glasfen
-
Posts
353 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Articles
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by glasfen
-
-
Hello, gamers! Your opinion counts. That's why I'm posting the very first Veteran Gamer Opinion Poll. The purpose of the VGOPs is simply to have fun with questions about gaming and elements of games. Yes, the name says veteran gamer, but all are welcome! It just helps to have played a variety of games.
Here's how to participate:
1. A question or situation will be posted.
2. Simply reply to the thread with your choice of a, b, c, or d.
3. Watch as others vote.
4. Check back when the votes are tallied to see the consensus.
Nothing to it! I will also offer a poll-related sig for interested parties at the end of each voting period (about a week). I hope to post the VGOPs on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. If you have any questions, pm me!
Now that the formalities have been addressed, here is...
Veteran Gamer Opinion Poll #1
In a platformer, which is more frustrating?
a) a time limit
one-hit deathsc) unreachable power-ups
d) unavoidable enemies
Vote and be heard!
-
Beautiful arrangement. The quiet parts are too quiet in my opinion, compared with the fortissimos. Overall, though, it is very fluid and respectful of the original track. Nice work!
You wouldn't happen to be the mind behind a particularly good Rygar orchestration I came across years ago, would you?
-
Game soundtracks are indispensible aspects of the medium because they help to fill in the void left in their absence. A bad soundtrack can militate against the quality of a game just as much as bad graphics (though less than terrible gameplay). A good soundtrack can improve the quality of a game, even if the game has certain other flaws. As a result, developers need to recognize the necessity of a good (and appropriate) soundtrack, and they must then put the proper resources into the development of one.
Hear, hear! I agree, also, with Strike911 on the point that ambient sounds can successfully substitute for music when appropriate. Take Eternal Darkness, for example. I tried but couldn't remember a track from that game and then I realized: it was almost entirely ambient sound. But that was perfect to build the mood and create an engrossing, highly enjoyable game.
That said, I think our standards for music in games have increased exponentially over time. We expect high quality tunes in modern games simply because there are precedents of great game music which are a basis for comparison. This makes it a little bit more difficult to create a lauded OST. DjSammyG is correct in that emphasis may have shifted to the visual component of a game (an obvious choice as it is the primary sensory input for most) at the expense of music.
All in all, music can be an integral part of a game but may be outweighed in importance by a number of other factors: visual appeal, storyline, accessibility, fun, etc. These other components may still create a great game. Now that Wii Music is coming out, it will be interesting to see if a game based almost solely on music will succeed as well as those in which music is important, but not predominant.
-
Holy moley, that song is so good! It needs better exposure no matter how it happens. My local 80s weekend station doesn't even have it in their playlist! Insanity!
We need The Touch, we need the power!
-
This ReMix was my introduction to the musical stylings and incredible voice of pixietricks. It blew me away to hear such emotive lyrics woven into a wonderful source. Inspiring and poignant, it made me happy to have found OCR.
-
-
News from the Tokyo Game Show!
and the website has been updated.
-
I'm afraid this might not answer your question directly. But, I think it'd be a better strategy to let your lyrics work with the song, than try to work your song around the lyrics. Game references won't directly affect the quality of the song. But I can say that if your lyrics sound arbitrarily inserted (like adding references just for the sake of references), that can kill it. KF
Actually, you've done a great job answering my question. I guess my real intention was to gauge the site's reaction to game-related lyrics. These replies have given me a good idea of what is acceptable and what is not.
Thanks for the links to other lyric-containing ReMixes! I wish there was an easier way to find them (search option, mayhaps?). Adding them to my playlist... now.
-
As with any artistic medium (some of this came up in another thread), video games will include references and instances of real world issues and problems. As video games are a relatively new form of entertainment, the focus is still generally on fun as opposed to "art" or political/social/philosophical purpose. This is probably due to the fact that most games today are made for profit and, therefore, are marketed towards wider audiences to maximize earnings.
As gaming becomes more integral to the Western experience (likely within the next generation) and software to easily create free or inexpensive and highly distributable games (as RPGM2K in the article) becomes more widespread, new niches will open up for artistic or avant-garde products. As the number of people exposed to gaming increases, the number of perspectives and, thereby, gaming preferences and desires follows. Artists like Luc Bernard will push this change as pioneers in the gaming industry, just as authors, poets, painters, directors, etc. before them moved their respective media in the same direction of diversification.
To sum up this all-too-lengthy post, it is the natural progression of video games to incorporate realistic, often controversial, themes as the medium comes of age.
-
I place my full support behind this thread. I find it hard to believe that the Paper series is without representation.
-
Awesome guitar work, great rhythm and breaks, totally hot in its entirety. This one was on repeat for quite a while after I downloaded it.
Ay caramba! Las mamacitas estan enamoradas de Diggi Dis! Que suerte para el!
-
Very nice mix. It would be a fun addition to the DT Moon remixes already on the site. This one adds a good deal of complexity, layering, and dynamics which the others lack (though they are excellent in their own right). I love the surprising ending.
Nice work, xGx. Cool graphics on your page.
-
I've gotten some pretty sweet deals at local music stores but I would agree with Snappleman on the price:quality ratio and Overcoat on getting what you like. It makes no sense to get a cheaper guitar if you're not happy with the sound/feel/even the look (though that's not as important, obviously) when a, hopefully slightly, more expensive axe will keep you happy. I got my acoustic electric for just over the most I would pay for any guitar and I have to say it was a great investment. I loved it when I picked it up in the store: it sounded great, felt wonderful, and had very nice action (despite the steel strings).
In your case, Incinerator Drone, you might want to look into a nylon string acoustic electric if you are having issues with action. As much as they may be mocked by "serious" guitarists, Ovations are popular as a relatively inexpensive, comfortable guitar (you may know this already). Snappleman's on the right track with Ibanez also. If you can spend the extra dough, I would highly recommend Taylor (from what I know, this is a serious and fairly well-revered guitar brand).
If you live in the Maryland area, I can recommend a couple good stores. Good luck to you!
-
but Blue Resort is one of those tracks that's good as is. It'd be impressive to make that better.
Hmm... good point. It would probably take some serious work to ReMix it and come out with something even on par with the original.
-
This is one of the ReMixes that made me go back and play Little Nemo again. This is top choice mixing here, very energetic and altogether awesome. The Nightmare King is no match for Shane Barber!
-
I didn't know they even made cool stuff like that!
I've used a mixer and Right-Left-to-microphone adapter on a PC before. It worked well enough. Problem is, you need a mixer at that point, and that can be pricey. On the plus size, you have a lot of control over input/output and other variables. I was working with an acoustic(/electric) also, so there wasn't a lot of reverb or other effects to take into consideration.
I'll have to look into those USB connectors!
-
Thanks for the input, guys!
(and judges, no less! I'm starstruck...)
-
In other words, should the lyrics be about the actual game itself, as in harmony and Star Salzman's ReMixes? Or should they be more like pixietricks' more subtle referencing?
Of course the judges are looking for solid song-writing, but do you think that clever game references help? Does the content of the lyrics matter?
-
I'm surprised that there are no mixes from this game on the site!
(either that or I missed them completely)
I picked up the game again last week and the Blue Resort theme struck me as a very mixable track. Maybe something with a funk persuasion?
Here's a
.I did find a remix elsewhere (scroll down).
-
Glad to hear some feedback from actual gamers, instead of reviewers. I've been impressed by what I've seen but my question is this: is it worth purchasing or better to rent?
-
Possibly one of my favorite tunes of all gaming time. I wasn't sure what to think of the title when I heard it at the start... It made sense later. Excellent improv. The arrangement swallowed me up and I can't get enough of this jam.
Keep it up, Krafft!
(that name would make a good DK baddy, though I can't imagine what it would be)
-
Certainly a contentious topic.
While many of we veteran gamers may feel slighted by the absence of classic franchise titles right now, I have to agree with many that Nintendo's emphasis is on new gamers. For we old codgers of button-pressing, they will continue to generate Virtual Console downloads and our Marios/Zeldas/Metroids/etc.. For the new "Touch Generation", they will probably produce mostly socially-oriented products (DSi) as well as modded or spin-off classics.
While it may be in Nintendo's best interest to cater to each side of the gaming world and schedule their major releases at a more even pace, they may have succumbed to the heckling of Apple, Sony, and Microsoft and are now straining to gain ground.
That said, if they survive (financially and creatively) to the next console generation, it should blow everything else away. If they've learned anything thus far, that is.
Personally, I think they will revive the Virtual Boy concept with Wii flare (and better graphics and memory).
-
Absolutely. Video games by their very nature are an art form. Whether or not they meet the definition of "high art" is a matter of opinion.
Of course, video games have not been around for very long and suffer from much more limited exposure than film and music. As gaming progresses and is made more easily available to the masses, there will probably be an effort to produce games for the sake of "art" rather than simple fun. Not that this hasn't been attempted before, but I do not think it is as rampant as in film or other media.
But where does one find the balance between art and fun? Is it counterproductive to create "artistic" games if they are not as fun as simpler, less cerebral titles? Or can it be justified for the sake of art?
-
To me, video games are a way of putting reality aside for a moment (or a few hours, depending on the game). I do not want to see blatant advertising of real-world products because I am not interested in reality at that point. Really, all that does for me is cheapen the gaming experience.
I don't find subtle advertising (minimal logos, for example) to be as much of a problem. Even advertising that fits with the game universe is okay (TMNT as Ransom mentioned, or even the Yo Noid game, which can be viewed as one giant advertisement for Domino's). In contrast, fake advertising (Mario Kart tracks) actually makes sense and seems realistic for the game.
Advertising real-world products is just not appropriate (as far as design, ethics, etc.) in most games.
Veteran Gamer Opinion Polls - for everyone!
in General Discussion
Posted
Well, I use the term "veteran" loosely (plus, VGOP sounds cool). Really all it means in this context is that you have experience with a variety of games and are familiar with the classics insofar as understanding the poll questions. Case in point, for this poll, a "veteran gamer" may think of the NES and SNES Mario or Mega Man games.