MetaphorAudioFix

MetaphorAudioFix is a Windows ASI plugin that fixes the faint, hollow, echo-like dialogue bug in Metaphor: ReFantazio on Wine and CrossOver.

The game uses ISpatialAudioClient and builds a 12-channel static object bed even when the real endpoint is stereo. On CrossOver/macOS that path leaves dialogue-heavy channels mixed incorrectly. This plugin keeps the spatial API alive for the game, intercepts ActivateSpatialAudioStream, and explicitly mixes the static spatial objects down to stereo before they hit the real output stream.

Status

This repo contains the working fix that was validated in-game on CrossOver for macOS with the dialogue issue reproduced beforehand.

Repository Layout

• src/: plugin source
• external-minhook/: vendored MinHook dependency
• scripts/package-release.sh: creates a GitHub-friendly zip from the built package
• .github/workflows/release.yml: builds and publishes release zips on tags
• docs/WINE_SPATIAL_AUDIO_NOTES.md: root-cause write-up for Wine or CodeWeavers

Build

Install a Windows cross-compiler toolchain such as mingw-w64, then run:

./build-windows.sh

That produces:

• build/windows/package/MetaphorAudioFix.asi
• build/windows/package/MetaphorAudioFix.ini
• build/windows/package/libwinpthread-1.dll
• build/windows/package/winmm.dll
• build/windows/package/Ultimate-ASI-Loader-LICENSE.txt

Install

The packaged fix now includes a bundled winmm.dll ASI loader, so all required files ship together.

1. Open the game install directory in Steam: Metaphor: ReFantazio -> Properties... -> Installed Files -> Browse...
2. Copy these four files into the same directory as METAPHOR.exe:
   • winmm.dll
   • MetaphorAudioFix.asi
   • MetaphorAudioFix.ini
   • libwinpthread-1.dll
3. Make sure Wine/CrossOver loads winmm as native,builtin.

Steam DLL Override

If you launch the game through Steam inside Wine, Proton, or a CrossOver Steam bottle, set the DLL override directly on the game in Steam:

1. In Steam, right-click Metaphor: ReFantazio.
2. Click Properties....
3. Stay on the General tab.
4. Find the Launch Options box near the bottom.
5. Paste this exactly:

WINEDLLOVERRIDES="winmm=n,b" %command%

6. Close the Properties window.
7. Launch the game from Steam normally.

n,b is Wine shorthand for native,builtin, which makes Wine try the bundled winmm.dll in the game folder first and fall back to Wine's builtin winmm only if needed.

Bottle Registry Override

If you prefer to set the override in the bottle itself instead of using a Steam launch option, add the DLL override in the bottle registry:

1. Open CrossOver.
2. Select the bottle that contains Steam and Metaphor: ReFantazio.
3. Choose Run Command... for that bottle.
4. Run regedit.
5. In Registry Editor, go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wine\DllOverrides

6. If DllOverrides does not exist, create it:
   • Right-click Wine
   • New -> Key
   • Name it DllOverrides
7. With DllOverrides selected, create a new string value:
   • Right-click in the right pane
   • New -> String Value
   • Name: winmm
8. Double-click the new winmm value and set its data to:

native,builtin

9. Close Registry Editor.
10. Fully quit Steam inside the bottle, then start Steam again before launching the game.

If you prefer the command-line form, the same registry override can be created with:

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wine\DllOverrides" /v winmm /t REG_SZ /d native,builtin /f

Do not set both a conflicting registry override and a conflicting Steam launch option. If both exist with the same native,builtin value, that is fine.

Release Zip

After building, create a distributable zip with:

./scripts/package-release.sh v0.1.0

That creates:

• dist/MetaphorAudioFix-v0.1.0-win64.zip
• dist/MetaphorAudioFix-v0.1.0-win64.zip.sha256

GitHub Releases

The included GitHub Actions workflow supports two paths:

• push a tag like v0.1.0
• run the Release workflow manually and provide a version string

The workflow:

• installs mingw-w64
• builds the plugin
• packages the zip
• uploads the zip as a workflow artifact
• publishes a GitHub release automatically for tag pushes

Root Cause Notes

See docs/WINE_SPATIAL_AUDIO_NOTES.md for the issue write-up you can attach to a Wine bug or send to CodeWeavers.

License

This project is under the MIT license. MinHook remains under its own license in external-minhook/. The bundled winmm.dll comes from Ultimate ASI Loader, which is also MIT licensed; its license text is included as Ultimate-ASI-Loader-LICENSE.txt.