Super Darius (Surround Sound?)

[VenomMacbeth]

Sorry if making a whole topic for this was dumb, but I just happened to notice the little Dolby Surround Sound logo on the title screen of Super Darius (I was watching a youtube video of it.)  How well is the "surround sound" utilized for this game?  I can't imagine Darius having the most immersing audio ever, but I have a surround sound stereo system & was curious as to just how good the game would sound on such a system.

I'd get the game & test it out myself but, alas, no CD-Rom2 unit. :/

[Frank_fjs]

I will have to try that, never noticed it before. Not sure how well it's going to sound though, seeing as the PCE doesn't have digital audio output.

[Black Tiger]

The CD soundtrack is in Surround Sound. 16-bit games can and have (Super Turrican? ) output surround sound with chip music.

Nothing(?) had modern Digital Audio output connections back when Surround Sound came out. CD music is still digital, stereo RCA cables/jacks are just analog (which can still do surround sound).

[SignOfZeta]

Yeah, you don't need digital connections for Dolby Surround. The center and rear channel are folded into the L and R via a relatively transparent, totally analog process. When invented for theaters digital audio didn't exist period, it was done with stereo optical soundtracks on 35mm prints. 

Coming from the CD the effect could be very good. I don't have this game though so I've never done it.

[esteban]

So...has anyone determined if the sound effects in Super Darius are in "Surround Sound"...or is it limited to the Red Book tracks only?

RELATED (kinda?): Even simple stereo effects can be nice and have been used in TG-16/PCE games. IIRC, Dungeon Explorer had sound effects that were left-dominant, right-dominant, (or panned L->R/R->L) depending on characters position on the the screen. It was very subtle and most folks would overlook it, but I thought it was a nice touch.

Of course, I could be entirely wrong and certain sound effects might always pan, regardless of the player's coordinates.

Set the record straight!

[ParanoiaDragon]

DE1 deffinitely had the L & R thing going on depending on which side of the level you were on. But I'm 99.% sure DE2 (unfortunately) didn't.

[esteban]

DE1 deffinitely had the L & R thing going on depending on which side of the level you were on. But I'm 99.% sure DE2 (unfortunately) didn't.

I'm glad I'm not losing my mind . What a damn shame if DE2 downgraded.


BACK TO DARIUS: Go back a post or two and answer my question about the sound effects in Darius, comrades!

[SignOfZeta]

I don't own this game and I'm too lazy to download it. My hunch is "no" though.

[vestcoat]

Solider Blade has panning sound effects. IIRC, Davis Cup Tennis does too.

[Black Tiger]

I had a Surround Sound setup during the late 90's and played Super Darius all the time. My memory could be wrong, but the soundtrack surround was noticeable and I listened carefully for the sfx but they didn't seem to do anything other than perhaps stereo.

[Joe Redifer]

The Turbo could definitely do surround sound via "chip tunes" if the developer wanted.  For the center channel, it's as easy as playing something in mono (both left and right carry the same information in phase).  For the surround channel, it works the same as mono but the left and right are out of phase.  So I think you'd probably need to use two sound channels playing the exact same sound at the same time, but one channel out of phase with the other.

[esteban]

Solider Blade has panning sound effects. IIRC, Davis Cup Tennis does too.

Well, damn! That's great. I'll have to play them with TurboExpress + headphones to experience the glory.

I had a Surround Sound setup during the late 90's and played Super Darius all the time. My memory could be wrong, but the soundtrack surround was noticeable and I listened carefully for the sfx but they didn't seem to do anything other than perhaps stereo.

Thank you! Anyone else want to corroborate this?

The Turbo could definitely do surround sound via "chip tunes" if the developer wanted.  For the center channel, it's as easy as playing something in mono (both left and right carry the same information in phase).  For the surround channel, it works the same as mono but the left and right are out of phase.  So I think you'd probably need to use two sound channels playing the exact same sound at the same time, but one channel out of phase with the other.

Gotcha.