FM-Towns versions

[Jacks]

Hey everobdy!!

I have the chance to get The Secret of Monkey Island FM-Towns version, and i need advice:
Is it worth if I already have the CD version?

I ask this because i also have two FM-Towns versions:
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Loom.

With Loom ... I don't know if it is a ScummVM problem, but i feel it is a bit faster. Also, there is some strange glitches in the 'screen change' (only a second) as, for example, in the 'intro'.



But we all know this version is the better we can get. Because its VGA Graphics, with the characters close-up during a conversation (cut in the CD talkie version), with the entire dialog text (cut in the CD talkie version) and, over all, because a beautiful CD-quality sound (non in the CD talkie version, because the CD capacity is used for the voices).

With Indy3 ... well I don't if it is worth. The sound is incredible, of course (extract from the films), but it is not very well synchronized. For example, in the University (at beginning) there is no background sound. And when you find the Grial Diary, the sound is cut. Things like that.
In conclussion, it's not so worthy as Loom version, but the sound it is much better than VGA version (of course).

So ... The Secret of Monkey Island also has a escellent sound in the CD version ... is it better in the FM-Towns? Are any difference?

Thanks a lot in advance.

[Whomper]

To the best of my knowledge, the only FM-Towns versions that offer any advantages are Zak McKracken and Loom (256 colour graphics, CD audio) and Indy 3 (CD audio).

The FM Towns few attempts at midi synthesis (the kazoo in Zak, the Venice theme or the piano playing in Indy) are physically painful.

I believe that Monkey Island 1 is basically identical to the PC CD version. Indy 4 and Monkey Island 2, I'm not sure - both of these games used midi quite extensively, so god knows what they sounded like on an FM Towns (unless later Towns models had better sound chips, which is likely).

[Kaminari]

FYI, you're talking about FM synthesis, not MIDI. All FM-Towns models are equiped with a YM2612, same soundchip as the Mega Drive. It's not a bad processor, but it's not exactly as good as a YM3812 (fewer channels than AdLib, and the sound emulation itself is a bit rough compared to a real machine).

[Jacks]

To the best of my knowledge, the only FM-Towns versions that offer any advantages are Zak McKracken and Loom (256 colour graphics, CD audio) and Indy 3 (CD audio).

The FM Towns few attempts at midi synthesis (the kazoo in Zak, the Venice theme or the piano playing in Indy) are physically painful.

I believe that Monkey Island 1 is basically identical to the PC CD version. Indy 4 and Monkey Island 2, I'm not sure - both of these games used midi quite extensively, so god knows what they sounded like on an FM Towns (unless later Towns models had better sound chips, which is likely).

That's what I supose. FM-Towns versions are not cheap, and I wanted to be sure about this. I won't take it... for now

Zak McKracken is almost impossible to find

[Whomper]

FYI, you're talking about FM synthesis, not MIDI. All FM-Towns models are equiped with a YM2612, same soundchip as the Mega Drive. It's not a bad processor, but it's not exactly as good as a YM3812 (fewer channels than AdLib, and the sound emulation itself is a bit rough compared to a real machine).

Whoops, my bad. I didn't realise the chip was the same as that in a Megadrive; makes that Venice music all the more inexplicable, and perhaps explains why Lucasarts waited for the Mega CD before porting Monkey Island.