Overview
Several of the older al|together ONScripter games use MIDI for background music. Music in some of the games works with my set-up with the 2011 ONScripter-EN build available on Kaisernet but not with any of the 2023 builds. Below, I will document my set-up and test results with different games.
My set-up
I am running EndeavourOS, based on Arch Linux. My audio server is Pipewire. My set up for MIDI games is Fluidsynth (with all 32-bit libraries installed) and loading three ALSA kernel modules. I did not diverge at all from the relevant instructions on the Arch Wiki other than installing 32-bit libraries. See steps below.
- https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Fluidsynth -- I followed instructions to set up Fluidsynth and run it in ALSA daemon mode.
- Load following kernel modules: (1) snd-seq-oss (2) snd-pcm-oss (3) snd-mixer-oss (see: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/ALSA#OSS_compatibility)
Note that step 1 is sufficient if I am running the original al|together Windows .exe on top of WINE. Step 2 is necessary for sound to work in the native Linux versions.
Also note that I have not tested this with Timidity++ since all of my games work in some form with Fluidsynth.
(I also detailed my set-up in an article, although as I noted I did not diverge from the Arch Wiki: https://thenewleafjournal.com/midi-sound-for-games-on-arch-based-distro/)
Results
Sound for the MIDI games I have tested always works with the original Windows .exe on top of WINE when I have Fluidsynth running. My results running them with Linux ONScripter-EN have been mixed. I will separate the novels into different categories. Note that I tested multiple ONS-23 versions and had the same result with all.
Note: "Original" refers to the Linux ONScripter version that came with the original al|together release. All of the games I am looking at had a native Linux release. Most of the original Linux builds do not run on my system. In those cases, I will write N/R (standing for No Run). In cases where the build does work on my system, I will list the MIDI result as Y or N.
VN |
ONS-11 |
ONS-23 |
Original |
Instant Death! Panda Samurai |
N[1] |
N |
N/R |
My Black Cat |
Y |
N |
N/R |
Night of the Forget-Me-Nots[2] |
Y |
N |
N |
The World to Reverse - Hallucinate[3] |
N |
N |
N/R |
Visions from the Other Side |
Y |
N |
N/R |
Wanderers in the Sky |
N[4] |
N |
N/R |
[1] Glitchy, distorted sound. Does not work for all intents and purposes. But there is some output unlike in ONS23. This could be some issue with my particular configuration, but I will note that sound works fine in Windows version with WINE.
[2] MIDI does not work in 06 or 23 versions. However, terminal output for 06 version references MIDI when the music is supposed to start in-game...
ONScripter version 20060724-insani(2.55)
Autodetect: insanity spirit detected!
Display: 640 x 480 (32 bpp)
Audio: 44100 Hz 16 bit stereo
*** plugin jpgplgin.dll|jpg is not available, ignored. ***
command [killmenu] is not supported yet!!
command [killmenu] is not supported yet!!
*** can't find file [cursor1.bmp] ***
can't play MIDI file bgm/bgm02.mid
No reference to MIDI in 23 build.
[3] Apparently used a unique custom ONScripter build. Special build still downloadable: https://altogether.b-cdn.net/at2006/at2006/twtr_onscripter.tar.bz2
[4] Glitchy sound on start menu, no sound in game. No terminal references. This could be some issue with my particular configuration, but I will note that sound works fine in Windows version with WINE.