Jo22 wrote on 2023-07-17, 09:58:
So many new Sound Blaster replicas, AdLib clones and XT motherboard designs, but apparently no interest to develop something new in this regards.
It's as if the DOS community/scene is stuck in the past or something. 🤷♂️
I mean, we are, by definition, stuck in the past?
The software and games we run are, well, from the past! 😁
It's simply the fact that Adlib, and then Creative through shady manners, were the ones to set the standard that everyone blindly followed.
If you didn't support their modes, it didn't matter how different and innovative your card was, you'd be unlikely to see software support and no one would buy it.
As for today, the same problem still applies.
I would love more niche cards for playing VGMs and such, but most people simply want to play their old games and run old Windows or other OSes.
As cool as advanced FM synth chips are like the YM2151/2164, 2610, etc., they'll all suffer from the same issues the GUS and similar cards suffered from, they have no appeal outside of more niche, specific use (even though the GUS did at least have some game support).
Meanwhile projects replicating cards with decent software support are popular, because people can use them with a wide variety of software, with them often being cheaper and more easily attainable than the originals.
The frequently used argument is that homebrew games could start using those, but that's wishful thinking with how few new games get released for pure DOS, and I'm sure homebrew devs would also prefer to just support the widely available contemporary hardware and modern clones, over completely new solutions.