This is the machine I am talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2z_6hgYvcs

Thx Guys!

some Games as an example that support Midi but do not work in that "environment"

- Gods
- Budokan
- Overkill
- Ski or Die

Many of the sound drivers/routines that seemingly "require" an intelligent-mode MPU interface leverage it as little more than a basic UART with MIDI message filtering, which makes modification for either UART-only MPU or serial-port output less-complicated than one would assume. Early Sierra and Electronic Arts titles fall into this category.

Two concerns that need to be addressed when dealing with UART-only MPU interfaces is that most only acknowledge the "Reset" and "Enter UART mode" commands, and most need to be put into UART mode for the interface to accept and send MIDI data. (Interfaces based on the SB16 architecture become terminally "busy" if you attempt to send MIDI data outside of UART mode.)

Ideally, the drivers-in-question would be modified or rewritten to appropriately initialize and support UART-only MPU interfaces. As a simpler alternative though, and as specifically concerns some of the aforementioned, "dumb" intelligent-mode support, the "send command" routine of a relevant driver just needs to be bypassed, and the non-intelligent MPU put into UART mode prior to starting the game.

So, using Electronic Arts' early MIDI driver as an example, it's a single-byte change:

- Budokan
DOJO.DAT
507E5: 52 > C3

- Ski or Die
MTSKI.SMB
59A: 91 > 00

Thx Cloudschatze!!
What would you recommend for changing the vaules in these files an that machine (286/8) ?
I thought about Norton Disk-Doctor or something like that, afair this could load files and can be used to edit them.

I like uHex.

In case it helps, I'm attaching a COM file that can be used to set the MPU to UART mode prior to gameplay.

Also, regarding the other two titles you'd mentioned, the MIDI routine for Gods is in a compressed file. I need to look into this a bit more. Overkill, on the other hand, should work as-is, and without any workarounds. What behavior are you experiencing with it?

overkill does not play music on mt32 with this machine. perhaps I need to add a switch or I used the wrong switch.

Should just be "overkill /r"

Here's a demonstration video (that no-one asked for), showing a non-exhaustive selection of "intelligent-mode" titles working in the described manner on a Tandy 1000 SL (V30 @ 8MHz) with a Sound Blaster 16 providing MPU services. Oh, boy.

• The Bard's Tale III
• Budokan
• The Immortal
• Indianapolis 500
• Keef the Thief
• John Madden Football II
• Lakers versus Celtics
• Low Blow
• Populous
• Ski or Die
• Sierra On-Line Christmas Card 1988
• Zeliard

https://youtu.be/Gsoha3ztwG4

I have all of these patched for serial output as well, just as another option, because who really needs an MPU anyway? 😉