WAV - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAV
.wav is a "sample" sound used in TGF/MMF/2. WAV can be used for playing any sound no problem, although they can be large in file size. I believe the max file size for a .wav is 4GB.
MIDI - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_Instrument_Digital_Interface
MIDI is something to do with synthesizers. Like pre-made sounds built into sound cards that play in squence or something? Only the basics there I'm afraid. VERY low in file size. Not sure if people like MIDI's these days...
I'm bad at explanations, so I included the wiki's. Feel free to correct me if I said anything incorrect.
Is a composer software editor. It allows you to enter notes via keyboard or mouse input. It creates midi files that can be used in mmf. If you need to convert them to .wav files. Simply use the iTunes player converter option.
All platforming problems can be mostly solved here:
samples are sound in .wav format, midis are sounds in .mid format. In usage there is no difference. The difference is that in storage, .wav is similar to MP3's; it is an actual recording of sound. It is typically used for sound effects, such as 1 second long clips of speech, or special effects, etc. Midi, on the other hand, contains no recorded music, but instead is effectively like "Sheet Music"; it provides the ques for instruments, and the system uses predefined sounds to fit the music. Midi is hence typically used to create video game music, and not really anything else. As it doesn't encode actual sound, midis can be orders of magnitude smaller than .wav or MP3s that would be similar, but are inherently lower quality.
Just to muddy the waters in an attempt to clarify...
MIDI is not only sound; in fact, it's not sound at all. It is a communication standard. The .midi files you play in WMP or another audio player are that small because they do not contain the sounds, only the commands for the computer to interpret to play those sounds. How the computer interprets it is up to the computer. Most computers use Microsoft's generic MIDI map, which is in every Windows OS computer and, to put it simply, is crap. It runs the .midi file through voices that would've been high end 20 or 30 years ago, but synthesis today is miles beyond what it was then.
Today MIDI is used massively in professional composing. MIDI sequencers such as Acid, CuBase, or Sonicstage can interpret and master the MIDI signals to a level where you can barely tell the sound is synthesized, if at all. They not only run the MIDI through pro level synthesized voices (mostly known as VSTs, standing for Virtual Studio Technology), but give you enough flexibility to emulate an entire orchestra accurately with only some software and a MIDI capable keyboard. Orchestras are expensive; using MIDI and the right software gives the composer the ability to create an entire orchestra for a fraction of the cost. Some professionally made game music is indeed done with full orchestra, but most of it is probably done using software, which itself uses MIDI to communicate.
Short version: .mid or .midi files sound terrible, but MIDI can be used to make great sounding music (as .mp3 or .ogg).
I'd only use .midi files as placeholder stuff, or if that's the kind of sound theme I want in my game.
In the case of Music and samples for a game, I think Pixelthief put it best.
But an important note on using the midi format for music in your game; since a midi file is not recorded sound, rather a sheet of instructions for your computer on how to play the midi as a song using a library of instruments already on your computer, there is a risk that it will sound different on different computers. Often in a bad sense. And that is the main reason for why you shouldn't use midi songs in a midi-format for your games, rather convert the actual "sound" to an .ogg or .mp3 file. That will use more memory, but it will sound as you intended.
Originally Posted by Eternal Entertainment there is a risk that it will sound different on different computers. Often in a bad sense.
Not a risk, more like a promise. I've had midis that sounded great on one computer sound like complete ass on another. To make matters worse, there are some computers that don't handle notes exactly the same way, where some notes play endlessly instead of stopping. It's weird but it can happen. The best reason to use midi files are their tiny filesizes. A long midi might still only be 10kb, wheras a long wav song can be 13 - 15MB. MMF1.5's playback of midi files is also wonky in that there's always a short pause before the song loops. When this happens the first note of the song is usually not heard. There are many things to consider if you want to use midis. And aside from them sounding cheesy, they sound very video-gamish which can be pretty cool if your game is retro.
.Wav files are much larger in filesize, but the best thing about them is that they will always sound the same on any computer. The same goes for .mp3 files, plus mp3s are a lot smaller in file size than .wavs. Usually wav files are used for sound effects for games, since most sound effects are small so the wavs' filesizes inherently are also. I guess there's .ogg files now too that do the same thing but I know MMF1.5 can't embed them like MMF2 can.
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"To be a true ninja you must first pick the most stealthy of our assorted combat suits. Might I suggest the bright neon orange?"
DXF Games, coming next: Hasslevania 2- This Space for Rent!
if its just background music you can probably get away with .midis, even with slight variation it should all sound like SNES music anyway. You can find a huge repertoire here: http://www.vgmusic.com but if music is actually integral to your gameplay, like its a DDR clone or such, you MUST NOT use .midi. As pointed out, they have more than slight differences from computer to computer, both in sound and playback. Some computers will not register entire voices out of the track, so in one example, a midi of mine, ran on my other computer, would only play the bassoon line out of an entire orchestra, making it sound like crud.
Originally Posted by Pixelthief Some computers will not register entire voices out of the track, so in one example, a midi of mine, ran on my other computer, would only play the bassoon line out of an entire orchestra, making it sound like crud.
I find that happens a lot when I import an existing midi into Modplug Tracker to screw around with. Sometimes a whole instrument like a piano will turn itself into a closed hi hat or a bass drum, or won't play at all.
--
"Del Duio has received 0 trophies. Click here to see them all."
"To be a true ninja you must first pick the most stealthy of our assorted combat suits. Might I suggest the bright neon orange?"
DXF Games, coming next: Hasslevania 2- This Space for Rent!
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