OPL4 - Should I use it in the next game?

Since both 9990 and OPL4 are I/O only devices, you don't need a real fancy slot expander, you can have a dumb slot expander that just doubles the slot to two (and perhaps you add some extra power to it) and they will work just fine. Also, for those that have SM-X with three slots, there are two slots that in the current OCM-PLD firmware share the same physical slot usually, you can use those two slots to hold a 9990 and an OPL4 (and you can even use slots that are allocated to, i.e., SCC mapper, it works fine too). But I guess there are not too many computers with shared slot connections (I know that Gradiente Expert had one in the back, not really a slot but had all 50 pins and you could turn it into a slot, but it was shared with one of the regular slots), so that might not be really useful information for many...

In regards on whether to use it or not, my oppinion is, do you want to use it or not? Because, let's be honest, no one is going to be famous or make real money making MSX games... You should be doing it mostly because it is what you want to do and is going to make you happy... So, if you think you have the talent to tame that OPL4 beast and want to do it, do it... I know for sure that as lame I am with music, PSG already overwhelms me, reason I've never made a real attempt to make a game...

it is easy to say you don't like the out of spec hardware. Mostly when you don't have it. We have all been there.

I've had a OPL4 since it came out and I am glad people make stuff for it, like Sphere and Wings. It inspires me to go on create even more ridiculous stuff, just because I can.

Try to understand how the V9990 works and you will see this fits the MSX 100%. Totally not out of balance. When I did not have the money for it in the nineties, I did not like it either. But now my MSX3 is one with 512K ram, OPL4, V9990 and a 7.14Mhz CPU (until somebody makes something faster and Z80 compatible).

@Wolf, you took it out of context. It should say "out of balance on an msx machine". You know, have super crispy audio but low graphics and poor z80 speed. Yes, that includes wings and sphere too. (doesn't mean I don't like'm)

Poor Z80 speed is relative of course, in Usas the Z80 was more than enough. Anyway, I can see how OPL4 music behind Eric and the Floaters is off-balance. But by your own (fuzzy) logic, you'd have no problems with OPL4 music behind games like Space Manbow, SD-Snatcher and Solid Snake. Right?

Yeah, I know, #10000 was in the news thread from Lilly.

But, distance between OPL4 and VDP and Z80, that's so fuzzy. Make this distance more clear. Is it the type of sound (e.g. big ensemble sounds, real drums etc.) or is it just 'the chip being big', regardless of what you do with it and what it sounds like? Because with Sillycone Christmas I pointed out that an OPL4 can sound like an SCC on stereoids.

Now, if you don't like the wave ROM, then I'm with ya, that one sounds truly dumb and this whole GM thing doesn't fit the MSX at all. But custom samples? They really can sound like anything, including retro sounds. And if you'd include the FM part, that's just two Music Modules with a few extra details.