I've heard that, compared to the MT-32, there are some games that have sound effects only heard on the CM-32L. I was wondering if there is a list somewhere of these games?
Furthermore, what's the popular opinion as to MT-32 vs CM-32L as it relates to any given game, or is it really a per-game basis kind of thing?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_MT-32-c … _computer_games
The games with "Y" in the CM-series column. Might not be comprehensive, but I know of no better list.
wrote:I've heard that, compared to the MT-32, there are some games that have sound effects only heard on the CM-32L. I was wondering if there is a list somewhere of these games?
Furthermore, what's the popular opinion as to MT-32 vs CM-32L as it relates to any given game, or is it really a per-game basis kind of thing?
It really comes down to user preference in most cases.
I use a MT-32 on my DOS computers at my Retro hardware station but use a CM-32L with a USB-to-MIDI adapter on my modern computer for the games I play in DOSBox. For older games, like King's Quest IV, the MT-32 is going to provide a more "authentic" experience insofar as when those game were released there was no CM-32L module. Having said that, playing King's Quest IV on a CM-32L via DOSBox doesn't sound soooo much different than the MT-32 as to ruin the experience for me. But some folks are very particular about this sort of thing, and to each their own.
Basically, in my experience with the games I play, if I use a CM-32L to play all the games compatible with the Roland MT-32 modules I never miss out on any sounds. There are some games that supposedly rely on a hardware fault present in the original MT-32 device (which I don't own; I own the revised hardware) but I don't believe I play any of those games so I've not run into that issue.
The thing about the hardware faults is that they only really apply to sound effects. The ones I know of with Sierra, are ELEC.SHOCK in Larry 3 and others like that.
There might be one instrument in SQ3 that has wrong vibrato, but we're talking about 0.01% of cases. A CM-32L should provide better sounding output the vast majority of the time, without some of the MT-32 noise. Same for the new revision MT-32.
As far as Sierra games go, only one game was written using the module, and the driver included with the game was not modified to actually send the data correctly, so only a couple of the additional effects are present in the game (Leisure Suit Larry 5).
