Any Sierra SC-55 games have SC SysEx?

[Alistair]

Hey folks,

Just wondering- other than GM Reset's and the base SysEx that's transmitted at the start of all GM games (which AFAIK is the same), is anyone aware of any Sierra/Dynamix games that have SC-55 SysEx in them?

I figured not but thoguht I'd ask out of curiosity.

Regards,
- Alistair

[mace]

Not trying to be rude, but, why bother?

Does it really matter? 

[Doctor Creep]

Not trying to be rude, but, why bother?

Does it really matter? 

Perhaps because midis with lots of (SC-55) sysex stuff often sound fantastic like this one from the (Origin) game Privateer...

http://www.alice-dsl.net/lgoerke/sc55.mp3

[Rhizome]

I only know of Imagitec and Japanese games that use sysex for the SC-55.

[Alistair]

Not trying to be rude, but, why bother?

Does it really matter?

Yes! With Sierra's MT-32 games, quite often MT-32 scores have reverb SysEx in them and so different tracks have different sounds to them, especially Dynamix's games.

With the Sound Canvas, there's a whole bunch of effects that can be used and if Sierra used them but they weren't recorded by a MIDI editor (or alternately, if two consecutive pieces had them and the second didn't have it recorded), the MIDI I record and post on my site would be different from in-game, it'd be lacking.

That's why I was asking- I can take care of MT-32 games, but SC-55- I don't have a way of checking which MIDI's have which SysEx attached to them, if any (I do for the MT-32).

Regards,
- Alistair

[Ari]

I've noticed that when recording MIDI with the DOSBox MIDI record function, it automatically records sysex too. I know it does that with MT-32 MIDIs, but I'm not sure if it does so with SC-55 MIDIs as well. It's worth checking into, I suppose.

[mace]

I've noticed that when recording MIDI with the DOSBox MIDI record function, it automatically records sysex too. I know it does that with MT-32 MIDIs, but I'm not sure if it does so with SC-55 MIDIs as well. It's worth checking into, I suppose.

I don't suppose there will be any difference between the two, because they both use the same MIDI system.

[Alistair]

The point being, it's not about whether or not your recorder records Sysex- you could record a piece and the SysEx was loaded from the last track- so when you open up your MIDI later, it looks like there's no SysEx in that piece.

That's why I was asking about Sound Canvas games- plus, I know games like SQ5 have fancy drumkits which aren't accessible in the game, so they did do SOME GS things with the SC.

- Alistair

[Ari]

Well, as you know, GS instruments don't necessarily imply the use of sysex.
Anyway, in the case of Sierra games, AFAIK, all sysex is transmitted at the beginning of the game, so you're unlikely to find any messages in the middle of the game.

I know this doesn't really answer your question, but that's as much as I know.

[2Mourty]

I have a guess as to one sierra game that might have  SC sysex messages.  I have played Quest for Glory 4 I don't know how many times.  I've played it on my scc-1 and I have played it using an audigy 2 or fluidsynth with a variety of personally tweaked soundfonts.  I have never been able to find or tweak  a soundfont in such a way so that certain areas will play correctly.  The SCC-1 seems to be the only thing I have that will play the music without error. 

For example.  Without a SCC-1 the guitar in the character creation scene is always flat and the reverb just doesn't sound right.  Another scene is Erana's garden.  Without a SCC-1 one the guitar is flat again and a midi "sweep", it almost sounds like a "wah wah" sound thats on drugs will not play correctly.  There are a few other scenes that have problems, but these are the two that come to mind right away.

[Alistair]

For example.  Without a SCC-1 the guitar in the character creation scene is always flat and the reverb just doesn't sound right.  Another scene is Erana's garden.  Without a SCC-1 one the guitar is flat again and a midi "sweep", it almost sounds like a "wah wah" sound thats on drugs will not play correctly.  There are a few other scenes that have problems, but these are the two that come to mind right away.

QFG4 has no SysEx.

I think I know why this is happening- it's either one of two things:

1. You're playing the Windows version (the music messes up in that QFG4 version)
2. Your synth isn't getting the pitch bender messages and your guitar isn't playing correctly. This is sent via SysEx and a lot of soundfonts won't receive SysEx (some will).
If it doesn't it won't bend correctly and something like a rock guitar that has pitch messages will mess up totally.


As for this Ari remark I never replied to:

Well, as you know, GS instruments don't necessarily imply the use of sysex.

I know, that's why I was asking.

Anyway, in the case of Sierra games, AFAIK, all sysex is transmitted at the beginning of the game, so you're unlikely to find any messages in the middle of the game.

I know this doesn't really answer your question, but that's as much as I know.

Actually, MT-32 games often have SysEx in the middle of them. SC-55's as far as we can tell don't but I wanted to ask.

Regards,
- Alistair