Difference between revisions of "GEMS"

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{{stub}}'''GEMS''' is a sound driver used in [http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Mega_Drive/Genesis_Sound_Engine_List 186 documented games] for the Sega [[Genesis]], including ''[[Sonic Spinball]]''.
+
{{Bob
 +
| bobscreen=GEMS Graphical User Interface.png
 +
| imgwidth=
 +
| title=
 +
| developer=Jonathan Miller, Burt Sloane, Chris Grigg, Mark Miller, [[Recreational Brainware]]
 +
| system=[[Mega Drive]], [[Sega 32X]]
 +
}}
 +
{{stub}}'''GEMS''' (''Genesis Editor for Music and Sound effects'') is a sound driver used in [http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Mega_Drive/Genesis_Sound_Engine_List 186 documented games] for the Sega [[Genesis]], including ''[[Sonic Spinball]]''. It was developed by Jonathan Miller (drivers and firmware), Burt Sloane (programming), Chris Grigg and Mark Miller (concept and design) of [[Recreational Brainware]] by [[Sega]]'s request, and mainly used by western developers.
  
On September 24th, 2007, [[drx]] released the official [http://www.hidden-palace.org/?news/c/13 GEMS development kit].
+
The software integrates a programming language that can be built into the composition file and is context-sensitive to gameplay events within the game itself.This is acomplished by setting aside shared memory space that will allow the sound driver to comunicate with the game and vice-versa.Using this technique, the music can change to reflect conditions within the game.For instance, it can be used to track the number of enemies onscreen and change pitch or tempo when a certain threshold is reached or it can be timed to play when certain effects, such as flashes of light, are used.
 +
[[File:GEMS Graphical User Interface (alt).png|thumb|right]]
 +
While in games using other drivers, such [[Alien Soldier]] or [[Shinobi 3]] basic behaviour such as playback speed is controlled by a single variable (which can be easly manipulated by an action replay or hex editor), GEMS has to change the data of the whole music track stored on the ROM for the same effect. This can be easily noticed by comparing data in partially PAL optimized games, such as [[Cool Spot]].
 +
 +
On September 24, 2007, [[sonic:drx|drx]] released the official [http://www.hidden-palace.org/?news/c/13 GEMS development kit].
 +
 
 +
 
 +
{{Download
 +
| title=GEMS Development Kit
 +
| file=GEMS.zip
 +
| filesize=328KB
 +
}}
  
 
==List of Sega Mega Drive games that use GEMS==
 
==List of Sega Mega Drive games that use GEMS==
 +
{{multicol|
 
===A===
 
===A===
 
*''[[AAAHH!!! Real Monsters]]''
 
*''[[AAAHH!!! Real Monsters]]''
 
*''[[Action 52]]''
 
*''[[Action 52]]''
 +
*''[[The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends]]''
 
*''[[Aero the Acro-Bat]]''
 
*''[[Aero the Acro-Bat]]''
 
*''[[Aero the Acro-Bat 2]]''
 
*''[[Aero the Acro-Bat 2]]''
 
*''[[Andre Agassi Tennis]]''
 
*''[[Andre Agassi Tennis]]''
 +
*''[[Another World]]''
 
*''[[Arcade Classics]]''
 
*''[[Arcade Classics]]''
 
*''[[Awesome Possum]]''
 
*''[[Awesome Possum]]''
Line 21: Line 42:
 
*''[[Bass Masters Classic Pro Edition]]''
 
*''[[Bass Masters Classic Pro Edition]]''
 
*''[[Batman: Revenge of the Joker]]''
 
*''[[Batman: Revenge of the Joker]]''
*''[[Batman Returns]]''
+
*''[[Batman Returns (Mega Drive)|Batman Returns]]''
 
*''[[Battletech]]''
 
*''[[Battletech]]''
 +
*''[[The Berenstain Bears' Camping Adventure]]''
 
*''[[Beyond Zero Tolerance]]'' (beta)
 
*''[[Beyond Zero Tolerance]]'' (beta)
 
*''[[Blood Shot]]'' (Battle Frenzy)
 
*''[[Blood Shot]]'' (Battle Frenzy)
Line 40: Line 62:
 
*''[[Chavez II]]''
 
*''[[Chavez II]]''
 
*''[[Clay Fighter]]''
 
*''[[Clay Fighter]]''
*''[[Cliffhangar]]''
+
*''[[Cliffhanger]]''
 
*''[[Clue]]''
 
*''[[Clue]]''
 
*''[[College Football's National Championship]]''
 
*''[[College Football's National Championship]]''
Line 53: Line 75:
 
*''[[David Robinson's Supreme Court]]''
 
*''[[David Robinson's Supreme Court]]''
 
*''[[Daze Before Christmas]]''
 
*''[[Daze Before Christmas]]''
 +
*''[[The Death and Return of Superman]]''
 
*''[[Demolition Man]]''
 
*''[[Demolition Man]]''
 
*''[[Desert Demolition]]''
 
*''[[Desert Demolition]]''
*''[[Dick Vitale's Awesome Baby! College Hoops]]''
+
*''[[Dick Vitale's "Awesome Baby!" College Hoops]]''
 
*''[[Dinosaurs for Hire]]''
 
*''[[Dinosaurs for Hire]]''
*''[[Disney's Aladdin|Aladdin]]''
+
*''[[A Dinosaur's Tale]]''
 +
*''[[Aladdin|Disney's Aladdin]]''
 
*''[[Donald in Maui Mallard]]''
 
*''[[Donald in Maui Mallard]]''
*''[[Doom Troopers: The Mutant Chronicles]]''
+
*''[[Doom Troopers]]''
 
*''[[Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls]]''
 
*''[[Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls]]''
 
*''[[Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story]]''
 
*''[[Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story]]''
 
*''[[Dragon's Revenge]]''
 
*''[[Dragon's Revenge]]''
*''[[Duke Nukem 3D]]''
+
*''[[Duke Nukem 3D (Mega Drive)|Duke Nukem 3D]]''
 
*''[[Dune: The Battle for Arrakis]]''
 
*''[[Dune: The Battle for Arrakis]]''
 
*''[[Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun]]''
 
*''[[Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun]]''
Line 91: Line 115:
 
*''[[Generations Lost]]''
 
*''[[Generations Lost]]''
 
*''[[Goofy's Hysterical History Tour]]''
 
*''[[Goofy's Hysterical History Tour]]''
*''[[Greatest Heavyweights of the Ring]]''
+
*''[[The Great Waldo Search]]''
 +
*''[[Greatest Heavyweights]]''
 
*''[[Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude]]''
 
*''[[Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude]]''
  
Line 99: Line 124:
  
 
===I===
 
===I===
 +
*''[[The Incredible Crash Dummies (Mega Drive)|The Incredible Crash Dummies]]''
 
*''[[Izzy's Quest for the Olympic Rings]]''
 
*''[[Izzy's Quest for the Olympic Rings]]''
  
Line 104: Line 130:
 
*''[[Jammit]]''
 
*''[[Jammit]]''
 
*''[[Jelly Boy]]'' (beta)
 
*''[[Jelly Boy]]'' (beta)
*''[[Jeopardy!]]''
+
*''[[Jeopardy! (GameTek)|Jeopardy!]]''
 
*''[[Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker]]''
 
*''[[Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker]]''
*''[[Joe Montana Sports Talk Football]]''
+
*''[[Joe Montana II Sports Talk Football]]''
*''[[Jurassic Park]]''
+
*''[[The Jungle Book]]''
 +
*''[[Jurassic Park (Mega Drive)|Jurassic Park]]''
 
*''[[Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition]]''
 
*''[[Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition]]''
 
*''[[Justice League Task Force]]''
 
*''[[Justice League Task Force]]''
Line 118: Line 145:
 
===M===
 
===M===
 
*''[[Madden NFL '96]]''
 
*''[[Madden NFL '96]]''
 +
*''[[The Magic School Bus]]''
 
*''[[Marko's Magic Football]]''
 
*''[[Marko's Magic Football]]''
 
*''[[Marsupilami]]''
 
*''[[Marsupilami]]''
*''[[Menacer 6-in-1]]''
+
*''[[Menacer 6-Game Cartridge]]''
 
*''[[Mick & Mack as the Global Gladiators]]''
 
*''[[Mick & Mack as the Global Gladiators]]''
 
*''[[Mickey's Ultimate Challenge]]''
 
*''[[Mickey's Ultimate Challenge]]''
*''[[Monopoly]]''
+
*''[[Monopoly (Mega Drive)|Monopoly]]''
 
*''[[Mortal Kombat 3]]''
 
*''[[Mortal Kombat 3]]''
 
*''[[Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing]]''
 
*''[[Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing]]''
  
 
===N===
 
===N===
*''[[NBA Action]]''
+
*''[[NBA Action '94]]''
*''[[NBA Action '95]]''
+
*''[[NBA Action '95 Starring David Robinson]]''
 
*''[[NBA Jam]]''
 
*''[[NBA Jam]]''
*''[[NBA Jam TE]]''
+
*''[[NBA Jam Tournament Edition]]''
 
*''[[NBA Hang Time]]''
 
*''[[NBA Hang Time]]''
*''[[NCAA College Football]]''
+
*''[[NCAA Football]]''
*''[[NCAA Final Four College Basketball]]''
+
*''[[NCAA Final Four Basketball]]''
 
*''[[NFL '95]]''
 
*''[[NFL '95]]''
 
*''[[NFL Football '94]]''
 
*''[[NFL Football '94]]''
*''[[NFL Prime Time/'98]]''
+
*''[[NFL 98]]''
 
*''[[NFL Quarterback Club]]''
 
*''[[NFL Quarterback Club]]''
 
*''[[NFL Quarterback Club '96]]''
 
*''[[NFL Quarterback Club '96]]''
Line 144: Line 172:
  
 
===O===
 
===O===
*''[[Out of This World (Another World)]]''
+
*''[[The Ooze]]''
  
 
===P===
 
===P===
 +
*''[[The Pagemaster]]''
 
*''[[Paperboy II]]''
 
*''[[Paperboy II]]''
 
*''[[Phantom 2040]]''
 
*''[[Phantom 2040]]''
 
*''[[Pink Goes to Hollywood]]''
 
*''[[Pink Goes to Hollywood]]''
 
*''[[Pinocchio]]''
 
*''[[Pinocchio]]''
*''[[Pirates of Dark Water]]''
+
*''[[The Pirates of Dark Water]]''
 
*''[[Pirates! Gold]]''
 
*''[[Pirates! Gold]]''
 
*''[[Pocahontas]]''
 
*''[[Pocahontas]]''
 
*''[[Power Monger]]''
 
*''[[Power Monger]]''
*''[[Premier Manager '97]]''
+
*''[[Premier Manager 97]]''
 
*''[[Prince of Persia]]''
 
*''[[Prince of Persia]]''
 
*''[[Pro Quarterback]]''
 
*''[[Pro Quarterback]]''
 +
*''[[The Punisher]]''
  
 
===R===
 
===R===
 
*''[[RBI Baseball '94]]''
 
*''[[RBI Baseball '94]]''
 +
*''[[The Ren & Stimpy Show Presents Stimpy's Invention]]''
 
*''[[Risk]]''
 
*''[[Risk]]''
 
*''[[Robocop vs The Terminator]]''
 
*''[[Robocop vs The Terminator]]''
Line 166: Line 197:
  
 
===S===
 
===S===
*''[[Scooby-Doo Mysteries]]''
+
*''[[Scooby-Doo Mystery]]''
 
*''[[SeaQuest DSV]]''
 
*''[[SeaQuest DSV]]''
 
*''[[Sega Channel]]''
 
*''[[Sega Channel]]''
*''[[Shadowrun]]''
+
*''[[Shadowrun (Mega Drive)|Shadowrun]]''
*''[[Shanghai 2: Dragon's Eye]]''
+
*''[[Shanghai II: Dragon's Eye]]''
 
*''[[Shaq-Fu]]''
 
*''[[Shaq-Fu]]''
 +
*''[[The Simpsons: Bart's Nightmare]]''
 +
*''[[The Smurfs]]''
 
*''[[Sonic Spinball]]''
 
*''[[Sonic Spinball]]''
*''[[Spider-Man (The Animated Series)]]''
+
*''[[Spider-Man: The Animated Series]]''
 
*''[[Spirou]]''
 
*''[[Spirou]]''
*''[[Spot goes to Hollywood]]''
+
*''[[Spot Goes to Hollywood]]''
*''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''
+
*''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation: Echoes from the Past]]''
*''[[Super Battle Tank: War in the Gulf]]''
+
*''[[Garry Kitchen's Super Battletank: War in the Gulf|Super Battle Tank: War in the Gulf]]''
 
*''[[Super Battleship]]''
 
*''[[Super Battleship]]''
 
*''[[Super High Impact]]''
 
*''[[Super High Impact]]''
*''[[Sylvester & Tweety in Cagey Capers]]''
+
*''[[Super Mario World 64]]''
 +
*''[[Sylvester and Tweety in Cagey Capers]]''
  
 
===T===
 
===T===
Line 186: Line 220:
 
*''[[Taz-Mania]]''
 
*''[[Taz-Mania]]''
 
*''[[Taz in Escape From Mars]]''
 
*''[[Taz in Escape From Mars]]''
*''[[Techno Clash]]''
+
*''[[TechnoClash]]''
 
*''[[Tecmo Super Baseball]]''
 
*''[[Tecmo Super Baseball]]''
 
*''[[Tecmo Super Hockey]]''
 
*''[[Tecmo Super Hockey]]''
 
*''[[Tecmo Super NBA Basketball]]''
 
*''[[Tecmo Super NBA Basketball]]''
*''[[The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle]]''
 
*''[[The Berenstain Bears' Camping Adventure]]''
 
*''[[The Death and Return of Superman]]''
 
*''[[The Great Waldo Search]]''
 
*''[[The Incredible Crash Dummies]]''
 
*''[[The Jungle Book]]''
 
*''[[The Magic School Bus]]''
 
*''[[The Ooze]]''
 
*''[[The Pagemaster]]''
 
*''[[The Pirates of Dark Water]]''
 
*''[[The Punisher]]''
 
*''[[The Ren & Stimpy Show: Stimpy's Invention]]''
 
*''[[The Simpsons: Bart's Nightmare]]''
 
*''[[The Smurfs]]''
 
 
*''[[Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends]]''
 
*''[[Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends]]''
*''[[Tintin au Tibet]]''
+
*''[[Tintin in Tibet]]''
 
*''[[TNN Bass Tournament of Champions]]''
 
*''[[TNN Bass Tournament of Champions]]''
 
*''[[TNN Outdoors Bass Tournament '96]]''
 
*''[[TNN Outdoors Bass Tournament '96]]''
Line 226: Line 246:
 
*''[[Wacky Worlds]]''
 
*''[[Wacky Worlds]]''
 
*''[[Warlock]]''
 
*''[[Warlock]]''
*''[[Wayne Gretzsky NHLPA All-Stars]]''
+
*''[[Wayne Gretzky and the NHLPA All-Stars]]''
*''[[We're Back: A Dinosaur's Tale]]''
+
 
*''[[Wild Snake (beta)]]''
+
*''[[Wild Snake]]'' (beta)
*''[[World Series Baseball]]''
+
*''[[World Series Baseball (Mega Drive)|World Series Baseball]]''
 
*''[[World Series Baseball '95]]''
 
*''[[World Series Baseball '95]]''
 
*''[[World Series Baseball '96]]''
 
*''[[World Series Baseball '96]]''
*''[[World Series Baseball '98]]''
+
*''[[World Series Baseball 98 (Mega Drive)|World Series Baseball 98]]''
 
*''[[WWF RAW]]''
 
*''[[WWF RAW]]''
*''[[WWF Royal Rumble]]''
+
*''[[WWF Royal Rumble (Acclaim)|WWF Royal Rumble]]''
 
*''[[WWF Super Wrestlemania]]''
 
*''[[WWF Super Wrestlemania]]''
*''[[WWF Wrestlemania Arcade]]''
+
*''[[WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game]]''
  
 
===X===
 
===X===
 
*''[[X-Men]]''
 
*''[[X-Men]]''
 
*''[[X-Men 2: Clone Wars]]''
 
*''[[X-Men 2: Clone Wars]]''
*''[[X-perts]]''
+
*''[[X-Perts]]''
  
 
===Y===
 
===Y===
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*''[[Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel]]''
 
*''[[Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel]]''
 
*''[[Zero Tolerance]]''
 
*''[[Zero Tolerance]]''
*''[[Zombies Ate my Neighbors]]''
+
*''[[Zombies Ate My Neighbors]]''
 +
}}
  
 
==List of Sega 32X games that use GEMS==
 
==List of Sega 32X games that use GEMS==
*''[[36 Great Holes Starring Fred Couples]]''
 
 
*''[[Brutal: Above the Claw]]''
 
*''[[Brutal: Above the Claw]]''
*''[[Doom]]''
+
*''[[Doom (32X)|Doom]]''
 +
*''[[Golf Magazine: 36 Great Holes Starring Fred Couples]]''
 
*''[[Motocross Championship]]''
 
*''[[Motocross Championship]]''
 
*''[[NBA Jam Tournament Edition]]''
 
*''[[NBA Jam Tournament Edition]]''
Line 260: Line 281:
 
*''[[RBI Baseball '95]]''
 
*''[[RBI Baseball '95]]''
 
*''[[WWF RAW]]''
 
*''[[WWF RAW]]''
*''[[WWF Wrestlemania Arcade]]''
+
*''[[WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game]]''
  
[[Category:Technical_Information]]
+
[[Category:Mega Drive sound drivers]]

Revision as of 04:08, 17 July 2017

n/a

GEMS Graphical User Interface.png

GEMS
System(s): Mega Drive, Sega 32X
Developer:

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.


GEMS (Genesis Editor for Music and Sound effects) is a sound driver used in 186 documented games for the Sega Genesis, including Sonic Spinball. It was developed by Jonathan Miller (drivers and firmware), Burt Sloane (programming), Chris Grigg and Mark Miller (concept and design) of Recreational Brainware by Sega's request, and mainly used by western developers.

The software integrates a programming language that can be built into the composition file and is context-sensitive to gameplay events within the game itself.This is acomplished by setting aside shared memory space that will allow the sound driver to comunicate with the game and vice-versa.Using this technique, the music can change to reflect conditions within the game.For instance, it can be used to track the number of enemies onscreen and change pitch or tempo when a certain threshold is reached or it can be timed to play when certain effects, such as flashes of light, are used.

GEMS Graphical User Interface (alt).png

While in games using other drivers, such Alien Soldier or Shinobi 3 basic behaviour such as playback speed is controlled by a single variable (which can be easly manipulated by an action replay or hex editor), GEMS has to change the data of the whole music track stored on the ROM for the same effect. This can be easily noticed by comparing data in partially PAL optimized games, such as Cool Spot.

On September 24, 2007, drx released the official GEMS development kit.


Download.svg Download GEMS Development Kit
File: GEMS.zip (324 kB) (info)

List of Sega Mega Drive games that use GEMS

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

List of Sega 32X games that use GEMS