DescentBB

original_jynx

Did both; no soundfonts are loaded and the creative stereo enhancement isn't on. Winamp is doing what it should - both Windows Media Player and Winamp do the exact same thing.

original_jynx

I considered that and tried Winamp anyways. Winamp works! But - there IS a difference in MIDI playback from in-game, using the original HMP OR MID files (I didn't know Winamp could play HMP directly!). In Descent 1's GAME13.HMP/GAME13.MID, there is a high-hat hit that starts around halfway through ...

original_jynx

Except, darn it, the system in question is a PII 350. Winamp has too high system requirements (PIII 500).

original_jynx

I tried using Sound Recorder (sndrec32.exe) to record the Descent midis. Interestingly, if you muck around with it enough, you CAN get it to record to any length you wish, at CD quality, but if it exceeds a certain size, it will falsely report you're out of disk space and refuse to save the file. So ...

original_jynx

So, to recap - 1) HMP files are simply re-arranged MIDI files; 2) HMP files can be converted to MIDI files with identical functionality, and 3) It doesn't matter if MIDI playback occurs in-game or not with respect to MIDI (or HMP) playback. That might make my job of recording these off my AWE64 ...

original_jynx

Well, let me be more specific. Is there a 1-to-1 correspondence between the functionality of a MIDI and a HMP file? (in other words, can you convert a HMP to a MID without loss?)

original_jynx

Thanks! Last question - the Descent 1 music files: are they in fact just renamed MIDIs?

original_jynx

Dear Descent coders -

In the DESCENT.SNG files found in DESCENT.HOG in both Descent 1/2, there are BNK files listed after the music track names. What are those files? Are they instrument sample files, and if so, under what circumstances are they loaded, according to the source code?

Thanks!

original_jynx

It worked!

Thanks!

Now I just need to figure out a way to record this stuff!

original_jynx

They haven't moved so swiftly to enable my account at the 3d realms board, unfortunately...

I have CD-ICD-500-0. That is how I happened upon your 3d realms post.

Query: how big is the resulting DESCENT.SNG supposed to be?

Thanks a million!

original_jynx

That may be the issue - I just installed D1 and noticed a \"patch.exe\" in the Descent dir, so I ran it... woops, I guess. ... or not. It appears the CD contains D1 v1.5, and that's it. So... can I install the 1.0-1.4a patch and then the 1.5 patch OVER version 1.5, or am I out of luck? edit - I ...

original_jynx

OK. I have my P2 350 legacy setup with my nifty old AWE64 to enjoy the tunes in-game .... only after level 7, the music doesn't play anymore! What is up with that?

original_jynx

it's in d:; the hd is c:, so I guess there's some other issue...

original_jynx

In case the thread title wasn't enough - I can't seem to play the redbook music for D2 under XP using d2x-xl. Anyone know why that happens, or know of a workaround?

Thanks!

original_jynx

Hey, is there a way to load a 2 MB soundfont, even though I'm using an AWE64 Value which has like 512k DRAM, in windows?

original_jynx

Yes, I'm finding that's so. However, I now have a fully-functioning DOS only setup so if I need it for some game or other which might have problems in Windows, I can do it. ... it actually seems that the MIDI sounds a little better from INSIDE Windows, go figure... now I just need to wait for my ...

original_jynx

Well, I think my problem was I added \"devicehigh=c:\\windows\\mscdex.exe\" - that's verbatim - to my config.sys file (oops). I'll fix it when I get home from work I basically want to have a pure DOS config to boot into so as to see if there is a difference in MIDI playback in-game between DOS and ...

original_jynx

Thanks for the links!

Next question: does anyone have the original drivers for the AWE64? (although it's a AWE64 Value, will the soundfont stuff still work, as in use system memory?)

Answer - nevermind, found them here: excessively long url fixed -Krom

original_jynx

Ok, I need a dos refresher course. The AWE64 is PnP, and I have it in a PII 350, with a spanking new installation of Windows 98 SE. I need a config.sys and autoexec.bat to do stuff in DOS, like access the CD drive, set up the memory managers (himem, emm386) and set up the AWE64 for dos compatibility ...

original_jynx

Preliminary results are that the authentic, in-game midi on the AWE64 is pretty darn good.

original_jynx

My card arrived today. It was, instead of a stand-alone AWE32, an AWE32 upgrade card. I have a problem. I don't have the necessary interface to make it work on the motherboard (which has a built-in Yamaha XG sound chip on it), neither do I have an SB16 to interface the card with. What should I do ...

original_jynx

PS - Jeff, everytime I try to access your site, it says your account is suspended!

original_jynx

original_jynx, yes that was recorded off the MIDI. So that was gotten from playing the game, or from playing a MIDI file ripped from the game data? There's an issue here, because it appears D2 loads instrument data in game, which we would expect would not be represented when simply playing the MIDI ...

original_jynx

I don't think Asrale's was in-game... I'm building my legacy box probably monday (when the AWE32 arrives), then I will see how D2 was supposed to sound!

original_jynx

So that was recorded in game, or did you rip the midi and use the midi file for playback using the AWE32? It's close if not exact (which means it may be exact - it has been a LONG time since I heard it last). I may be hallucinating the effect I seem to recall. Luckily, I have now purchased an AWE32 ...

original_jynx

Well, anyone who has access to a genuine AWE32 could do it - if I have extra money this payday, I may just get one for this. The SFX I am speaking of are not only the D2 boss sounds, but the same FX is featured in the M.A.X. title track at 0:25, 0:56, 1:55, and 2:28. I may be wrong, but I thought ...

original_jynx

... because I swear I remember track 2 on Descent 2 having a sound effect that the midi doesn't capture...

original_jynx

I would even go as far as to say that the ones that Timidity generated using the AWE32 soundfont sound as though they're using the exact same sample for each instrument too. But there seems to be some further AWE32 magic going on here as well. By the way, my hosting is back up, so that shouldn't be ...

original_jynx

That's what I noticed too, even with Bloodwar. Some instrumentation comes in too softly or too loudly.

FYI - it's kind of interesting listening to the midis with the 150 mb Fluid sound font...

original_jynx

Asrale wrote:I recorded a few D1 tracks just like you described, more than 2 years ago. Here's the link:

http://www.planetdescent.com/lyris/spec.html

Maybe one of these days I'll get off my lazy ass and record the rest.

PLEASE do, and do the D2 midis!

original_jynx

I have a better question - what soundfonts was the musician using when producing this music?

original_jynx

new request - on the Descent 2 midi, I seem to recall that track 02 had a sound effect, when played with the proper equipment, that sounded like the boss robot on level 7 in Descent 2 (I think - the same sound effect was present on M.A.X.'s soundtrack [another oldie but goodie by Interplay]) - am I ...

original_jynx

I should also add that unless you played Descent with an AWE32 back in the day, there's really no reason to prefer an AWE32's playback over any modern sound card's. The nostalgia is really the key part. I mean, that's why some people enjoy the OPL2/OPL3 music too. Frankly, it just sounds like crap ...

original_jynx

Well, could you email them to me?

original_jynx

Unfortunately, the program is itself just as hard to use as Timidity, and isn't documented very well either.

Well, thanks for trying!

original_jynx

I really have no clue how to make this run on XP. The documentation is nonexistent. I tried making the cfg files point to the soundfonts I have downloaded but I get no audio output when attempting to play the files. I found, for example, bloodwar.sf2 on a soundfont site, and found elsewhere bloodwar ...

original_jynx

Ok, I need details. That sounded GOOD. How do I get that program &c?

I'm running XP...

original_jynx

Darn - I actually have access to an old system with an ISA slot, but no AWE32 to stick in it

original_jynx

Well, would anyone care to make a set of recordings for me? Basically, I would really like recordings of the OPL2 rendition of all the Descent II midi (including the test midi), AWE32 (+daughterboard module) and MT-32 recordings of both Descent I and Descent II midi (including the D2 test midi). I ...

original_jynx

I apologize. I have tried to locate the answer to my question and haven't found it. Over at planetdescent, Valin Halcyon submitted the Descent I midis using the SoundBlaster 16 as MP3s. The readme said he had also recorded the DI/II midis not only with the SB16, but also the AWE32, and had these as ...

Search found 40 matches

Need free recording software for win98SE

Descent 1/2 sound question for coders - BNK files used when?

D1 music not playing after lvl 7?

d2x-xl doesn't play redbook in xp?

OPL, AWE32, and MT-32 versions of DI/II MIDI anywhere? V.H.