The Ultima 8 soundtrack was composed on a SC-55, while Ultima 6+7 are MT-32 games. I don't know about the earlier titles in the series.
U9 didn't use MIDI music anymore (iirc).

Ultima Online was already for Windows 9x and used an early DirectX version. I guess Windows just used the soundfonts supplied with the game. I remember playing it back in 97/98 when it was released and it sounded exactly the same on every system I played on, regardless of the soundcard.

Yea I figured. Those midi files that I posted do some quite nice on the SC-55.

-Tristan

Mystery wrote:

while Ultima 6+7 are MT-32 games.

I agree about Ultima 7, but Ultima 6 was definitely composed for FM, not MT-32: the *.M format music files, when decompressed, contain no instrument numbers but OPL2 instruments directly hard-coded into the song data, with the MT-32 driver getting its instruments from a separate text file MIDI.DAT.

And be it noted that Ultima 3-5's music was composed for the Apple II's Mockingboard expansion card.

Mystery wrote:

I remember playing it back in 97/98 when it was released and it sounded exactly the same on every system I played on, regardless of the soundcard.

I beg to differ. One of the combat musics always sounded "farty" on OPL3. 😀

Shame they ditched all the midis and old "chest" interface in the later clients.

I like installing the original Renaissance UO which has all the old school midi files and interface. Then I just play on pre-AOS public shards. Been playing since 99 and still love it. Even better when you're piping the midi through a Roland SC-55mkii.

-Tristan

NewRisingSun wrote:

Mystery wrote:

while Ultima 6+7 are MT-32 games.

I agree about Ultima 7, but Ultima 6 was definitely composed for FM, not MT-32: the *.M format music files, when decompressed, contain no instrument numbers but OPL2 instruments directly hard-coded into the song data, with the MT-32 driver getting its instruments from a separate text file MIDI.DAT.

That's true, but I personally like the richness in the music and sound effects better on the MT-32, which have a more spacious, orchestral feel to them.

link to the UO midis is dead. please repost, because I want to use the soundfonts with foobar2000.

NewRisingSun wrote:

And be it noted that Ultima 3-5's music was composed for the Apple II's Mockingboard expansion card.

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny Complete Soundtrack (Part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjqRGVFtlDw

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny Complete Soundtrack (Part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5FtbmivT4Y

Also interesting: An Apple II sound card with electron tubes..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04uzSLSjHt0

Now we need to make an AdLib clone card with tubes. 😀