It all depends on your preference really...some prefer midi music while other like the nostalgia of adlib. If you have the rom for mt-32 then that is THE one to use however you cannot obtain that legally without owning the device. 😒

My opinion? Use sound blaster 16 for sound effects (IRQ 7, DMA 1) and soundblaster/adlbi (they are the same) for music. If the roland sound canvas is available to choose then go for it because in some games it is superior to adlib. 😁

Really I say go for what you are used to hearing in the old days. I always owned sound blaster cards so that is always my choice.

My order of preference (based on my setup), from most-to-least:

Music:
Roland Sound Canvas / SCC-1
General MIDI / MPU-401
MT-32 / CM-32L / LAPC-1
Gravis Ultrasound
OPL3/SB16
Dual OPL2/SBPro
OPL/SoundBlaster/Adlib
Game Blaster
Tandy
PC Speaker

Digitized Sound Effects:
Sound Blaster 16 *OR* Gravis Ultrasound (depends on which works better with a particular game)
Sound Blaster Pro
Sound Blaster
various DAC devices that may be supported by DOSBox (e.g Covox Speech Thing, Disney Sound Source) - haven't had to stoop to any of these yet

Does anybody ever stop moaning on this forum ?

Dos, was NEVER, EVER, EVER, meant to be simple. It was THE most tedious, horrible OS ever to grace a PC.
If you think it's hard now, then you should have owned a PC in the early 90's.
Buying a game, then trying to squeeze an extra couple of kilobytes more base mem, because stupid gameX wanted over 600k just to run.
Memory mananger, after memory manager, Qemm, loadhi everything possible, gameX doesn't like something in your config sys, or hates EMS or XMS.
You have it easy with Dosbox, and you still moan.

I don't even know what most of these are...

Google.

I am looking to get the **best** possible sound out of each game I have. If I understand correctly this can be different cards for different games. If DOSbox doesn't support the best option, then I'd like to know what it is so I can beg for it to be added to DOSbox in the future.

They're already in Dosbox. And who's to say whats the best ?
I had an AWE32 with 8Mb, and 8Mb Soundfonts which sounded better than any GUS, or MT32. Yet on it's own, it was worse.
And what about someone with 8Mb PATS for GUS, would argue they sound better than anything. Yet most people probably have 1Mb. A few like OPL, or MT32.
Whats stopping you from picking Your best ?

Can't we have a database where the game and DOSbox settings for best quality of sound are listed for each game? Maybe a list of everything DOSbox is capable of emulating, how perfect the emulation is, and information on that product would be nice too.

Do you know how many DOS games there are ?
I have over 3000+, and thats far from complete.

Matter of factly, a nice database for the all the best settings (sound or otherwise) in DOSbox&game for each game would be great. Throw in a reminder of the latest patch available, and any non-crack configuration hacks that will get the game running without a disk.

And why you are there, why not get them to mail you a CD in a hand-sealed jiffy bag, first class, next-day post ?

I know... only a dream.

I'd love a million quid, for world poverty to be abolished, the end to war, and for MAME to emulate all my favourite arcade games 100% perfectly.

I know... only a dream.

Am I the only one who prefers adlib music to general midi?? 😒

Does anybody ever stop moaning on this forum ?

How was this a "moan" towards DOSbox? I wasn't criticizing DOSbox, but making a observation and suggestion. I didn't even expect it to be fulfilled, let alone demand it or say it in a offensive manner. This is a discussion forum, so obviously thoughts and ideas will be discussed. Calm down.

Dos, was NEVER, EVER, EVER, meant to be simple. It was THE most tedious, horrible OS ever to grace a PC.

Who said it was supposed to be "simple"? Just because DOS was horribly obtuse doesn't mean you can't make DOSbox less so, or provide others with guidelines to assist them in getting games running.

If you think it's hard now, then you should have owned a PC in the early 90's.
Buying a game, then trying to squeeze an extra couple of kilobytes more base mem, because stupid gameX wanted over 600k just to run.
Memory mananger, after memory manager, Qemm, loadhi everything possible, gameX doesn't like something in your config sys, or hates EMS or XMS.

Quick to stereotype, I see. I've been using PC's since the old 8088 and Apple II. I recall fondly fighting with Ultima Underworld and Ultima 7 on my old 486.

Whats stopping you from picking Your best ?

What's to stop me from looking for general suggestions and guidelines for others? What's wrong with suggesting that the community could put it in a more usable format than burried in this forum?

Many games were built with a particular card in mind, but information on these games has long since been lost due to their age. Getting a nice consolidated area sorted by game where people can voice these things would be valuable IMO. Why must I reinvent the wheel, trying out every option on every game, when I can share my experiences with others and they can share theirs.

In fact I do a great deal of searching and work on this and would LOVE to share the results of my efforts with others. Searching for patches and finding the best possible settings for a game is time intensive. Perhaps you don't feel like sharing that, but I do.

Do you know how many DOS games there are ?
I have over 3000+, and thats far from complete.

And? A site like http://www.mobygames.com seems to do just fine cataloging games and they cover ALL platforms. In fact I was considering contacting them to work something out. Discogs (http://www.discogs.com) does something similar for music.

Who says we need to have a complete list, nor have all 3000 filled out at once? Forums exist so you can hear others opinions and this is no different. I'm not making demands of YOU or the dosbox developers. Just throwing out ideas and there is no harm in that.

I don't need a lecture from a 200 post user (who "pimps" his system configuration in his signature and brags about his collection of thousands of pirated games) trying save the forum from every perceived horrible pre-DOS newbie. "Chill out."

suggestion

A "Suggestion" that you want everything easier. Lifes a bitch, get over it,

doesn't mean you can't make DOSbox less so

Dosbox, emulates DOS. This isn't MAME. Or click and play emulator X.

I've been using PC's since the old 8088 and Apple II. I recall fondly fighting with Ultima Underworld and Ultima 7 on my old 486.

Yet you STILL have no idea what soundcard to use. 🙄

I don't need a lecture from a 200 post user (who "pimps" his system configuration in his signature and brags about his collection of thousands partially pirated games) trying save the forum from every perceived horrible pre-DOS newbie. "Chill out."

And this forum needs demands from a 9-post newbie ?
"Pimps", Have you ever wondered just WHY people here ask for their PC specs when they try to answer questions ?
Oh, and thousands of pirated games ? I don't think so. I OWN nearly 800 original PC games. Perhaps a few are downloaded, from abandonware sites. Hardly Doom Frickin 3, or Half-Life 2. 🙄
Oh, and I'm perfectly chilled, thankyou. Just *I'm* not the one being an arsehole.

Does anybody ever stop moaning on this forum ?

I'd love a million quid, for world poverty to be abolished, the end to war, and for MAME to emulate all my favorite arcade games 100% perfectly.

And why you are there, why not get them to mail you a CD in a hand-sealed jiffy bag, first class, next-day post ?

Oh yeah. You weren't being a condescending "arsehole" at all.... 🙄

Pimps", Have you ever wondered just WHY people here ask for their PC specs when they try to answer questions ?
Oh, and thousands of pirated games ? I don't think so.

Whoosh! Right over your head.

See where generalizations and stereotypes gets you.

I think you both need to cool it.....this a help forum for crying out loud. When a question is asked, we try to answer. CraigG I know your pissed at answering the same questions from people who may seem to know little about dos (which he seems to know quite a bit) but its no reason to attack someone personally. Twisted, when someone attacks report the post....do not attack back because it helps nothing.

Ok so now that we have that out the way...get back to the topic! I think making a database of games and their info etc is a good idea. However its probably best that you maybe make the first step...if it interests you then by all means starts a website and ask for some help and people will answer.

CraigG wrote:

Oh, and I'm perfectly chilled, thankyou. Just *I'm* not the one being an arsehole.

If that's what you call chilled, I'd hate to see your definition of pissy. You really do tend to fly off the handle quite easily, and it makes a lot of your posts...painful to read at best, and detrimental to the atmosphere of the forum at worst.

So you don't like newbies? We get it. Noone cares. Deal with it in a more constructive way, unless you're actually trying to make yourself look like an ass by being needlessly confrontational.

Calm down people.
I'm sure that you are both doing it for the best of all of us.
I do get tired of newbie questions every now and then and I'm sometimes temped to give an answer like GraigG.
But then again this is the most basic forum of dosbox.
IT might be more approiate at the development forum

Ok so now that we have that out the way...get back to the topic! I think making a database of games and their info etc is a good idea. However its probably best that you maybe make the first step...if it interests you then by all means starts a website and ask for some help and people will answer.

That is actually what I was thinking. In fact adding dosbox settings might be something of interest to www.mobygames.com

They already have a nice base to add to and a large userbase. I just really was curious on others thoughts on the topic.

I'm actually e-mailing them now. I do web development work, but nothing like the complexities involved in the emulation in Dosbox. So maybe this is a way I could contribute.

I must say I'm really impressed at what the DOSbox guys have done. Making all these games work which probably used every programming hack imaginable is amazing. With all the various pieces of hardware available for each game and the multitude of configurations... Wow! In fact I think I think the arcade emulators have it easier because at least there are several set platforms and nicely packaged ROMs.

Let me note, I never expected anything from the developers... much less "demanded" anything from anyone here. Dosbox developers do what they do best... work on DOSbox. Game compatibility is job #1. Usability enhancements are icing on the cake. Documentation and such things are best left to DOSbox fans, thats why I mentioned it here.

Sorry for the bickering. I understand why the lashing out probably occured as I saw a post by another saying "DOSbox sucks" (though I think it was just a troll) that may have set the wrong mood.

You're right it's better to not respond at all to vitriol. It was a bad day for me, and I was caught at a weak moment. I apologize to all the regulars here.

avatar_58 wrote:

Am I the only one who prefers adlib music to general midi?? 😒

I am with you on some games. It all depends on personal taste.

I remember "Nightbreed:Arcade" a crappy game made by Ocean. It supported Internal squeaker and Roland MT-32. Surprisingly enough, I prefer the beeper tune better. 😁

If that's what you call chilled, I'd hate to see your definition of pissy. You really do tend to fly off the handle quite easily, and it makes a lot of your posts...painful to read at best, and detrimental to the atmosphere of the forum at worst.

So you don't like newbies? We get it. Noone cares. Deal with it in a more constructive way, unless you're actually trying to make yourself look like an ass by being needlessly confrontational.

You want my definition of Pissy ? Well here it is.

I'm not the one posting shit like "MY sound doesn't work, WHY ?" And thats it.

"My video has output error, WHY", and thats it.

This program is slow, my Athlon 64 can run shitgameX at stupid res, but not Dosbox, Fucking Please. 🙄

Do you know what Hunterz ? You really are a FUCKING ASSHOLE !!
Who the fuck put such a prick as a mod, is beyond me.

How about you all go FUCK yourselves.
Ban me, like I give a fucking crap.
I've had it with this place.
Yeah, I Love Dosbox, and I hate seeing great guys like Qbix getting THE most pathetic questions, that even the moronic of jerks, wouldn't ask.

So you don't like newbies? We get it. Noone cares

So you don't like Dosbox, Yeah, **I** get it. You seem to love sucking the cocks of newbies. Jerk.
Lets all have posts like the original fucking cock sucker, who doesn't even know whats a good soundcard, yet "Thinks" he knows about DOS. Prick.

WANKERS, the lot of you.

You want my definition of Pissy ? Well here it is. […]
Show full quote

You want my definition of Pissy ? Well here it is.

I'm not the one posting shit like "MY sound doesn't work, WHY ?" And thats it.

"My video has output error, WHY", and thats it.

This program is slow, my Athlon 64 can run shitgameX at stupid res, but not Dosbox, Fucking Please.

Do you know what Hunterz ? You really are a FUCKING ASSHOLE !!
Who the fuck put such a prick as a mod, is beyond me.

How about you all go FUCK yourselves.
Ban me, like I give a fucking crap.
I've had it with this place.
Yeah, I Love Dosbox, and I hate seeing great guys like Qbix getting THE most pathetic questions, that even the moronic of jerks, wouldn't ask.

So you don't like Dosbox, Yeah, **I** get it. You seem to love sucking the cocks of newbies. Jerk.
Lets all have posts like the original fucking cock sucker, who doesn't even know whats a good soundcard, yet "Thinks" he knows about DOS. Prick.

WANKERS, the lot of you.

😳

Here is a neato comparison of the Ultima 7 intro on a MT-32 versus an Adlib. I believe Ultima 7's music was originally composed on an MT-32 (or was it a Soundcanvas... just going from memory... can't recall)...

Interesting stuff.

MT-32 sounds like a little wierd on some older games... perhaps its a quirk of the game, wrong settings on my part, or work needed to be done on the MT-32 emulator. *shrug*

Here is a neato comparison of the Ultima 7 intro on a MT-32 versus an Adlib.

Was there a link supposed to be?

Anyway I found with a real MT-32 a lot of Ultima games (the ones that made use of the Devide) sound really great. Especially Ultima 7 (Exult CVS now makes use of an original MT-32 if you have it) and Underworld. But those were made for the MT-32. If the game hasn't been made originally for the Roland device than it sounds odd most of the times. Sometimes it just sounds strange because you didn't have a MT-32 back in the old days and it sounds just so different to what you remember.

Doh. Must have been chopped out. Truly strange.

http://dor-lomin.com/archive/ultima/musicarchive/

Sorry about that. Oh its Ultima 6, not 7.

Also here is a nice history of soundcards:

http://crossfire-designs.de/index.php?lang=en … undcards&page=1

CraigG: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll - this is you, and it grates on my nerves much more than any 10 newbie questions.

Dominus: Interesting. I think I might pull out my Ultima CD and test it with my MT-32, although I never really got into that series.

twisted: Thanks for the links. I'll have to check them out later. In this thread I posted a recording of Arena on both Adlib and General MIDI (Sound Canvas) if anyone is interested: Re: HELP! Mount CD-ROM of Gabriel Knight 1