MVS Tracker Introduction ------------ Finally, it is here, the final tool we were waiting for : a music tracker for the Megadrive/Genesis Based on the original MVS Tracker for NeoGeo, Pascal modified it to export for Megadrive/Genesis. After the sofware, we need the documentation so here I come. *NOTE* it's a quickly written documentation so contact me if you see mistake, wrong words or bad sentences. Perhaps I'll write a tutorial later but I'm right now too busy with optimization of MVS Tracker. Useage ------ Keep in mind MVST is a tracker so it is based on tools like FastTracker2. Its main engine is also based on the MOD format with patterns, voices, effects. You must know what a MOD is before to start. First, we need instruments/voices. Launch the Intrument Editor (F12) and load/adjust any instrument needed (you can even test it throught the minimalist piano) Close the window Start our first pattern MVST supports actually 4 of the 6 channels of the Megadrive/Genesis. You can active them or not by click on their green header. For each of the 64 rows available per pattern, you can adjust Note - Octave - Voice - Effect - Value After keyboard layout is chosen ( with the option menu ), you can start to edit your channel throught note. By defaut, the octave and voice used are defined on the header tool bar. You can adjust it throught this bar or adjust the number by yourself on the pattern (note the new octave/voice become the new default one) You can also play with effects and their value. *NOTE* only effect 12,13 and 15 are actually supported for playback If you want an end note (silent), just press the END key Then do the same thing for each channel, using TAB to jump from one to another. Play this pattern to check if all is ok. You can now add and make new patterns...then play all the patterns. You can also import for original MOD but samples will be not imported and only effects 12,13 and 15 will be used When you song is finished or imported/adjused, save it and export a MSV0 rom (File>Export MSV0) This binary file could be loaded on a Megadrive/Genesis emulator or on real hardware to play the song. Key settings ------------ Shift +/- : Increase/Decrease current channel octave +/- : Increase/Decrease current global octave TAB : Jump to next channel END : add an end/silent note : adjust octave, voice number, effect, effect value SPACE : delete note ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Z80 driver The Genny version of the driver used in MVSTracker also have the ability to play DAC sample and PSG fx Look at the Z80 wrapper (z80.asm) available in the demo to see how to play FM, DAC & PSG from 68k code. The driver isn't perfect, I didn't use the 'inuse' flag we talked about in the forum so play DAC with FM or PSG will give you some problems :) How to make DAC sample ? Use SOX and convert any of your sound to unsigned raw data Actually the driver play 9346Hz DAC sample so you'll need to use a batch file with sox -V -r 9346 How to make PSG fx ? Use AYFXedit04, the AFX file it produces can be used on the Genny Warning, noise isn't supported yes because of the big difference between the AY and the YM anymore question ? Look at the demo source or post it on the forum ( http://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A lot of thanks to - Ivan for the first version of MVSTracker, NeoGeo only - Pascal for the Genny version - Fonzie for his general support - Stef and TmEE for their support on the Z80 driver - Shiru for his help on his AYFXEdit - ob1 for the pad logo - Kekun and Vanisher for their precious help on the FM part 2007 - Kaneda