Why make these music packs?

The Roland SC-55 was the standard in the 90s for computer game soundtracks. It was the top of the line. The absolute best you could buy. Nearly every game supported it and preferred its many enhancements over the simple General MIDI standard. They not only supported it but most game soundtracks were composed with it and as a result their best gaming experiences were meant to be made with an SC-55. And now that I have an SC-55 myself I can share this experience with everyone else through the wonders of modern source ports with digital music pack support! After doing Duke Nukem 3D I enjoyed the process so much that I decided to record the SC-55 soundtracks of bunch of other games for completeness' sake. And also in anticipation of newer game ports that will hopefully one day support these music packs. And so I am.

That's the short version. Click here for a longer and much more in-depth history of PC game music media.

How can I play these games with your music packs?

Most of the games I've made music packs for have modern ports that you can play on modern computers. Some of them support music packs like mine. They come in all sorts of shapes and flavours to suit any individual's needs. Here's a list of them.

= Natively supports music packs
= Natively supports metadata loop tags for seamless looping playback
() = Partially supports metadata loop tags for seamless looping playback (see port description details)

Rise of the Triad

• Rise of the Triad - Ludicrous Edition - Official rerelease for modern platforms complete with a level editor developed by NightDive Studios, New Blood Interactive, and published by Apogee Entertainment. This port supports custom music packs with metadata loop tags for seamless looping!
• WinROTT & GLRott - Two source ports for Rise of the Triad
• RottExpr
• Icculus

Duke Nukem 3D

• EDuke32 - The best source port for Duke Nukem 3D. Be sure to grab the latest synthesis builds for the latest cutting edge features. Like metadata loop point tags.
• Duke Nukem 3D Megaton Edition - Official release on Steam by General Arcade. Duke3D SC-55 V4.0 soundtrack comes included! Discontinued. However, if you bought it before it was taken down, you're lucky!
• Raze - Based on GZDoom tech.
• xDuke - A simple but very efficient port

Doom, Ultimate Doom, Doom II, Final Doom, Heretic

• ZDoom/GZDoom - Popular source port for Doom. Supports OGG, FLAC, MP3, MOD, MID, SPC, and many more music formats.
• Chocolate Doom () - Authentic port of Doom without any bells or whistles. Make sure to get the latest build from the development section for the latest features!
  There are special configuration files available for using music packs with this port. Currently, it works for all supported platforms except Windows.
• Crispy Doom () - A middle-of-the-road port that places its goals between Chocolate Doom and ZDoom. It is a fairly stripped down and "vanilla" port except for some expansions like lifted map limitations and digital music pack supports. NOTE: This port supports music packs on any platform in zipped format with the traditional "-file" import command parameter like G/ZDoom, but if you want the metadata loop tags you must use the Chocolate Doom method with its special config files, but like Chocolate Doom it doesn't yet support Windows.
• Doomsday Engine - Another highly popular source port with music pack support.
• EZDoom - Another port based on GZDoom with a simpler and easier interface. Just boot it up and go! Comes with shareware versions of Doom, Heretic, Hexen, and Strife as well as the full version of FreeDoom.

Hocus Pocus

• Hocusdoom - Hocus Pocus does not support music packs, but I recommend checking out ravage's mod for Doom II which, when played with the latest build of GZDoom, works just fine with music packs!

Super 3D Noah's Ark

• ECWolf - This port supports playing Wolfenstein 3D, Spear of Destiny, and Super 3D Noah's Ark, which is the only title in this list that used MIDI for its soundtrack. So it's the only one that supports music packs (at the moment). Speaking of which....
• Super 3D Noah's Ark on Steam! - Alternatively, you can buy the game on Steam (and also itch.io if you don't like Steam!) which comes with the music pack built in! A generous percentage of the profit goes to ECWolf's further development, so consider buying it and supporting it!

Shadow Warrior

• VoidSW (EDuke32) - Included in EDuke32. Uses the same executable.
• Shadow Warrior Classic Redux - Official rerelease. Just replace (after backing up) the existing music files to use the SC-55 recordings instead. Made by General Arcade, the same developers of Duke Nukem 3D Megaton Edition.
• Raze - Based on GZDoom tech.
• JFSW - JonoF's port
• SWP - ProASM's port

Blood

• NBlood - Based on EDuke32
• BuildGDX - Also based on EDuke32 but implemented in Java.
• Raze - Based on GZDoom tech.
• Fresh Supply (BloodEX) - The official rerelease made by Nightdive Studios in the KEX engine (same developers and engine as the Doom 64 and Turok 1/2 rereleses). Not the most accurate port, but currently is the only way to purchase Blood anymore.

Descent I & II

• Dxx-Rebirth - Source ports for Descent I and II

If you have a request, question, or even a word of thanks you can contact me in one of the methods below:

Duke4.net forum thread
Direct contact: getmusic AT brandonblume DOT com

© 2010 - 2023 Site design and music pack recordings by Brandon Blume, aka MusicallyInspired