VDMSound -- does it work? Yes, with the proper DLLs.

[vladr 0]

If you had trouble running VDMSound it could be that you were missing a couple of DLLs from Microsoft. Go to http://members.xoom.com/ntvdm/faq/index.html for the list of DLLs plus information about how to download them.

 

I apologize for not realizing that at least one DLL does not come as part of the standard Windows distribution.

 

Vlad.

[IMarshal 0]

I have managed to get several games' PCM support working with VDMSound (Hexx, for example), but most don't work. Descent, Extreme Pinball, Wolfenstein 3D, Epic Pinball, Sensible Soccer... None of these produce any sound, even though their sound utilities detect the emulated sound card just fine.

 

I've tried MT and GM modes for just about all the games I have that support them, and none work. So I've managed to generate PCM sound in some cases, but never midi sound.

 

Any ideas? Paths and environment variables are all set properly. This is on a Win2K box with an SB Live! running LiveWare2. The output of drv /v is:

 

VDMSound DOS loader ver. 1.00 (Jul 04 2000)

Copyright © Vlad ROMASCANU 2000. All rights reserved.

Loading C:\Progra~1\Window~1\VDMSnd\VDMSound.dll...

VDMSound VDD module ver. 1.00 (Jul 4 2000) Review version

Copyright c Vlad ROMASCANU 2000. All rights reserved.

Loaded (hVDD = 0x01)

 

-- Settings used -----------------------

VDD/port=0e0

VDD/ID=NTVDMSound control, hVDD 1

renderers/PCM/devID=-1

renderers/midi/player/devID=-1

renderers/midi/isMT32=0

MPU401/port=330

MPU401/IRQ=2

MPU401/isMT32=1

SB16/port=220

SB16/IRQ=7

SB16/DMA=1

----------------------------------------

Success

[SHS 0]

SET SOUND=c:\vdms

SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330

SET VDMSoundPath=c:\vdms

[vladr 0]

Yes, I've just identified a problem with the MIDI emulation that prevented it from working with games like Doom and others (the documentation I used was crappy and gave the constants wrong).

 

I fixed the constants and Doom works, the other games that worked before (on the compatibility list) also seem to continue working.

 

I'm sticking an updated DLL on the webpage this evening, so stay put!

 

Vlad.

[IMarshal 0]

I tried again with Vlad's updated DLL. It fixed the problems I was having with MIDI, but there are still some SB emulation issues. Here's what I tried:

 

Descent Setup - autodetects SB16, no PCM in test, MIDI works in test

Descent - no PCM, MIDI works

 

Extreme Pinball - no PCM

 

Tennis Elbow Setup - autodetects SB16, no PCM in test, MIDI works in test

 

Sensible Soccer - both MIDI and PCM work, but PCM is jerky and some sounds don't play right (ref's whistle)

 

Hexx - PCM works

 

Crazy Cars III - select SoundBlaster, no PCM

 

Doom - Plays MIDI (GM), but hangs on startup if I configure PCM

Doom II - same as Doom

 

Duke Nukem 3D Setup - can't get SB PCM to work (invalid 16 bit DMA channel), test MIDI (GM) hangs

Blood - same as Duke Nukem 3D

Rise of the Triad setup - same as Duke Nukem 3D

[vladr 0]

Hi,

SB emulation *is* shaky (variety of reasons) and probably only works on less than 25% of games, I hope that's going to be fixed when I'll use DirectSound.

 

Thanks for telling me about MIDI in Duke and the others, I'll have to check them (at which point maybe 1.0.2 will go out) .

 

Vlad.

[vladr 0]

OK, I got the shareware versions fo Duke3D (1.3d) and Rise of the Triad; I had problems with running install.exe (to decompress them), I finally (somehow) managed to decompress Duke3D and ran setup.exe.

 

I configured General Midi and Soundblaster, it did not like the Soundblaster (duke3d.exe refused to launch). I took SB off and left General MIDI set, the game ran and I had music.

 

I'm on Win2k with a Dell (PIII, CrystalAudio soundcard, DX6 I guess).

 

Vlad.

[IMarshal 0]

Hmm.

 

I'll give it another try when I get home tonight, Vlad. But I'm pretty sure I had SB emulation off when the midi tests hung. I did just finish installing LW3 for Win2K, so I guess a retry of the previously broken stuff wouldn't hurt.

[IMarshal 0]

Okay, I can confirm that the midi test still hangs in Duke3D, but the game actually works if I save and exit setup without testing.

 

ROTT does in fact hang initializing the midi card. And everything else is the same with LW3.