sdl_mixer and music controls

[Catoptromancy]

I noticed every port that uses sdl_mixer has its in-game music volume settings control the system volume. 1 notch above mute in-game is too loud, and mute is just mute. If I set 1 notch above mute in-game and go to synth controls to lower it, its fairly nice. But when music loops or restarts from map change the game/sdl forces my OS'es synth back up.

Scripting a loop that keeps reseting the OS'es music volume to where I want it seems like a solution. But if a solution that ludicrous can be made, then something must be wrong with the volume control method.

Would it ever be possible to have sdl_mixer not touch system settings. Dosbox and zdoom based ports are the only things I can play without constantly messing with volume...or getting the volume right in-game and then all my other apps need volume constantly messed with.

Edit> This only happens in Windows. I am using XP.
Also noticed Odamex only resets system volume on startup. So it can use a nice volume level for a long game.
Guess ill keep testing sdl ports and see what happens.

[andrewj]

Try EDGE, especially using the Timidity music driver (which can be changed in the Sound Options menu). You will need gus patches of course. EDGE does not use SDL_mixer.

LINK: http://edge.sourceforge.net

[Quasar]

The issue of changing the system-wide volume setting, and the issue of the 1 volume == loud, 0 volume == mute are actually two separate things. The former occurs because of SDL_mixer lameness. The latter I have had explained to me as an issue that frequently occurs in Windows XP due to a bug during the installation of sound drivers and has no known fix.

[myk]

SDL_mixer does other weird stuff on my (Windows 98) system. Everything works fine in PrBoom, for example, but if I open a DOS prompt and start up Doom, there is no music. The system slider for MIDI (which I have at max volume) hasn't been moved and this does not affect things outside of DOS. To have music in Doom again, I modify the system MIDI sound volume (I usually move it down a bit and back to max.) I also noticed that if after SDL_mixer has done its thing I open a MIDI file in Media Player, it will play, and MIDI in DOS will be restored. Restarting the computer will also restore MIDI sound to DOS, of course.

EDIT: Hmm, apparently it's not affecting DOS in general as, for instance, Wolf3D, Boom and Duke3D all have music after PrBoom+ is executed, but Doom doesn't. WTF?

[Quasar]

Something you must understand about MCI on Windows 98 is that it is a legacy 16-bit subsystem more or less unmodified since Windows 3.1. It's a piece of shit, basically. I am guessing that it was reimplemented for the NT kernel, but it still sucks even on XP.

You can follow the documentation to the absolute letter and end up with a program that crashes (on 98, the entire system, on XP just the program itself usually).

[myk]

Yeah, piece of shit, but at least Doom's sound works without lagging the game, when it's not conflicting with something, unlike in the wonderful NT kernel :p

Still, this is probably something that can be narrowed down. Not that I'm too concerned, as it's a minor thing and I'm aware the SDL ports are meant more for newer systems. Or maybe such input may provide a bit more light on some of the things SDL_mixer isn't doing so well, somehow.