Hey there all! A random question: I'm submitting to Winter Chip for the first time and the track I'm using is the Sega Genesis format. Issue I'm having is that .vgm file plays differently depending on the plugin: on foobar, the psg channels are way lower than they are in the tracker (furnace), but in mdplayer they sound right. Is there a specific plugin botb uses for submission playback so I can test that it'll sound as it should? Thanks!

hello! i think VGMPlay is the most popular one - https://github.com/vgmrips/vgmplay

for ease of voting, after you submit your .vgm you will also be given the ability to upload an .mp3 render. for that, you can record the playback from whichever .vgm player you like (but note that it has to be the .vgm, not the tracker playback, unfortunately).

OK that can work! Like I said MDPlayer sounds good, but there are def volume issues with VGM Play from the tracker export I've read about on discord, so wanted to make sure I've got my best foot forward so to speak. Thanks!

wsup i'm new to batle of the bits, could anybody tell me how to download the chiptune vst's i really really want to to make awesome music like you guys

hi vikispod! welcome!

something important to keep in mind since you mentioned VSTs is there are only a few formats where you can just submit an .mp3. they are: allgear, wildchip, fakebit, remix and vocal. "allgear" (which is basically anything goes) and "wildchip" (same, but with chiptune-sounding things in it) are run fairly often since they're accessible for everyone. but for everything else, hardware-compatible files like .nsf for NES formats, .mid for MIDI formats, .vgm for lots of old FM synth and PSG soundchips, etc are required.

there are some good VST options both free and paid if you just wanna do the allgear/wildchip formats - i'd say check out Magical 8bit Plug

for the NES sound, C700 VST

for SNES (which can do proper chiptune exports too with some setup), Genny VST

for Genesis (likewise), or you could just use a sampler and download samples! or a soundfont player like Sforzando

or TX16Wx

since people have dutifully compiled soundfonts of a btrillion old games' sounds at places like this

or this

. those are free options - if you are willing to pay, Plogue's entire chipsynth line

is extremely good, and Super Audio Cart

is a great sample repository. FMDrive

is a paid Genesis option too.

a few formats here do work with VSTs but require something other than .mp3 submission - i mentioned already that C700 can do proper SNES exports and Genny can do proper Genesis exports. similarly, MuntVsti for MT-32 MIDI and S-YXG50 for XG MIDI are VSTs used in a DAW to sequence and hear MIDI playback for those formats, but you have to submit a .mid file. we have instructions for how to do all these things on our Lyceum which is like our wiki.

... for everything else, there's learning to use trackers! tracker software is the main thing required of many formats to get the proper filetype exports, and learning those will start really unlocking more formats for you here. you can have plenty of fun without them but diving into trackers will open things up fully : )

> there are only a few formats where you can just submit an .mp3

and remix

oh right you'd think i'd remember the format i've done over 150 times. i will edit my post lol

https://woolyss.com/chipmusic-plugins.php
has a good collection of vsts that range from rigorous soundchip emulation to generically 8-bit-esqe synths, bitcrushers and other 'lo-bit' effects plugins, and even a floppy disk drive simulator that you can use to do that analog floppymusic stuff

there was a reply here thanking us but i hid it due to a slur. don't say that kind of crap here, or more reasonably at all, thanks

you hæit to see it. gotta admit to harboring a vague, morbid curiousity as to how and why a post of gratitude managed to shoehorn in a slur, but those questions are best left unanswered.