Polo
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Posts posted by Polo
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1 hour ago, Dafydd said:
Does "... from which she gazes upon myriad galaxies. Here, she raises little star babies..." change the location from the galaxies to the observatory?
Well, it kind of comes off as non-indicative - "Here" is too far from the Comet Observatory. It requires a slight reiteration to get back on track, like with your suggestion "At the observatory..." But I don't think it's really necessary, since it's already established where Rosalina is and what she does. Mentioning that Lumas are in her care implies they travel with her on the comet.
QuoteBy the way, would "wields" work as a replacement for "demonstrates", or would that imply that she's powerless without the wand?
Yeah, that might be implied as such. More importantly, I think using "wields" would require a change to "wields the power to..." from just "wields powers such as..." Leaving it as the latter doesn't seem to make proper/full use of the word. I also don't want to imply her powers are limited only to force fields and levitation, hence "powers such as..."
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8 hours ago, Dafydd said:
What about "and other astronomical/celestial objects"? Oh, you already used "celestial body" in the previous sentence. Can you think of another equivalent? I just think "and more" sounds like a semi-uninspired sales pitch, somehow.
I like "astronomical objects." How about I change just the end of the sentence with the Lumas like so: "...until they mature into various astronomical objects."
Quote"... from which she gazes upon myriad galaxies. There, she raises little star babies..."
This sounds like she raises Lumas in myriad galaxies, not on the Comet Observatory.
Quotewhy not "the creation of a force field"? Or can she create several, but smaller ones?
I think making it plural ("the creation of force fields") leaves it open as to where it goes - around herself or around the observatory (I think those are their only uses, at least as far as Mario Galaxy 1 goes). It COULD be singular, but it would need some tweaking so it doesn't come off as too narrow/crippling a power, like:
"With her magic wand, Rosalina demonstrates such powers as levitation and the creation of a force field to protect herself or even surround the entire observatory to appear like a natural shooting star." (This might be too long a sentence...)
Quoteit feels like parentheses make it seem like the clause consists of possibly irrelevant details, or information for uninitiated readers ("oh, and if you don't know what Star Power is, ..."), and the whole bio is supposed to be written specifically for those people. Am I making any sense, haha? I'd just prefer to avoid the parentheses, but it's definitely not a big issue.
I see where you're coming from, but I'd say even parenthetical info in a bio is crucial enough for a reader to pay attention to. Dashes give more weight, and IMO it would be too much in this case. Plus, without the explanation for its use, a reader can be left baffled ("why don't the Lumas act as Star Power? Is everything powered by Stars in the Mario universe?" etc.).
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Thank YOU for coming back.
6 hours ago, Dafydd said:I'd agree everyone should already know who Bowser is, but I still think this would read better if he was given some... attribute or title before the name. Like "the evil dinosaur Bowser" or so.
How about "the nefarious Bowser"?
6 hours ago, Dafydd said:I'm not really used to the word "Mama" in this context. I'm curious - how come you picked this word over "mother", for instance? Am I missing a nuance here, or does it simply go better with "adoptive"?
That's what they call her in the game. Would you prefer quote marks around "Mama" to avoid confusion?
6 hours ago, Dafydd said:Is there a spoiler here? Maybe we can flesh out "and more" a little without actually revealing anything?
It's not a huge spoiler. Lumas also become galaxies and comets, but I figured laying out those details would start to draw attention away from Rosalina.
6 hours ago, Dafydd said:I think it should be "levitation and creation", or "levitating and creating". What do you think about "such powers as levitation and the creation of force fields powerful enough to surround the entire observatory, making it appear like a natural shooting star"?
Yeah, I like the symmetry of -tion nouns. I'll use that. Rosalina can surround herself in her own force field (not just around the observatory), like when she first meets Mario or when the player tries to attack her. She also makes ONE force field surround the observatory near the end of the game, so implying more than one at a time might border on misinformation. I could try this:
"With her magic wand, Rosalina demonstrates such powers as levitation and the creation of force fields, whether around herself or around the entire observatory so it appears like a natural shooting star."
6 hours ago, Dafydd said:Here, you can figure out that Bowser, not the comet, makes off for the center of the universe, but it's far from unambiguous. Replacing the commas with dashes would fix that, but it might not look very good, I'm not sure.
Maybe parentheses? "...Bowser steals the comet's Star Power (its fuel to fly through outer space) before making off for the center of the universe."
6 hours ago, Dafydd said:This sentence feels a little long.
I can try a colon to separate some clauses:
"Though stranded, the goddess-like figure exhibits characteristic patience and wisdom to formulate a plan: Mario must retrieve enough Stars to power the Comet Observatory so she can take him to where his "special one" is."
6 hours ago, Dafydd said:I feel like the bio lacks a little energy, somehow...
Well, Rosalina's pretty chill and sedentary for one so important (and popular) - not much in the way of action. I considered giving more emphasis to Bowser's troublemaking or how Mario travels to different planets or Rosalina's other game appearances, but I felt I had enough info to start with.
6 hours ago, Dafydd said:I'm having a little trouble writing up the bio for Duck Hunt, because it's a story about games rather than characters. I have some ideas, though.
Okay. Remember you can cover original game mechanics/shenanigans and Smash Bros. moves if you feel strapped for details.
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When I close my eyes and listen to the beginning, I feel like I'm zooming through cloudy, windy skies, passing all kinds of scenery below. To that I say: smart choice of expansive, airy synths to start.
Once things get going, we're treated to two things: 1) percussive patterns dutifully filling out nuances in the rapid beat and 2) gliding leads playing at a fraction of the former's speed (the one at 1:26 = gorgeous). It's like the mix is playing two songs at once and giving me a choice to dance to either one (or both).
3:09-3:10 - Ha ha, I love how things pick up again after the fake ending - it's like when you wake up and crash-scramble out of bed when you're late for school or work or something.
I notice there's a tendency to rearrange tails of melodic passages, like at the following parts (all of which I appreciate):
- 1:43-1:44 (reversing the notes just played like it's returning to a musical tonic)
- 2:03 and 4:25 (a lower note than normal feels melancholic/at peace)
- 2:31 (adds to the reflective tone at play)
- 3:46-3:48 (ooh, it's got a smidge of attitude going there)My only gripe is the very beginning sounds slightly cut off. But it's quickly forgotten as I'm swept away.
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My latest Notification says Stahalamora commented on the Mascot Bio thread, but she was in fact Following it. Clicking said Notification led me to the last post she made (in a different thread). Weird.
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Rosalina
"All new life... Carries the essence of stars... Even all of you..."
== Bio ==
In Super Mario Galaxy, a familiar plot remains intact: Mario must rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. As the title suggests, the plumber travels to different planets and galaxies to fulfill his mission. Helping him this time around is one of the franchise's most mythical characters: Rosalina.A self-proclaimed protector of the cosmos, Rosalina is in many ways one with the stars. She lives aboard the Comet Observatory, a celestial body from which she gazes upon myriad galaxies. Little star babies called Lumas look up to her as their adoptive Mama and journey with her until they mature into actual stars and more. With her magic wand, Rosalina demonstrates such powers as levitation and creating force fields, one of which can surround the entire observatory so it appears like a natural shooting star.
Rosalina's path crosses Mario's when Bowser steals the comet's Star Power, its fuel to fly through outer space, before making off for the center of the universe. Exhibiting patience and wisdom even when she's stranded, the goddess-like figure beseeches Mario to retrieve enough Stars to power the Comet Observatory so she can take him to where his "special one" is. She first gives him a Luma, which grants him the power to fly to distant galaxies, and afterwards is ever present to offer advice and encouragement with her motherly grace.
All in all, Rosalina is as steadfast and gently guiding as a star in the sky.
== References ==
MarioWiki - "Rosalina"
Wikipedia - "Rosalina (character)"
Super Mario Galaxy instruction manual -
When I first heard the bell-led section at 0:18, I realized I heard almost the same melody in Fungi Forest Night (1:36-1:43) from Donkey Kong 64. Coincidence? Well, what matters is that hearing it in this mix creates an extra air of familiarity, which is never a bad thing.
I'm all over the grungy guitar entering at 1:05 (it encourages me to dance to the main 4/4 beat rather than its own beat for some reason) and the whirling-all-over-the-map arpeggio coming just before - each has its own yin/yang energy signal that doesn't clash with the other, so their simultaneous comebacks at 2:48 provide extra oomph. The machinery-ish percussion is very welcoming the way it eases into the action, especially at 2:11. I also like how the Forest of Illusion cameos are played via evil/somber Christmas bells - you don't want to spend the holidays in THIS castle.
A sweet blend of fun and creepy.
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Every time I listen to this, I'm beckoned to go on a journey. Starting and ending things is a soft, warm pad that makes me imagine a sunset backdrop illuminating the path before me, and I proceed to half-dance, half-walk along, accompanied by catchy beats and quirky synthwork expressing the trials and wonders of the experience. One of my favorite aspects is how the pattern entering at 2:41 morphs into a new type at 4:01 - suddenly, it's bouncier and funkier, gearing me up for more.
Still one of my all-time favorite remixes.
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This is what love, adventure, and optimism sound like all mixed together.
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Agreed, this definitely cranks up the sinister tension of the source into levels of cinematic awesometude. Highlights:
0:52 - Soft and sad choir marks the presence of a lonely moon, Simon's only source of illumination (as well as hope and determination).1:14 - I like to imagine the battle arena is being revealed by parting mists at this point.
1:28 - A simple shift to slightly lower notes (while still rather high) acts like a warning: "Watch your back, Simon - Dracula's no pushover."
2:07, 3:51 - The battle's getting intense...
2:18-2:24, 4:02-4:09 - ...and the choir punctuates it by crying out in poetic and melodic anguish. Seriously, these are my favorite parts. I often stop what I'm doing and let myself feel the raw emotion and energy here.
4:33 - The lingering string makes me want to cry - for Simon's struggle, Dracula's defeat, the sun about to rise, anything.
Would've liked a different wolf howl sample the 2nd and 3rd time around (making it the same each time kinda detracts from the soundscape's impact). Regardless, this mix is so many levels of addicting. -
Thanks, Larry. Went ahead and uploaded it.
Dibs on Rosalina. (We now have 14 bios up for grabs.)
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The percussion sounds a little too drowned out/in the background (mostly the cymbal hits). Not sure if that should change, though - I'd say it helps me appreciate the liberal change-up at 1:34-1:42, which is a fitting area to mix up and disperse more energy. Really digging the interpretations at 1:52 and 2:11, and it's fun to hear the highest guitar notes kinda screech/wail at the tails of melodic phrases (e.g. 0:52, 1:02, 2:41) - always a welcome bit of character.
Doesn't go a great number of places, but it's still a wild ride visiting them.
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On the system pages for the TurboGrafx-16 and TurboGrafx-CD, the GameFAQs reference links are broken. Here's an update for the former and latter respectively.
Also, why is Akumajo Dracula X: Rondo of Blood half in English and half in Japanese title-wise? Why not Devil's Castle Dracula X: Rondo of Blood or Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo?
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COOOOOOL opening notes - I almost imagine hanging icicles being tapped instead of piano keys. That establishing detail practically dictates the rest of the mix: the gentle, heavenly tone makes me look up (figuratively and literally) and, true to the title, really does help me chill out, especially after a hard day. Plus, the whole progression is kind of evocative of an ending theme, fostering a satisfying sense of closure/completion.
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Slick, smooth, swimmingly soothing stuff. I especially like the chewy, cross-panned lead and 1:18's tempo/mood shift. Listening to this makes me imagine something like a shallow coral reef rather than the wide ocean.
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This mix MAGNIFIES the expressive potential of every part of Danger, so naturally there's lots to appreciate here. For me, that includes:
0:48 - Fitting spot to express tension between the NES and Genesis - they meet and are working together, but don't fully trust each other yet.1:52-4 - The whole ritardando note descent is neat, but the tail end is full of suspense the way it slowly rises back up...
1:59 onward - Not only is the fusion dance complete, the main melody is now bent on fully exploring its body like it's blasted through puberty at terminal velocity.
3:32 - Unconventional time sigs are fun, here helped by the smoothly gliding lead.
4:26 - By this point, the mix is reaching beyond the cosmos, finding sublime meaning in things we humans can't begin to comprehend.
When it's all over, I'm left satisfied and out of breath. Makes sense, since others have said this is like sex/an orgasm/a drug trip. -
A few highlights:
0:12 - Love the explosive drums here. They're masters of their domain.0:23 - This quip alone gets me geared up for a training montage.
0:37 - AW YEAH! Badass bass! I'm rarin' to go!
0:40 - ...Wait, what the - ? That rising arpeggio is distracting and doesn't quite mesh melodically. The energy I had just deflated. Fooey.
1:52 - All-over-the-place drumwork makes me wanna dance in as many directions because of its newfound liberty.
2:26 - The drums go off the rails again, but now I'm tricked into thinking it's the lead synth that's hypnotizing me into shaking my body this way and that.
Not one of my favorites, but it's got enough charm to keep me coming back every once in a while. -
Of all the themes being tackled in this, I'd say I'm most surprised/impressed by the interpretation of Don't Be Afraid. I personally find that source tune somewhat lackluster compared to other FF8 songs, and its treatment here (plowing through without regard for emotive nuances) practically morphs it into another song altogether, one I like. That section, and the rest of the mix, is, in a word, boss.
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7 minutes ago, Anorax said:
Can't reproduce. Do you think you can pinpoint what on the page is pulling up that message?
Looks like it's dand101's sig space: a .jpg from ffartwork.com.
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- Visiting the first page of the Metal Gear May Cry review thread produces a sign-in box with the message:
A username and password are being requested by http://www.ffartwork.com. The site says: "Compass Rose Arts Beta"
- The Cave Story source song "Cemetery" is misspelled "Cemetary" and "Oppression" is misspelled "Opression."
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- I like how this extracts and plays with the source's bass melody first (0:24) - it's a clever and natural way to warm up, set the tone, and glean some extra mileage out of the song.
- When Mystic Cave's higher-key melody enters (0:56), its staccato adaptation creates a tug-of-war between the notes played, like they're saying "This! No, this! No, this! (etc.)" Fun little bit.
- While most of the activity-heavy sections add to the strip club vibe going on, the "haunted carnival" parts sound like... well, a haunted carnival still, not a strip club. Not that that's a bad thing - though they stand apart in imagery/tone, they're seamlessly linked with the "rough and tumble" ride that is the rest of the mix. So when I'm not visualizing gyrating hips and pulled G-strings, I'm still grooving with the snappy synthwork and dirty drumwork.
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I am thoroughly enjoying this thanks to:
- the deliciously badass combo of grungy bass and rapid percussion (I can't get enough of it)
- how the order/arrangement of the sources makes it seem like Simon is getting glimpses of the challenges in the next two areas while swaggering through The Cave
- the sine wave/whistle-y quips of The Submerged City (4:09+)
- the occasional church bells
The artist sure isn't kidding when he says he had fun making this. Not hard to see/hear/feel/smell/taste why. -
It's impressive - aside from the fact that the source tune already carries a lot of emotional baggage in its narrative and that a different piano adaptation has been done prior, this mix manages to juice the song even further for its emotive prowess. All I can say is that when it comes to solo piano pieces, I'm a sucker for sections that linger over high notes (e.g. 0:36-0:41), contemplate existence (the slow midriff), and leave me wanting more (don't run away from me, 2:53+...). During any of those times I just feel like tearing up, inside or out.
In short, I'd say the artist succeeded.
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Such a warm intro and outro - they wonderfully build upon the source's tacit plea for Mikey to keep going because Goonies never say die. In general, I love the gentler parts in this mix, especially the heavenly break at 2:20. 0:36 is a fitting boost in energy, although the lingering guitar at 0:42 (slightly panned left) detracts from the mood a little. This is one example of a synth in a busy section holding a note for a few seconds before "releasing" it (a prominent example is 2:32-2:37). I'm sure these instances are meant to add to the mood, but instead they kinda muddy it. Speaking of which, I can't say I'm a fan of that growling guitar at 1:45+. It sounds like another song overtaking/imposing itself on the main melody and disrupting the emotive reputation it's built up. I'm also not sure what purpose the alarm whistle at 1:57 serves (sounds surprising and feels incongruous).
Still worth a listen overall, because the Password theme from Goonies II is underrated.
OCR Mascot Bios - 20 more up for grabs!
in Projects
Posted
Since it's called the Comet Observatory, I'm sure you can say either "on the comet" or "at the observatory." Vessels on water need "on" and stationary places use "at," whereas the Comet Observatory is both fixed and mobile.
The latter. It flies through the galaxy and Rosalina looks at whatever comes into sight.
Anyway, I looked back to one of your previous posts and realized your suggestion for tweaking the beginning of the sentence with the Lumas is:
Okay. With that in mind, we can fill in the gap here:
"...gazes upon myriad galaxies. __________ she raises little star babies..."
...without using a location, but instead something like:
On a more intimate level,
For as long as she remembers, [she's raised]
As if to tap into her inner parent,
Like a true protectress,
True to her protector instincts, (I like this one)
In addition, [she] lovingly
[She] also (if all else fails)