Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
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From: mnrausch@immd4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Martin Rausche)
Subject: Sierra(Was: Re: Sound cards-sound blaster, adlib, roland..)
Message-ID: <1991May6.131225.27156@informatik.uni-erlangen.de>
Organization: CSD., University of Erlangen, Germany
References: <jayh.673378215@s.ms.uky.edu> <1991May4.221340.12097@d.cs.okstate.edu>
Distribution: comp
Date: Mon, 6 May 1991 13:12:25 GMT
Lines: 55

ong@d.cs.okstate.edu (ONG ENG TENG) writes:

>From article <jayh.673378215@s.ms.uky.edu>, by jayh@ms.uky.edu (Jay Hofacker):
>> The Roland LAPC is the best sound card I've heard for the PC.  It has eight
>> synthesizers plus a percusion synthesizer.  The sound quality is astounding.
>> All new Sierra games support the LAPC.  Of course, at $300-400, you get what
>> you pay for.

>First, Sierra games are somewhat boring (by TODAY's standards of 
>Wing Commander and Tycoon).

That's your opinion. Space Quest IV uses the digital voice output and sounds
great. Connect the SoundBlaster to your hifi-system and listen.
Have you ever heard a spaceship flying through your office ?
Really great game and you can play it on a 12 MHz 286. Try Wing Commander on 
this kind of computer; it's really slow and boring !!!
SQ4 supports Roland card and uses the SB for Soundeffects. What about
Wing Commander? (hahaha, do you hear me laughing)

>  Other game makers like Origin and
>Microprose has improve themselves greatly while Sierra 
>kept beating the same dead horse.  Other than that, there are many more 
>new (great) games supporting Sound Blaster than Roland.

>(I bought KingQuest V and got tired after ONE DAY, gave it away.  I also
>checked out PoliceQuest 2 at my friend's place, yawn) 

Kings Quest 5 = really great pictures (talking about 320x200x256)
Wing Commander = slow, boring flight simulation

>Second, if the digital voice output (8-bit DAC) should become popular,
>Roland users would be left out because it does not have 
>Sound Blaster-specification digital voice output channel (if it has any
>DAC at all).  

>All in all, due to the popularity of Sound Blaster (about 100,000 in the US),
>and its power in population growth (good hardware at cheap price, 
>a simple Adlib used to cost $400, now SB is only $150), game makers will
>always has SB in their mind when designing game.

>You can fight the crowd... if you writes your own games. 

>p.s.  I heard that a few motherboard makers are considering building 
>      Sound Blaster into their motherboards. 

I suggest to buy a Sound Blaster. I think it's the best card for a good price!

(Remark: flames > /dev/null)

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| Martin Rausche                                                              |
| EMail: mnrausch@immd4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de                            |
| Trust me, I know what I'm doing -- Sledge Hammer                            |
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