@elPatrixf I've never had one of those, but it's unlikely to sound any different from a regular Soundblaster as the added features would probably be something developers have to code into the game, and LHX was released almost 6 years before the AWE64. It might sound a bit different than in this video though, as the Dosbox FM emulation doesn't sound exactly like a real Adlib or Soundblaster chip.
The lead programmer behind LHX (one of my favorite sims of all time) was also behind another (seemingly) less well-remembered sim SU-25 Stormovik. This was a great sim of that plane, and let you play a Soviet in different scenarios instead of the usual US/NATO player. It was a great sim that used the same engine as LHX. Anyone else a fan? : )
I used to love this game, I still have it too. Funny thing is, I actually prefer the PC-Speaker over the Adlib on this game. I just think the music sounds awful. This game played really nicely even on a 286.
@adric22 Yeah, the Adlib version is a bit too much the cacophonous craziness side. The PC speaker version is just a lot cleaner, and it's not a song that needs all these layers of FM synthesized madness. I really prefer the in-game sound effects in the adlib version over the PC speaker though.
@jros83 What do you mean? The original Soundblaster and SB16 used the exact same FM synthesizer chip, other than that the SB16 had stereo sound support (which I don't think LHX used) they sounded the same.
@fisk0 be that as it may those old school games always had different sounding tracks for SB and Adlib. Same music yeah but different sound and I always preferred SB
@jros83 fisk0's right. In most cases the SB and AdLib modes were exactly the same, since for quite some time the SB used the YM3812 for MIDI music and such, on port 388H. It wasn't until they started using wavetables and such in later cards that there was any other possible sound, and even then the game had to support it and this one didn't. So with LHX and countless others the sound is exactly the same with both cards, since the chips are identical.
@phreakindee i remember distinct differences between the two in some games. i've been a PC gamer since 1987. I'm willing to bet I have more hands on experiences with this crap than you.
@jros83 there were obvious differences in later PC games with support for adlib, soundblaster and SB16, as the SB had PCM sampling capabilities and stereo sound support, and Soundblaster 16 and later had the YMF262/OPL3 (Adlib Gold) chip instead of the YM3812/OPL2 of Adlib/SB, but I'm not sure there would be any differences in older titles like LHX, which predates the SB16 and Adlib Gold. Later titles made for SB16 would have differences, it had twice the channels, waveforms and stereo
@jros83 still, while the SB16/OPL3 had much better capabilities for later games, I don't think the music for games made prior to the OPL3 - like LHX - would sound different, as I'd think the games would have to be specifically programmed to make use of the new waveforms, oscillator modes and extended channels.
it is a bit catchy, but I would in no way consider it a good song. I guess it's somewhat inspired by the Airwolf theme, but it just sounds hilariously strange. I guess there was a good reason they changed the music for the Genesis version, even though it shouldn't have had any problems playing this song, since the sound hardware in the sega genesis and adlib sound card used very similar yamaha fm synthesizer chips. No matter how ridiculous this song is, I can't stop listening to it though.
@Acadianiste it's been a long time since my old computer with the old soundblaster card was working properly, so I haven't compared in years, but it sounds very much like I remember it. I can't think of anything that is off in any way, but since it's been a while I can't say if it is exactly like the adlib/soundblaster.
Hey, Iv'e been reading about Adlib a bit.... I am supprised, it was actually a Canadian Company (my country) who developped that sound Card (a music teacher from Quebec's Laval University).
@phreakindee You could be right, are the Soundblaster could do stereo sound, which the Adlib could not, there were probably some differences - I have no way to compare at the moment, but it should also be mentioned that this video was recorded using DosBox, i.e., emulated Adlib synthesis, not an actual sound card, which I'd think would result in bigger differences than different revisions of the same sound chip. I also remember some stuff sounding different, but emulation should be considered.
@fisk0 The later SB cards could do stereo with PCM, but the AdLib's YM3812 remained in mono. Differences in later chipsets, like the OPL3, are also very minimal, not enough to cause the kind of distinction jro83 seems to be referring to. Emulation does of course make the sound a small bit more "tinny", but not by much, and in fact I just did a comparison of the real LHX AdLib soundtrack on my original AdLib card and it's quite close. And it sounds 100% the same to me on my SoundBlaster 2.0 & 16
@phreakindee I do think the differences between the OPL2 and OPL3 are big enough to make the differences @jro83 mentions possible, but that obviously isn't a difference between the Adlib and Soundblaster, but between the Adlib/Soundblaster and Adlib Gold/Soundblaster 16.
18 channels instead of 9, stereo (hard right, hard left, center), 4 new waveforms and oscillator modes would make it possible to make richer sounding music. LHX still wouldn't sound different, only games made after 1992.
Thanks for posting this, wow so many memories. I wish the sounds ws like this. It came out of the built in soundcard that woke up everyone in the room. haha, memories
@fisk0 i've just uploaded a video comparing dosbox's emulated adlib and my awe64's, I definitely knew there was some difference xD
elPatrixf 2 months ago
Any possibility that this game would sound different with a Sound Blaster AWE64 sound card?
elPatrixf 6 months ago
@elPatrixf I've never had one of those, but it's unlikely to sound any different from a regular Soundblaster as the added features would probably be something developers have to code into the game, and LHX was released almost 6 years before the AWE64. It might sound a bit different than in this video though, as the Dosbox FM emulation doesn't sound exactly like a real Adlib or Soundblaster chip.
fisk0 4 months ago
@fisk0 never mind, i'll have to check it out if I manage to fix my old computer.
maybe you're right and dosbox's fm emulation isn't 100% accurate-
-but i think it's close enough for me =P
elPatrixf 4 months ago
I can't get DosBOX 0.72 to work with SU-25 Stormovik, at least not with FM sound.
douro20 8 months ago
I loved this game... Lock and Load
MrVolksbeetle 9 months ago
i prefer this intro with the pc speaker...
Camilo21986 10 months ago
adlib's sound was mastered with tyrian's music.
bachterman 11 months ago
The lead programmer behind LHX (one of my favorite sims of all time) was also behind another (seemingly) less well-remembered sim SU-25 Stormovik. This was a great sim of that plane, and let you play a Soviet in different scenarios instead of the usual US/NATO player. It was a great sim that used the same engine as LHX. Anyone else a fan? : )
mikepalomino 1 year ago 2
I used to love this game, I still have it too. Funny thing is, I actually prefer the PC-Speaker over the Adlib on this game. I just think the music sounds awful. This game played really nicely even on a 286.
adric22 1 year ago
@adric22 Yeah, the Adlib version is a bit too much the cacophonous craziness side. The PC speaker version is just a lot cleaner, and it's not a song that needs all these layers of FM synthesized madness. I really prefer the in-game sound effects in the adlib version over the PC speaker though.
fisk0 1 year ago
yuck. it was better in soundblaster
jros83 1 year ago
@jros83 What do you mean? The original Soundblaster and SB16 used the exact same FM synthesizer chip, other than that the SB16 had stereo sound support (which I don't think LHX used) they sounded the same.
fisk0 1 year ago
@fisk0 be that as it may those old school games always had different sounding tracks for SB and Adlib. Same music yeah but different sound and I always preferred SB
jros83 1 year ago
@jros83 fisk0's right. In most cases the SB and AdLib modes were exactly the same, since for quite some time the SB used the YM3812 for MIDI music and such, on port 388H. It wasn't until they started using wavetables and such in later cards that there was any other possible sound, and even then the game had to support it and this one didn't. So with LHX and countless others the sound is exactly the same with both cards, since the chips are identical.
phreakindee 1 year ago
@phreakindee i remember distinct differences between the two in some games. i've been a PC gamer since 1987. I'm willing to bet I have more hands on experiences with this crap than you.
jros83 1 year ago
@jros83 there were obvious differences in later PC games with support for adlib, soundblaster and SB16, as the SB had PCM sampling capabilities and stereo sound support, and Soundblaster 16 and later had the YMF262/OPL3 (Adlib Gold) chip instead of the YM3812/OPL2 of Adlib/SB, but I'm not sure there would be any differences in older titles like LHX, which predates the SB16 and Adlib Gold. Later titles made for SB16 would have differences, it had twice the channels, waveforms and stereo
fisk0 1 year ago
@jros83 still, while the SB16/OPL3 had much better capabilities for later games, I don't think the music for games made prior to the OPL3 - like LHX - would sound different, as I'd think the games would have to be specifically programmed to make use of the new waveforms, oscillator modes and extended channels.
fisk0 1 year ago
it is a bit catchy, but I would in no way consider it a good song. I guess it's somewhat inspired by the Airwolf theme, but it just sounds hilariously strange. I guess there was a good reason they changed the music for the Genesis version, even though it shouldn't have had any problems playing this song, since the sound hardware in the sega genesis and adlib sound card used very similar yamaha fm synthesizer chips. No matter how ridiculous this song is, I can't stop listening to it though.
fisk0 1 year ago
I wonder how close this is to a real Adlib soundcard... sounds nice!
Acadianiste 1 year ago
@Acadianiste it's been a long time since my old computer with the old soundblaster card was working properly, so I haven't compared in years, but it sounds very much like I remember it. I can't think of anything that is off in any way, but since it's been a while I can't say if it is exactly like the adlib/soundblaster.
fisk0 1 year ago
Hey, Iv'e been reading about Adlib a bit.... I am supprised, it was actually a Canadian Company (my country) who developped that sound Card (a music teacher from Quebec's Laval University).
I had no idea...!
Acadianiste 1 year ago
@fisk0 There are some slight differences in the way the drums sound and depth of the bass and lead voices, but this is very close!
phreakindee 1 year ago
@phreakindee You could be right, are the Soundblaster could do stereo sound, which the Adlib could not, there were probably some differences - I have no way to compare at the moment, but it should also be mentioned that this video was recorded using DosBox, i.e., emulated Adlib synthesis, not an actual sound card, which I'd think would result in bigger differences than different revisions of the same sound chip. I also remember some stuff sounding different, but emulation should be considered.
fisk0 1 year ago
@fisk0 The later SB cards could do stereo with PCM, but the AdLib's YM3812 remained in mono. Differences in later chipsets, like the OPL3, are also very minimal, not enough to cause the kind of distinction jro83 seems to be referring to. Emulation does of course make the sound a small bit more "tinny", but not by much, and in fact I just did a comparison of the real LHX AdLib soundtrack on my original AdLib card and it's quite close. And it sounds 100% the same to me on my SoundBlaster 2.0 & 16
phreakindee 1 year ago
@phreakindee I do think the differences between the OPL2 and OPL3 are big enough to make the differences @jro83 mentions possible, but that obviously isn't a difference between the Adlib and Soundblaster, but between the Adlib/Soundblaster and Adlib Gold/Soundblaster 16.
18 channels instead of 9, stereo (hard right, hard left, center), 4 new waveforms and oscillator modes would make it possible to make richer sounding music. LHX still wouldn't sound different, only games made after 1992.
fisk0 1 year ago
Thanks for posting this, wow so many memories. I wish the sounds ws like this. It came out of the built in soundcard that woke up everyone in the room. haha, memories
deguimerautube 2 years ago
I love this intro.
Since I played this game lightyears ago, I can´t get the music get out of my head!
CommanderAnus 2 years ago 5
if you want to see the command to run the game with adlib sound, pause the video at 0:08 and you'll see it.
fisk0 2 years ago