Cloudschatze, what's your opinion on the CT-3980?
Unfortunately, I don't have the equipment required to use S/PDIF, so the card is quite noisy and I struggle to find the best trade-off between noise and and volume. It's not so hard under Windows, but DOS screws this over and I have to fiddle all over again because everything is too quiet.
What do you recommend?
It still is my favorite audio card, there's just so much awesome (no pun intended) on this card and you just feel like you're holding something majestic when you install it 🤣
I think Terra Nova also supports soundfonts for music.
Yes, indeed. Nice catch! Terra Nova and Ultima Online are now added to the list.
F2bnp wrote:
Cloudschatze, what's your opinion on the CT-3980?
I've had a CT3980 for a few years, but have only just started really using it (in the "MIDI General" build). It has some quirks, but for anyone not opposed to the PnP "features," it's mostly on-par with the CT3900, which is my preferred AWE32 card. Forum-member 5u3 has used a CT3980 for a number of years now, and may have more to say about it.
The CT3980 has Creative's incredibly noisy spatial-enhancement circuit (that one of the drivers used by Mixerset likes to automatically enable, upon entering the GUI). Certainly, keep that thing off at all times, either through use of the CT3DSE utility, or by unchecking the "3DSE" box in the Mixerset GUI, or using the "/SE-" switch with the command-line mixer interface. It's not enabled by default, so if you stay out of the Mixerset GUI, and don't have the full complement of unnecessary Creative DOS drivers loaded besides, it should remain disabled.
Other sound-reducing measures simply include muting/disabling unused mixer sources, keeping the volume levels for the sources that are used to ~75%, and then just finding a happy medium with the Master Volume setting.
Here's a good starting point for typical, "gaming" usage:
You'll notice that I have the CD-audio "output" channels muted in the above example. I recommend enabling them only when needed.
In other news...
Here are a few digital captures using the extracted AWE-specific MIDI files from Final Fantasy VII and the included "FF7.sf2" SoundFont. Günther Klaming's "AWEPLAY" DOS utility was used for playback, so please bear in mind that these recordings may not properly represent the in-game playback, and indeed, many of the MIDI files were not designed for straight playback, and some outright fail entirely, or crash the AWEPLAY utility besides.
Final Fantasy VII
Removed...
Another included SoundFont, "lb2.sf2," is used during playback of "One-Winged Angel." (If played in-game, the SoundFont will automatically get loaded through use of Creative's SoundFont Manager). Now, the playback of the following composition using the AWEPlay utility is definitely...off, as specifically pertains to the flute instrument, so an in-game recording would be much-appreciated at some point...
Removed...
In any event, Final Fantasy VII's AWE soundtrack is remarkably decent, in my opinion.
Last edited by Cloudschatze on 2014-05-31, 04:49. Edited 2 times in total.
What about Tyrian (coincidentally also mentioned earlier in this thread, but not in the list), does it use EMU8k-specific NRPNs?
There's no NRPN usage in Tyrian - just a custom(ized) AWE driver that sets-up the effects, and a MIDI arrangement that is either outright intended for the AWE-based cards, or at least deliberately takes the 1MB ROM instruments into account. (If you ever want to try something "fun," listen to Tyrian's soundtrack with the EMU8000-based, Wave Blaster II DB...)
I'm not sure that we'd want to categorize this sort of support though, given the subjectivity factor. I need to look a bit more closely, but Descent and System Shock could be similarly classified (and are likewise unlisted at this time).
Actually, I was always wondering about the WBII... it doesn't use those three AWE-specific ports, right? So it's not compatible to AWE drivers... I presume the Motorola 68000 on there is to translate MIDI commands and make it hardware MPU-401 compatible?
If this is true the same result could be acheived by just loading the MT32/GS banks that are missing from the AWE32/64 ROM, I suppose...
Actually, I was always wondering about the WBII... it doesn't use those three AWE-specific ports, right? So it's not compatible to AWE drivers... I presume the Motorola 68000 on there is to translate MIDI commands and make it hardware MPU-401 compatible?
Correct. Well, TTL MIDI compatible, anyhow...
If this is true the same result could be acheived by just loading the MT32/GS banks that are missing from the AWE32/64 ROM, I suppose...
I used to think so, but a number of the capital tone (GM) instruments in the WBII use completely different (and higher-quality) samples than those found in the AWE32's 1MB ROM.. I suppose I could make a few comparison recordings using Creative's demonstration tunes...
In other news... Many thanks to F2bnp for this in-game recording of 'One-Winged Angel,' which (thankfully!) lacks the problematic flute playback I encountered using AWEPLAY:
I have found the save files needed and I will record One Winged Angel in the coming days!
Thanks for the suggestions Cloudschatze!
I listened to the recording, and for some odd reason I don't remember hearing the vocals... Strange.
Also, thanks for the ups, Cloudshatze. I'm definitely jealous of your "MIDI General" - I have searched high and lo for a GUS, as well as a SW60XG or it's daughterboard equivalent the DB60XG on eBay to no avail. I did find one SCC-1 but it was listed for $449 (a non-working unit, no less).
If I may ask, how much did you end up scoring your sound cards for? Current eBay rates are ridiculous. Even AWE64 Gold cards are fetching upwards of $80-90 if you can even find one...
Last edited by Mr. Bluntman on 2014-02-18, 22:08. Edited 1 time in total.
In case it's not widely known, SquareSoft's own Scott Coventon is listed as the author of the Final Fantasy VII SoundFont libraries.
That is nice to know... he is credited for the PC version of FFVIII, as well, too bad QC went down the drain for that one, as evidenced by the horrendous DLS file the game was supplied with 😀
AWE64 Gold cards are easy to find at $30-40. If you want the memory upgrade though, it's very rare and can go up to $200.
SCC-1 market price seems to be about $150-300 depending on condition, model and accessories.
SW60XG is about $100 for the bare card.
AWE64 Gold cards are easy to find at $30-40. If you want the memory upgrade though, it's very rare and can go up to $200.
SCC-1 market price seems to be about $150-300 depending on condition, model and accessories.
SW60XG is about $100 for the bare card.
I guess I haven't been looking hard enough. At least I know what fair prices for these things are now.
Descent has been added to "the list." I'll post some digital captures of a few of the standout tracks later. The entire soundtrack, played-back on an AWE32, is otherwise already available to hear on YouTube though (goomer24).
I also changed the relevant support category title from "EMU8000 Synth/Effect Support (NRPN)" to "EMU8000 Advanced Synth/Effect Support."
"Advanced" effects as per anything beyond custom reverb/chorus levels, I presume?
Unlike System Shock, which truly seems to have a unique feel on AWE, I don't see the the AWE renditions of Descent as all that special (not particularly bad either by the standards of EMU8k music though). It should be noted that the soundtrack uses GS drumkits on Roland synths, which are consequently missing with AWE driver playback, so there could be a quite good possibility of this being originally composed for Sound Canvas hardware.
Of course optimizations for the AWE soundtrack aren't out of the question... did you actually check what kind of effects it uses and if so would you mind sharing that?
Of course optimizations for the AWE soundtrack aren't out of the question... did you actually check what kind of effects it uses and if so would you mind sharing that?
Adding Descent to the list was a bit premature on my part. Some anecdotal information suggests uniqueness to the in-game AWE playback (specific to the drum kits, in fact), which my admittedly cursory testing seemed to support.
I've since looked through the source code (which regrettably lacks most of the music-related portions), and have done some pretty extensive testing in and out of game, and while the basic effects usage is obvious, and the arrangement lends itself particularly well to the ROM instruments besides, I'm not seeing any evidence of distinct/unique AWE support.
So, yeah... Unless someone else determines otherwise, I suppose we can relegate Descent back to the vague, "sounds nice with an AWE" category. 😀
Battle Arena Toshinden has been added to the list of SoundFont-supporting titles.
The Red Book tracks are significantly more polished, so CD-Audio is the recommended means of experiencing this game, but the additional SoundFont samples do lend a bit of flair to the (AWE) MIDI playback, all-the-same...
Digital Image Design's, "F-22 - Air Dominance Fighter" and "Total Air War" have been added to the list of SoundFont-supporting titles (both use the same music files and SoundFont banks). As with some of the other games, banks of varying sizes are present (~0.5MB, ~1MB, and ~1.5MB), for compatibility with non/lesser-memory-expanded AWE cards.
