Hmm... the Syndicate Wars DIG.INI you posted would be using the built-in Windows XP emulation, not VDMSound's emulation. It shouldn't have worked with "Sound Blaster Pro" (AFAIK, it is Soundblaster 1.0 emulation), but please clarify.
Yes, it’s my fault.
Here are the results that I get with Syndicate Wars:
VDMSound not loaded:
SETSOUND does not detect SB PRO, does not detect SB16. Does detect SB.
With SB selected (IRQ5), the game does not have sound and it crashes.
VDMSound loaded:
SETSOUND does detect SB16, SB PRO and SB.
With SB16 selected, there is a loud stuttering sound when the game is started. Does not crash.
With SBPRO selected, the game plays with sound - on both speakers. When auto-detected, dig.ini has IRQ set to 5. If IRQ=7 is manually selected within SETSOUND, the game also works with sound.
With SB selected, same results as SBPRO.
The game plays without audio if SETSOUND has not been used to detect the digital audio section. It does not crash.
Interesting, not to mention annoying. Apparently there is a nice slew of SB16 drivers that have problems with some system/sound card combinations. I know that there are three for Impulse Tracker and only the most basic works properly. I've also noticed this with other programs, though I can't remember any actual game NAMES. 😜
Yes, it’s my fault.
Originally posted by Snover built-in Windows XP emulation, not VDMSound's emulation. It shouldn't have worked with "Sound Blaster Pro"
XP emulates a SB Pro (version 1, I believe), but it's still 8-Bit audio.
Ok, went back and there doesn't seem to be stereo support, so I'm guessing that it must be SB v2.0, yet the default blaster settings in XP are:
erroneous text deleted
Kind of hard to tell with the various setup programs as they alternate from calling it a basic SoundBlaster to a SB Pro.
Hrmm...Seems to be a Mono SB Pro.
There was no monaural SB Pro. That's why it was an SB Pro: stereo sound. Microsoft just completely and utterly botched their emulator. How it was too hard for them to add stereo support is beyond me.
Yes, it’s my fault.
The Sound Blaster Pro was only detected when VDMSound was loaded. XP does not have built-in SBPRO emulation as Snover stated.
I think the bug lies in the SETSOUND program. It detected the SBPRO from VDMSound and then proceeded to set up the program using the WinXP Sound Blaster emulation. It probably got confused as the system now had two emulated sound cards.
Anybody now have luck with running Syndicate and Syndicate Wars using 8-bit sound under NT?
Don't have it auto-detect, heh
Yes, it’s my fault.
Originally posted by Snover There was no monaural SB Pro.
I wasn't speaking literally. I'm talking about the way it appears to DOS programs: recognized as a Pro, but plays like a basic SoundBlaster (Duke3d's setup for Pro will play the "center" audio sound, but left and right are silent).
Possibly the SET BLASTER settings were throwing it off.
How it was too hard for them to add stereo support is beyond me.
They don't care. They only place it there as a "token" of support. They don't you want you using DOS anymore. The last thing they want is to encourage use by providing quality support.
Did some searching found these:
"you don't get OPLx emulation if your sound card doesn't have an OPLx chip on it, and some DSP functions don't work"
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/computers/operating_s … _review/293989/
This one says it's "Soundblaster-2.0-Emulation"
http://www.heise.de/ct/01/20/118/
Came across a few oddities while looking:
Thanks going to the wrong guy (and abandon loader isn't "needed")
http://www.computing.net/windowsxp/wwwboard/forum/48317.html
Bitmap Brothers giving out some bad advice.
http://www.bitmap-brothers.co.uk/support/gods … p-help/body.htm
Came across ericjmz's RedneckRampage page
http://tsbolton.com/bertramslair/windersxp.htm
Originally posted by skid The Sound Blaster Pro was only detected when VDMSound was loaded.
Not on mine it wasn't. Besides, XP always defaults to IRQ 5, while VDMSound defaults to IRQ 7. Wherever it came from, it wasn't VDMSound. (That, actually is a new mystery...)
Responded to that Computing.Net post. Mwah, I'm such a callous bastard.
Yes, it’s my fault.
dudes.. i dont know what to do?!
I ve tried the patch, changing sound cards... etc.. i stll cant play it with sound...
Im running it in WXP.
Pleasse... help....
And also... where is it that i need to create the save folder???
Hate to tell you bad news, but last I had heard there was no satisfactory way of running this on a Modern PC.
This is especially true for XP. Unless you want to set up a dual-boot, I know of no way to run this in XP with audio (and even the dual-boot does not guarantee functionality).
Go to the top of the page and put "Syndicate Wars" into Quick Search and you'll see some of it's history with us...
Hi.
I got anostalgia trip the other day and wanted to play some Syndicate and Syndicate Wars so looked up my CDs (both Syndicate(with American Revolt) and Syndicate Wars on CD).
I then searched the net for tips and came across you guys here.
I maneged to get Syndicate Wars Installed (with sound and music (SBPRO I think)) and got it to start to (with VDMSound).
Only problem was that it ran a liiitle to fast 😉
the graphic change slowed it down little, I havent had time t test with any slow down util yet, but will do soon, and no crash for the little time I tested).
Syndicate on the other hand I couldnt get to work, if I start a command prompt and fullscreen it then load VDMSound and run the main.exe file I get to the main menu but if I try to do ANYTHING there it hangs up with all sort of colors (same if I touch the mouse) so I have to ctrl+alt+del
If I run with synd.exe I get to choose between Syndicate and American revolt but if I choose either the game crashes out.
Havnt tried anything other tips with this but I will do as soon as I can.
Hope there will be a solution soon 😉
btw, im running W2K
Hi,
thanks to the snippets of different things on this board and a day or two of trying all sorts, Ive prepared a working formula to getting Syndicate Wars playing WITH sound AND networking:
1/ Install Swars (Home of the Underdogs release)
2/ Make dir /QDATA/SAVEGAME
3/ Edit Config.ini to reflect paths ('CD' and 'InstallDrive' both to hard disk)
4/ DL and Install Syndwfix.exe
5/ DL and install VDMSound + VDMLaunchpad (latest versions)
6/ Edit Play.bat to run "Setsound" before Main in sequence
7/ Create a VDM Launchpad config for Play.bat ("Run with VDMS" and 'Custom config'):
- Close DOS on exit
- In 'Compatibility' enable VESA and LowLevel Network
- NO troubleshooting / joystick / AdLib / MIDI
- Soundblaster enabled with default (SB 16, 220, IRQ 7, DMA 1 + 5)
8/ Run Play.bat VDM Shortcut and in "Setsound" choose:
- No MIDI
- Digital audio - SB Pro (New) - Auto Settings (or manual 220, IRQ 7)
9/ Save and exit "Setsound" to load the game
10/ Syn Wars should work with IPX and Sound!
(note - u MUST redetect the SBPro in "Setsound" EVERY time and resave)
(note - multiplayer should be possible over IP using GIT IPX tunneling)
(note - gfx corruption upon quitting can be cleared by loading an opengl game etc)
(optional - copy all subdir's in your 'Game' folder on official CD for full gfx, sound)
LINKS
=====
Syn Wars (HOTU release):
EDIT Original post linked directly to download at HOTU. That's a no-no.
Just use GOOGLE or similar search engine and search on HOTU Syndicate Wars.
Syn Wars Fix:
http://riverbbs.net/pub3/os2/games/SYNDWFIX.ZIP
VDM-Sound Main Install:
http://cesnet.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/ … -WinNT-i386.msi
VDM-Sound Update:
http://vdmsound.sourceforge.net/files/VDMSoun … 0.4.update2.zip
VDM-Launchpad:
http://vdmsound.sourceforge.net/files/VDMSLau … ad.v1.0.1.1.zip
GIT (Gamers Internet Tunnel):
http://www.morpheussoftware.net/git/Git-096.exe
Enjoy!
TeeCee
Additionally this seems very stable too *as long as* you have NOTHING else running that will disturb Synd Wars during runtime.
For example, if my mIRC window on the taskbar just flashes to announce I have a new message in a chat window, the thing will bomb out. So disable / close as much as possible prior to playing and you should be able to while away the late night hours undisturbed 😀
TeeCee
Originally posted by Unregistered Additionally this seems very stable too *as long as* you have NOTHING else running that will disturb Synd Wars during runtime.
Consider that a universal rule for running DOS games. They were programmed to take over the PC completely, so it's no surprise that other programs doing things in the background causes problems.
This is true even for Windows programs (to a lesser extent). I was testing out Messiah when, all-of-a-sudden, the performance was terrible. At first I thought it was related to one of it's many bugs. Turned out a scheduled virus-scan had started...doh.
Will have to test this out when I get a chance. Two success stories so far... The MIDI thing bothers me...Hrmmm...
Thanks a bunch TeeCee! Im running Syndicate Wars on Windows 2000 and your method works exactly the same way for me.
I have a question though. I own the original SW CD, but i cant seem to patch it with SYNDWFIX. I place the patch in the GAME directory, open Command Prompt and run it from there and i get "Error 75 at pgm-ctr: 825". This is basically all the files copied direct to the HD as they are on the CD. The game runs okay, but i cant get sound. Without the SYNDWFIX patch, your VDMSound method doesnt help.
The HOTU version i have (pre-patched) works perfectly. Thanks to Dan T, i slow the game down using the ' - ' key. No need for any speed tampering programs.
Any help with the patching problem would be appreciated.
