Some funny sounds

[Andrew]

I didn't bother installing MUNT system-wide. I prefer using it integrated into various apps.

I have to set: mididevice=mt32 in dosbox.conf.
Now it works!

I didn't even think to mention that because I thought that would've been the first thing you'd have done. Anyway, what do you think of the (close to) actual MT-32 sounds now?

[David]

I didn't even think to mention that because I thought that would've been the first thing you'd have done.

(mididevice=mt32 in dosbox.conf)
I tried that once (before knew that I need ROMs), but then it didn't change anything.
So I thought that maybe it means to use a real MT-32, which I don't have.

Now I see it writes an error message into the log in that case, but it gets lost among all the other messages.

Code: Select all

MT32: Control ROM file not found
MIDI:Can't open device:mt32 with config:.

The official version's devs for some puzzling reason are extremely reluctant to integrate patches contributed by the community for better hardware compatibility.

They mention why didn't they include proper MT-32 emulation, here: http://sourceforge.net/blog/potm-201301/

[Andrew]

(mididevice=mt32 in dosbox.conf)
I tried that once (before knew that I need ROMs), but then it didn't change anything.
So I thought that maybe it means to use a real MT-32, which I don't have.

Ah, so you made the change when you didn't have the ROMs, then didn't once you got them. Oh well, not a big deal since we all sometimes miss things that seem obvious in hindsight. At least we're now able to enjoy the sounds as they were intended instead of wondering why the game sounds so funny in MT-32 mode.

They mention why didn't they include proper MT-32 emulation, here: http://sourceforge.net/blog/potm-201301/

Having followed the drama somewhat over the years on Vogons, that interview is hardly the whole story. For example, if they were really so afraid of legal challenges from Roland to bundling the ROMs, that in no way explains why they refuse to at least add the code and leave the business of locating the ROMs to users. SCUMMVM as mentioned by them in the interview does have the code integrated but of course doesn't bundle the ROMs, and they've not faced any legal challenges yet because they're not distributing anything illegal. Moreover MT-32 support is not the only improvement the unofficial DOSBox builds have, so I'd have to say there are probably ego clashes and related issues at work here. Unfortunate, but at least we have those forks to help us out thanks to the open source nature of the project.

[David]

Setting sounds to Roland in 1.3 is funny. You know, the the trumpet for the prince's footsteps, and so on?

These mixed-up sounds remind me of an episode of Garfield and Friends, titled Sound Judgment.

[David]

PoPUW's problems page now has a section about using Munt with DOSBox: http://popuw.com/problems.html

NOTE: The original ROM code of the MT-32 is in the public domain and can be freely used and distributed.

Is that really so?

[Norbert]

NOTE: The original ROM code of the MT-32 is in the public domain and can be freely used and distributed.

Is that really so?

Not really, because no legality has been established. Roland first omitted (left out forgetfully) copyright (law). Roland then wanted to use copyright restoration provisions to make it a "restored work", but failed to provide proof (documentation) of disparity in international publication dates. (They found the first Japanese sale date, but not for the United States.) So, they then made the emulation developer an offer "without prejudice": publication can continue, but "if any evidence does surface, Roland will request that this site be taken down again" (source). It's an ongoing battle by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and others against the Berne Convention and other copyright and trade treaties that relate to our privacy and digital rights. The rich rulers can decide to retrospectively give Roland copyright tomorrow.

[David]

Thanks for the info.

Oh, great. So it's another complicated copyright case...

[Norbert]

MT32: LCD-Message: The Princess awaits.

Video of the message:
https://twitter.com/Shot97Retro/status/ ... 0419079169

[David]

Video of the message:
https://twitter.com/Shot97Retro/status/ ... 0419079169

One of the replies has some factual errors:

From what I gathered, MT-32 support was only in version 1.2 of the game. 1.0 defaulted to PC speaker, 1.2 supports a bunch, and 1.3 was only SB (also bigger levels there)

"1.2" is actually 1.3, and "1.3" with "bigger levels" is actually 1.4 with the SNES levels mod.

This isn't the first time someone found 1.4 with SNES levels and thought 1.4 officially has different levels:
viewtopic.php?p=4338#p4338
viewtopic.php?p=4411#p4411

That version can be found here: http://princeofpersia.ppa.pl/pliki/prince14.zip
But currently the download page of the site links to a file on PoPUW instead.

[Norbert]

This isn't the first time someone found 1.4 with SNES levels and thought 1.4 officially has different levels: [...]

Kind of related, this June 13th video titled "Prince of Persia (1989) v 15 minutách":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9vqZANX6nA
(Someone who thinks the SNES levels are the "1989" levels.)

[David]

Kind of related, this June 13th video titled "Prince of Persia (1989) v 15 minutách":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9vqZANX6nA
(Someone who thinks the SNES levels are the "1989" levels.)

At 1:52 he switches and plays the original DOS levels instead.

[Norbert]

At 1:52 he switches and plays the original DOS levels instead.

Oh, yeah.
I didn't bother watching it that long...

[4DPlayer]

Something I have been curious about is why the 1.3 metallic sword sound doesn’t work well in 1.0.
In this video of my mod, Levels Of Illusion, a prompt kid hurt or guard hurt sound gets muted when it immediately follows the sword vs. sword sound.


I thought it might have been because 1.3 has different kid hurt and guard hurt sounds, but replacing them in 1.0 DIGISND.DAT files still made the muted sounds happen.

[David]

Something I have been curious about is why the 1.3 metallic sword sound doesn’t work well in 1.0.
In this video of my mod, Levels Of Illusion, a prompt kid hurt or guard hurt sound gets muted when it immediately follows the sword vs. sword sound.

I thought it might have been because 1.3 has different kid hurt and guard hurt sounds, but replacing them in 1.0 DIGISND.DAT files still made the muted sounds happen.

It might be because the sword cling has a different priority in 1.0 and 1.3: viewtopic.php?p=17989#p17989

Code: Select all

sound            priority
10 sword cling   0x0A (10) in 1.0, 0x0D (13) in 1.3
11 sword moving  0x12 (18)
12 guard hurt    0x0C (12)
13 kid hurt      0x0B (11)

The rule is that a sound with a smaller priority number can interrupt a sound with a larger priority number.
So, in 1.0, the hurt sounds can't interrupt the sword cling sound.
But in 1.3, they can.

I've just checked, this problem appears in SDLPoP when fighting the fat guard using 1.3 sound files.
SDLPoP uses the 1.0 priorities (currently).
I guess I should change it?
(And make the table more readable, while at it.)
This was already reported once, and then forgotten: viewtopic.php?p=17969#p17969

You can fix this in PoP 1.0 by hex-editing PRINCE.EXE:
Search for 0A 12 0C 0B, change 0A to 0D.

[4DPlayer]

Thanks David. Again
This is very very helpful.