VOGONS


Reply 20 of 35, by newtmonkey

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Dominus wrote on 2020-11-20, 16:24:

Ultima Underworld is one of the rare cases that is even better with a CM32 (or CM64) as it makes use of some water sfx that the Mt32 does not have. But that has nothing to do with the music 😀

I do like the CM32/64 sound effects 😀

Reply 22 of 35, by Shreddoc

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leileilol wrote on 2020-11-10, 01:46:

There's some Sharp x68000 games that can use the MT-32 too 😀 Akumajou Dracula for example.

I don't have an X68000, but I sourced somebody's clean CM32L MIDI rips from the X68000 version (reference: Reddit's Castlevania sub), and played them through my unit.

Amazing! Some of these tracks (e.g. Wicked Child and You Goddamned Bathead!) - and I mean these particular LA-Synth versions! the SC-55 versions are not as good! - leap directly my (very) shortlist of Best Ever Game Synth Music, firmly alongside other such best-in-class classics like the best tracks from Descent and Doom.

[Editor:] for anyone else interested, the relevant info can be found in this forum thread.

Last edited by Shreddoc on 2021-05-08, 05:53. Edited 2 times in total.

Reply 23 of 35, by Pierre32

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Shreddoc wrote on 2021-05-08, 00:36:
leileilol wrote on 2020-11-10, 01:46:

There's some Sharp x68000 games that can use the MT-32 too 😀 Akumajou Dracula for example.

I don't have an X68000, but I sourced somebody's clean CM32L MIDI rips from the X68000 version (reference: Reddit's Castlevania sub), and played them through my unit.

Amazing! Some of these tracks (e.g. Wicked Child and You Goddamned Bathead!) - and I mean these particular LA-Synth versions! the SC-55 versions are not as good! - leap directly my (very) shortlist of Best Ever Game Synth Music, firmly alongside other such best-in-class classics like Descent and Doom.

Link for the lazy? 😁

Reply 24 of 35, by thepirategamerboy12

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Farland Story on PC-98 also has pretty solid MT-32 music, imo. All the sound effects are stll FM, though. Not sure if I prefer the YM2608 FM or MT-32 versions. I quickly uploaded a short sample (recorded via MUNT), apologies for the mediocre video quality since YouTube decided to downscale 400p to 360p, though I guess the sound matters more than anything else.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQq58rlohdM

Reply 26 of 35, by mothergoose729

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The opening sequence for space quest III is and will also be my favorite MT32 experience. Nothing feels more 80's (in all the best ways). It's weapons grade nostalgia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNbXTKuObCQ

Reply 27 of 35, by Spikey

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Mother Goose, I feel the same about the SQ4 introduction. The theme song, the Magmetheus song, the MT-32 sounds for when Vohaul is tracking Roger, the music and FX when Roger eludes the Sequel Police, complete with laser shots.. as good as it got, IMO.

Reply 28 of 35, by megatron-uk

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Myloch wrote on 2020-11-23, 15:45:

Gofer No Yabou for x68000 and Lethal weapon for Ibm pc.

Actually Gradius II/Gofer is a really interesting example.

It doesn't actually play back exclusively on the MT-32, it uses the YM2151 and MT-32 in sync - many of the square edged, digital, and drum instruments come from the YM2151, with the MT-32 providing some rhythm instruments and filling in with some "warmer" sounds.

If you are lucky enough to own a real X68000 and have a MT-32 hooked up you can verify what part of the music is contributed by one or the other by simply adjusting your mixer for one or other device up or down.

It is one of the most impressive uses of dual, synchronised music devices I've heard on a home system.

You can of course use SC-55 mode, and in that mode *all* instruments come from the sound canvas (I've tried both my SC-55 MK2 and Sc8820 in its various maps and the latter can sound very nice, but definitely different...). In SC-55 mode the YM2151 contributes nothing to the bgm.

I've done captures of the various output options from the real hardware:

https://www.target-earth.net/wiki/doku.php?id … iews#gradius_ii

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 29 of 35, by thepirategamerboy12

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Spikey wrote on 2021-05-08, 17:23:

Wow, pirate, thanks for the link! Excellent music indeed. And I want to play that game now!!

You're welcome, and yeah I think the game very enjoyable and has great music too. There is an IBM PC port as well, though it's in Chinese and unfortunately the MT-32 support was removed. That version only supports Sound Blaster, Sound Canvas, and General MIDI. I haven't tried the later two modes, but the OPL2 audio honestly sounds pretty weak compared to the PC-98's original FM music (even the YM2203 mode sounds a lot better).

Reply 30 of 35, by Pierre32

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mothergoose729 wrote on 2021-05-08, 17:30:

The opening sequence for space quest III is and will also be my favorite MT32 experience. Nothing feels more 80's (in all the best ways). It's weapons grade nostalgia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNbXTKuObCQ

100%. It was this theme on the MT-32 that sent me down the retro building rabbit hole. I played on PC speaker back in the day, and only learned about the existence of the MT-32 in about 2009! So I bought one, messed around in DOSBox for a while, and then the flow of real builds and more MIDI modules started. Damn you, Roger Wilco.

Learning there was actually level music was an extra surprise. I could listen to that twangy intrigue for hours.

Reply 32 of 35, by Shreddoc

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Shreddoc wrote on 2021-05-08, 00:36:
I don't have an X68000, but I sourced somebody's clean CM32L MIDI rips from the X68000 version (reference: Reddit's Castlevania […]
Show full quote
leileilol wrote on 2020-11-10, 01:46:

There's some Sharp x68000 games that can use the MT-32 too 😀 Akumajou Dracula for example.

I don't have an X68000, but I sourced somebody's clean CM32L MIDI rips from the X68000 version (reference: Reddit's Castlevania sub), and played them through my unit.

Amazing! Some of these tracks (e.g. Wicked Child and You Goddamned Bathead!) - and I mean these particular LA-Synth versions! the SC-55 versions are not as good! - leap directly my (very) shortlist of Best Ever Game Synth Music, firmly alongside other such best-in-class classics like the best tracks from Descent and Doom.

[Editor:] for anyone else interested, the relevant info can be found in this forum thread.

Note: be sure to begin any playlist containing these tracks with the "Initial sysex" MIDI file, else you won't hear everything you're supposed to.

Reply 33 of 35, by megatron-uk

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Shreddoc wrote on 2021-05-10, 01:14:
Shreddoc wrote on 2021-05-08, 00:36:
I don't have an X68000, but I sourced somebody's clean CM32L MIDI rips from the X68000 version (reference: Reddit's Castlevania […]
Show full quote
leileilol wrote on 2020-11-10, 01:46:

There's some Sharp x68000 games that can use the MT-32 too 😀 Akumajou Dracula for example.

I don't have an X68000, but I sourced somebody's clean CM32L MIDI rips from the X68000 version (reference: Reddit's Castlevania sub), and played them through my unit.

Amazing! Some of these tracks (e.g. Wicked Child and You Goddamned Bathead!) - and I mean these particular LA-Synth versions! the SC-55 versions are not as good! - leap directly my (very) shortlist of Best Ever Game Synth Music, firmly alongside other such best-in-class classics like the best tracks from Descent and Doom.

[Editor:] for anyone else interested, the relevant info can be found in this forum thread.

Note: be sure to begin any playlist containing these tracks with the "Initial sysex" MIDI file, else you won't hear everything you're supposed to.

Although the MT-32 soundtrack to Castlevania Chronicles is definitely good, in the MT-32 it is missing a couple of sounds that are present in the SC-55/CM-300/CM-600 music mode; one of the most notable differences can be heard at the beginning of the track "The Theme of Simon Belmont".
After the very short organ introduction, on the Sound Canvas version you get a very distinct, right-left-right panning heart-beat effect which is not present on playback on my MT-32. I don't know if this is an effect present on a CM-32/CM-64, but if not, then it's just one example.

That's not saying the MT-32 version is bad - far from it. To be frank, every version of the soundtrack (YM2151, MT-32 and SC-55) on this game is amazing.

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 34 of 35, by Shreddoc

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megatron-uk wrote on 2021-05-10, 06:58:
Although the MT-32 soundtrack to Castlevania Chronicles is definitely good, in the MT-32 it is missing a couple of sounds that a […]
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Shreddoc wrote on 2021-05-10, 01:14:
Shreddoc wrote on 2021-05-08, 00:36:

I don't have an X68000, but I sourced somebody's clean CM32L MIDI rips from the X68000 version (reference: Reddit's Castlevania sub), and played them through my unit.

Amazing! Some of these tracks (e.g. Wicked Child and You Goddamned Bathead!) - and I mean these particular LA-Synth versions! the SC-55 versions are not as good! - leap directly my (very) shortlist of Best Ever Game Synth Music, firmly alongside other such best-in-class classics like the best tracks from Descent and Doom.

[Editor:] for anyone else interested, the relevant info can be found in this forum thread.

Note: be sure to begin any playlist containing these tracks with the "Initial sysex" MIDI file, else you won't hear everything you're supposed to.

Although the MT-32 soundtrack to Castlevania Chronicles is definitely good, in the MT-32 it is missing a couple of sounds that are present in the SC-55/CM-300/CM-600 music mode; one of the most notable differences can be heard at the beginning of the track "The Theme of Simon Belmont".
After the very short organ introduction, on the Sound Canvas version you get a very distinct, right-left-right panning heart-beat effect which is not present on playback on my MT-32. I don't know if this is an effect present on a CM-32/CM-64, but if not, then it's just one example.

That's not saying the MT-32 version is bad - far from it. To be frank, every version of the soundtrack (YM2151, MT-32 and SC-55) on this game is amazing.

Interesting! I'll have to check that out.

The MT-32 soundtrack is subjectively better in my opinion, as it's non-GM nature means it's versions get unique workarounds and tweaks, in some cases resulting in really quirky, character-filled awesomeness which is rarely heard in the more standardised and dare-I-say generic General MIDI world (*which I also love!) that followed.

For example the interplay of hard-panned staccato stabs playing off the heavily-echoing chords in Wicked Child sounds just insane and cool, down a rabbit-hole that the Sound Canvas et al doesn't need to go during the course of it's tidier GM interpretation.

Safe to say each version has it's pros and cons I suppose!

Reply 35 of 35, by Spikey

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Going back to the original question, these games are Sierra's unmissable experiences in my book (talking music quality, not game quality of course):

- Codename: Iceman
- Conquests of Camelot
- Eco Quest 1
- Heart of China
- King's Quest 5
- Laura Bow 1
- Laura Bow 2
- Leisure Suit Larry 3
- Leisure Suit Larry 5
- Police Quest 1 VGA
- Space Quest 1 VGA
- Space Quest 4
- Willy Beamish
- Zeliard

There are more that have good soundtracks, but I don't consider them unmissable. Larry 1 remake and King's Quest 1 remake are great scores in my book, but just doesn't sound that great on the MT-32. Sounds way better converted on the Sound Canvas in my book. And so on.

I don't know much about non-Sierra games, but Legend of Kyrandia 1 is not to be missed. Simply amazing.