First post, by clueless1
- Rank
- l33t
I was just experimenting with MT-32 vs GM. Origin's Pacific Strike supports both. Off the main menu there is a plane gallery (View Objects is the menu name). There are two completely different songs that play here depending on if you're using MT-32 or GM. The GM version sounds like a 1940's swing song (big band style) with lots of drum kit percussion and horns. The MT-32 song is completely different (more typical of a WWII-era game music). Mostly strings and horns, no percussion. The FM version of the song is the same composition as the MT-32, so it seems like Origin composed for the FM and MT-32 first, then added support for GM and changed that song as sort of an Easter Egg.
In the rest of the game, the music is pretty much identical, but I give a slight edge to MT-32 in sound quality.
My General MIDI source is the DreamBlaster S1.
Interesting that Strike Commander, Pacific Strike and Wings of Glory all use the same engine, but they were made in the following order:
1) Strike Commander (1993) - support for both MT-32 and GM
2) Pacific Strike (early 1994) - support for both, but GM version gets a new View Objects song
3) Wings of Glory (late 1994) - support for GM only.
You can see Origin transitioning away from MT-32 and towards GM. 😀
Likewise, Wing Commander 1(1990) and 2 (1991) are MT-32, Wing Commander 3 (1994) is GM (I think MT-32 is supported too though? At least according to Moby Games). Strangely, Privateer (1993) only supports GM, not MT-32.
Ultima VII Pt 1(1992) and Pt 2 (1993) are MT-32, Ultima VIII (1994) is GM-only.
Anyone know the story behind the special GM song in Pacific Strike?
The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.
OPL3 FM vs. Roland MT-32 vs. General MIDI DOS Game Comparison
Let's benchmark our systems with cache disabled
DOS PCI Graphics Card Benchmarks