Other DSI Games/MT15.DRV for MT32 Sound

[Cas]

Also, It seems like ad-lib and sound blaster are closely related.

Classic Sound Blaster cards (that is, the ISA ones) are based mainly of:

• One or two OPL2/OPL3 chips, used for FM synthesis, which is specially good for music, but can also be used for simple sound effects. This is what Stunts uses when you select Sound Blaster or AdLib. Even the engine sound is produced this way.
• A DSP chip, used for wave recording and playback. Stunts does not use this, but it's what most games access to produce sound effects.
• SB AWE32 and AWE64 also have an EMU8000 chip that's capable of getting sound from a sound bank/font and then modify or combine these sounds on the fly. This results in great quality sound, but like the FM chip, is much better for music than for sound effects. Of course, Stunts was created long before this existed, so it doesn't use it.
• A mixer chip, that can be configured to enable/disable the different inputs and outputs and change their gain and other characteristics.

That said, what SBs have in common with AdLib, is the way FM synthesis is produced. SBs have configurable ports and typically, FM synthesis is programmed using ports 220h and 221h. No matter how this is done, but the fact is that AdLib accepts exactly the same commands used in the same way, but through ports 388h and 389h, fixed, non-configurable. For this reason, SBs also recognise these two ports regardless of how they are configured. AdLib compatibility was paramount when the first SBs came up. Games that have an option for "AdLib/SoundBlaster" usually just use AdLib, but being aware of the existence of SB, added the name to attract more buyers.

The AdLib does not have a DSP so it can't record or play waves back, and if I remember correctly, is mono. Still, it would be beautiful to own an original AdLib card. Nostalgia!

[llm]

Or maybe a vintage remake

https://monotech.fwscart.com/AdLib_OPL2_Sound_Card/p6083514_19478748.aspx

[Daniel3D]

I just had no idea what you were refering with "fight"

I thought it common knowledge that, like stunts, Fight was also bought to be part of the 4D sports series.

Although, unlike stunts, there are quite a few differences in the original and the 4D sports boxing variant. Based on files that is. I haven't played either of those.

[llm]

I thought it common knowledge that, like stunts, Fight was also bought to be part of the 4D sports

I still dont get it, is Fight another game of the 4D sports series? Boxing is a sport and i know it, Fighting is not the same as Boxing and i,ve never read Fight used as a alias for 4D Boxing on the internet, is Fight easier to write? You mean 4D sport boxing if you write Fight? Why dont you you write boxing then?

[llm]

btw: there are the original floppy images available for 4D Sport Boxing

https://archive.org/details/000121-4dSportsBoxing 1.0
https://archive.org/details/002300-4dSportsBoxing20 2.0

[llm]

now i got it: in the 4D Sports Boxing 1 Folder is a FIGHT.COM program - that clears it up - my first "Fight" relation in 4D Boxing

[llm]

more DSI games with the Stunts Driver set (and maybe VEC/MKS sound stuff)

https://www.mobygames.com/game/top-gun-danger-zone
https://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/nfl_

all games of DSI at some point in time seem to have them
https://www.mobygames.com/company/distinctive-software-inc

great resource if we every come to the point having a VCE/MKS player - as reference files for testing

Code: [Select]

Top Gun: Guts & Glory (1993)
Follow the Reader (1993)
Mickey's 123's: The Big Surprise Party (1993)
NFL 94 (1993)
Mickey's ABC's: A Day at the Fair (1992)
Duel: Test Drive II, The (1992)
NFL (1992) <-- got the drivers
Duel: Test Drive II, The (1992)
Bill Elliott's NASCAR Fast Tracks (1991)  <-- got the drivers
Simpsons: Bart's House of Weirdness, The (1991)  <-- got the drivers
4-D Boxing (1991)  <-- got the drivers
Champions Forever Boxing (1991)
Mission: Impossible (1991)  <-- got the drivers
Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge (1991)  <-- got the drivers
Dick Tracy: The Crime-Solving Adventure (1991)
Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? (1991)
PlayMaker Football (1991)
Top Gun: Danger Zone (1991)  <-- got the drivers
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Manhattan Missions (1991)
Mario Andretti's Racing Challenge (1991)
Stunts (1990)  <-- got the drivers
Pipe Dream (1990)
Test Drive II: The Collection (1990)
4D Sports Tennis (1990)  <-- got the drivers
Super Contra (1990)
HardBall II (1989)
Test Drive II Scenery Disk: California Challenge (1989)
Road Raider (1989)
Duel: Test Drive II, The (1989)
Supercars: Test Drive II Car Disk, The (1989)
European Challenge (1989)
Cycles: International Grand Prix Racing, The (1989)
Dive Bomber (1988)
Power at Sea (1988)
Grand Prix Circuit (1988)
Killed Until Dead (1987)
Accolade's Comics featuring Steve Keene Thrillseeker (1987)
Ace of Aces (1987)
Test Drive (1987)
Psi 5 Trading Co. (1986)
HardBall! (1986)
Fight Night (1986)

found the drivers in some - did not checked them all
and it seems that other developer groups also used it - EA for example (but i think they bought DSI)

[Daniel3D]

now i got it: in the 4D Sports Boxing 1 Folder is a FIGHT.COM program - that clears it up - my first "Fight" relation in 4D Boxing

4D sports boxing was originally created under the name fight by dsi.

But with the rebranding it seems like the game was also updated. The KMS music files are different or missing. There are different versions of the same songs in the game and some are packed into PKM...

[Daniel3D]

Its first version, 1.0, was published by Mindscape in June 1991. The game was released for PC, Apple Macintosh, Atari ST, Amiga and Fujitsu FM Towns Marty. The Macintosh version has slightly improved graphics, but a smaller screen size.

A second version, 2.0, was published in February 1992. Version 2.0 was the "Electronic Arts" version which had different music, introductions, and pupils added to the boxers' eyes. The FM Towns Marty version was based on Version 2 but with higher quality sound.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/4D_Sports_Boxing

[Daniel3D]

The two versions of 4D boxing might give insight into the sound and driver because of the upgrade.
I'm fairly certain that 2.0 uses upgraded versions of the 1.0 drivers.

[llm]

The two versions of 4D boxing might give insight into the sound and driver because of the upgrade.
I'm fairly certain that 2.0 uses upgraded versions of the 1.0 drivers.

i've checked the MT15.DRV versions partially, mostly timing code is changed
(that is the code area that makes stunts 1.1 mt15.drv sound worse then the 1.0 stunts version)

The adlib drv are partially using diffent counts in loops, for example: 4000 wait loops against 6000 wait loop, i think that is some sort of compensation for faster getting cpus

its not clear to see what the changes are for - here and there some more/less asm codes - additinal loops, few tiny more checks for port/device status etc.

but it is still a perfect source for fully understanding the MKS/VCE stuff - we can see how/what is exactly played - then could give a better overview what
some values in the files mean

im still struggeling with free time problems to work on my fun-project:
-includeing the MT15.drv changes of the different versions (so im able to reproduce the exact version based on compile-time defines)
-port the other drivers
-fully analyse the VCE/MKS format and write a tiny DOS(later Win/Linux) Player for it - maybe using the Stunts drivers
-check if the game.exe combiner works with the CGA,EGA,TANDY Version - DONE/works (only hercules is missing)