hacking dos games and converting adlib music to roland mt32

[robbo007]

First of all excuse my ignorance,
I've been working and playing with computers since 1987 and I current manage a massive network/firewalls etc over a few countries but never really programmed nor hacked around apart from PC tools save game hacking.

I need a new project and was thinking what's involved in converting the adlib soundtrack of an old dos game to Roland MT-32 or General midi? Are we talking about extracting the midi information and reprograming??

Any help most appreciated.
Regards,
Rob

[Marten]

I'm certain others will chime in with a more detailed explanation of why this would be quite a challenge - but here are some starting points for discussion.


* The AdLib uses FM synthesis to create the sounds of its instruments, and you can create any sort of instrument you want - within the limits of what FM synthesis can produce.
* The Roland MT-32's instruments are an algorithmically created but pre-programmed set, plus you can create your own instruments (which will sound different from FM Synthesis).  The order of the Roland MT-32's default instrument bank is different from General MIDI's.
* Under General MIDI, instruments may be either algorithmically created or may be prerecorded sound samples that are manipulated to different octaves.  GM devices may or may not let you replace the instruments using extensions (e.g., Creative's "Sound Fonts") - but officially there is only one standard set of instruments with no replacements, although the quality of the sound may vary from device to device.
* Perhaps most importantly, any particular game may or may not use MIDI as the standard encoding for its soundtrack, and some games may provide separate sound drivers that you can hack while in other games, the drivers are built-in.  Your mileage may vary.
* You might want to take a look at Anders' AGI MIDI tool, found on the Utilities page ( http://www.queststudios.com/roland/utilities.html ), as an example of reprogramming a game that was not designed with General MIDI in mind.  I would expect the basic principles to be the same, except whereas AGI MIDI only had to deal with mapping octaves to a selected instrument (which AGI MIDI lets you choose), to map AdLib you'll need to make many instrument selections on behalf of the end user or listener.

[Alistair]

In short-

Most games with Adlib music either have a MT-32 score as well, or in this case which it seems it doesn't, it's almost certainly NOT in the game in MIDI format.

While most in-game formats are these days convertable to some extent, you'll likely end up with a semi-mess which will be 2-10 pianos and a drumkit probably playing your Adlib track in the wrong key and likely with a lot of wrong, or at least, needs-to-be-fixed, MIDI data.

Which leads me to ask, which game, which company. Apogee game, you might be in luck. Many others, maybe someone already converted the soundtrack to General MIDI.
Really obscure- might be outta luck.
Let us know.

- Alistair

[robbo007]

thanks for the info...

The game I'm looking at is Origin's Times Of Lore PC Version. Don't think anyone has done the scores yet.

Rob

[Alistair]

Prolly falls under the obscure category..

Best I can find is Origin's original *.M files (the adlib files) for the score, at a friend's webpage:
http://www.vgmpf.com/Game.php?Id=TimesOfLore-DOS

[NewRisingSUn]

I need a new project and was thinking what's involved in converting the adlib soundtrack of an old dos game to Roland MT-32 or General midi?

By "converting the soundtrack" you mean "make the game support MT-32/General MIDI", as in not just hearing the music play outside the game on MT-32/General MIDI?

You need to intercept/patch all calls to the adlib music code and replace them with your own code. It's up to you to decide whether (1) your code translates Adlib music information on-the-fly, or (2) you want to extract the music, convert it to MIDI format if necessary, then carefully edit/adjust/arrange it in a MIDI sequencer, and have your music code merely play back the MIDI file you edited.

Variant (2) will obviously provide better results.

Times of Lore shouldn't be too difficult, as Origin used the same file format for Ultima VI, which does support MT-32. Try looking at U6ROLAND.DRV (it's LZW compressed) to see what it's doing to get an idea.

[robbo007]

Thanks New RisingSun,

That's the starting point I really needed... Going o start investigating a little more.

Anyone else with any more pointers feel free

Cheers,

Rob

[robbo007]

When you say its compress in LZW format do you mean the file itself U6ROLAND.DRV or the game disks? Could you recommend some tools for decompression and hacking the code? Windows o Mac

Cheers,
Rob