION="Reforger Surround 5.1"
REFORGER_SURROUND_APP_NAME="Arma Reforger"
```

Override them per command if needed:

```bash
REFORGER_SURROUND_APP_NAME="ArmaReforgerSteam.exe" reforger-surround check
```

## Expected Results

Good result:

```text
Sample Specification: ... 6ch 48000Hz
Channel Map: front-left,front-right,front-center,lfe,rear-left,rear-right
```

Stereo-only result:

```text
Sample Specification: ... 2ch 48000Hz
Channel Map: front-left,front-right
```

If Arma creates a stereo-only stream, restart the game with the 5.1 sink selected/default before launch. Moving an already-created stereo stream usually does not make the game renegotiate surround.

## Notes

- `up` temporarily routes normal system audio to the 5.1 sink until `restore` is run.
- `restore` does not unload the 5.1 sink; it pins Reforger if running, then gives normal system audio back to the previous default.
- If Reforger follows the default sink when the default changes, run `reforger-surround pin` before switching devices manually.
- `down` unloads the temporary sink created by this tool.
- LFE may be silent in Arma Reforger even when the stream is 6ch.