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> One reason the x86 PC became the dominant game platform in the early 1990s was the availability of affordable sound cards like the AdLib and Sound Blaster. C

by Lio 4y ago

> One reason the x86 PC became the dominant game platform in the early 1990s was the availability of affordable sound cards like the AdLib and Sound Blaster. Cause and effect are the wrong way round here. Pretty much every other gaming platform had had multi-channel stereo sound since the mid-80s, so it’s unlikely this is a reason PCs came to dominate the market. PCs eventually gained affordable sound cards because they were already dominant by that time. There was a market ready and waiting for Sound Blaster, et al.

vintermann 4y ago
I was about to react to that line too. It's impressively wrong on so many levels. "affordable" - PC was the superior gaming platform from around 90 if you're generous, but it was never, ever, the more affordable option. IBM compatibles were horribly expensive. Yeah sure, the AdLib card wasn't terribly expensive in itself (about $130), but it gave sound capabilities of the same type, but much weaker than a Sega Megadrive (about $190 for the whole thing) Sad to say, I don't think many people got converted to the FM sound by the AdLib card. Most games just used the general midi driver, and it wasn't great. A few games with a custom driver (KGB, Dune) showed that the hardware could do better, but it didn't catch on. It also didn't help that soundblaster's AdLib emulation, which probably far more people ever heard than an actual AdLib, was terrible.
- bzzzt 4y ago
  Of course PC's were expensive, but most people at the time bought PC's for those fancy new word processors and spreadsheets. A small price increase for added sound capability is an easier sell than a dedicated gaming console which also competes with the family TV. Also, PC games were effectively free due to widespread piracy. IDK about the Soundblaster AdLib emulation, my first SB card had the same OPL-3 synth chip as was found on the original AdLib board so should sound about the same.
  - vintermann 4y ago
    Yes, in other words, IBM compatibles became a gaming platform by chance because of its success in the business world, not because of the FM sound. Piracy I think is a wash. Sure, it let us play more of the games that existed for the platform, but probably limited investment, in ports in particular. Yes, in the beginning Sound Blaster cards had the same chip, but eventually they switched to a clone/emulation. But quite possibly it didn't matter much, since most general midi soundtracks made so poor use of the chipset.
    - bzzzt 4y ago
      I wouldn't underestimate the amount of PC enthousiasm generated by piracy in the late-80's and 90's, especially here in the EU where imported games were priced way above something kids could afford with pocket money. Didn't know about the OPL3 clones, agree it didn't matter much since by that time CD-ROM became common and most games got digital soundtracks instead of MIDI/synth stuff.
      - adql 4y ago
        Right but every single other platform that had writable media(tapes/floppies) had plenty of piracy too. Nobody bought PC over Amiga "coz it's easier to pirate games"
        bzzzt 4y ago
        Nope, people bought a PC because it was good for learning/office and they were even subsidised here. Amiga had a reputation for being more a kind of fancy game machine in the EU.
        vintermann 4y ago
        If anything it would probably be the other way around, since all the major cracking groups started on Commodore computers.
pjmlp 4y ago
As the only PC owner on my group of friends, it was always a joy when we got together for gaming parties/demoscene stuff, and I could hack away on their Amigas. So yeah, the article has a bit of revisionism there.
adql 4y ago
Not just sound, many other ones have video chips that had a bunch of 2D acceleration features vs PC's plain old ass framebuffer where you needed to burn CPU cycles to move anything on. Multi-media-wise PCs were behind for a relatively long time compared to other home computers. I don't think it would be overstatement to say only reason PC won was coz of competition's mismanagement

by Lio 4y ago

vintermann 4y ago

I was about to react to that line too. It's impressively wrong on so many levels. "affordable" - PC was the superior gaming platform from around 90 if you're generous, but it was never, ever, the more affordable option. IBM compatibles were horribly expensive. Yeah sure, the AdLib card wasn't terribly expensive in itself (about $130), but it gave sound capabilities of the same type, but much weaker than a Sega Megadrive (about $190 for the whole thing) Sad to say, I don't think many people got converted to the FM sound by the AdLib card. Most games just used the general midi driver, and it wasn't great. A few games with a custom driver (KGB, Dune) showed that the hardware could do better, but it didn't catch on. It also didn't help that soundblaster's AdLib emulation, which probably far more people ever heard than an actual AdLib, was terrible.

bzzzt 4y ago
Of course PC's were expensive, but most people at the time bought PC's for those fancy new word processors and spreadsheets. A small price increase for added sound capability is an easier sell than a dedicated gaming console which also competes with the family TV. Also, PC games were effectively free due to widespread piracy. IDK about the Soundblaster AdLib emulation, my first SB card had the same OPL-3 synth chip as was found on the original AdLib board so should sound about the same.
- vintermann 4y ago
  Yes, in other words, IBM compatibles became a gaming platform by chance because of its success in the business world, not because of the FM sound. Piracy I think is a wash. Sure, it let us play more of the games that existed for the platform, but probably limited investment, in ports in particular. Yes, in the beginning Sound Blaster cards had the same chip, but eventually they switched to a clone/emulation. But quite possibly it didn't matter much, since most general midi soundtracks made so poor use of the chipset.
  - bzzzt 4y ago
    I wouldn't underestimate the amount of PC enthousiasm generated by piracy in the late-80's and 90's, especially here in the EU where imported games were priced way above something kids could afford with pocket money. Didn't know about the OPL3 clones, agree it didn't matter much since by that time CD-ROM became common and most games got digital soundtracks instead of MIDI/synth stuff.
    - adql 4y ago
      Right but every single other platform that had writable media(tapes/floppies) had plenty of piracy too. Nobody bought PC over Amiga "coz it's easier to pirate games"
      - bzzzt 4y ago
        Nope, people bought a PC because it was good for learning/office and they were even subsidised here. Amiga had a reputation for being more a kind of fancy game machine in the EU.
      - vintermann 4y ago
        If anything it would probably be the other way around, since all the major cracking groups started on Commodore computers.

pjmlp 4y ago

As the only PC owner on my group of friends, it was always a joy when we got together for gaming parties/demoscene stuff, and I could hack away on their Amigas. So yeah, the article has a bit of revisionism there.

adql 4y ago

Not just sound, many other ones have video chips that had a bunch of 2D acceleration features vs PC's plain old ass framebuffer where you needed to burn CPU cycles to move anything on. Multi-media-wise PCs were behind for a relatively long time compared to other home computers. I don't think it would be overstatement to say only reason PC won was coz of competition's mismanagement