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tommacool: Get the dos version for free here: http://www.bestoldgames.net/eng/download.php

But you need dosbox to play it. This is the floppy disk version.
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Mothstatic: So it's evident that these versions of the games include the enhanced CD MIDI music, which is all well and good; GOG always does a fantastic job of restoring these old gems as fully as possible so I'd expect nothing less. However, in the case of AitD, I actually prefer the FM music of the floppy versions. Does anyone know if there's a way to use that music as opposed to the enhanced soundtracks? I'd hate to have to keep playing my old abandonware copy of this game now that I have the spiffy legitimate GOG package. Thanks, all.
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tommacool: I tried the floppy disk version I mentioned and I now understand what you mean. Its a bit more creepy yes. And when you read books and notes you dont have to listen to that over-dramatic voice over. But when I was a kid I played the CD versions of the games, so the nostalgia comes better with those for me :)
Cool and all, but I don't think it is wise to post links to abandonware titles such as this, they are not legal in most countries and probably conflict with the major ideals of GoG in general.

But I must also say I like the midi versions as well.
I don't have these from GOG, but I have 1+2+3 boxed set on CD. I just spent some time trying to get the FM music to play and failed, like all others here.

Well, for all except for Jack in the Dark. There was a ADLIBM.COM command included with it that needed to be ran before the main executable, but it wasn't included in the .BAT file. Running that got me music there.

Curiously there was a different ADLIBM.COM included with either AITD1 or AITD2 but it didn't help. If someone has the floppy versions, a comparison between the data files could indicate whether the music is included or not. My hunch is that it is, but the game has been modified to ignore it and play CD audio instead.

If so, this might be reversable by some trick. Failing that, perhaps the FM music could be extracted, synthesized and provided to the game as alternative CD tracks..
I wrote to the support the following, I will post here when I get a reply:

I write as per Judas' advise on http://www.gog.com/forum/general/gog_games_missing_content_broken_games_incomplete_version_variations_etc/post145 with the hope that you can add better versions of Alone in the Dark 1+2+3. Original version of these games are much superior to the CD version offered on GOG and I would really appreciate if you could offer the original versions as a bonus content. There are also various issues with the quality of the manuals, missing bonus content for the third game.

There have been threads on the relevant subforum over the past several years so I would really appreciate if you could fix the above addressed problems. Here are some of the threads I have been referring.

http://www.gog.com/forum/alone_in_the_dark_series/floppy_version_music

http://www.gog.com/forum/alone_in_the_dark_series/disappointed_with_gog_release
here is the response I received. I will post any updates:

Hello

Thank you for writing, I've forwarded your message to our Product Team, they will investigate if it is possible to add a different version of the game and manuals as bonus contents.

Regards
I sent this follow-up email:

"Dear ...,

Are there any news regarding the possibility to add the superior versions of Alone in the Dark series together with other bonus contents mentioned on my ticket?

Best regards"
here is the latest reply:

"Hello

Our Product Team is still investigating this matter. I'm unable to offer any new info.

Regards
Genoan

GOG.com Support"
So...this "ability to play floppy version of the music" issue is showing as SOLVED, yet there is still no solution? As the others have commented, I'm really missing the original floppy music as well, and the enhanced orchestral cd midi really takes away from the atmosphere / creepiness. Can nothing be done?
Post edited July 13, 2013 by jonday8bit
GOG please add floppy soundtrack.
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Crowned: Cool and all, but I don't think it is wise to post links to abandonware titles such as this, they are not legal in most countries and probably conflict with the major ideals of GoG in general.

But I must also say I like the midi versions as well.
If you bought the game legitimately on GOG, then you own the license to play it (in any form), so rest easy. The police will not be kicking down your door nor is in violation of the principles/ideals of GOG. You're in Finland, so you can go back to drinking now (and playing games).
Post edited July 30, 2013 by Firebrand9
http://www.gog.com/forum/general/video_review_of_alone_in_the_dark_1/post13
What is the problem? You already own the game, as you paid for it. Just go to ANY abandonware page and download the floppy version!

I know is not as "comfortable" as having a prepackaged installer, but it is just a couple of extra seconds...

And the floppy version is just 5-6mb, so not a big time downloading
I suppose that this is marked SOLVED because the original question was about whether there was a way to switch to the FM music, it looks like there isn't, and there's no status of UNSOLVABLE. The larger problem of "How do we get the superior FM music then?" remains unsolved.

I don't think that it is an acceptable solution to resort to unlicensed downloads from the so-called abandonware sites to fill in perceived shortcomings in the version purchased from GOG.com; at least not without an official endorsement by the rights holder. A laymans legal/contractual theory regarding how far the license purchased from here stretches towards alternate versions including entirely different artistic content is in all likelihood completely false. In addition the sites sure don't have a license to distribute it, which may or may not be your problem depending on your jurisdiction.

But It's not about the fear of busted doors, that won't happen even if you skip any attempt of licensing and just proceed to the abandonware sites as your plan A. It's about there being superior versions of these significant games in existence, yet still not available for sale on the market - the very market that is GOG.com's bread and butter. And this is a crying shame.

It's about the games, they deserve a better treatment.
I THINK the only solution would be to add the floppy version as a download alongside the CD edition. Regrettably the CD version executable seems to have been hardcoded to use the CD sound.

Unfortunately the floppy version has it's own difficulties, like the copy protection system. It seems likely that the CD version was retooled to use the CD-ROM as copy protection. Without the CD, you get no audio, and the entire experience is considerably diminished, Further, it seems like you cannot simply add the synth audio to the cd release, which was likely done on purpose to prevent people from simply pirating the CD version (with no manual-based copy protection) and adding the adlib audio back in.
Post edited August 23, 2015 by cheeseslice73
I think the issue is that the Floppy is superior in Audio and such, and is just a pain to work on modern systems without graphical errors popping up. This is the MAIN reason I purchase games through gog. For example when OUTLAWS was released on GOG, It was a Triumph. The game was insanely obnoxious to try to run on modern systems, but you simply click and boom its installed and running perfectly! GOG needs to do what they did with Outlaws and do so with the Floppy Version of AITD. Im not going to fight it or anything, I thank GOG for its existence. but If they did offer a "simplified" floppy version, I think most buyers would be THRILLED. Its not the same game at all without the Floppy music.
In my opinion the fm music in aitd is beautiful and much much better than cd version music. The fm music has a great influence on the unique atmosphere and it also reminds me adlib era and early nineties. Please release the floppy version for all the fans of this amazing game, because only that version is the right one. (I think DOSBOX opl emulation is great).

Thanks