add force stereo option to avoid audio getting lost in misconfigured surround setup

src/dev-util/stereo-switch.gd

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+class_name StereoSwitch extends AudioStreamPlayer
+
+func _ready() -> void:
+	State.settings_changed.connect(update_mix_target)
+	update_mix_target()
+	
+func update_mix_target():
+	if State.force_stereo:
+		mix_target = AudioStreamPlayer.MIX_TARGET_STEREO
+	else:
+		mix_target = AudioStreamPlayer.MIX_TARGET_CENTER

src/dev-util/stereo-switch.gd.uid

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://c1oub0cs7cph6

src/logic-scenes/main menu/audio_settings.gd

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ var current_music_decay:float = 0
 @onready var sum_slider: Range = %SumSlider
 @onready var text_lang_selector: OptionButton = %InterfaceSelector
 @onready var speech_lang_selector: OptionButton = %SpeechSelector
+@onready var force_stereo_switch: CheckBox = %ForceStereoCheck
 
 func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 	if current_music_decay > 0:
@@ -54,6 +55,8 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 	
 	%ResetButton.pressed.connect(_on_reset_button_pressed)
 	%SaveButton.pressed.connect(_on_exit_button_pressed)
+	
+	force_stereo_switch.pressed.connect(func(value): State.force_stereo = value)
 
 
 func _on_reset_button_pressed():
@@ -73,6 +76,7 @@ func update_ui_from_state():
 	sum_slider.value = State.main_volume
 	text_lang_selector.select(State.text_language)
 	speech_lang_selector.select(State.speech_language)
+	force_stereo_switch.button_pressed = State.force_stereo
 	
 func _on_exit_button_pressed() -> void:
 	leave_stage.emit()

src/logic-scenes/main menu/audio_settings.tscn

@@ -161,6 +161,12 @@ max_value = 1.0
 step = 0.05
 value = 0.5
 
+[node name="ForceStereoCheck" type="CheckBox" parent="."]
+unique_name_in_owner = true
+layout_mode = 2
+tooltip_text = "This setting disables the surround center channel. May resolve you not hearing speech when your Operating Sustem has a misconfigured surround setup."
+text = "Headphone-Mode (may fix missing speech)"
+
 [node name="I18nLabel" type="Label" parent="."]
 layout_mode = 2
 theme_type_variation = &"HeaderMedium"

src/singletons/global_state.gd

@@ -99,6 +99,15 @@ var current_main_theme:Theme = preload("res://logic-scenes/themes/handwriting.th
 	set(volume):
 		speech_volume = volume
 		AudioServer.set_bus_volume_db(AudioServer.get_bus_index("text"), linear_to_db(volume))
+@export var force_stereo: bool = false:
+	set(stereo):
+		if stereo != force_stereo:
+			force_stereo = stereo
+			settings_changed.emit()
+@export var disconnect_steam:bool = false
+@export var obscure_logs:bool = true
+
+
 @export_enum("system_locale", "english", "german") var text_language: int = -1:
 	set(value):
 		text_language = value
@@ -172,7 +181,8 @@ func save_settings():
 			"sfx_volume": sfx_volume,
 			"music_muted": music_muted,
 			"music_volume": music_volume,
-			"speech_volume": speech_volume
+			"speech_volume": speech_volume,
+			"force_stereo": force_stereo
 		},
 		"gameplay": {
 			"input_sensitivity": input_sensitivity,