Antipode

Can someone tell me how lives work in Metal Slug Anthology? I'd consider buying it but I don't want the game to be completely impossible/brutal like the XBOX version of Metal Slug 3 was. That's pretty much what my buying of this game hinges on.

Hey guys, thanks a lot for your comments! As promised, here's a few concepts I have for album art, which I've made from scratch. The full, hi-res versions will of course be available with the album release. I'm now hard at work on three new tracks, so you know. The above is a disc design I had in mind. Some of you might have recognized this from my myspace page (which is now linked from my sig). I figure it will look best with no text on it at all, and especially burned on a black CD-R. Sorry about the large images. These are much sized down as it is. Remember that this is just a conceptual design but it will likely be very similar if not exactly the final copy. The above is the tri-folding outer label, the far left being the box cover, the middle being the direct inside of the lid, and the right being the middle section when the liner notes are unfolded.. (EDIT: For some reason vBulletin isn't allowing the picture of the trayliner. Whatever, you got the idea I'm sure, and you'll still be able to see it when the whole project is released.) ...and the trayliner design, with the as-of-yet incomplete tracklisting. (Anything with "track _" is a track I haven't started yet, and anything with "XX:XX" is a track I haven't finished yet.) What I'm working on right now is likely tracks 7 8 and 9. I also have an inner label design in the works with liner notes that aren't complete yet. So you might ask why it is that I'm posting all my crappy album art! It's because I'm putting a lot of my free time into this project, and I figure there's no better place to share it than here at OCR. Anyway, I might not post in this thread for awhile until I've made significant progress. To anyone who hasn't listened to the preview track yet, please do, and if you feel like it, leave a comment! In a month or two I might have another preview set ready, or better yet, the entire album completed. Until then.

I never said "electronic remixes don't pass" - I said judges seem to be a lot harder on them now. And more specifically than "electronic remixes" I was referring to the ones that have that "feel" the old ones had. (Like I said, it's hard to describe it exactly.) There's tons of new electronic mixes on the site, granted, but it's very infrequent you get one like what I'm talking about. Undoubtedly one comes along every so often - it's just not nearly as often as it used to be.

A few of my own feelings about this: For one, I believe the complexity of mixes has DEFINITELY increased since the much older mixes, steadily. Mixers have gotten more skilled and the judges have higher standards. However, there is a flipside. Back a few years ago, most of the mixes posted had a similar "feel". This is obviously a very difficult style to explain because it had a lot of variants, but through about 03 or so many of them shared certain aspects. Now, I think the judges might judge a bit too harshly on current mixes featuring that style of electronica from back then. It seems that mixes with live instruments cause a bit of a bias and are FAR more likely to get in even if the mix itself is not that creative or interesting (which may or may not be the case - definitely they are creative and definitely the artists are talented...but every so often, and more often than before, I hit a dud). Basically, I guess people liked the older mixes more mostly because people liked that old style, and now it's very hard to come across one. I think one of the most recent ones like I'm talking about to pass would have been either iMushroom by GaMeBoX from S&K (which is probably why it's been coming up in discussion) or Too Hot for Heatman by AeroZ from Mega Man II. I myself have enjoyed some of the most recent mixes, really. There has been some quality stuff, to be sure. However, I can't deny that I have a soft spot and probably a greater appreciation for the elder mixes, and in particular that "feel" that many of them had.

Wow, this is some interesting, avant-garde stuff. I like the intro to this especially, through about :56 especially. You've got a real fearless approach and you change up a lot through different kinds of styles. Haha, perhaps not "easy-listening" but interesting for sure. Not sure I've heard much like this. The dissonance causes for some pretty interesting effects. Looking forward to more.

Hey, I like this latest track quite a bit. It's quite a step away from what GaMeBoX has done before, and that's great. Still, even with the laid back style you can hear his distinctive solos in there. Excellent track. I submitted one of my own, just for the hell of it.

Hey, this is really sweet, smooth stuff. I really like the "seashore-esque" sound at the end. Very relaxing and good for background. Saved for sure.

Hmm, I can't think of too many co-op games for GC at all. I know there's a co-op mode in Wario Ware, Four Swords and also Wind Waker (Tingle on GBA). Don't forget about Double Dash with the co-op racing, too. I can't think of too many others, unfortunately. Oh, and in smash brothers you can do a team fight.

Hey, y'all. I thought as my thousandth post I'd give you a bit of an update on my album, Antechamber, which I hope to have finished in several months. I've been putting a lot of time and effort into this album and I'd at least like people to know that I'm working on it. So - I've put together a little one minute long preview track with pieces of the six tracks I've finished so far! You may recognize one or two from this but the rest will be new. It's not really my thing to put out all the tracks that I've done before I put out the CD (which I actually hope to be a physical CD, by the way), so I'm sure you understand. Like I say though, good to at least have you guys know about it. It's been coming along nicely. So, without further ado, here's that preview track! (RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE-AS HERE) By the way, any comments are much appreciated. I've got more to come about this project, so stay tuned! I've finished some album art as well, so I might update this in a few days with that.

Ok, totally new with firefox. I installed the Stylish plugin, went to write style and blank style. Pasted the code from Main Style and saved it as that, did the same in another one with the vbulletin edit. Saved both, applied, whatever, but nothing happens. What am I missing? Incidentally I ought to mention that when I try to save the "main style" one it gives me a sort of syntax error ("was expecting ____ but found___ , do you still want to use code?") Any help here? I've tried tutorials but they just tell me to do exactly what I've done.

For serious. Oh and by the way, I'm definitely using it if it's accepted... I must know that Ooze has infected the avatar list! Where is the one who tames lions?

Haven't a couple exceptions been made for the longer mixes to avoid low-bitrate?

I'm listening to this as we speak. I've got to start off with this: fantastic samples. The tympani and organ sound great so far. Second, I have to say that at least to 2:30, where I'm at right now, this is a great medley. Ah, and there's the castle theme. You've worked these surprisingly well together. I'll wait a bit before I continue. (NOW AT 5:30) Man, this is epic! Great atmospheric transition into this section. I suppose this is the final battle - I remember this from the game. I hear that guitar at around 6:30 - excellent part right here - great style change! I love the guitar stabs in the intense parts. Aaand we wind down for the conclusion. Okay, to summarize, I really enjoyed this. It's a definite narrative piece - you can almost see Mario venturing through the castle and watch a plotline unfold as he overcomes traps and eventually discovers and battles Bowser. Your transitions between pieces here really impressed me, so I have to commend you for that. Now if you submit this, I can potentially see where you might be knocked down, and that's that this is somewhat of a medley - you have several songs with their own arrangements all woven together. Very well I might add, but it adds quite a bit on. Personally I like this because I enjoy listening to it, but they may get you for length. I don't see how you can change that at all though because I wouldn't want you to remove any sections. Lastly if you still plan to add to this I could make a creative suggestion - when the Final Boss melody reprises near the end you could try overlaying parts of the Bowser theme from SMB3 (link to MIDI for reference: http://vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/nes/bowser.mid) - perhaps the bassline or maybe even the melody line could work too if the key was adjusted right. Just an idea, I'm not saying the final portion is lacking - just something that popped into my head while I was listening. Anyway. This is epic. And it needs more attention, more attention I say! I hope this winds up on OCR someday soon.

Listening now. Ahhh, this is nice and nostalgic. Good intro. 1:50 was a bit of a sudden jump, but I love the way you worked that idea into the background at around 2:05 and layered the starfox theme in. This is my favorite section so far. At the climax if you added in the better samples that would be great. And...argh! I must hear how it ends or at least continues! I can tell you that so far I'm really, really enjoying your arrangement. Excellent harmonies and ideas. My only main suggestion might be that 1:50 could use a bit of a change, maybe in the instrument that is playing that main descending line. Anyway, please continue! EDIT: I ought to add that after listening again I think it might sound a bit "empty" in certain sections, as though it might need more layers to it. You might want to work on that a bit, but it didn't seem to be too serious.

This is definitely interesting. Plus, I'm always glad to hear another metroid mix and especially anything related to RotC. I like the string sounds you have, but I'm not feeling the drums for whatever reason, especially when they're the only things going around :26. I think it needs a solid kick or something to pop in with the strings at around :43. That would really help this. Regardless, I like what I hear near the end. Maybe you could come in with some kind of echoey bells or something layered onto the strings. Nice start with this, though - if you seriously flesh this out and add more sections I could really get to enjoying it.

I love the style of this. It seems to fit perfectly. 1:25 is PERFECT right there. I really wish you could have the ability to somehow finish this and submit it, but I know it's a lost cause. Great work anyway!

Ok, I'll do a play by play because this is a great source tune. STARTING MIX AT 0:06 Okay, I can tell you right off the bat that while this is a cool sound to use, you're using it as both your lead and your background, which muddies things up a bit and makes the melody a bit difficult to distinguish. AT 0:18 Something here with the drums doesn't quite match up, and sort of jumbles this up for a few seconds. AT 0:21 Nice break away from the drums. AT 0:34 Okay, at this point I can tell that not only are you using a drumloop and a midi-rip, the two aren't matching up at all with each other. This seems to continue on...I'm at 1:06 now... the tempo of the drums not matching REALLY hurts this. AT 1:31 The tempo of the drums finally catches up briefly before totally drifting off again. AT 1:54 Just kind of stops. After you take care of the more serious problems with this mix you'll want to add a good conclusion here, as your echo stop seems to just happen in the middle of the melody. Okay, here are my suggestions. If this is a serious attempt and particularly if it's intended for OCR you'll want to change it up a bit. Break from the melody, improvise, don't just MIDIrip and add drums. The other problem here is that the drums don't match up at all with your melody. If you're just doing this for your own enjoyment, at least adjust the tempo of those drums to match. Also, why not have two instruments playing different parts of the song or at least different portions instead of just that one? Put some more effort into it, and once you get it sounding good, add an ending on there.

You guys who are saying that "we've hit the boundary of realistic game graphics" are going to be laughed at in 10 years (5?). You're telling me you can't tell the difference between a super-modern game screenshot and a photograph? Also, I think that just because the Wii will likely be successful and that it has mediocre graphics doesn't mean that "companies will focus more on innovation than graphics". Anyway, yeah, this gen has barely gotten going yet, and if I'm going to speculate, this will probably be the gen I'll do it for.

You do realize that when you're installing iTunes you are given the option to "have itunes organize your music for you", and that you can uncheck this while you're installing. I always just uncheck that box and I've never had a problem. But if it put them in the windows directory or game directories, I can't explain that - weird stuff... I'd be just as angry, likely.

I don't know if this really works or not or if it's all in my head, but I started this playing with headphones as directed on the site and at around 2 minutes it actually got me to start working, and efficiently, on my essay which I haven't been able to start for two hours. Even if it is just psychological and has nothing to do with the sound, it seemed to at least have some effect. I might keep using this, and I'm inclined to believe it works. Just remember that it says you should use it with headphones.

I should clarify. I didn't mean that I liked the way iTunes automatically organized your music - I meant that I liked the ease of use it has in allowing you to organize your own music. I spent many hours manually doing it all myself and while it may have been easier to let iTunes do it I know I wouldn't have been satisfied with how it did it - I've seen how it works on other people's libraries.

Maybe I missed it, but what player did you wind up with?

I have a 30GB iPod and I've never regretted the purchase. The wheel allows for fast and easy navigation and the connection/organization services with iTunes are great. I wish it had been a bit cheaper of course, but nothing can be helped there. If I had as much money as I wanted I would still get the iPod over the Zen and Zune. I didn't get it for the brand name, I got it for the functionality, and it hasn't let me down.

My buying of Sonic and the Secret Rings now hinges on one thing - the option to turn off voice acting. If that option isn't available, I'm never going to buy it or even consider it.

As incredibly great of a game Wario Land was, I think 2 was honestly an improvement in every way. I loved the system where you take different "forms" from enemies like flat wario, on-fire wario, fat wario, and all of those and figure out what to do based on those. 3 honestly was a slight stepdown from 2 even though it was technically a better game simply because it didn't quite have the style right. The style and overall feel in 1, VB, and 2 was just excellent. 4 and wario ware is where they lost it and they haven't quite gotten it right since. Master of Disguise looks very promising and I hope they get back to that feel the old games had.