You need to ensure that you connect the cable correctly.
From the sound card it's MIDI OUT going to the MIDI IN on the MT-32. Depending on the cable you bought, the wording is flipped around (i.e., the part that says OUT on the cable goes to the IN MIDI port on the MT-32).

Make sure the MPU-401 MIDI interface is enabled on the SB16. Since this is being shared with the joystick (game) port, you might need to enable the joystick port as well.

I believe you do need SoftMPU for Wing Commander but, not for Monkey Island. Refer the SoftMPU documentation on how to set it up and the list of games that do require it.

It sounds like you have the parts of a working setup there, I think.

To answer your questions:

1) MIDI breakout over game port was very standardized, but I have seen reports of incorrectly made cables before. If you can find the pinouts somewhere it shouldn't be hard to verify correct connectivity with a common multimeter in continuity mode.

These are incomplete, but at least it's something. Further searching might find something better

https://old.pinouts.ru/InputCables/GameportPC … di_pinout.shtml
https://allpinouts.org/pinouts/connectors/inp … ck-pc-gameport/

2) The MIDI interface circuitry on such a soundcard has absolutely nothing in common with the game port functionality, so that shouldn't make any difference.

3) I don't remember ever using SoftMPU back in the day, but that was a *long* time ago.

I have two issues that I'm guessing might be affecting you

a) That MIDI breakout cable has one MIDI OUT port and one MIDI IN port. You need to connect MIDI OUT to the MIDI IN on the mt-32. (Unless the cable is trying to be "helpful" by labelling the cables backwards, as is too often the case.) This shouldn't cause the computer to lock up however.

b) You have some kind of resource conflict with regards to that soundcard and its MIDI interface. Is there any other MIDI interface in the machine?

wing commander needs softmpu if you dont have an mpu401 afaik

SkyHawk wrote on 2023-04-16, 06:39:

It sounds like you have the parts of a working setup there, I think. […]
Show full quote

It sounds like you have the parts of a working setup there, I think.

To answer your questions:

1) MIDI breakout over game port was very standardized, but I have seen reports of incorrectly made cables before. If you can find the pinouts somewhere it shouldn't be hard to verify correct connectivity with a common multimeter in continuity mode.

These are incomplete, but at least it's something. Further searching might find something better

https://old.pinouts.ru/InputCables/GameportPC … di_pinout.shtml
https://allpinouts.org/pinouts/connectors/inp … ck-pc-gameport/

2) The MIDI interface circuitry on such a soundcard has absolutely nothing in common with the game port functionality, so that shouldn't make any difference.

3) I don't remember ever using SoftMPU back in the day, but that was a *long* time ago.

I have two issues that I'm guessing might be affecting you

a) That MIDI breakout cable has one MIDI OUT port and one MIDI IN port. You need to connect MIDI OUT to the MIDI IN on the mt-32. (Unless the cable is trying to be "helpful" by labelling the cables backwards, as is too often the case.) This shouldn't cause the computer to lock up however.

b) You have some kind of resource conflict with regards to that soundcard and its MIDI interface. Is there any other MIDI interface in the machine?

Thanks for the information... I opened up the cable jacket and found it wasn't wired up according the specs provided by link.. It would explain why it was not working. Also the cable has no labels as to which was MIDI OUT or MIDI IN... further, it's poorly made by the looks of it as with just touching it one of the wires came off one of the pins .. I'm going to have open this up and resolder everything but since its ebay (china) i'm just going to try and return it and get another cable or perhaps build my own.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/325602324961?hash=ite … %3ABFBMnJ-TuPFh

If you don't need MIDI IN, and you don't need to actually connect a joystick(s), maybe this might be of value?
https://www.serdashop.com/DB15MIDI

And if you're actually planning to do fancy MIDI stuff, maybe you might want to consider splurging for one of these?
https://www.serdashop.com/ISA-MPU-Card

SkyHawk wrote on 2023-04-16, 20:30:

If you don't need MIDI IN, and you don't need to actually connect a joystick(s), maybe this might be of value? https://www.serda […]
Show full quote

If you don't need MIDI IN, and you don't need to actually connect a joystick(s), maybe this might be of value?
https://www.serdashop.com/DB15MIDI

And if you're actually planning to do fancy MIDI stuff, maybe you might want to consider splurging for one of these?
https://www.serdashop.com/ISA-MPU-Card

I was looking at the DB15MIDI at the Serdashop. The cost is a little more than the cable at least for me here in Canada after converting from euro to cdn dollar though I will keep that one in mind.. I ordered another cable (not from ebay) but an actual musician shop here locally that is branded "Hosa" which you can connect a standard MIDI cable to the appropriate MIDI INPUT / OUTPUT female that feeds a DB15 male and DB15 female thru.

https://www.denismusique.com/cables-interface … arte-son-sbc195

I'm on the waitlist already for the PCMIDI MPU interface and also the Orpheus II Sound Card 😀

Here is the ebay cable... I noticed the MIDI OUT pin connection was in the wrong spot then that black wire came off on it's own 😀

The cable to the left is the MIDI OUT, the blue wire is on pin 4, but should be on pin 12 for transmit.

Just to finish off this thread. I got a branded cable, and everything works now -- thanks for all your helpful advice! cheers.