Music Gripes.

[Genesis Knight]

Why does everyone complain about sound/music on the 32X? Correct if I'm wrong, but isn't it true that the 32X does not modify the Genesis sound capabilities at all? The only difference is that 32X cartridges usually held more data, which meant higher quality sound files. The sound in most 32X games is just as good as, and often times better, than normal Genesis sound.

So why do people keep on griping about the 32X 'pathetic sound'? Are they expecting it to sound like a Playstation just because it has better graphics? :bs:

[GeckoYamori]

It had 3 or 4 extra PCM/PWM channels for playback of higher quality samples. It wasn't used too often. Notice how Chaotix is heavy on sampled drums and percussion with multiple samples played at once, and then there's Afterburner which sounds great with the sampled guitars.

[Genesis Knight]

Okay, so it was actually better than stock Genesis sound. My question still remains.

[GeckoYamori]

I haven't really heard any comments at all about its sound specifications.

[Joe Redifer]

Personally, I don't understand why it doesn't sound like a Playstation.

Seriously though, I think it's because most developers were used to programming Genesis sound so that's what they continued to do. Most developers probably said "PWM??? WTF iz dat? We don't want to take the 16 seconds to learn how to digitize our soundz into dat format yo. Instead we be lazy. Yeah, that's the ticket!"

Even those that did use the PWM didn't always do so very well. Notice how scratchy the opening song in Tempo sounds. The lady sounds like she's gargling. The hardware is capable of much better samples than that.

[Elusive]

Personally, I don't understand why it doesn't sound like a Playstation.

Seriously though, I think it's because most developers were used to programming Genesis sound so that's what they continued to do. Most developers probably said "PWM??? WTF iz dat? We don't want to take the 16 seconds to learn how to digitize our soundz into dat format yo. Instead we be lazy. Yeah, that's the ticket!"

Even those that did use the PWM didn't always do so very well. Notice how scratchy the opening song in Tempo sounds. The lady sounds like she's gargling. The hardware is capable of much better samples than that.

Maybe redbook-audio quality sound simply wouldn't fit on a 32X cart, or too complex to work with. What you're on about is most likely the fault of the developers, not the hardware.

[GeckoYamori]

Well, I don't see why they couldn't have used more sample channels, combo it with the vanilla 2612 and make it more like the Neo Geo.

From what I've read, I think there's actually an additional 2612 in there that operates by itself. Why they did this is completely beyond me, it just needlessly added to the production costs.

[Joe Redifer]

I would have loved to see a translation of Magician Lord for the 32X. I believe they could do it and make it 100% exact, 46 mega and all.

[Genesis Knight]

What does that have to do with anything? =P

[Joe Redifer]

They were talking about making it sound like the Neo, I was talking about making it completely like the Neo.

Anyway I just don't undertsand why the 32X didn't support Dolby TrueHD which will be compatible with forthcoming receivers which haven't been released yet.

[Benjamin]

To be fair, the 32X lasted through just 39 games. Look at any system's first three dozen titles and compare them with later games. The incredibly short lifespan of the add-on and total lack of support really didn't allow it to mature the way most system's do over the course of its lifetime. The Genesis went from a static "Wise frum your gwave" in Altered Beast to the crystal clear "Check 1... 2... Se---ga---" in Comix Zone. The 32X never got that chance.