Wolf4SDL with PC speaker sound emulation

Hi,

I have created a version of Wolf4SDL that now has PC speaker emulation based on the code in Chocolate Doom.

Could people please test it and tell me what you think (bugs/issues/suggestions etc.)!

If it works OK I will see if I can submit it to the Wolf4SDL author (as this feature is on his TODO list).
Also anyone know if the Wolf4SDL guy is still around? No updates to his website since 20008...

Otherwise I might create a fork on Google Code where people can implement any bug fixes/tweaks/features etc that they want in the codebase...

Here is the compiled file: (built for Activision Wolf3D)
http://www.leithalweapon.geek.nz/Wolf4SDL-1.6-PC-speaker.zip

Leith

What exactly do you mean by Chocolate Doom? I've heard of it before. Is it a source port?

In StopAndThinkStein, Mazenstein, or in a different Wolf3D mod that I remember that I played the same day it had the same sounds from The PC Speaker.

Welcome to the forums. I see that you have one post for now. Please tell us a little bit about yourself at “The Front Desk” at https://wolf3d.darkbb.com/the-front-desk-f20/ or in the “Warm Welcomes and Sad Goodbyes” sections.

Chocolate Doom is a source port of Doom to SDL that keeps everything 'original' with no mods/bugfixes so it plays exactly like the DOS 'Vanilla' Doom. I would say it is one of the best Doom source ports available. See here http://www.chocolate-doom.org/

My version of Wolf4SDL plays the PC speaker via your normal speakers as the real PC speaker these days is rare. Most factory built computers have dropped it to save some cash, most custom PC cases no longer feature it, not to mention laptops don't have one. Also Windows 7, Vista, and 64-bit XP prevent access to the PC speaker also.

Please try the executable and tell me if it sounds authentic enough! To test it go into the the "Sound" menu and set the "Sound Effects" to "PC Speaker", "Digitized Sound" to "None", and "Music" to "None".

Also it looks like Wold4SDL is not dead as the author is still making changes to the source code, last one was from middle of December 2009. He has fixed the VBL = 1 by default issue as well so VBL = 0 by default with command line override.

I tried the Wolf4SDL exe with the Activision version of the full Wolf3D and didn't find any bugs. I played it without the music and with the PC speaker sounds selected. They sounded authentic. The computer has Windows XP.

I know you said it must be used with The Activision version. I tried it with The Apogee version today just to see what would happen and it produced a weird error message when it wouldn't work.

Here is a version for Apogee 1.4:
http://www.leithalweapon.geek.nz/Wolf4SDL-1.6-apogee-pc-speaker.zip

Thanks, Leith. I'll try it.

The Apogee version of it works with it, but not in DOSBox probably because it's an SDL game.

Hi Arthur!

Release the source! I was planning to do the same based off sdlWolf for Dreamcast since it has PC speaker implemented .

ljbade wrote:
Also anyone know if the Wolf4SDL guy is still around? No updates to his website since 20008...

I think his name is Ripper. He is also responsible for ChaosEdit if I remember right. I think he showed up on DHW a while back. Would be nice if he finished ChaosEdit...

Leith,

Since these are emulator files, then do I have your permission to contact somebody from zophar.net to have them post your PC Speaker emulator files for The Activision and Apogee Wolfenstein 3D? Please answer me in 7 or 8 days because I think that I’m going to forget after that time. Also tell me what name you want to use to give yourself credit.

I’m going to submit other emulations or simulations that I’ve found on the internet to zophar.net. jpb6891 told me about the LOST Swan 108 minute computer emulators for PC and Mac at http://www.webcyte.co.uk/ . If that web site is perpetually down and you want the files, then tell me and I’ll upload them to my web space. I’m also going to submit emulators that I’ve found for the Antikythera Mechanism computer. The Antikythera Mechanism is technically the first calendar computer except for the Stonehenge.

Sure you can submit it to that website. My name is Leith Bade

Also give credit to Chocolate Doom too

I found the source code patch that I sent to the Wolf4SDL guy if anyone wants the source.

(Attached)

I should also mention that you apply the patch to the latest SVN source code from here:

svn://tron.homeunix.org:3690/wolf3d/trunk

Still having trouble finding the Wolf4SDL guy!

The Activision & Apogee links are dead.  The last time that I contacted ljbade it came back as undeliverable mail.  Does anybody have these files so that they can be uploaded to http://wolfenvault.com/ ?

Luckily I still got an email from the forum about your reply here.

I will PM you my updated email address.

Let me see if I can dig up those files.

I can't find the compiled files, but I might be able to build them again from latest Wolf4SDL source.

Where is the latest Wolf4SDL code now kept? The old websites seem to have disappeared.

Hi ljbade,

This repository is popular on DHW currently: https://github.com/AlumiuN/Wolf4SDL

You can even do a pull request and add PC Speaker emulation to it, many would agree the feature would be welcome!

The last version maintained by Ripper was r262: http://diehardwolfers.areyep.com/viewtopic.php?p=100609#100609

I did a scan of my computer & external hard drives overnight & found the files.

Leith, should we submit these files to http://www.zophar.net/windos.html for emulation?  I’ll give credit to Leith Bade & Chocolate Doom.

Yes that is fine. Next week I'll see if I can submit a PR to that GitHub repository.

Thanks stathmk for the 1.6 exe. From what I can tell, the higher pitched PC Speaker sounds in it play a rate that is too fast, which makes for an interestingly unique experience.



https://youtu.be/oNOfRM3HZOA

Has any updates been made on the code since? Maybe I'll try to slow them down later and see what they sound like

Princess Peach wrote:Thanks stathmk for the 1.6 exe. From what I can tell, the higher pitched PC Speaker sounds in it play a rate that is too fast, which makes for an interestingly unique experience.



https://youtu.be/oNOfRM3HZOA

Has any updates been made on the code since? Maybe I'll try to slow them down later and see what they sound like

Thanks for the video.  I don't know if any updates have been made to the code since.

Thanks. I fixed the speed issue by moving "current_remaining" outside the if statement (otherwise it skips the pauses).

Before:

            if(pcSound)
            {
                if(*pcSound!=pcLastSample)
                {
                    pcLastSample=*pcSound;

                    if(pcLastSample)
                        // The PC PIC counts down at 1.193180MHz
                        // So pwm_freq = counter_freq / reload_value
                        // reload_value = pcLastSample * 60 (see SDL_DoFX)
                        current_freq = 1193180 / (pcLastSample * 60);
                    else
                        current_freq = 0;

                    // The PC speaker sample rate is 140Hz (see SDL_t0SlowAsmService)
                    current_remaining = param_samplerate / 140;
                }

After:

            if(pcSound)
            {
                // The PC speaker sample rate is 140Hz (see SDL_t0SlowAsmService)
                current_remaining = param_samplerate / 140;

                if(*pcSound!=pcLastSample)
                {
                    pcLastSample=*pcSound;

                    if(pcLastSample)
                        // The PC PIC counts down at 1.193180MHz
                        // So pwm_freq = counter_freq / reload_value
                        // reload_value = pcLastSample * 60 (see SDL_DoFX)
                        current_freq = 1193180 / (pcLastSample * 60);
                    else
                        current_freq = 0;
                }

I also got rid of the "phase smoothing" because it sounds less cheezy and more authentic without it.  

Before:

            if (current_freq != 0)
            {
                // Adjust phase to match to the new frequency.
                // This gives us a smooth transition between different tones,
                // with no impulse changes.

                phase_offset = (phase_offset * oldfreq) / current_freq;
            }

After:

                phase_offset = 0;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oac-tZHHzes


edit: Barry also found out that removing the last NOTYET wasn't a good idea because Digi doors stop making sounds

         }
         else
         {
-#ifdef NOTYET
             if (s->priority < DigiPriority)
                 return(false);
-#endif
 
             int channel = SD_PlayDigitized(DigiMap[sound], lp, rp);
             SoundPositioned = ispos;

Princess Peach wrote:Thanks. I fixed the speed issue by moving "current_remaining" outside the if statement (otherwise it skips the pauses).

Before:

            if(pcSound)
            {
                if(*pcSound!=pcLastSample)
                {
                    pcLastSample=*pcSound;

                    if(pcLastSample)
                        // The PC PIC counts down at 1.193180MHz
                        // So pwm_freq = counter_freq / reload_value
                        // reload_value = pcLastSample * 60 (see SDL_DoFX)
                        current_freq = 1193180 / (pcLastSample * 60);
                    else
                        current_freq = 0;

                    // The PC speaker sample rate is 140Hz (see SDL_t0SlowAsmService)
                    current_remaining = param_samplerate / 140;
                }

After:

            if(pcSound)
            {
                // The PC speaker sample rate is 140Hz (see SDL_t0SlowAsmService)
                current_remaining = param_samplerate / 140;

                if(*pcSound!=pcLastSample)
                {
                    pcLastSample=*pcSound;

                    if(pcLastSample)
                        // The PC PIC counts down at 1.193180MHz
                        // So pwm_freq = counter_freq / reload_value
                        // reload_value = pcLastSample * 60 (see SDL_DoFX)
                        current_freq = 1193180 / (pcLastSample * 60);
                    else
                        current_freq = 0;
                }

I also got rid of the "phase smoothing" because it sounds less cheezy and more authentic without it.  

Before:

            if (current_freq != 0)
            {
                // Adjust phase to match to the new frequency.
                // This gives us a smooth transition between different tones,
                // with no impulse changes.

                phase_offset = (phase_offset * oldfreq) / current_freq;
            }

After:

                phase_offset = 0;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oac-tZHHzes


edit: Barry also found out that removing the last NOTYET wasn't a good idea because Digi doors stop making sounds

         }
         else
         {
-#ifdef NOTYET
             if (s->priority < DigiPriority)
                 return(false);
-#endif
 
             int channel = SD_PlayDigitized(DigiMap[sound], lp, rp);
             SoundPositioned = ispos;

Thanks for the videos.  The sounds brought back memories from 1992 & 1993.  What did you do to show the maps on the screen in the first video?