The AKM player

The AKM, or Minimalist player, is a small but very powerful player, especially useful for 4K demo, or 64kb games, for example.

It is an interesting alternative to CngSoft Chp’n’Sfx, which has a really small, albeit limited, player. AKM is much more powerful, but also bigger.

Pros:

  • Smaller player and songs.
  • Sound effects managed.

Cons:

  • Slower than the other AT2 players.
  • A bit less features.

Here are the limitations regarding what this player can accomplish:

  • Only one PSG per Subsong.
  • No “hard to soft” sounds.
  • SoftAndHard more limited: hardware part is only with fixed hard period (allows “Ben Daglish” effects).
  • No events.
  • Only speed change at the start of a pattern are encoded.
  • Arpeggio and Pitch values in the Expressions are limited in range: from -64 to 63.
  • Arpeggio and Pitch Expressions are limited in size: 127 items only.
  • No Legato.
  • In an instrument, period in Software mode must be automatic, cannot be forced.
  • No retrig.
  • Effects:
    • Reset with volume
    • Set volume
    • (fast)Pitch up/down
    • Arpeggio table (inline will be converted)
    • Pitch table
    • Force Instrument Speed
    • Force Arpeggio Speed
    • Force Pitch Speed

On exporting, warnings are shown if some song items could not be correctly exported.