VOGONS


First post, by bristlehog

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I've made a large list of sound engines that I met in DOS games. There it is:

>>> Google Docs <<<

You can edit this table if you want, or suggest an edit if you are unsure of something.

Obviously the most popular sound middleware engine is a family developed by John Miles, which includes six (!) variants, namely:

Audio Interface Library 2.0
Audio Interface Library/16 (for 16-bit DOS protected mode)
Audio Interface Library/32 (for 32-bit DOS protected mode)
Audio Interface Library 3.0 which was rebranded as Miles Sound System 3.0
DIGPAK/MIDPAK - the PCM part here was written by John Ratcliff
DIGPAK/MIDPAK for 32-bit DOS protected mode

These six cover hundreds (not to say thousands) of games, including some of the most venerable and recognized titles of the time.

The second is Sound Operating System by Human Machine Interfaces. There are were several versions, all of which share the same name. Same here - dozens and dozens of well-known titles.

Other middleware sound libraries were far behind and couldn't really compete. A honorable mention is Sound Images library known by Mortal Kombat I/II. By the time of Mortal Kombat III the developers switched to Miles Sound System.

It's interesting for me to watch some game developers dropping one sound library in favor of another in game series. Examples:

Mortal Kombat II - Sound Images
Mortal Kombat III - Miles Sound System

TES: Arena - Audio Interface Library 2.0
TES: Daggerfall - Sound Operating System

Magic Carpet - Sound Operating System
Magic Carpet II - Miles Sound System

Last edited by bristlehog on 2017-06-05, 14:43. Edited 7 times in total.

Hardware comparisons and game system requirements: https://technical.city

Reply 3 of 13, by SaxxonPike

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BWSB in the DOS versions of Megazeux could use MOD music directly and also supported the GDM format, which is specific to that library. Often, game authors for Megazeux would convert S3M modules to GDM.

Sound device guides:
Sound Blaster
Aztech
OPL3-SA

Reply 4 of 13, by bristlehog

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SaxxonPike wrote:

BWSB in the DOS versions of Megazeux could use MOD music directly and also supported the GDM format, which is specific to that library. Often, game authors for Megazeux would convert S3M modules to GDM.

Adjusted the BWSB module music cell accordingly.

Hardware comparisons and game system requirements: https://technical.city

Reply 6 of 13, by bristlehog

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kode54 wrote:

What about the Crusader series? These also used the Poly Tracker module (PTM) format for music.

Are you speaking of Crusader: No Remorse and No Regret? I haven't found any references of them using PTM format.

Hardware comparisons and game system requirements: https://technical.city

Reply 7 of 13, by BloodyCactus

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Im sure there is fmod for dos. Id have to check my archives.

--/\-[ Stu : Bloody Cactus :: [ https://bloodycactus.com :: http://kråketær.com ]-/\--

Reply 9 of 13, by kode54

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bristlehog wrote:
kode54 wrote:

What about the Crusader series? These also used the Poly Tracker module (PTM) format for music.

Are you speaking of Crusader: No Remorse and No Regret? I haven't found any references of them using PTM format.

Brain fart. They used the ASYLUM Music Format, one of two formats that share the .AMF extension.

Reply 10 of 13, by dr.zeissler

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Are the sound engines interchangeable ?
If an Early Version of a Sound Engine Works and a later one not, can the newer one changed to the older one?

Retro-Gamer 😀 ...on different machines

Reply 11 of 13, by Karm

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Because of the my search for the Miles Sound System SDK (Re: Miles Sound System SDK for Dos) I came across some of the libraries mentioned in bristlehog's post.
I've updated the list, regarding the sound libraries I've found. (SEAL, DWT, MIDAS, DSIK2.05)
But there are still a lot of holes, so I would like to ask if someone got any information about this:

Does somebody knows, what the abbreviations stand for regarding the HMI SOS System?

SOSDW1PR.LIB
SOSDWXCR.LIB
SOSMW1PR.LIB

SOSW1CR.LIB
SOSW1CS.LIB
SOSW1PR.LIB
SOSW1PS.LIB

SOSMW1CR.LIB
SOSDW1CR.LIB

I'm guessing that these are two versions, and I know, that the SOSW1CR.LIB was used in Corridor 7 and is probably SOS 4.0.
It was probably compiled with Watcom, which I'm guessing the W is standing for. But this is all I can tell.
Any ideas what the rest could be?
Also does someone knows a good CD Audio SDK in Protected Mode?
I'm thinking about the Libs (if there have been some) used in HoMM 2, Dungeon Keeper, Lost in Time, Lands of Lore II(?), Warcraft II...

Reply 13 of 13, by Karm

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Sometimes I should read more and think less... 😁
The riddle of the different names is solved, at least for the SOS 4.0 Version:

SOSW1CR.LIB SOS Watcom 10.x C language Register based calling
SOSW1CS.LIB SOS Watcom 10.x C language Stack based calling
SOSW1PR.LIB SOS Watcom 10.x C++ language Register based calling
SOSW1PS.LIB SOS Watcom 10.x C++ language Stack based calling

http://www.r-t-c-m.com/knowledge-base/downloa … m/tekwar-tools/