*** Editted post title: Added game name ***

I have been researching previous threads regarding this game, there are multiple users with similar issues. Im not sure what would cause this, surely its worth looking into.

Man, i wish someone with the knowledge and the will would create a windows based remake of the game. Descent 2 has an OpenGL remake out on the web, took care of my sound and graphics woes. Someone with the time just rewrote the code using modern rendering effects, OpenGL and fixed up the sound so it was compatible with modern sound cards.

*rather be playin MC2*

The reason the Descent ports exist is that the original developers released the source code for anyone to look at and tinker with. The vast majority of games never have their source code released to the public.

ah yes, rather ignorant of me to not think of that =]

So i was tinkering around today with some more VDMSound configs, trying to run MC2, and I finally disabled adlib emulation, changed the output device for the SB emulation from the DirectSound to Wave on my audigy2, and allocated about 64mb ram to both EMS and XMS memory. The pesky message went away, however there was still no sound.

At this point ive about given up, ill close the threads i have open regarding MC2 tomorrow from work... diaulp from home is rather monotonous =]

Cheers, i hate beeing beaten
-Katz

Don't give up. Download the trial of Microsoft VPC and see if that works for you.

Something weird is going on with VDMSound and your sound card.

Ahh.. this forum will be the end of me... but i love it so.
OK, ill download VPC, see if i can get things working.

For the record, I have a laptop, running:
Windows XP Pro
AC97 Chipset (RealTek)
-which i disabled
-All forms of legacy emulation will not work with this chipset(Microsoft)
PCMCIA Notebook soundcard (Audigy 2zs)
-Should support SB16 Emulation, with the help of an emulator(Creative)
ATI9700 Mobility (This works amazingly well, emulation is flawless)

VDMSound produces only midi support (low quality, music only)
I have to disable ADLIB emulation in order to run VDMSound without stop errors
"Not Enough Memory" error in MC2 typically shows on game start

If I disable ADLIB emulation, and Change the output from DirectSound to Wave (ensuring the proper sound device *FEC0* is selected), Increase the EMS Memory support to 64+mb, the "Not Enough Memory" error goes away, but game produces only clicks and pops at termination of program, no sound during game. I have verified that my DirectSound works using DXDiag, and that I have the latest version of DirectX

DOSBox .63 runs the game, with full sound support.
Fragmented Sfx and choppy video discourage me from using it.

Ive made a lot of steps towards making a bit of progress... as convoluded as that sounds, its true hehe.

-Katz
*Rather be playing MC2*

: 😁
Well, i found a solution to the problem. I'll be very short on the explanation.
First, My config, for comparision purposes.
Im with a WinXP SP2 build 2600, 384 RAM, Celeron 1.1Gz, Geforce Fx5200 PCI 128 VRAM,
and most important, audio:
ESS Allegro PCI audio, driver version 5.12.1.1171, date 8/5/2002 (updated from WindowsUpdate). This card supports Soundblaster. Thats why it probably worked.

My MC2 was installed from an original CD, no patches or updates. I run it offline from my HD (copied all folders to C:\netherw)

1- Now, download and install VDMSound 2.1 (currently latest version)
2- Download the RAR file below which contains a VDMS shortcut and the game file configs with the configuration that worked for me.
3- extract the VDMS shortcut to your games folder. click properties for proper adjustment of path and .EXE targets.

Hotspots:
No Adlib emulation;
Sblaster 16 (4.05) emulation on DirectSound
Midi Emulation Enabled on Microsoft MidiMapper (NOT ON MP-401!!)(port 330h)
No basic Vesa support, 16Mb on both EMS and XMS memmories

3- Run the Setsound utility of the game (without using VDMS!). Set up ANY AUTODETECTED audio and Music config.

4-On your \SOUND directory, open the files DIG.INI and MDI.INI.

Change them so they look like this:
This DIG.INI: will tell the game to load the sound config for SoundBlaster 16, which will provide the best sound quality of the Soundblaster family, AND WORKS WITH THE VDMSound.
-------------------------------------
;
;Miles Design Audio Interface Library V3.02 of 18-Jan-95
;

DEVICE ANY DRIVER NAME HERE, DOES NOT MATTER
DRIVER SB16.DIG
IO_ADDR 220h
IRQ 5
DMA_8_BIT 1
DMA_16_BIT -1
----------------------------------------
In The MDI.ini file, you should set it to use General Midi (MPU-401), like below it is the only config win which I managed to get decent music to work with VDMSound (note that you MUST NOT PUT MPU-401 as DEVICE on VDMS!! Use MidiMapper or Microsoft GS WaveTable!!):

---------------------------------------
;
;Miles Design Audio Interface Library V3.02 of 18-Jan-95
;

DEVICE General MIDI (Roland MPU-401 interface or 100% compatible)
DRIVER MPU401.MDI
IO_ADDR 330h
IRQ -1
DMA_8_BIT -1
DMA_16_BIT -1
-------------------------------------------

5- Double Check that your VDMS shortcut is working (it points and starts Netherw.exe)

6- now, the catch that made things work. You should PRE-LOAD THE EMULATED SOUND DRIVERS (MIDI and WAV/Directsound) BEFORE Starting the VDMS shortcut. That is extremily simple:

LOAD the directX diagnostic tool (dxdiag on StartMenu-->RUN).

7- Click the MUSIC tab. select the [EMULATED] devices (MidiMapper and MS GS WaveTable) and click "TEST MUSIC" for each one of them. You will hear some music, click OK.

8- Click "SOUND" tab, and click "TEST DIRECTSOUND". Push <Enter> a bunch of times. When the test ends, start the VDMS shortcut.

A way to ensure that it is working, there is a line in the inicialization of the VDMS-netherw.exe which MUST NOT APPEAR:
"SUCCESSFULLY LOADED AND INITIALIZED (hVDD 0x02)."

well
thats it.
please broadcast this message, as many people ran into the same problem, and it is an awesome game to play.

Katz. You posted THREE different post regarding the same issue. I have merged all of them and rewrote the thread's title. Next time, use just ONE THREAD.

sorry, i did it 3 times because i wanted to advise as much as possible, since this seemed a dead topic (last post is dated months ago).. and had to make sure the info got where it should (users!)
anyway, i have a good news.

SOLUTION TO THE SLOW MOUSE issue in MAGIC CARPET 2.

use mouse2kv utility which comes with VDMsound 2.1;
1- copy mouse2kv.exe to MC2 folder.
2- create a VDMSound shortcut with THE SAME configurations for the NETHERW.EXE file pointing to the MOUSE2KV.EXE, which is now inside the MC2 dir.
3- EDIT THE shortcut (properties--> advanced), and add the following on ARGUMENTS:
-----------
640 480 8 8 NETHERW.EXE
-----------

Attached is a .RAR file with the files..

"SUCCESSFULLY LOADED AND INITIALIZED (hVDD 0x02)."

What if I do get this error? I'm getting music now but no speech audio. Kafkar's words just appear on screen.

try DOSBox