Experimental sound improvements. I'm about to say to hell with it and try using openal.

sound.py

@@ -19,6 +19,72 @@ from .services import VolumeService
 # Global instance for backward compatibility
 volumeService = VolumeService.get_instance()
 
+def find_silent_channels():
+    """Find channels that are playing but with zero volume (effectively silent)."""
+    silent_channels = []
+    for n in range(pygame.mixer.get_num_channels()):
+        channel = pygame.mixer.Channel(n)
+        if channel.get_busy():
+            # Get current volume setting (single value for both channels)
+            volume = channel.get_volume()
+            # Consider silent if volume is effectively zero
+            if volume <= 0.001:
+                silent_channels.append(channel)
+    return silent_channels
+
+def find_available_channel():
+    """Find an available channel, prioritizing silent channels over stopping active ones."""
+    # Try to find an idle channel first
+    for n in range(pygame.mixer.get_num_channels()):
+        channel = pygame.mixer.Channel(n)
+        if not channel.get_busy():
+            return channel
+
+    # If no idle channels, look for silent ones to reclaim
+    silent_channels = find_silent_channels()
+    if silent_channels:
+        # Stop the first silent channel and return it
+        channel = silent_channels[0]
+        channel.stop()
+        return channel
+
+    # If no silent channels, stop the first busy channel as last resort
+    # This ensures sounds always play rather than being silently dropped
+    channel = pygame.mixer.Channel(0)
+    channel.stop()
+    return channel
+
+def get_channel_usage():
+    """Return channel usage info for debugging."""
+    total = pygame.mixer.get_num_channels()
+    busy = sum(1 for n in range(total) if pygame.mixer.Channel(n).get_busy())
+    silent = len(find_silent_channels())
+    return f"Channels: {busy}/{total} busy ({silent} silent)"
+
+def print_channel_debug():
+    """Print detailed channel usage for debugging."""
+    total = pygame.mixer.get_num_channels()
+    print(f"Channel usage: {get_channel_usage()}")
+
+    busy_channels = []
+    silent_channels = []
+
+    for n in range(total):
+        channel = pygame.mixer.Channel(n)
+        if channel.get_busy():
+            volume = channel.get_volume()
+            if volume <= 0.001:
+                silent_channels.append(n)
+            else:
+                busy_channels.append(n)
+
+    if busy_channels:
+        print(f"Active channels: {busy_channels}")
+    if silent_channels:
+        print(f"Silent channels: {silent_channels}")
+    if not busy_channels and not silent_channels:
+        print("No busy channels")
+
 class Sound:
     """Handles sound loading and playback."""
 
@@ -120,10 +186,12 @@ class Sound:
             pygame.event.clear()
             pygame.mixer.stop()
 
-        # Play the sound
+        # Play the sound with guaranteed channel allocation
         channel = self.sounds[soundName].play(-1 if loop else 0)
         if not channel:
-            return None
+            # If no channel available, force allocation
+            channel = find_available_channel()
+            channel.play(self.sounds[soundName], -1 if loop else 0)
 
         # Apply appropriate volume settings
         sfx_volume = self.volumeService.get_sfx_volume()
@@ -240,8 +308,13 @@ class Sound:
             if not soundName:
                 return None
 
-            # Play the sound
+            # Play the sound with guaranteed channel allocation
             channel = self.sounds[soundName].play()
+            if not channel:
+                # If no channel available, force allocation
+                channel = find_available_channel()
+                channel.play(self.sounds[soundName])
+
             if channel:
                 channel.set_volume(
                     finalLeft * self.volumeService.sfxVolume,
@@ -425,10 +498,12 @@ def play_sound(sound_or_name, volume=1.0, loop=False, playerPos=None, objPos=Non
 
     # Case 4: Sound name with dictionary
     elif isinstance(sounds, dict) and isinstance(sound_or_name, str) and sound_or_name in sounds:
-        # Play the sound
+        # Play the sound with guaranteed channel allocation
         channel = sounds[sound_or_name].play(-1 if loop else 0)
         if not channel:
-            return None
+            # If no channel available, force allocation
+            channel = find_available_channel()
+            channel.play(sounds[sound_or_name], -1 if loop else 0)
 
         # Apply volume settings
         sfx_vol = volumeService.get_sfx_volume()
@@ -522,8 +597,13 @@ def play_random_falling(sounds, soundName, playerX, objectX, startY, currentY=0,
     if not matched_sound:
         return None
 
-    # Play the sound
+    # Play the sound with guaranteed channel allocation
     channel = sounds[matched_sound].play()
+    if not channel:
+        # If no channel available, force allocation
+        channel = find_available_channel()
+        channel.play(sounds[matched_sound])
+
     if channel:
         channel.set_volume(
             finalLeft * volumeService.sfxVolume,