envagyok wrote on 2024-01-16, 20:10:

I don't know which audio format is best suited for games from 1995-1996-1997, and which of these sound cards will output it best.
This period of time seems a bit of a no-man's land to me, DOS slowly dead, but no eax, a3d.

My vote goes to the Yamaha Waveforce 192XG. It has pretty good DOS compatibility for a PCI sound card, provided that your motherboard supports either DDMA or SB-Link. Its Yamaha XG MIDI sounds excellent, and you get genuine OPL3 for older DOS games as well.

Because it uses Sensaura technology, A3D 1.0 and EAX 1.0 are also supported. Although not super common, some 1997 games did eventually get A3D support via later patches. Dark Forces 2 is one such example.

This whole era was a mess (which is what makes it interesting now) and you'll spend just as much time in dos as you will windows.
Plenty of games no longer used midi but plenty still did so would pick something with good sounding midi.

I can't think of any games in the 3d proprietary API list that use EAX or A3D but seems sensible to have it covered just in case so would go with the suggestion above.

envagyok wrote on 2024-01-16, 20:10:

I don't know which audio format is best suited for games from 1995-1996-1997, and which of these sound cards will output it best.
This period of time seems a bit of a no-man's land to me, DOS slowly dead, but no eax, a3d.

1995 to 1996 is still a heavy DOS gaming period. Windows gaming didn't really start dominating until 1997.

For mid 90s DOS gaming, I always go with an SB Pro-compatible + GUS + Roland combo. FM synthesis is generally less important by this stage, since most gaming music was either General MIDI, tracker based, or CD audio.

My own preferred DOS gaming soundcard combo is the GUS Extreme + Roland SCC-1. In your case, I'd go with the ESS 1868 + Roland daughterboard + GUS ACE. It would basically recreate the same setup.

Then for Windows you could include something like the Yamaha Waveforce 192XG, since it has native Windows 95 / DirectX compatibility.

Here's the list of games with support 3d proprietary API-s :
3D Accelerated Games List (Proprietary APIs - No 3DFX/Direct3D)

I have already 2 build for DOS/Windows95 gaming:
P1 233MMX/Diamond S3Virge+Diamond 3dfx Voodoo1+Gravis Ultrasound+Awe32 CT3900+Soundblaster PRO2+SC-55+MU50 is for w95/DOS

486DX2-66+VLB Graphics+Soundblaster Pro+MT-32+FB-01 for older DOS games.

I need the third rig only for use with the games listed above utilise the advantage of pre directx/glide graphics card for better picture quality or/and speed.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2024-01-16, 20:18:

envagyok wrote on 2024-01-16, 20:10:

I don't know which audio format is best suited for games from 1995-1996-1997, and which of these sound cards will output it best.
This period of time seems a bit of a no-man's land to me, DOS slowly dead, but no eax, a3d.

My vote goes to the Yamaha Waveforce 192XG. It has pretty good DOS compatibility for a PCI sound card, provided that your motherboard supports either DDMA or SB-Link. Its Yamaha XG MIDI sounds excellent, and you get genuine OPL3 for older DOS games as well.

Because it uses Sensaura technology, A3D 1.0 and EAX 1.0 are also supported. Although not super common, some 1997 games did eventually get A3D support via later patches. Dark Forces 2 is one such example.

Waveforce 192XG is very good, I have used it for a long time, but have never tried it for DOS games.

Waveforce is the card that's most strikingly appropriate when glancing that list. Some of the cards are too 1994core (MAD16 should never be a choice for a system like this and it's had trouble with Directsound compatibility in the DX2/3 days)

Yamaha waveforce compatible with Games running under DOS?
For example: Tomb Raider

envagyok wrote on 2024-01-17, 23:28:

Yamaha waveforce compatible with Games running under DOS?
For example: Tomb Raider

Yes, it has SBPro compatibility for DOS games.

Phil reviewed a similar card in this video.

I change the motherboard to Socket 5 because i have many socket 7 build already.
With Pentium overdrive 166mmx cpu, and Intel advanced/zp zappa board with mr. bios
So i dont have sblink connector, then i cant use waveforce xg (and its too young for this config)
What is the best solution from list above for 1995-1997 properiarty api games?