VOGONS


First post, by eduedu_123

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Hello everyone, this is my first time posting on this forum and first of all I would like to thank Philscomputerlab for have made these 2 videos "MS-DOS Mode Tutorial (the longest one)" and "MT-32 Ultimate Tutorial", they have helped me a lot.
Some days ago I have finished building a pc for ms-dos and Windows 95/98 games, it's a Pentium II MMX at 266MHz + Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold. I also have a MT-32 OLD and a Sound Canvas SC-55ST.
For now everything works fine except for a game: 4D Sports Boxing. The music have WRONG NOTES and I would like to know if this is simple because of my MT-32 is OLD and not NEW or for other reason.
I have tried everything, Throttle, desactivate cache L1, L2 and both, SoftMPU (with/without /delaysysex), and also DosBox on Windows 98 (telling it to set midi thru midi output) but it fails on the same notes.
Here is an audio file about 20 seconds made by me recording the music directly of the MT-32 OLD: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/x1ipbkpp7x8zy … 32+Problema.mp3
you will notice the wrong notes at the end.
As I said before I would like to know if simply this happens when using OLD instead of NEW or if there is something I'm missing.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks to everyone and sorry for my poor english.

Reply 1 of 17, by Synoptic

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I don't know if this will help, but I have the same result with my MT-32 first version.
4D Boxin MT-32 Version 0
4D Boxin MT-32 Version 0
4D Boxin SB16
4D Boxin SC-88 Pro using SC-55 Mapping

Last edited by Synoptic on 2015-03-19, 21:09. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 2 of 17, by eduedu_123

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Hi, thank you very much for your answer, it sounds exactly as my MT-32 OLD sounds, so probably the reason is this game was programmed for use with MT-32 NEW, it's strange because 4D Sports Boxing is from the early 90's but I don't know...

Reply 4 of 17, by Synoptic

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raymangold wrote:

When you launch the game, does the MT-32 send messages about an arithmetic overload or anything of the sorts?

Not in my case and I have the same "issue". I think it's a bug in the game, not an actual iassue with the MT-32 itself.

Reply 7 of 17, by perc

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The problem is that the game tries to set the pitch bend range using an RPN midi message, which I don't think was defined by the midi-standard at the time of the MT-32 (old). It is supported by the CM-32L and later devices though, and possibly on the MT-32 (new) as well.
On the MT-32 (old) the pitch bend range will stay on the default 12 semitones, instead of the intended 1 semitone, resulting in some weird tones when pitch bend is used.

Reply 9 of 17, by Synoptic

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perc wrote:

The problem is that the game tries to set the pitch bend range using an RPN midi message, which I don't think was defined by the midi-standard at the time of the MT-32 (old). It is supported by the CM-32L and later devices though, and possibly on the MT-32 (new) as well.
On the MT-32 (old) the pitch bend range will stay on the default 12 semitones, instead of the intended 1 semitone, resulting in some weird tones when pitch bend is used.

Reviving the thread because I now own both Revision 0 and Revision 1 MT-32, and indeed, the Revision 1 seems to support the semitones.

Compare here :

4D Boxin MT-32 Version 0
4D Boxin MT-32 Version 1

Reply 10 of 17, by Cloudschatze

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As perc mentioned, "4D Sports Boxing" attempts to set a bender range value for several parts using RPN #0, which isn't a method supported by the older MT-32 units. This is a function of the game's (older) MT15.DRV driver.

"4D Boxing," on the other hand, has a newer MT15.DRV driver that uses the SysEx method for setting the bender range, as supported by all MT-32 variants. In addition, the SysEx transfers are "buffered."

So, the easy solution for playing this game with an older MT-32 is to just copy and use MT15.DRV from "4D Boxing."

Reply 11 of 17, by eduedu_123

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Hi, thanks to everyone for the help.
Probably I will sell this MT-32 OLD and buy the NEW version.
But I don't understand this:

Cloudschatze wrote:

So, the easy solution for playing this game (4D Boxing) with an older MT-32 is to just copy and use MT15.DRV from "4D Boxing."

Probably you wanted to say "copy and use mt15.drv form 4D Driving"? (the other game of 4D series that use the MT-32 and doesn't have problems with OLD version).

Reply 12 of 17, by Cloudschatze

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eduedu_123 wrote:

But I don't understand this:

Cloudschatze wrote:

So, the easy solution for playing this game (4D Boxing) with an older MT-32 is to just copy and use MT15.DRV from "4D Boxing."

Probably you wanted to say "copy and use mt15.drv form 4D Driving"? (the other game of 4D series that use the MT-32 and doesn't have problems with OLD version).

No, there's a "4D Sports Boxing," and a "4D Boxing" - variations of the same game. The problem described in this thread relates to the MT-32 driver provided with the former. Here's the MT15.DRV from the latter. Extract it into your game directory, and the older MT-32 will be supported properly.

Attachments

  • Filename
    MT15.zip
    File size
    1.18 KiB
    Downloads
    145 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

Reply 13 of 17, by eduedu_123

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Ok, now I understand, I ignored this possibility because the version you mentioned has a complete different soundtrack but the file you shared is a driver so it have to work.
This week I'm out of home so I will try it next week and comment the results.
Thanks!

PS: Isn't strange that the Electronic Arts version (that came later than the first version) have a driver for the OLD MT-32 and the first version don't?

Reply 16 of 17, by NewRisingSun

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Your answer does not adequately explain why that would be strange. They most likely tested the first version only with the LAPC-I which is far less fussy than the old-type MT-32, then when MT-32 owners complained, they updated the driver to work better with the old-type MT-32 and included that driver in the later version of the game. Tht is what happened in the case of X-Wing.