Amiga music available

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. It was actually Mindscape in the UK who did the WC Amiga version. I guess they were contracted by Origin to do it as they had more Amiga expertise.

Well if one takes into account Ultima V and VI, it's understandable statement.
Although they were nothing like Westwood Associates (later studios), Lucasfilms (laster LucasArts) or Dynamix regarding Amiga expertise development, they sure were nothing like SIERRA (awfull washed out Amiga ports with not much thought into - just port and package).

Actually Wing Commander game in its all was quite diferent romp from the usual Adventure/RPG style stuff that Origin got us used to (exception to Space Rogue). I remember comments from early preview days (when it was known as Wing Leader still). But Chris Roberts knew how to make a game an enjoyable life experience!

As for the audio - great work Mark. Someday you should tell about that story - a successful one IMHO, or else I wouldn't be commenting this old thread.
 
I found this thread that mentions Amiga Sierra Games supporting MT-32...

And what a shock, it seems it appeared in a magazine (at some stage of development) the possibility of Amiga supporting MT-32!

BTW: "THE ONE" April 1991:

-snip-

COMMANDING CONVERSION TABLE

S-based Eastridge Technology is currently converting Wing Commander to the Amiga. This experienced developer has worked for Mindscape since 1985, producing a number of products including most of its big Nintendo games, such as Paperboy and Gauntlet II. on the NES and Gameboy.
A four-disk product. Amiga Wing Commander is slated for an October release and all attempts ^re being made to keep it similar to its PC original.
Potential players can choose between having all of the animated sequences, and the consequent disk swapping, or can go for a more refined game in terms of presentation. The use of single screens from the animated sequences with a limited amount of animation will allow this version to function in a far quicker and playable way.
Thefinished product will incorporate 32-colour ray traced graphics and support the Roland sound-box and Miracle sound technology it may even come on a ROM cartridge. "When we're getting nearer to launch, we'll look at the most cost effective method," reveals Phil Harrison, Mindscape's Software Development Manager at Mindscape. "The delivery medium will be the best way to show the game off whether it be floppy disk, Compact Disc or cartridge."
Ultima VI is due to appear on the Amiga in September, with a company called Technology Works is in charge of this conversion.
Prices for the above games will be somewhere between £29.99 and £34.99. And as Savage Empire and Martian Dreams were developed using a subset of Ultima VI technology, there's no reason why these products can't be converted either. But why are there such long delays in converting Origin blockbusters to the Amiga?

"We believe the quality of the product is more important than the delivery date," says Phil Harrison. "A number of our competitors have had excellent PC products and very bad Amiga conversions. The Origin product-line is built on quality and long shelf-life."
The bad news for ST owners though, is that Origin has no immediate plans to convert Wing Commander or Ultima VI onto your machine.
"An ST version of Wing Commander isn't technically possible," says Mindscape. "It's not even worth trying, due to the lack of colours and no hardware support to move sprites and graphics around. However, although we're not doing Ultima VI on ST, it's not a closed book."
Tell us what you think about this major disappointment by writing to: THE ONE, EMAP Images, Priory Court, 30-32 Farringdon Lane, London EC1R 3AU or fax 071 490 1095

It mentions 4 disks and 32 colours, so one would believe that they were in middle stage development (or even in limbo)...

There's a video of Amiga Sierra Games supporting MT-32 (But the games themselve suck big time on the Amiga and not this or the native audio could save them).

Truth has to be said. I'm glad they went for the native audio route...Less strain on the CPU, and I like the result better.
Still it's a curious note... Don't know if it really was considered or just a way to impress the media back in the days.

Maybe Mark Knight could comment on this?!
 
I also recently read an old interview with Nick Pelling where he talks about wanting to have some speech in Wing Commander I Amiga. And of course there's talk of converting Secret Missions and working on Wing Commander II. No idea if any thought went into the latter, but a number of those Amiga magazines you can find online use screenshots showing the Sivar dreadnaught in them...
 
Hey ho.. I never heard anything about MT32 support, number of disks or ROM catridges. When I got involved WC was simply a standard Amiga game, running just on the native hardware. As for supporting the Miracle. That was a Piano Teaching System, so no idea what Phil was on about. He left Mindscacpe the week that I started full time, after finishing WC.

I never saw anything to do with the Secret Missions or WCII either, so can't comment on that, sorry.

I'll always be appreciative of Wing Commander and Mindscape, especially Richard Lienfellner who gave me the opportunity to work on what was my first full game. The good old days :)

Anyone interested in what I'm up to now musically, check out www.flitkillsmoths.co.uk - chiptunes here we come!

m
 
Thanks Mark! Too much media hype I guess...

Anyway, it would be nice to have In-game speech on the CD-32 version. The media would have enough space for that...
As for the cut-scenes I wouldn't mid if the subtitles were present, and/or there was the option to turn off speech in those...
 
Only 4 audio channels on the Amiga don't forget, so you'd lose 2 from the music every time a speech and SFX file played at the same time.... and it was bad enough when you lost 1 for a SFX. Stood out really badly on WC with the 'orchestral' soundtrack.
 
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