Does Space Harrier have a SC-55 mode?

[kamiboy]

I've heard fragmented whispers of a SC-55 Space Harrier soundtrack without hitting on anything concrete. So does an SC-55 mode exist for the X68000 version or not? If so, how is it activated, since there is no option for it in the menu?

[SuperDeadite]

Retail version is FM only.  The MIDI and CD versions are doujin patches.

http://nfggames.com/x68000/Mirrors/x68pub/x68data/GAME/PATCH/SH_MIDI.LZH

[kamiboy]

I knew about the CD version, but a doujin midi version sounds a bit odd. Was there a particularly good midi rendition of the Space Harrier tracks out there that compelled the creators, or did they write the tracks themselves?

Well, I'll have check it out now, cheers.

[SuperDeadite]

?? The MIDI patch and CD patch were created by the same group.  In fact the CD patch requires the MIDI patch to be installed first.

FM and MIDI music composition was a big selling point of the system.  In fact Dempa even sold their own FM/MIDI sound driver ''NAGDRV'' in retail stores with a decent manual explaining how to program for it.    It sold well enough that they sold an updated version NAGDRV2 a year or so later.  Off the top of my head there are doujin MIDI patches for Space Harrier, Afterburner, Bosconian, Mad Stalker, and Dragon Spirit.

The Space Harrier MIDI patch tunes are based on the Sega Saturn version's arranged music (says so right in the patch readme file).

[kamiboy]

How is this patch supposed to work? It seems figuring it out is beyond my mental acuity.

[SuperDeadite]

Extract patch into hdd directory of your choice.
Insert Space Harrier floppy into drive 0
Run the HD_Inst from the patch, it will install everything to your hdd automatically.

[kamiboy]

Ok, so this patch needs zmusic.x and pcm8.x as well. Thing is I have applied the patch and managed to get to where the game launches but there is no midi music playing.

I've tried launching via both provided bat files and nothing. Am I missing some crucial step?

Edit:

Figured out the problem, the zmusic I was using was an older version, needed to be swapped for a newer one.

But what is the difference between the sh_norm.bat and sh_pcm8.bat versions?

[SuperDeadite]

Normal doesn't use/require the pcm8 driver, while pcm8 bat does.

[kamiboy]

I figured as much, but what does the pcm8 version do different? Do the sound effects get played in higher quality?

In any case, I've recently purchased a portable scsi cd drive which I hope will work with my x68000. At that point the other, other patch might be worth a look. Which CD is the music source for it anyway? Is it available for download online I wonder?

[SuperDeadite]

Sega Game Music Vol 1 by Scitron.  It was rereleased in the early 2000's so usually cheap on amazon jp and the like.

[kamiboy]

For the record let it be said that the midi version of Space Harrier is a vast improvement over the original. The music in the original is mixed too low, you can barely hear it over the sound effects. If I am not mistaken the sound effects also sound much better in the patched version.

[SuperDeadite]

The MIDI/CD patches also support the analog patch, which makes it even more fun.

[corpsicle]

Just installed the midi-patch for SC last night and it works great! So thanks for that.
What other games have midi-patches and could anyone provide links to the file?
My japaneses is a bit rusty.
I did find a Dragon Spirit patch, but afaik it didnt say anything about midi.

Also which patch is for analog in SC?

[kamiboy]

Too bad that X68000 analog controller is such a monstrosity. I love Space Harrier as much as the next guy, but importing that thing would set me back the cost a new piece of retro Japanese PC, so I do not see it happening unless my economic situation suddenly takes a dramatic turn for the opulent.

[SuperDeadite]

The XE-1AP also works with all cyberstick games, though it doesn't have quite the impact as the full size stick.

The Space Harrier analog patch was an official Dempa creation.  It's in the extras directory on Afterburner Disk B.

The Dragon Spirit patch in the NFG archive makes it run properly at 16mhz, the DS Midi patch is still MIA

[corpsicle]

Thanks a lot sirs!
I guess i should install that DS patch then since im using a Compact. =)