Quest for Glory 4 CD ver, sound error/crash

[johnb4467]

Hey folks.
Haha, it's so funny how the *best* games over the years give us to worst problems these days when we try to continually revisit them!   :twisted:
Anyway, the 'script' fixes are wonderful in that they fixed the timing errors...but I've continually had a sound crash error that I cannot figure out.
Oh yeah, and so you know, I'm running in Windows since QG4 gets better music in windows than even with the MT-32 [which I must say has made all my older Sierra adventures a brand new adventure!].
Anyway here's the error message...sometimes it'll come up a half-hour playing, sometimes 2 minutes....
waveOutUprepareHeader1    [the title of the error]
an invalid parameter was passed to a system function.   [the error description]
Anyway, so you know my hardware...I'm using an audigy platinum. Since it seems to be a sound issue, that should be the only important thing.
Any help would be great -- I love playing this game during halloween time!
John

[Tom]

I'm running in Windows since QG4 gets better music in windows than even with the MT-32

I don't know what that means?  Windows is an operating system, not a sound system.  

Are you referring to a QFG4 "digital" soundtrack?  I didn't know Sierra made one.  As far as I know, the music in QFG4 is designed for the Roland SC-55's General MIDI.

[Alistair]

Windows games used GM and Adlib. Obviously he's running GM, so of course it's going to sound better than playing with the MT-32!

But you're actually right AND wrong, John.

Wrong because DOS sounds way better for music than Windows, when running General MIDI (Windows' tends to cut notes and such).

Right because it's a 'sound' error. It usually comes up when your sound card is used, like a magic user casting a spell. Hint: Save your game before any SFX-scene things like Baba Yaga.

There's no way to FIX it.. I'd recommend the DOS version. QFG4WIN is playable if you don't mind the 'WaveOut' error coming up every so often though..

- Alistair

[johnb4467]

Hmm, well I suppose I have no major gripes of using the DOS version...but when I do...what settings should I use for sound & music? Should I use the mt-32, or us sound blaster emulation...pretty much -- what would give me the most 'acoustically pleasing' results?
It's halloween time & it's kind a tradition for me to visit Mordavia at least for a while...so I thank you for your help!
John

[Alistair]

What's your sound set up? Do you have a Roland Sound Canvas or just a sound card? If a card, what is it?

You're running XP, right?

- Alistair

[johnb4467]

I have an Audigy Platinum, with the MT-32 hooked up to the midi in/outs of the break-out box [if needed]. And yes, I'm running XP pro. The MT-32 has worked fine for QG2 & other older DOS based sierra games...though I'm guessing that there may be a better avenue than the mt-32 [I think Tom had said that this was one of the games where the limitations of the mt-32 became apparent]? As far as DMA, IRQ settings, there's no drivers loaded for that sort of stuff presently...so I don't know if I have to do any loading of stuff in that area. I assume I'd use DOSBOX? I haven't used it before, but I'm sure if that's the best avenue that I could eventually figure it out.
Thanks for the help -- I appreciate it!
John

[Alistair]

Well, the MT-32's quite acceptable for a large amount of the tracks. But it will sound very bad with some tracks.. whereas the SC-55 will sound relatively good for all tracks.

I'd recommend you use your Platinum's internal synth. Get a nice General MIDI soundfont (what ones came with your card?) and use that (change your MIDI ports in Control Panel, Sounds and Audio Devices).

DOSBOX will prove useful. Well, really only so that the music plays at the right speed. But that's a big deal for me

I'm not familiar with the program myself. Mounting the drives and so on.. shouldn't be too hard. But I'd go to the QFG4 help thread at the Quest For More Glory forums for DOSBOX help. Detailed information here:
http://www.questformoreglory.com/forums/index.php?showforum=11

For any other QFG game, I'm a better bet to ask than those people, though.

Regards,
- Alistair

[johnb4467]

haha, sorry it has been so long since i've resumed our conversation...school has been quite demanding [especially during finals right now]...but i'm still looking forward to revisiting mordavia during my time off. Well as far as 'complete' soundonts, all I have is the 4mb and 8mb GM soundfonts that came with the audigy plat. Are there any nice ones out there that I should pick up that would work better [freeware though...school tuition is killing me!]?
And once I have the soundfont loaded into the audigy banks, I assume I set the dos sound settings to 'general midi' in the installation menu? Also, as far as digital speech/sound, do I need to install the dma/irq, etc drivers for the audigy...or will dosbox, windows xp, etc, do all that for me?
Thanks again for all the help!
I can't wait for the QG2 remake! woo hooooo!

[Alistair]

haha, sorry it has been so long since i've resumed our conversation...school has been quite demanding [especially during finals right now]...but i'm still looking forward to revisiting mordavia during my time off.  Well as far as 'complete' soundonts, all I have is the 4mb and 8mb GM soundfonts that came with the audigy plat. Are there any nice ones out there that I should pick up that would work better [freeware though...school tuition is killing me!]?
And once I have the soundfont loaded into the audigy banks, I assume I set the dos sound settings to 'general midi' in the installation menu? Also, as far as digital speech/sound, do I need to install the dma/irq, etc drivers for the audigy...or will dosbox, windows xp, etc, do all that for me?
Thanks again for all the help!
I can't wait for the QG2 remake! woo hooooo!

Hey John,

No problem.
However, may I ask you to continue (i.e. your next reply to this post) via email? I won't be around this forum for a spell.

The 8MB Audigy one, assuming it's the same as the one I have (big assumption, Creative has a myriad of soundfonts) should be your best bet. Alternatively, try the Roland GM DLS file. It's on this website somewhere, just Google the webpage (Tom included that function for cases like this).

Set install to General MIDI, yes.

With regards to digital audio, DOSBOX *should* handle it fine. I wouldn't touch the DMA/IRQ/etc. settings unless it were necessary (i.e. don't touch them ).

Get back to me if you need anything further, via email as I noted previously.

Best of luck with your finals!

- Alistair