Use Custom Timidity Patches

Below is a short explanation of Timidity, a platform we use for enabling DOOM music in Linux and Win32.

• If you have Windows Vista or 7, you will need to follow the instructions beforehand to get set up. Microsoft changed the way Windows handles MIDI beginning with Vista so the standard playback method no longer becomes supported. XP users (and below) do not need these as SYSTEM will function correctly - however, they can still select Timidity.

   Timidity is a program for playing MIDI music, and 3DGE includes
   a built-in version of it.  For Linux users this is the only
   way to hear DOOM format music, but Windows users can use it too
   (see the Music Device entry in the Sound Options menu). As stated above,
   if you have Vista or 7 you *must* select Timidity.

   Timidity requires "GUS Patch" files to work, which are special
   sound data for musical instruments.  Under Linux you can simply
   install the 'freepats' package and it should work.  

Run 3DGE and the following messages should appear in the console:

   >  Loading Timidity config: ./8mbgmpat/TIMIDITY.CFG
   >  I_StartupMusic: Timidity Init OK

NOTE: SoundFonts (SF2 files) are different from GUS patch files and are NOT supported by 3DGE.

Installation

• For Windows users, starting with version 1.36F, the patchets are already installed and ready-for-use. They are located in the folder named 8MBGMPAT. You can swap these patchsets out for anything else, such as EAWPATS.

• If you still don't hear music, make sure Timidity is selected from the OPTIONS menu as the default Music device, and make sure you haven't deleted the 8MBGMPAT folder.