~ :: nt2 program
questions :: ~
(Last updated: February 28, 2003)
 Q:
Whenever I run the program, I get an error
that says "BLASTER environment not
found, what the?!...". What's wrong?
A: NT2
requires your soundcard to have DOS drivers.
You can usually find out if you have DOS
drivers by typing "set" at the
command prompt. There should be a line that
says "BLASTER=(your config)". Your
soundcard maker should have DOS drivers on
their website or installation discs (i.e.
Soundblaster PCI / Live! / Audigy users will
have to enable "Soundblaster ISA Legacy
emulation support" in their windows
system properties, in sacrifice of a free
port, IRQ, DMA...).
A: NT2 might
not work on an operating system that doesn't
allow a program to communicate directly with
the hardware. Full DOS compatibility is
reccomended.
However, for people with Windows 2000 / XP (and
shoddy OEM legacy emulation drivers for newer
sound cards), a really good solution is to
execute NT2 with VDMSound.
NT2's output might have a bit of latency (although
user-adjustable), but will nevertheless sound
flawless on the newer OS' enviroments.
A: If you're
running Windows, make sure a program isn't
already using your soundcard at the moment (i.e.
Winamp playing in the background, or a
software MIDI wavetable driver idling around).
Q:
NT2 is running, but i'm not hearing any sound...?
A: Did you
give your instrument a volume level, and
enable "hold note" or "note
length"?
A: Many DOS
programs run into trouble when the
soundcard's IRQ is set to a high number. Try
the Soundblaster "default" settings
of Address=220 IRQ=5 DMA=1, or IRQ=7. If your
soundcard is a "Plug-n-Pray", you
can change these settings fairly easily in
windows system properties, but beware of
conflicts.
Q:
When I try to load a *.NED file (Ctrl+L), no
filerequestor pops up! All I get is some
weird letter roulette thingy that rotates
quickly on the top-left area of the screen,
and when I press return, all I get is "Apa!".
What gives?
A: NT2
doesn't have a real filerequestor implemented.
Don't let that confuse you too much, though.
When you hit Ctrl+L to load your *.NED, just
type out the full filename. Same thing when
you save.
On a non-sequitor note, yes...
"Apa!" is merely the error message.
See if you can find all the hidden easter
eggs. ^^;;
Q:
Can I load my favorite NSF into NT2?
A: Nope, you
CANNOT DIRECTLY load NSF
rips into NT2; you can only load NT2's native
NED format. Even compiled NSF's originally
composed by NT2 can't be loaded.
Keep in mind that NSF's are
actual 6502 program code (with its own replay
engine & all), not simply a work-file
that's fed into a music editor. Even if you
were able to snip out the NSF header &
replay code portion of your favorite NES
soundtrack & slap a NED header in place,
you still wouldn't be able to load it up in
NT2 -- due to the simple fact that every game
company's music data structure is different
from each other.
Q:
Is there any cut & paste shortcuts? I
kinda, um... need them badly, & stuff...?
A: Sadly,
there's no cut/copy/paste feature implemented.
Remember that official development has been
discontinued, so we can't magically make the
feature appear.
One trick I use to workaround
this (when using NT2 in a "windowed"
environment) is just have my windows
clipboard display ready, click my desktop,
press the "Print Scrn" button, and
use the newly-copied image of NT2's windowed
display on the clipboard as a reference when
attempting something that would normally
require those commands.
Bear in mind, though, that
cut/copy/paste commands in NT2 wouldn't be
too vital as they used to be in other
trackers, since each sound channel has their
own unique patterns/order list.
Q:
What are the maximum instruments, patterns,
et cetra for NT2?
A: 16
different instruments, 32 unique patterns for
each individual channel (16 unique patterns
only for DPCM), 127 rows total in the pattern
table, 8 DPCM samples each instrument, and
112 different DPCM samples total (though the
last one is really limited by the miniscule
16378 bytes of DPCM data allowed by the NES'
hardware w/o bankswitching).
Q:
I was composing my music, when all of a
sudden the playback just completely halts on
me! I can't get it to play again, what should
I do?
A: You
accidentally inputted command F00 at the
wrong place, and when you played the song,
command F00 halted playback (see "Bugs!" section
for more info). The only workaround for this
is to correct/omit the command, save your
work, and restart NT2.
Q:
I'm running NT2 in pure DOS mode. I quit, and
after scrolling past the Nerds 'R' Us ANSI
splash screen, I no longer can see anything!
The screen is pitch black, and I'm lost!
Please help me, oh mighty chibi FOnewearl...!?!?
A: Please
type "cls". Tada! ^^;;
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