JDR13 on 4/8/2006 at 06:26

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I just recently started playing SS1 for the first time. I'm playing the cd rom version with the hacked .exe for Windows XP and the high resolution patch. When I did the sound setup I chose 'Old Soundblaster' for the digital, and 'General Midi' for the music. This is the only combination that works for me on my setup. I have an Audigy 2 zs by the way. The game sounds fine to me so far, I'm getting all the sound effects and the music perfectly.

My only concern is this. Is there a big difference in quality in the music using general midi as apposed to a sound card? I know I could try using VDMS, but everying is working perfectly on my setup right now and I don't want to mess with it.

Vigil on 5/8/2006 at 09:34

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You have three choices for music playback in System Shock:
1. FM Synthesis, which is what the old Soundblaster and Adlib cards used (it will be used if you choose them as your music card). It's shit. Don't use it.
2. General MIDI, which is what higher-end cards back then offered and what pretty much every card nowadays supports. The quality of the music is dependent on the quality of the instrument samples that the card has available, but in general this is the best and easiest choice.
3. Gravis Ultrasound. The only way I know of to emulate the Gravis Ultrasound is to run the game through DOSBox, and as I cannot get SS to work in DOSBox I have no idea how the music for it sounds. It could sound better than MIDI, as I believe the game came with digital samples for the music specifically for the Ultrasound.

dvwjr on 23/8/2006 at 07:06

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Here are seventeen audio/audio-video examples the possible selections of 'music cards' for the configuration of the 1994 DOS game SYSTEM SHOCK. The SYSTEM SHOCK vF1.5P or vF1.6C INSTALL programs were used to play the appropriate "Introthm.xmi" (GM or OPL) file as the demonstration music track. The SYSTEM SHOCK Introduction theme in each case was recorded as a 22,050Hz stereo signal, the exceptions being the IBM PC Speaker at 11,025Hz, the Roland Virtual Sound Canvas v3.23 and the Roland SCC-1A at 44,100Hz. The AVI files will stream, the OGG files will download, then play.

Eight of the file links listed below are to AVI container files which have the video encoded with the Windows Media Video 9 codec and the sound encoded with Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 codec at 80kBits/s, 22,050Hz, Stereo. The samples files were captured with Dosbox v0.65 video recording or from direct recording from another PC workstation line output in the case of recording from actual sound cards. The Dosbox recordings were converted from the native ZMVB lossless codec/WAV format to the WMV9/MP3 AVI format via the Virtual Dub v1.6.16 release.

I am most grateful for the seven Ogg container Vorbis audio format files which were provided by SYSTEM SHOCK installer Beta tester and VOGONS forum member 5u3. He provided a multitude of actual sound card recordings from those he owns, including the SoundBlaster 2.0, SoundBlaster Pro 2.0, SoundBlaster AWE32 Pnp, SoundBlaster AWE64 Gold, Roland SCB-55 daughtercard, Roland SCC-1 (rev A), Gravis Ultrasound ACE and a Roland LAPC-I. The Roland LAPC-I example was not included since the General MIDI Introthm.MID file was not comparable with the LAPC-I.

Each of the eight AVI files is around 2-3 MB each, if you have limited download bandwidth. Most Video players (includes Microsoft's WMP) should be able to display the audio/video files listed below. Each of the nine audio-only OGG container Vorbis audio files are between 1-3 MB each converted at Ogg encoder setting '6'.

The free file hosting is provided by FileXoom, so availability of certain files may be uncertain depending on the allowed download bandwidth...


MIDI demonstration file:
SYSTEM SHOCK Introduction theme MIDI file: 49,878 bytes
(http://boxstr.com/files/919612_yzkdz/INTROTHM.MID) Introthm.MID MIDI file: (Miles eXtended MIDI file Introthm.XMI converted to standard MIDI file Introthm.MID via Dosbox v0.65 MIDI capture)



Pre-Adlib FM:
Low-res video Intro sample: 2.05MB AVI (2:05) (11,025Hz mono)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919616_tdcsv/intro_pcspeaker.avi) PC Speaker 1-voice version: (Dosbox v0.65 PC Speaker emulation)

Low-res video Intro sample: 2.96MB AVI (2:06) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919618_ajxjz/intro_tandy.avi) Tandy 3-voice version: (Dosbox v0.65 Tandy soundcard emulation)



FM Synthesis:
Low-res video Intro sample: 2.35MB AVI (2:20) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919613_pteov/intro_adlib.avi) Adlib FM version: (Dosbox v0.65 Adlib soundcard emulation)

Audio-only sample: 1.31MB Ogg Vorbis (1:51) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919623_593cc/SShock_Intro_OPL2.ogg) SoundBlaster 2.0 with SB1 driver version: (Actual SoundBlaster 2.0 (CT1350B) soundcard - Miles AIL2 driver A32SBFM.DLL)

Note: The SoundBlaster 2.0 recording used is courtesy of member 5u3 of the the VOGONS forum.


Audio-only sample: 2.38MB Ogg Vorbis (1:49) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919624_ekjdf/SShock_Intro_OPL3.ogg) SoundBlaster Pro 2.0 with SBPro2/SB16 driver version: (Actual SoundBlaster Pro v2.0 (CT1600) soundcard - Miles AIL2 driver A32SP2FM.DLL)

Note: The SoundBlaster Pro 2.0 recording used is courtesy of member 5u3 of the the VOGONS forum.


Audio-only sample: 2.28MB Ogg Vorbis (1:49) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919625_pe8a6/SShock_Intro_OPLA.ogg) SoundBlaster AWE32 PnP with SBPro2/SB16 driver version: (Actual SoundBlaster AWE32 PnP (CT3980) soundcard - Miles AIL2 driver A32SP2FM.DLL)

Note: The SoundBlaster AWE32 PnP recording used is courtesy of member 5u3 of the the VOGONS forum.


Low-res video Intro sample: 2.MB AVI (2:09) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919617_ozuhv/intro_SB16.avi) SoundBlaster 16 version: (Actual SoundBlaster 16 soundcard - Miles AIL3 driver SBPRO2.MDI)



General MIDI:
Low-res video Intro sample: 2.18MB AVI (2:34) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919619_oyumg/intro_yamahamidi.avi) Yamaha SoftSynth S-YXG50 v4.23.14S WDM 2MB WaveRom version: (DosBox v0.65 MIDI passthru: WinXP Yamaha S-YXG50 MIDI emulation)

Low-res video Intro sample: 2.18MB AVI (2:34) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919615_irpcw/intro_ms_rolandmidi.avi) Microsoft WinXP DirectMusic MIDI version: (DosBox v0.65 MIDI passthru: WinXP(SP2) Roland GM/GS Roland licensed samples softsynth)

Audio-only sample: 2.70MB Ogg Vorbis (1:55) (44,100Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919627_mpjyz/VPCmp1_Intro.ogg) Virtual Sound Canvas v3.23 version: (Dosbox v0.65 MIDI passthru: WinXP - Roland VSC v3.23 using SC-55 ~2MB WaveRom samples)

Audio-only sample: 2.44MB Ogg Vorbis (1:47) (44,100Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919626_vevsl/SShock_Intro_SCC1.ogg) Roland SCC-1A MIDI version: (Roland SCC-1A ISA adapter ~4MB WaveRom samples)

Note: The Roland SCC-1A recording used is courtesy of member 5u3 of the the VOGONS forum.

Audio-only sample: 2.83MB Ogg Vorbis (1:49) (44,100Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/947846_krend/SShock_Intro_SC-88VL.ogg) Roland SC-88VL MIDI version: (Roland SC-88VL ~8MB WaveRom samples in SC-55 emulation mode)



Gravis Ultrasound:
Low-res video Intro sample: 2.56MB AVI (2:34) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919614_f2qfh/intro_gravisultrasound.avi) Gravis Ultrasound Classic version: (Dosbox v0.65 Gravis Ultrasound soundcard emulation)

Note: This Gravis Ultrasound sample used the v4.11 release patches, overlaid with Propatches Lite v1.61, along with the 14 SYSTEM SHOCK specific custom patches. The SYSTEM SHOCK vF1.6C program INSTALL.EXE was used to play the Introthm.xmi XMIDI music.


Audio-only sample: 1.32MB Ogg Vorbis (2:00) (22,050Hz stereo ?)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919610_td55y/Gus411.ogg) Gravis Ultrasound Classic version: (Dosbox v0.65 Gravis Ultrasound soundcard emulation)

Note: The Gravis Ultrasound sample used the v4.11 release patches, along with the 14 SYSTEM SHOCK specific custom patches. The SYSTEM SHOCK vF1.6C program INSTALL.EXE was used to play the Introthm.xmi XMIDI music.


Audio-only sample: 2.45MB Ogg Vorbis (2:45) (22,050Hz stereo ?)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919622_4qycu/SShock_Intro_GUS.ogg) Gravis Ultrasound ACE version: (Actual Gravis Ultrasound ACE soundcard, 8-bit samples 1024K patchset)


Note: The Gravis Ultrasound sample used the v4.11 release patches, along with the 14 SYSTEM SHOCK specific custom patches. The SYSTEM SHOCK vF1.5P program INSTALL.EXE was used to play the Introthm.xmi XMIDI music.
Note: The Gravis Ultrasound ACE recording used is courtesy of member 5u3 of the the VOGONS forum.


Low-res video in-Game sample: 3.26MB AVI (2:34) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919611_uehoq/gus_shockdemo.avi) Gravis Ultrasound Classic version: (Dosbox v0.65 Gravis Ultrasound soundcard emulation)

Note: The Gravis Ultrasound sample used the v4.11 release patches, along with the 14 SYSTEM SHOCK specific custom patches.



Sound Blaster AWE32/64:
Audio-only sample: 2.37MB Ogg Vorbis (1:47) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919621_nip1l/SShock_Intro_EMU8K.ogg) SoundBlaster AWE32 PnP version: (Actual SoundBlaster AWE32 PnP (CT3980) soundcard - Miles AIL2 driver A32GFX.DLL)

Note: The SoundBlaster AWE32 recording used is courtesy of member 5u3 of the the VOGONS forum.


Audio-only sample: 2.28MB Ogg Vorbis (1:49) (22,050Hz stereo)
(http://boxstr.com/files/919620_rs4rl/SShock_Intro_AWE64.ogg) SoundBlaster AWE64 Gold version: (Actual SoundBlaster AWE64 Gold (CT4390) soundcard - Miles AIL2 driver A32AWE32.DLL)

Note: The SoundBlaster AWE64 recording used is courtesy of member 5u3 of the the VOGONS forum.


My elementary school-age nephew favors the sound of the SB16 over all others when it comes to SYSTEM SHOCK - he says it sounds the most "techno" and 'cool'. :cheeky: I think that the Gravis Ultrasound version, with the extra SYSTEM SHOCK specific patches created by LookingGlass sounds the 'best'...


Appreciate your time and comments,

dvwjr

Edit: Added more sound-card examples and changed free file host to FileXoom.
Edit: Added more sound-card examples and changed free file host to BoxStr.

dvwjr on 23/8/2006 at 08:07

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Well, there is no accounting for taste :cheeky:

The WinXP recording was the standard Microsoft/Roland MIDI softsynth included with WinXP, recorded from an NTVDM session. Should be the same on all WinXP computers. I favor the Yamaha over the MS/Roland softsynth MIDI.

If you hear the Gravis Ultrasound in-game, it has the best sound... Even over the MIDIs. The LookingGlass programming team (music) did some custom work on 14 patches to give SYSTEM SHOCK a unique sound on the Gravis Ultrasound.


dvwjr

june gloom on 24/8/2006 at 01:02

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since i don't bother with DOSbox, and the music otherwise has not aged well, i went with something a little different. however, it requires the use of those little hotkeys that a lot of keyboards that come with premade rigs have. it may also be useful to have a music plugin or an app that will loop a single song until you go to the next one.

(http://www.chicajo.com/)

IMO these mixes actually sound more appropriate. i never liked the MIDI version of the science level music, for instance- too jazzy and upbeat. it's a little more downtuned and tense in chicajo's mix.

and he somehow managed to make the maintenance theme even scarier.

since the flight deck has no music of its own, i use the alternate executive mix. the tension and sense of urgency it gives actually works well with the ongoing storyline of that level ([SPOILER]the whole "COME SAVE US" bit and then you arrive and it's like corpse corpse corpse corpse corpse REAVER corpse corpse corpse[/SPOILER])

for added fun, play both level 9 songs back to back. guaranteed creep.