What kind of soundtrack PC version really had?

[Panda o' Plenty]

I am interested in finding out how PC version is supposed to sound, before I start my adventure. No, not interested in PS1 music patch.

From what I gathered it's either supposed to be completely silent music-wise or it's supposed to keep looping the tracks. I am not sure which one is true. In case of absolutely no music it could be because CD music wasn't included, as it usually happens with such old DOS games and lazy re-releases. Or in case of looping tracks it could be because of usual technical problems of modern hardware. Heck, I heard that music was cut in budget release. All the random info.

So, what the real original PC release was like?

Asking that before actually starting game, didn't play any version before. Gotta know what my first impression will be like.

[Dfactor]

As far as I remember the music is the same, just a bunch of tracks are missing.
Also different voice acting or at least quality.

[R!SK]

I was watching a gameplay video as I was playing this one and there's missing music everywhere, for example when the big dinassaur appears there's no cue for it like on the console version.

[Panda o' Plenty]

Hm, and how Steam version is different from genuine PC version? Or nothing was cut? (Like, Quake 1 and 2 had whole soundtrack cut on Steam. Not to mentioning that games themselves would try to read music from your first CD drive, not from local files)

[Space Coward]

Originally posted by Foxysen:

Hm, and how Steam version is different from genuine PC version? Or nothing was cut? (Like, Quake 1 and 2 had whole soundtrack cut on Steam. Not to mentioning that games themselves would try to read music from your first CD drive, not from local files)

The Steam version uses DOSBOX-BAUM (a DOSBOX version that has nGlide support) and nGlide to emulate the 3DFX Voodoo GPU's wildly popular back in the day. It also uses a GOG Wrapper to make it all work.

The game's fully functional, but the only music is on the title screen. Everything else used Redbook (played directly from the disc), so the music files aren't even there. It also doesn't come with Unfinished Business, the expansion pack for this game.

I think GOG has these features, but there's also a good patch you can find under the Guides:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=118984427

[Panda o' Plenty]

Hm, then Steam version already uses the best settings, as far as Vanilla goes, it seems?
Aha, so it used Redbook, sounds reasonable. Thanks! I shall go and get them the disc redbooks. (Still didn't get around to play the game, so not too late)

[Space Coward]

Just get the GOG version, it comes with all three and they're all complete from the start.

[Dfactor]

Originally posted by Kill-Cam Celebrity:

Just get the GOG version, it comes with all three and they're all complete from the start.

Last time I checked.... No. Steam version IS the GoG version.

[Space Coward]

Originally posted by Dfactor:

Originally posted by Kill-Cam Celebrity:

Just get the GOG version, it comes with all three and they're all complete from the start.

Last time I checked.... No. Steam version IS the GoG version.

It's missing the music and you pay triple the price.

The GOG version is the whole trilogy with music for $7, Steam charges for them individually and is missing features.

[Panda o' Plenty]

What other Tomb Raider games on Steam use Redbook audio (thus don't have music included)? And hm, for checking puposes, when/where can you hear the music track the first time in Tomb Raider outside of menu?

[Space Coward]

Originally posted by Foxysen:

What other Tomb Raider games on Steam use Redbook audio (thus don't have music included)? And hm, for checking puposes, when/where can you hear the music track the first time in Tomb Raider outside of menu?

I think it's just after the first platform, you'll hear some music while fighting bats.

Why do you think the games are only 256MB each? Use the guide above and it brings back all the music. I haven't tested 2 and 3 yet.

Though, I can confirm the 2013 reboot is feature complete :\

[Panda o' Plenty]

Bwahaha, unless DLC. ...Well, if forget that DLCs in that one are really meh.

But thanks!

[Panda o' Plenty]

Aha, thank you too! Looks like vanilla PC version of Tomb Raider had soundtrack cut down after all, whether by intention or not. And Steam version probably represents the way it was. (quality punch aside)

[Space Coward]

Originally posted by Foxysen:

Aha, thank you too! Looks like vanilla PC version of Tomb Raider had soundtrack cut down after all, whether by intention or not. And Steam version probably represents the way it was. (quality punch aside)

The original PC version of Tomb Raider did have the music, just not installed. Hard drives were small back then, music ran directly from the disc. The early days of CD-ROMs were a short time in which DRM almost completely disappeared because the amount of money it took to copy those massive 128-256MB discs onto high-density 1.44MB floppies was insane.

The Steam version was missing it because they forgot to copy the music from the disc.

[Panda o' Plenty]

Can you check the amount of music files on your CD of Tomb Raider 1 then?

I went and checked around after Make posted his info and found CD copy that indeed had only 9 tracks (including menu theme). And indeed, Steam folder also had 9 mp3 files of same tracks (including menu theme).

Thus I think that original had soundtrack cut down and Steam version successfully ported over that cut soundtrack (as menu theme playes after all).
That is, unless you can find CD copy which has same full soundtrack as console versions. I do remember some info that there was some budget re-release. Could it be possible that rerelease CD is the one that is common and that it's the one that cut the soundtrack?

[Space Coward]

I don't own the original game, only the PSX version. I've been seeing mixed sources, some saying it had all tracks from PSX then others saying it had ten missing.

Either way, you're still better off getting the PSX music, it does make the game better.