[Archangel]

The PCReMix Initiative

Welcome, traveler!

But if you've come here to arrange the music of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Sonic, Super Mario etc., turn around now, vile demon! This is not the thread for you.

The Tracklist (moved to the top of the post for your convenience!)

If you want to 'claim' a track, just state the game and the song you'll be arranging. If possible, provide the link to the original. Some songs might not have official names since a lot of old games had no official soundtrack release. If that's the case, just describe where in the game one can hear the track.

Duplicate tracks are allowed, meaning that two ReMixers may choose to arrange the same song from the same game. However, we encourage diversity! You may end up being the only ReMixer with an arrangement from a specific game. How cool is that?

Make sure you do your very best with the arrangement! Our goal is to have as many posted ReMixes as possible.

List of claims
ReMixer - Track (Game) ~ State

Draconiator - Last Level Theme (Jill of the Jungle) ~ Substantial WIP (WIP thread)

Archangel - Snow Theme (Heroes of Might and Magic III) ~ First WIP (WIP thread)
evktalo - Menu Theme (Deathtrack) ~ First WIP
Groboclown - The Village (Little Big Adventure) ~ First WIP (WIP thread)
Groboclown, evktalo - Ur-Quan Theme *2 (Star Control 2) ~ First WIP (WIP thread)

Archangel - Sea Theme (Heroes of Might and Magic II) ~ Claimed
Sockpuppet5 - Tubelectric (Jazz Jackrabbit) ~ Claimed
Sockpuppet5 - Medivo Theme/Medieval Jam (Jazz Jackrabbit I & II) ~ Claimed
evktalo - Menu Theme/Mission 1 (Traffic Department 2192) ~ Claimed
Magellanic - Gyges, Will You Please Help Me? (Tyrian) ~ Claimed
Brandon Strader - Rogue Encampment (Diablo 2) ~ Claimed
GuitArbitrary - Greece (Rescue the Scientists) ~ Claimed
mk_97 - Crystal Hoard (Lode Runner) ~ Claimed
IsolinearMoogle - SuvwI' van bom (Star Trek: Klingon) ~ Claimed
Esperado - Blacksmith's Theme (Might & Magic V: The Dark Side of Xeen) ~ Claimed
Argle - Main Menu Theme (Hocus Pocus) ~ Claimed
Trism - Warfare (Command & Conquer) ~ Claimed

Archangel - Medley (Ultima VII: Serpent Isle) ~ Claimed
Dj Mokram - Medley (Deus Ex) ~ Claimed
DusK - ??? (MechWarrior 2)
Amphibious - ??? (Warcraft 2) ~ Claimed
Mykah - ??? (Ultima Online) ~ Claimed
XPRTNovice - ??? (Quest for Glory 2) ~ Claimed

(First WIP - Substantial WIP - Almost done - Finished)

Finished tracks

Archangel - Introduction (Eye of the Beholder II) ~ Finished (WIP thread) [Submitted: 28 January 2012]
evktalo - UNATCO Theme (Deus Ex) ~ Finished (WIP thread) [Submitted: 12 October 2012]
Magellanic - Tyrian Level Theme (Tyrian) ~ Finished (WIP thread) [Submitted]
Flexstyle - Terran 2, Zerg 2 (Starcraft) ~ Finished (Final version)

Signature Badges



I encourage you to wear these in your signatures to help spread the word. =)


(made by Doulifée)
(made by Doulifée)

PC-game music, where art thou?

It has come to my attention that OC ReMix is seriously lacking in arrangements of old PC (DOS/Windows) game music. I noticed that the first time I came to this site in 2002 (give or take a year), and I have to say I was somewhat disappointed. It is now 2012 and the situation hasn't changed much, even though ten years have passed!

Let's take a look at some numbers, shall we? I'm a linguist, but even I know numbers do not lie.

The OC ReMix archive currently lists 21 DOS games with 29 ReMixes, and 70 Windows games with 100 ReMixes (which also include games like Minecraft, Skyrim, World of Warcraft and so on—those don't count for the purposes of this thread, because they're relatively new).

And then there's SNES, which currently has 645 posted ReMixes. Chrono Trigger alone has 108 (!!!) Remixes—more than the whole Windows bundle, and almost four times as many as the poor DOS group.

This madness stops NOW!

Have you finally gone insane, Archangel?

Yes. But before you start trolling and going all Salem-witch-trials on me, let me tell you that this is not just a whining rant. I'm planning on doing something to remedy this horrible, horrible, shameful situation.

With the resurgence of abandonware, game remakes, and DOS emulators (DOSBox being the most prominent one), the demand for PC-game nostalgia has risen dramatically. Sadly, OC ReMix, despite all its brilliance, is not the place for PC gamers looking for musical memories.

It seems really strange to me that musicians here express almost no interest in remixing PC-game music. Haven't you people played any of those awesome games from the 90s?

Commander Keen, Hocus Pocus, Mortal Kombat, Blackthorne, Heretic, Hexen, King's Quest, Quest for Glory, Heroes of Might and Magic, Might and Magic, Betrayal at Krondor, Indiana Jones, Discworld, Ultima, Diablo, Master of Magic, Eye of the Beholder, Dungeon Master, Menzoberranzan, Ravenloft, Blood & Magic, Command & Conquer, Lords of Magic, Prehistorik, The Secret of Monkey Island, Flight of the Amazon Queen, Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle, Sam & Max, The Legend of Kyrandia, Age of Empires, Civilization, Warcraft, Wacky Wheels, Ski or Die, Doofus. The list goes on and on and on.

I refuse to believe there's no one here who has played at least one of these games and enjoyed it and its music enough to make at least one musical tribute to it. What should we do about this, you ask?

Fear not!

I hereby solemnly declare the birth of The PCReMix Initiative!

Ah, yes. What?

The PCReMix Initiative is not a project and has no overarching main theme. There are no genre or content restrictions whatsoever. There will also be no deadlines and no directors. The Initiative is just a way to encourage people who love old PC games to contribute something fresh to OC ReMix and make the site a little less console-centered and more PC-friendly. This should draw in a lot more game fans and expand the borders of the already massive OverClocked Empire.

For the love of Peter, how does it work?!

It's all so simple an idiot could have come up with it! (Hm ...)

1) Choose an old, pre-2000s DOS/Windows game for which you have a special place in your heart, and start making a ReMix of a song from its soundtrack.

2) Make a post in this thread "claiming" the track. Since we need at least a little bit of organization to make this work, I'll be the coordinator. I'll keep track of the ReMixers, their tracks, and their progress. Remember, there are no deadlines, but by signing up you make an unofficial promise to yourself and your PCReMix colleagues that you will contribute a ReMix (or sixteen) and help fight this apparently extremely persistent PC drought here at OC ReMix.

3) If you need help with your arrangement, mixing or mastering, your PCReMix buddies will help you. Post your WIP in the Workshop (just like a normal WIP), but make sure you add 'PCReMix' to your thread title. Why is this necessary? I've seen too many threads with obscure arrangements go unnoticed to just let fate decide whether you get some help with your ReMix or not. This way you'll at least get some feedback from some of your fellow PC fighters.

4) When you're done with the arrangement, submit the song to the OC ReMix Judges Panel. Make sure you mention that you made the track as part of The PCReMix Initiative, because we need the publicity.

5) Cross your fingers and hope for the best!

This is never going to work, you buffoon!

Perhaps not, but that's no way to start a revolution! I'm definitely not expecting any sudden, major trend overhauls with this little micro-organization, but I do hope OC ReMix will get at least a small dose of PC-nostalgia after we're done.

Why even bother? Everyone just listens to Zelda and Final Fantasy anyway!

That is not true!

The PCReMix Initiative has several goals:

• Provide more PC ReMixes to eager listeners;
• Give 'obscure' or forgotten DOS/Windows games a chance to shine once more;
• Expand the OC ReMix game archive (I hear the primarchs love ReMixes from obscure games!);
• Promote PC-game music to console-centered people;
• Encourage ReMixers to think outside the box and make a DOS/Windows ReMix instead of arranging Gerudo Valley or Schala's Theme for the umpteenth time;
• Give game fans who are currently making modern remakes of DOS games a reason to turn to OC ReMix for their revamped music needs; and
• Trailblaze a new type of cooperation here at OC ReMix. Project albums take years to show any results. Initiatives may produce new songs in a matter of days! And the best part is: they may never end!

What's in it for me?!

I'm not giving you money if that's what you think!

Nevertheless, you get the chance to honor a beloved game, its music, and its composer with an arrangement, contribute to the growth of this community by helping improve one of its weak spots, and be a part of what will hopefully be a productive group of friends with a common goal.

Why should I do YOU a favor, alien lunatic?!

You are not doing this for me. You are doing this for yourself and the game/music/composer you like. I'm not going to choose your game or your track, and I'm not going to play big bad boss or tell you how to make your arrangement.

I'm simply trying to jump-start an influx of DOS/Windows ReMixes. I've been hearing whispers all over these forums every now and then. "I might make a ReMix of this game someday." "I had so much fun playing this, and the music was incredible!" "I actually have an unfinished remix of this from way back. I might finish it some time."

This is your chance! Don't miss it!

[Archangel]

There, I've done it.

I've already 'adopted' three tracks to get things going, hopefully. I'm planning on keeping this thing alive even if I have to do it all by myself!

I'll try to update the thread with some promotional artwork (badges etc.) once I get the time. If anyone wants to pitch in, you're more than welcome to do it!

I will also try to contact a staff member to see if we can create a social group. Provided there's enough interest, of course.

Happy rummaging through dusty games that Time itself forgot! =D

[Sockpuppet]

Sounds like a great idea! I'd love to try remixing something from Jazz Jackrabbit. Probably Tubelectric and/or a combination of the 2 Medivo themes.

[Brandon Strader]

This is an amazing idea and you can count me in! For what though, I do not yet know.

Also this thread should be sticky and given some proper exposure

[ZeekSlider]

If anyone does a ReMix to Sam & Max: Hit the Road, especially the song "King of the Creatures" or "Bigfoot Shuffle," you will have my unbridled love forever...

Then again, I'd love to see if anyone on OCR can do a better version of "Girl in the Tower" from King's Quest 6...

[Brandon Strader]

Haha what Girl in the Tower is amazing. I would totally do it. D:

It seems untouchable though.

[ZeekSlider]

Originally Posted by Brandon Strader

It seems untouchable though.

Okay, I'll grant you that, since there are some 90s power ballads that are, indeed, untouchable. But that song NEEDS some OCR treatment and can only get better as a result.

[Brandon Strader]

If there was a way to do it while keeping it as conservative as possible...... but OCR doesn't accept sound upgrade remixes... And sometimes adding new stuff to a song that is good as is, is not a good idea :/

[evktalo]

A fantastic initiative (and very nice first post!) - I've been thinking about going back to my early gaming history and doing something with those DOS games especially, since they're underrepresented on OCR.. and here's this thread now.

Here's a 'claim' for two tracks. I did a short version of the Death Track track for PRC208, which was a free round (I think I got the melody a bit wrong though). I've also started the TD2192 track already. I have loads of more ideas, but I think I'll only mention them here when I've actually done something. I also don't feel like posting these to the Workshop board quite yet, but any case, I'll be working on these when I can.

Death Track intro/menu - source/gameplay - wip (PRC version)

Traffic Department 2192 menu/mission 1 - source/gameplay - started working on

--Eino

[Archangel]

Great stuff, guys! I've added your claims to the tracklist. It's not legally binding or anything, so no worries if anyone at some point decides to drop a track etc.

I was really relieved when I saw that some people actually responded. I assumed the thread was just going to sink into oblivion like so many other threads before it. =D

Good to know that people are interested. Spread the word if you can! =)