Gabriel Knight 1 using the Collector DOSBox installer

[Subbi]

Hi,

I have a question concerning running the CD version of Gabriel Knight 1 using the DOSBox installer.

First of all the installer seems to apply the Thunderboard sound driver instead of the Soundblaster.
I noticed that the Thunderboard outputted a much poorer sound quality for the CD/digital music, so I switched it into soundblaster which immediately improved the sound quality. It does pair with an occasional "crackle" when a new track is started, but the quality is so much better.

Is there any other reason why the Soundblaster is not the default output?

Secondly, after playing the intro (the dream sequence) en the credits roll, I noticed that the music (gabriel knight theme) from the initial menu screen is played again.
I remember distinctly from some years ago playing the windows version,that another track should be played at this point. I think the track that should be played is the same one as the ending credits (upon completing the game) if I remember correctly.

Did anyone else notice this? Is it normal for the DOS version?

Also the intro track that is played during the intro credits seem to provide more "crackles" than the other CD/digital tracks....like its an old radio.

If you have any experience with these issues and you found a way to overcome them, I'd appreciate any advise.

Thanks much,
Ivar

[Collector]

ThunderBoard is selected because of the sound distortion and noise with SoundBlaster. The Sierra SoundBlaster driver is infamously problematic, from the earlier VGA games with the Cannot initialize your hardware to the later static and distortion. There really is not that much difference between the quality of sound from SoundBlaster and ThunderBoard. Keep in mind, The main reason that I started to write my installers was because I found myself helping people with the same issues, over and over again, so I choose defaults settings that will cause the fewest problems for the most people as well as what will give the best results. If I had chosen SoundBlaster for GK1, I would be getting people on a regular basis asking for help with the noise, after using the installer. You are the first person to even notice the ThunderBoard selection.

The installers do copy the Sierra install files for those that wish to experiment with different hardware settings. I just don't advertise it. If a user that knows how to do it, he can find it in the game's directory. These people generally will not need much hand holding. Manual editing of the RESOURCE.CFG file is also an option for more advanced users.

As far as a difference in music after the opening sequence in the Windows version from the DOS version, it has been so long since I have played the Windows version that I can't remember. Since I have Win7 64-bit, I can't try the Windows version without setting it up in a virtual machine. More trouble than it is worth if I don't have to. Perhaps Someone else here with 32-bit Windows can try.

[Subbi]

I have put the config settings back to Thunderboard. As I mentioned, its only appalling quality for the CD audio....the rest of the game is mostly midi (which sounds very nice through my soundcanvas)....and voice audio (where the quality difference is not so noticeable).

I assume there are no updated/improved soundblaster drivers available to correct this?

Then concerning the music in the intro-credits:
I realise this may be just a matter for the people who have the CD version.
I just downloaded the midi-soundtrack from queststudios.com, and in the tracklisting the intro credits are not even mentioned....this soundtrack is probably ripped from the disk version of Gabriel Knight 1.

But listening at the midi-track, the music I used to hear in the introcredits (when I played the game in windows 95/98/XP) is exactly the same as marked in the tracklisting as "closing theme".
I'm 100% sure of that. Now I hear the Introduction/Opening theme.....aka main Gabriek Knight theme (which also plays on the menu screen after loading the game).

best regards,
Ivar

[Subbi]

I just heard that Gabriel Knight 1 was released on GOG.com
Anyone have any experience with this version?

I heard its the normal CD version released with DOSBox, but tweaked by the GOG.com team.

Does anyone know if they:
- manage to improve the audio quality by tweaking the drivers or DOSBox settings?
- perhaps managed to resize the cutscenes, so they are the same size as the main game?

If this version is more optimized than what I have now, I might be tempted to buy it there.

Then a completely unrelated question concerning Munt: (I did not find any other forum applicable for this topic)

Anyone else have issues installing the Munt-driver on Win7? (for mt-32 emulation)
When I try to install it as a "legacy hardware" (the only option I found in Win7 for this) then Windows tells me that the driver is not 64-bit compatible and cannot be installed.

Bye,
Subbi

[misslilo]

It's impossible to fix all sound issues with GK 1 - but other than that I found it played nicely.
As for the cutscenes, I think there's some installer version, that does that, but that one doesn't work with the GOG version.

[Collector]

Try changing audioDrv to DACTHUND.DRV in the RESOURCE.CFG. Munt won't install on 64-bit Windows, no 32-bit driver will.