A "problem" with .SPC files by Koto at 1:00 PM EST on January 9, 2010
Well, maybe isn't a problems instead, but it dislikes me too much. I found that the SPC files begins to play at a high sound level, but when the song loops, the sound is less strong. There's some configuration in SNESAMP plugin to avoid this? I want the all song with the same sound level (Doesn't matter if is the strong or the weak, but I hate that change).
Yes. There's a setting. I found it without much trouble when it did that to me, so here's what to do:
Under DSP, choose either 'Like the SNES', or 'Custom'. If you go with 'Custom', go to the Mixing tab, and in the AAR frame, pick the Off option. I'd also suggest enabling 'Reset the level at the start of each song'. For my own desires, I also tend to use a 9.0dB amplification.
In case you're wondering, there is a Winamp plugin which uses GME as its core. That would be "in_mgme", and I've been quite impressed with it, for what I've used it for. I definitely recommend giving it a try. There's a thread here, which might contain updates.
Anyway, I just figured that, if you don't like SNESAmp, then at least you have an alternative. Personally, I've been quite happy with SNESAmp for years, but like I said, in_mgme is pretty good. With a little more work, it may replace many of the plugins I currently use. Mouser X over and out.
I gave the latest available edition a try. I tried it on Dark Law. I had to crash Winamp with the task manager, because it was ending the tracks instantly, even though it was set to play forever. I even had them timed.
Yes, in_mgme has some problems. Like I said, it needs a little more work. Really though, what often happens is that the SPCs themselves were ripped poorly. What I've been told is that many of the ripped SPCs, if they were to be played back on original hardware, would have the same failures there, as in_mgme has. I'm not saying this is the case with everything (as I'd be surprised if that was), nor am I saying the Dark Law set is ripped badly. But, as I said, in_mgme works great for what I've done with it (as of yet, I haven't intentionally tried to break it), and comes recommended. I still use SNESAmp myself, but in_mgme shows a lot of promise. Mouser X over and out.
in_mgme is pretty wonderful if you want the most accurate raw SNES output. Rip tracks, mess around with them in Adobe Soundbooth*, and you've practically got your own album-quality master. I only wish it had a nezplug-type way of disabling which formats it emulates since it's conflicting with, well, nezplug.
I still love SNESAmp for the customization, channel muting, pitch & tempo, and interpolation options. The scaling volume system usually works quite nicely, but there are a lot of soundtracks where you're better off disabling it and setting the preamp at a constant rate.
I figured out the exact cause of DarkLaw SPCs crashing on real hardware. It is due to the Echo region being in the wrong place. Most SPC emulators do not overwrite the actual SPC ram when rendering the Echo. Unfortunately, real hardware does overwrite the available ram, with the echo rendering, causing a hard crash, where the Echo region is located. If the Echo region is relocated to where there is sufficient free space, the SPC will run on real hardware.
I updated the Dark Law set on snesmusic.org. Should now work correctly in in_mgme. (It emulates real hardware much more accurately, and as a result, crashes in the same way.)
Thank you for looking into that, and I very much appreciate that you were able to not only deduce the issue, but fix it as well.
I've made attempts at becoming semi-fluent in SPC modifications, but I've never really gotten past the basics, really.
I feel like I should know more considering what I've achieved, but I guess I just don't have the correct approach or tools to do anything particularly complex at this point.
I guess in_mgme can't edit ID666 tags yet. That's a strike against it, especially if you're playing a set with some truly atrocious made up track names (like half the sets in the archive...)
by nensondubois at 9:58 AM EST on January 20, 2010
Like Majestic Castle instead of Hyrule Castle? or like Boy Meets Girl instead of Twoson in Earthbound? If anything Majestic Castle and Boy Meets Girl should go in the comments section of the tag. God awful and misleading names.
mm. arbitrary titles are one of my pet hates too. if there's no OST available, that isn't a license to get creative with the naming of someone else's music, it isn't our place to do that. it should be as generic and descriptive as possible IMO, instead of bloody pretentious unauthorised meaningless farty names.
:D:D
by nensondubois at 1:25 PM EST on January 20, 2010
I tend to get rather artsy with naming tracks, which is rather strange given my general mentality. I'm all for OST track names, but I'm generally too lazy to download the OST just to put names to music that I've already got.
And in order to know which track is which, I have to listen to the tracks, which requires downloading them, and playing them, and other things which require italic fonts.
If you ever come across an SPC which you think GME is playing incorrectly, let me know so I can see how it plays on a SNES. Or have CaitSith2 or someone do the same.