It seems some mid-level drivers require PAS low-level driver MVSOUND.SYS to be loaded. However, it is unclear whether it's X-Wing's case.

Yes I have that loaded, the card wouldn't do anything without it - both SB emulation and PAS16 support is working in other games. I guess it's just not supported, which is why I think I was dissapointed with the PAS as a kid. I freaking loved x-wing.

It seems that CD version of X-Wing does support PAS:

Though it has modified driver system compared to floppy version, so I doubt you can just get the X-Wing CD PAS driver and live with it.

Ah that's interesting, thanks for that. I do have the CD version here too and didn't think to try that because I'm under the impression that they did away with the dynamic iMuse music in that version, is that correct do you know?

Thanks again.

First there's the "X-Wing Collector's CD-ROM" from 1994 which runs under DOS and retains the dynamic MIDI music. Graphics are improved to look as they did in the floppy disk version of TIE Fighter, a mixing digital sound system is added, and the Roland MT-32 selection no longer plays the MIDI files specifically made for the MT-32, but plays the General MIDI files with emulation instead.

Then there's the Star Wars: X-Wing Collector Series from 1998 which runs under Windows and drops the dynamix MIDI music in favor of badly recorded .WAV files of the MIDI music and stock music from the Star Wars films. Although the graphics are vastly improved, the musical atmosphere is atrocious. Unfortunately most game reviewers were (and are) too stupid to appreciate original music being composed for X-Wing, TIE Fighter and Dark Forces and actually applauded the use of stock music for Rebel Assault I+II, X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter and Jedi Knight. For Star Wars: X-Wing Collector Series, German GameStar magazine inanely complained that not all of the original MIDI music was replaced with CD-audio based stock music!

Right, I were referring to 1994 X-Wing Collector's Edition CD version.

badmojo wrote:

Yes I have that loaded, the card wouldn't do anything without it - both SB emulation and PAS16 support is working in other games. I guess it's just not supported, which is why I think I was dissapointed with the PAS as a kid. I freaking loved x-wing.

Although I never owned X-wing I did own a PAS 16 and a few titles that natively supported it. I honestly couldn't hear any difference in sound whether selecting PAS or SB in any of those games despite some of the claims that choosing PAS was the optimum choice.

I wasn't disappointed with my PAS - its SB emulation was excellent and was the best sounding SB clone at the time for the price.

OK thanks for clearing that up for me guys, I'll break out the CD edition and give that a try.

@Norton Commander - the SB emulation is good, but the lack of stereo would be an an issue for me in some games.

LucasArts could have been less cryptic about the PAS support in the game. Since there is no indication that the PAS is directly supported, then LucasArts is relying on its ability to support an SB 2.0. No stereo support would be available in that instance.

Great Hierophant wrote:

LucasArts could have been less cryptic about the PAS support in the game. Since there is no indication that the PAS is directly supported, then LucasArts is relying on its ability to support an SB 2.0. No stereo support would be available in that instance.

Yes and I've seen this before - I can't remember the game now but it had the PAS16 as an option when selecting a sound card, but then it simply asked for the Sound Blaster values, i.e. 220, 5, 1. It's a harmless trick I suppose but a bit cynical; I guess they were making the assumption that most people didn't really understand what sound card they had, and what it's specs were. But you know what they say - to assume makes an ass out of u and me.