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Might and Magic seriesWoX: DOSBox Settings Improvements(11 posts)(11 posts)
(11 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted February 18, 2018
I've been playing the Might & Magic games for - wait, when did we enter 2018?! - decades. I started with the M&M3 port on SNES and have run and configured M&M3/4/5 on everything from a native DOS 5 installation through to DOSBox today. I understand GOG sets DOSBox configs unnecessarily low to ensure near-universal operability at the moment of sale, but the settings shipped with the 6-pack are a joke, and the configuration tool doesn't give access to the really important settings. So let's do some manual fine-tuning, shall we?

Accessing the Configuration
The file we are looking for is dosboxMM4-5.conf. If you have GOG Galaxy installed and handling your game library, you can simply right-click Might and Magic 4-5 - World of Xeen, Manage Installation - Show Folder. If you're not using Galaxy (heathen), you'll have to locate wherever you instructed the installer to install the game.

Once you have located the aforementioned file, open it in your favorite flavor of text editor. This user highly recommends Notepad++, though default Notepad is sufficient (double heathen).

Important Settings
GOG has left the DOSBox defaults generally intact. Due to this, WoX often suffers from sound crackling and some anomalies when moving. Unlike many games from the same era, WoX is surprisingly accepting of modern hardware, so uncapping some of these settings does wonders for performance. Below, I will list some specific settings, their default values, their optimal values, and notes where relevant.

fulldouble=
Default = false
Optimal = true
Fulldouble controls double buffering when DOSBox is set to fullscreen. Enabling double buffering smooths some movement stuttering, but only when running in fullscreen.

memsize=
Default = 16
Optimal = 64 (or more)
At the default 16MB setting, WoX regularly pops and crackles moreso than the engine is known for. While many DOS games are prone to freaking out over RAM values higher than 63MB, WoX is not one of them. WoX will run comfortably with a setting of 64, though my personal installation is set to 1024 (1GB) because reasons.

scalar=
Default = normal2x
Optimal = normal3x
Scalar is an image filter used to "improve" dated visuals on modern displays. To be quite frank, using any scalar setting other than normal2x/normal3x on WoX is akin to tie-dying The Last Supper, but to each their own. Be warned, using hq2x/hq3x will round the edges of the game font, reducing text quality drastically. Bumping to normal3x will stretch the game to better fit modern resolutions without sacrificing image quality.

cycles=
Default = fixed 20000
Optimal = max
Unlike MM3, which was prone to running like a squirrel on crack if given modern CPU cycle limits, WoX is actually self-limiting. Setting to max eliminates emulation slowdowns which tend to happen under fixed cycles when multiple or especially detailed (Lord Xeen) enemies are present.

Sound Considerations
I, like many from the era, grew up with a SoundBlaster 16 PnP. I can still remember the old autoexec.bat command for its configuration: SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
Due to this, I'm especially partial to the shipped audio settings. However, the music rendered through a Roland SC-55 is godly. If you are interested in switching to MIDI synthesis, it will take a little more than just DOSBox config hacking, but we'll start there. Warning: Sound effects are tied to MIDI. Notably, walking through shop doors will sound like a classic telephone chime with these setttings. It's up to you if you want to improve music quality by sacrificing SFX quality.

First, find config= under the "midi" header - it will be blank. Add "Roland.SC-55.sf2" to the end, so it appears as so: config=Roland.SC-55.sf2

Next, download a Roland SC-55 soundfont. I keep a mirror of one on my Google Drive, but am forbidden from posting links on GOG forums for some reason - if you need the soundfont, let me know and we'll figure out a way to get it to you. It is already named Roland.SC-55.sf2. If you use a different soundfont, rename the file as Roland.SC-55.sf2 or adjust config= accordingly. Drop the soundfont file directly into the base game installation folder.

Finally, you'll have to set up WoX to directly support it. If using GOG Galaxy, right-click Might and Magic 4-5 - World of Xeen Other - Settings (Full Speech) and follow these inputs through the prompts (if you've changed your SB16 settings, follow the "detected" prompts after setting the cards):
Install with this Sound Configuration? N
Enter number of speech card: 9
Enter number of music card: 7
Enter port for card: 2
Enter IRQ for card: 4
Enter DMA for card: 2
Install with this Sound Configuration? Y
Automatically adjust Sound Blaster volumes? Y
Enter Number to toggle, or ENTER when done: ENTER

You're all set. You'll know you did everything right when the fly and spraycan in the NWC intro sound completely different. To revert the change, simply re-enter the game settings and select SoundBlaster when prompted for the music card.

Reources
(Links removed as I am for some reason forbidden from posting links)
Post edited February 18, 2018 by Azure_Fang
Posted February 19, 2018
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Azure_Fang: scalar=
Default = normal2x
Optimal = normal3x
Scalar is an image filter used to "improve" dated visuals on modern displays. To be quite frank, using any scalar setting other than normal2x/normal3x on WoX is akin to tie-dying The Last Supper, but to each their own. Be warned, using hq2x/hq3x will round the edges of the game font, reducing text quality drastically. Bumping to normal3x will stretch the game to better fit modern resolutions without sacrificing image quality.
Actually, changing the setting on scaler from normal2x to normal3x won't have any effect on most modern monitors if played on fullscreen. All it does is replace a single original pixel with a 2x2 square or a 3x3 square. After which the GPU will fit it to full screen. Taking the vertical pixles for example, stretching 480 pixels that were creating by doubling 240 pixles, and 720 pixels that were creating by tripling 240 pixels into 1080 or 1200 pixels will have almost exactly the same effect. You can take screenshots and compare.
Posted February 20, 2018
avatar
Azure_Fang: scalar=
Default = normal2x
Optimal = normal3x
Scalar is an image filter used to "improve" dated visuals on modern displays. To be quite frank, using any scalar setting other than normal2x/normal3x on WoX is akin to tie-dying The Last Supper, but to each their own. Be warned, using hq2x/hq3x will round the edges of the game font, reducing text quality drastically. Bumping to normal3x will stretch the game to better fit modern resolutions without sacrificing image quality.
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ZFR: Actually, changing the setting on scaler from normal2x to normal3x won't have any effect on most modern monitors if played on fullscreen. All it does is replace a single original pixel with a 2x2 square or a 3x3 square. After which the GPU will fit it to full screen. Taking the vertical pixles for example, stretching 480 pixels that were creating by doubling 240 pixles, and 720 pixels that were creating by tripling 240 pixels into 1080 or 1200 pixels will have almost exactly the same effect. You can take screenshots and compare.
That's the entire point - increasing visual size, thus the last sentence of that paragraph.
Posted February 21, 2018
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Azure_Fang: That's the entire point - increasing visual size, thus the last sentence of that paragraph.
I think ZFR's point was that a normal scaler and GPU image stretching basically do the same thing. So taking the original game and stretching it to fullscreen will look almost identical to putting the game through a normal3x scaler and then stretching it to fullscreen. Is that correct, ZFR? Does this also work for windowed mode, e.g. if I set a fixed windowresolution like 1024x768, does it matter whether I use normal2x or normal3x, or will my GPU stretch the game to fit the window anyway and it will basically look the same with either scaler?

I'm also curious about the sound settings. Is there really no way to have digital SFX and MIDI music at the same time in World of Xeen? How bad are the incorrect sound effects? If I were to use MUNT, would that circumvent the problem with the sound effects?

Thanks!
Posted February 21, 2018
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Waltorious: Is that correct, ZFR? Does this also work for windowed mode, e.g. if I set a fixed windowresolution like 1024x768, does it matter whether I use normal2x or normal3x, or will my GPU stretch the game to fit the window anyway and it will basically look the same with either scaler?
To be honest, I'm not sure how GPU scaling is performed in such cases, but I'm almost sure it would just do some simple interpolation, in which case both normal2x or normal3x would look basically same.
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Azure_Fang: That's the entire point - increasing visual size, thus the last sentence of that paragraph.
Yes, but in that case you can just enter the resolution you want in fixed windowresolution and just let the GPU do the scaling.

EDIT:
Just to be clear, I'm not saying that it's "bad" to use Normal3x. Just saying that if you use a fixed resolution (or go fullscreen) then it won't make a difference whether you use Normal3x or Normal2x.

The only time when it will make a difference is if you are using the same settings file for multiple games with different original resolutions and you want each game to be displayed as 3x its original size, instead of having a fixed resolution for all games.
Post edited February 21, 2018 by ZFR
Posted February 22, 2018
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Azure_Fang: That's the entire point - increasing visual size, thus the last sentence of that paragraph.
avatar
Waltorious: I think ZFR's point was that a normal scaler and GPU image stretching basically do the same thing. So taking the original game and stretching it to fullscreen will look almost identical to putting the game through a normal3x scaler and then stretching it to fullscreen. Is that correct, ZFR? Does this also work for windowed mode, e.g. if I set a fixed windowresolution like 1024x768, does it matter whether I use normal2x or normal3x, or will my GPU stretch the game to fit the window anyway and it will basically look the same with either scaler?
If you're forcing a resolution, there will be no actual difference between normal2x and normal3x. This post assumes no resolution has been forced, which will allow the scalar to do all the work. Relying solely on the normal2x/3x scalar will produce a smaller render, as it is simply scaling the original resolution, whereas forcing a resolution can introduce stretching if you do not use a resolution that is a direct multiple of the game's original resolution.
I'm also curious about the sound settings. Is there really no way to have digital SFX and MIDI music at the same time in World of Xeen? How bad are the incorrect sound effects? If I were to use MUNT, would that circumvent the problem with the sound effects?

Thanks!
Sadly, there is no way I know of to differentiate the two. I do not know the technical end of the why, but SFX in 4+5 are handled by the selected music hardware rather than the hardware selected for speech. As to how much the SFX suffer, I can't say as I run SB16 out of preference. I do remember the "attack" sound being replaced by a chime, then reverting to SB16 because I couldn't justify that change. I have no experience with MUNT, so I don't know if its use would change anything; I only know setting the soundfonts directly through DOSBox.
avatar
Waltorious: Is that correct, ZFR? Does this also work for windowed mode, e.g. if I set a fixed windowresolution like 1024x768, does it matter whether I use normal2x or normal3x, or will my GPU stretch the game to fit the window anyway and it will basically look the same with either scaler?
avatar
ZFR: To be honest, I'm not sure how GPU scaling is performed in such cases, but I'm almost sure it would just do some simple interpolation, in which case both normal2x or normal3x would look basically same.
avatar
Azure_Fang: That's the entire point - increasing visual size, thus the last sentence of that paragraph.
avatar
ZFR: Yes, but in that case you can just enter the resolution you want in fixed windowresolution and just let the GPU do the scaling.

EDIT:
Just to be clear, I'm not saying that it's "bad" to use Normal3x. Just saying that if you use a fixed resolution (or go fullscreen) then it won't make a difference whether you use Normal3x or Normal2x.

The only time when it will make a difference is if you are using the same settings file for multiple games with different original resolutions and you want each game to be displayed as 3x its original size, instead of having a fixed resolution for all games.
Not all hardware scales properly when forcing a resolution. TVs are especially notorious for this (example, my 42" that I'm using right now - I have to use a desktop resolution of 1810x1014 because it doesn't underscan properly). This guide isn't meant to cover full customization, just to improve beyond the trash basic settings in a way that will be instantly usable by any user that opens the thread.
Post edited February 22, 2018 by Azure_Fang
Posted February 22, 2018
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Azure_Fang: Not all hardware scales properly when forcing a resolution. TVs are especially notorious for this (example, my 42" that I'm using right now - I have to use a desktop resolution of 1810x1014 because it doesn't underscan properly).
Fair enough. My post assumes a "normal" monitor is used, but I have no experience with TV. If for some reason hardware scaling is not done properly then it could be another reason normal3x would be better than normal2x.
Posted February 22, 2018
Thanks so much for this; I was really confused as to why WoX was running a lot slower than Isles of Terra on my laptop, and this should help! (when I get around to playing through 4)
Posted February 22, 2018
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Azure_Fang: Sadly, there is no way I know of to differentiate the two. I do not know the technical end of the why, but SFX in 4+5 are handled by the selected music hardware rather than the hardware selected for speech. As to how much the SFX suffer, I can't say as I run SB16 out of preference. I do remember the "attack" sound being replaced by a chime, then reverting to SB16 because I couldn't justify that change. I have no experience with MUNT, so I don't know if its use would change anything; I only know setting the soundfonts directly through DOSBox.
My understanding of MUNT and the Roland MT-32 is: it does NOT use General MIDI, which is what I usually use for soundfonts. It usually has its own entry on the menu for music in the setup for a DOS game, e.g. when picking the music settings you might choose between some variety of soundblaster, Roland MT-32, or General MIDI.

If Xeen allows players to pick the MT-32 for music and Soundblaster for sound effects, then that would work. In other words, if the problems with sound effects result from selecting General MIDI, then maybe using the Roland MT-32 instead will help. But if it absolutely requires a single device be used for both sound effects and music, then it probably won't work; I don't think the Roland was very good at sound effects. I guess I'll just have to try it out... but of course I won't get around to playing Xeen for a long time, as I'm hopelessly behind on all the games I want to play.
Posted February 23, 2018
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Azure_Fang: Sadly, there is no way I know of to differentiate the two. I do not know the technical end of the why, but SFX in 4+5 are handled by the selected music hardware rather than the hardware selected for speech. As to how much the SFX suffer, I can't say as I run SB16 out of preference. I do remember the "attack" sound being replaced by a chime, then reverting to SB16 because I couldn't justify that change. I have no experience with MUNT, so I don't know if its use would change anything; I only know setting the soundfonts directly through DOSBox.
avatar
Waltorious: My understanding of MUNT and the Roland MT-32 is: it does NOT use General MIDI, which is what I usually use for soundfonts. It usually has its own entry on the menu for music in the setup for a DOS game, e.g. when picking the music settings you might choose between some variety of soundblaster, Roland MT-32, or General MIDI.

If Xeen allows players to pick the MT-32 for music and Soundblaster for sound effects, then that would work. In other words, if the problems with sound effects result from selecting General MIDI, then maybe using the Roland MT-32 instead will help. But if it absolutely requires a single device be used for both sound effects and music, then it probably won't work; I don't think the Roland was very good at sound effects. I guess I'll just have to try it out... but of course I won't get around to playing Xeen for a long time, as I'm hopelessly behind on all the games I want to play.
That's the problem. When you configure Xeen, you pick a device for Voice, and a device for Music. There is no seleection for SFX, and they are processed by your Music selection.
Posted February 23, 2018
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Azure_Fang: That's the problem. When you configure Xeen, you pick a device for Voice, and a device for Music. There is no seleection for SFX, and they are processed by your Music selection.
Brutal. I guess I'll have to play around with settings to see which one I like. Maybe the MT-32 will make decent sound effects? (probably not)
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Might and Magic seriesWoX: DOSBox Settings Improvements(11 posts)(11 posts)
(11 posts)