Not sure if any DOS games supported it - though there *are* games on the Sharp X68000 that had it as an option (as well as specific sample ROM cards that the CM-32P can take). I think the PC-98 may have one or two games specifically listing it as well.

Unfortunately the CM-32P basically has no use for gaming except a few japanese computers and games, so it's extremely, extremely niche.
Even pairing it with a CM-32L (btw the CM-64 is a CM-32L + CM-32P in a single box), not only you will gain nothing out of the 32P as about no game make use of it, but even worse, the 32L will use MIDI channels 2-10, and the 32P 11-16 to avoid conflicts, and some games will send data to the 32P channels producing garbage/unwanted sounds (I believe there are some workarounds for some games to mute the channels though).

All in all if your focus is DOS gaming your 32P unfortunately has no use and you'd better get yourself a MT-32 or a CM-32L. The 32L has some extra sound effects that a few games take advantage of, such as Ultima Underworld as you mentioned.

megatron-uk wrote on 2021-02-11, 14:38:

Not sure if any DOS games supported it - though there *are* games on the Sharp X68000 that had it as an option (as well as specific sample ROM cards that the CM-32P can take). I think the PC-98 may have one or two games specifically listing it as well.

Yeah, I have heard tales of Japanese games supporting these but they are probably not my thing. I did watch a Philscomputerlab video where he has a CM-64 which is mt-32 and cm-32p in the same case. They get the extra 33 sounds available. I was hoping someone would tell me yes so I didn't feel so stupid about buying the wrong model, a silver lining of sorts. 😀

Boohyaka wrote on 2021-02-11, 14:46:

Unfortunately the CM-32P basically has no use for gaming except a few japanese computers and games, so it's extremely, extremely niche.
Even pairing it with a CM-32L (btw the CM-64 is a CM-32L + CM-32P in a single box), not only you will gain nothing out of the 32P as about no game make use of it, but even worse, the 32L will use MIDI channels 2-10, and the 32P 11-16 to avoid conflicts, and some games will send data to the 32P channels producing garbage/unwanted sounds (I believe there are some workarounds for some games to mute the channels though).

All in all if your focus is DOS gaming your 32P unfortunately has no use and you'd better get yourself a MT-32 or a CM-32L. The 32L has some extra sound effects that a few games take advantage of, such as Ultima Underworld as you mentioned.

Woe is me, thanks for the replies.

original_meusli wrote on 2021-02-11, 14:49:

Yeah, I have heard tales of Japanese games supporting these but they are probably not my thing. I did watch a Philscomputerlab video where he has a CM-64 which is mt-32 and cm-32p in the same case. They get the extra 33 sounds available. I was hoping someone would tell me yes so I didn't feel so stupid about buying the wrong model, a silver lining of sorts. 😀

Sorry for bringing the bad news but the CM-64 is a 32L, not a MT-32, and why the extra sound effects of the 32L are available...so if you get a 32L (or a CM-64 for that matter), there's still no need or use for your 32P. The CM-64 will have the same limitations about channels 11-16 I mentioned above btw.

Boohyaka wrote on 2021-02-11, 14:52:

original_meusli wrote on 2021-02-11, 14:49:

Yeah, I have heard tales of Japanese games supporting these but they are probably not my thing. I did watch a Philscomputerlab video where he has a CM-64 which is mt-32 and cm-32p in the same case. They get the extra 33 sounds available. I was hoping someone would tell me yes so I didn't feel so stupid about buying the wrong model, a silver lining of sorts. 😀

Sorry for bringing the bad news but the CM-64 is a 32L, not a MT-32, and why the extra sound effects of the 32L are available...so if you get a 32L (or a CM-64 for that matter), there's still no need or use for your 32P. The CM-64 will have the same limitations about channels 11-16 I mentioned above btw.

Don't worry, I am learning fast and didn't pay massive amounts for it. Just saw the beige unit and thought it was a steal, now I know there is more than one...

original_meusli wrote on 2021-02-11, 14:49:

megatron-uk wrote on 2021-02-11, 14:38:

Not sure if any DOS games supported it - though there *are* games on the Sharp X68000 that had it as an option (as well as specific sample ROM cards that the CM-32P can take). I think the PC-98 may have one or two games specifically listing it as well.

Yeah, I have heard tales of Japanese games supporting these but they are probably not my thing. I did watch a Philscomputerlab video where he has a CM-64 which is mt-32 and cm-32p in the same case. They get the extra 33 sounds available. I was hoping someone would tell me yes so I didn't feel so stupid about buying the wrong model, a silver lining of sorts. 😀

They are *very* niche.

The PC-98 is almost-but-not-quite an IBM/PC... they're quite robust and there are plenty of them. You mostly get RPG's, visual novels, adventures and the odd shooter for them. I have one (PC-9821An) and like it, but am not a reader of Japanese so the appeal is limited to the technology, rather than games.

The X68000 on the other hand is an amazing system, and there are plenty of games on it for the non-Japanese reader/speaker.... however, they are made of tissue paper and matchsticks. They are some of the most fragile and unreliable systems I've ever come across; they suffer from capacitor leakage in the power supplies, leaking or failing caps on the motherboards as well as suicidal backup RTC batteries. I have two of them, both broken.

megatron-uk wrote on 2021-02-11, 15:01:

They are *very* niche. […]
Show full quote

original_meusli wrote on 2021-02-11, 14:49:

megatron-uk wrote on 2021-02-11, 14:38:

Not sure if any DOS games supported it - though there *are* games on the Sharp X68000 that had it as an option (as well as specific sample ROM cards that the CM-32P can take). I think the PC-98 may have one or two games specifically listing it as well.

Yeah, I have heard tales of Japanese games supporting these but they are probably not my thing. I did watch a Philscomputerlab video where he has a CM-64 which is mt-32 and cm-32p in the same case. They get the extra 33 sounds available. I was hoping someone would tell me yes so I didn't feel so stupid about buying the wrong model, a silver lining of sorts. 😀

They are *very* niche.

The PC-98 is almost-but-not-quite an IBM/PC... they're quite robust and there are plenty of them. You mostly get RPG's, visual novels, adventures and the odd shooter for them. I have one (PC-9821An) and like it, but am not a reader of Japanese so the appeal is limited to the technology, rather than games.

The X68000 on the other hand is an amazing system, and there are plenty of games on it for the non-Japanese reader/speaker.... however, they are made of tissue paper and matchsticks. They are some of the most fragile and unreliable systems I've ever come across; they suffer from capacitor leakage in the power supplies, leaking or failing caps on the motherboards as well as suicidal backup RTC batteries. I have two of them, both broken.

If anything, they improve the soldering skills. 😀

Tell me about it.

This was one of the two boards in the second X68000 I bought as a donor machine to salvage the first. Upon receiving it the (ongoing) damage from the battery vomit all of the board(s) was obvious. Even if working it wasn't going to be for long:

Every single chip apart from the tiny surface mount DAC and IO chip desoldered from this one, and the same from the recipient, to try and get a working pair. Still no luck.

megatron-uk wrote on 2021-02-11, 15:01:

The X68000 on the other hand is an amazing system

Still the sexiest computer ever in my book 😀 I'd want one just to look at it.

nerdgasm

ayup, you always have to remember, that this is a computer from the '80s

Boohyaka wrote on 2021-02-11, 15:11:

Still the sexiest computer ever in my book :) I'd want one just to look at it. […]
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Still the sexiest computer ever in my book 😀 I'd want one just to look at it.

nerdgasm

No question.

Although mine isn't quite a 'manhattan' model (the name given to the vertical tower models); it's the more traditional desktop case:

Frankly, the amount of work needed on these things, I would hate to have to fix the tower models.

megatron-uk wrote on 2021-02-11, 15:10:

Tell me about it. […]
Show full quote

Tell me about it.

This was one of the two boards in the second X68000 I bought as a donor machine to salvage the first. Upon receiving it the (ongoing) damage from the battery vomit all of the board(s) was obvious. Even if working it wasn't going to be for long:

img20200917125713.jpg

Every single chip apart from the tiny surface mount DAC and IO chip desoldered from this one, and the same from the recipient, to try and get a working pair. Still no luck.

Battery and capacitor leaks are the stuff of nightmares. Maybe one day someone will figure out how to 3D print mainboards, if such a thing is ever possible.

X68000's are basically the Ferrari's of the computer world. When they are well cared for, they are beautiful. But buy a cheap one that has been in the back of the closet for 20 years, and you got some work to do. My XVI was serviced by someone who knew what they were doing, and has been rock solid since the day I bought it. Still though, emulation is decent enough and you can use real MIDI modules with the emulators. X68000 is by far the best reason to own a CM-32P/64.

Quite a few games were meant for the 64, and even more for the 32L's extra sound effects.
Choujin and Gemini Wing are the only two games I know of that support the SN-U110-PCM expansion cards.
There are also some cool music tracks that use them as well, if you search hard enough.