Hello, everyone. This is Leif Landevag (TDOMMX), the Project Coordinator for Darkside Translations and the co-producer of the English localization of Rosenkreuzstilette. I'd like to thank you all for volunteering to overhaul the soundtrack of RKS. I have been a fan of OverClocked ReMix for many, many years (I've lost track of exactly how many), so I consider it an honor to be working with you.
Before we get started, I believe I owe many of you - especially Meteo Xavier - an apology. I discussed the scope of this project with Level 99 at length and gave plenty of examples of the kind of arrangements my team and I would like to hear and use in the revised English-language re-release of the game. Unfortunately, Level 99's admittedly hastily-put-together post and my inability to reply to this thread until now (...long story...) has left many of you scratching your heads or, worse, taking your arrangements in a very different direction that what we were expecting. Before saying anything more, I wish to say that I'm sorry if any of the time and energy you've invested thus far has been for naught. I don't mean to take anyone's work for granted or cause anyone frustration or heartache; as I've said, I consider it an honor to be working with a community I hold in such high regard.
That said, the most prevalent question I've seen here seems to be along the lines of "what are we trying to do here, anyway?". I'll answer that to the best of my ability before moving onto the more specific questions.
Rosenkreuzstilette contains many deliberate homages to gaming classics - in its graphics, its character designs, its levels, and even its enemy AI. A prime example of this is the game's lead antagonist, Count Michael Zeppelin (pronounced "Mikhail" without the 'k'). The
is an undeniable throwback to the battle between Richter Belmont and Count Vlad Tepes Dracula, as retold in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood,
, and
. Zeppelin's outfit, his mannerisms, and even his demonic form closely resemble their Castlevanian counterpart.Since the release of Symphony of the Night, the song "Dance of Illusions" has been regarded as the theme of Dracula himself (and has been officially recognized as such in
and
). Its rousing symphonic orchestra and its powerful organ melody are instantly recognizable, to the point that homages and parodies of this battle practically demand at least a nod to this song. It's with this same rationale that we wish for Zeppelin's theme, "Fighting Eternally", to be rearranged in the same orchestral style as "Dance of Illusions", with as close a match to the song's tone colors and progression as possible. Since there are many official renditions of this song, we have plenty to work with, though I think it's safe to say that the Symphony of the Night rendition is easily the most well-known of the bunch.Where strong parallels such as Zeppelin / Dracula or Iris / Lumine are present, we'd like to underscore these parallels through the soundtrack by arranging the melody in the same style as its counterpart. Of course, this does not apply to every track. "Winter Breath" is easily my favorite track in the game, but this track is an original composition, not intended as a nod of any kind. With tracks like these, we would like for the musicians to follow the example set by Mathew Valente (TSSF) with his treatment of the Chrono Trigger soundtrack in Chrono Resurrection - producing a more organic, less "MIDI" rendition of the original tracks. For an example of what I mean by this, compare the
to
.Naturally, what we're looking for varies on a track-by-track basis, so I'd very much like for each ReMixer to contact me directly by private message or Gmail (TDOMMX at Gmail dot com) to swap ideas and ensure that we have the same image in mind. I'd like to chime in early and often so that everyone has a clear idea of how they are faring; I want to avoid repeating what happened between me and Meteo Xavier at all costs.
Moomba: non-fanfare tracks can be arranged as long or as short as you'd like. They just need to be properly loopable. For the short fanfares, they only play once and their animation cannot be changed, so those tracks (i.e.: "Stage Start" and the majority of the untitled tracks) must remain the same length.
Orangedragan: there are no vocal tracks in the game itself, but there is an official vocal rendition of Track 49, "Last Battle -Requiem for Myself-". The lyrics are written in horrible Engrish and badly need rewriting, but you're welcome to give it a shot if you feel up to it. One of our voice actresses, Amanda Lee, is a
, and I'm well aware that OC ReMix has plenty of vocal talent as well.If you have any other questions or wish to pick my brain for a bit, my inbox is open to all of you. I may not be able to answer your questions immediately, but I can practically guarantee that you will hear something from me within three days' time.
That said, I'm very much looking forward to hearing what you can do. Good luck, and thanks again for helping us out!
---
Leif Landevag (TDOMMX)
Project Coordinator, Darkside Translations
