VOGONS


First post, by kiddcabbage

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Hello,

I am trying to play the System Shock XMI files through a Sound Blaster Pro 2, but I am having many problems getting the files to play correctly through any OPL chip.

I have all of the XMI files from System Shock, as well as cit.opl. I have tried using xplay from AIL2, as well as the MIDIPAK tool and I'm getting the same results - only percussion is playing! The XMI files play fine through GM, but any playback through an OPL is just leaving out most of the audio layers.

Every other XMI file I have tried has played back fine with any OPL file. System Shock's will not play correctly with any OPL file, including its own. It only sound correct with GM (which for my intentions will not work).

I will admit I am doing all of this in DOSBOX, and using its soundblaster emulations, but considering every other XMI file is working properly, I don't think this should be an issue.

I know less about OPL synths than I do GM; I'm not exactly sure how the .OPL file is routing the XMI tracks to each channel, nor why I should be having problems with this in this case. Any ideas as to why I'm only hearing percussion play back from any of System Shock's XMI files on OPL?

Reply 1 of 5, by Gahhhrrrlic

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kiddcabbage wrote:
Hello, […]
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Hello,

I am trying to play the System Shock XMI files through a Sound Blaster Pro 2, but I am having many problems getting the files to play correctly through any OPL chip.

I have all of the XMI files from System Shock, as well as cit.opl. I have tried using xplay from AIL2, as well as the MIDIPAK tool and I'm getting the same results - only percussion is playing! The XMI files play fine through GM, but any playback through an OPL is just leaving out most of the audio layers.

Every other XMI file I have tried has played back fine with any OPL file. System Shock's will not play correctly with any OPL file, including its own. It only sound correct with GM (which for my intentions will not work).

I will admit I am doing all of this in DOSBOX, and using its soundblaster emulations, but considering every other XMI file is working properly, I don't think this should be an issue.

I know less about OPL synths than I do GM; I'm not exactly sure how the .OPL file is routing the XMI tracks to each channel, nor why I should be having problems with this in this case. Any ideas as to why I'm only hearing percussion play back from any of System Shock's XMI files on OPL?

I don't know the answer to your question but what I can tell you is that at the SystemShock.org forum, there are not only a couple of people who have largely reverse-engineered the engine but now that the source code has been distributed, we have direct access to (presumably) the sound sub-system. You might have better luck finding an answer there.

https://hubpages.com/technology/How-to-Maximi … -Retro-Computer

Reply 4 of 5, by kiddcabbage

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Nah, I was using the SBlaster midi files.

The problem had to do with the fact that I was using Miles AIL v2, which wasn't routing the instruments to the right OPL files. I had some help reverse engineering Miles Ail v3, which System Shock used, and it properly set the channels how they should. Why, I'm not sure.

Reply 5 of 5, by kiddcabbage

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Update - found that AIL v2 doesn't support any channels >= 10, and System Shock's soundtrack is played back on channels 9-12. This was causing the problem. If changing channels 10, 11, and 12 to channels <10, the audio works.