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kitty

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    Heroes of the Storm

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    After leaving the moba scene I've returned to play Heroes of the Storm.

     

    It's more fast-paced than League but the games tend to snowball more. I like the varying objectives on each map and I also enjoy that there are multiple maps to play in the same general format.

     

    There's a player level that is permanent outside of gameplay like summoner levels from League. What's interesting is that they also have hero levels for the heroes which are permanent and they unlocks things like traits or skins (in combination with in-game currency).

     

    Anyway, add me on Battle.net if you wanna play!

     

    HotS Players

     

    kitty - Wozza#1978

    Kat - Virtuoso#1608

    k-wix - kwix#1499

    Koriantor - Koriantor#1937

    zykO - zyko#1323

    kupernikus - Kouper#1332

    Need headphone recommendations

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I just bought a digital piano, a Yamaha DGX-620, and since I have roommates and thin walls I figured it'd be best to get a new pair of headphones so I can practice without bothering them. I also play electric guitar so the headphones will double for that as well as for casual music listening. I'm not an audiophile or anything so I have no idea where to start. I want to something that's really up there in quality. I already have a decent headset I use for gaming (Sennheiser PC151) that I've been using for the past 8 years; so something better than this would be ideal.

     

    I did have someone recommend me AKG K 240 headphones, but I don't know how these compare to anything else. I'm looking at spending around $75 before tax and nothing over $100 before tax.

     

    EDIT: One thing I forgot to mention is I wear glasses, so a pair of headphones that doesn't crush my ears against my earpieces would be great.

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Finally got some time to sit down and type a response.

    I just attended a VGM concert called "Score" in Norway, and this piece just completely blew me away:

    I had never heard it before, didn't know anything about the story or characters in the game, and still I was all goosebumps and tears by the end of it. Imagine what I would have been like if I had built up a connection with the game and the story.

    That's what I love about video game music. How it can stand alone as great pieces of music, and at the same time forge incredibly powerful connections with the gamers who spend hours listening to them while experiencing all kinds of memorable in-game moments.

    Might not be quite what you're after, but I thought I'd share my latest "feels"-moment with you ;)

    This track does have a lot of emotion to it, but not what I'm looking for. Still quite enjoyable though.

    Not sure if this quite fits what you have in mind, but the first piece that comes to mind for me is
    . It's been years since I've last played the game, but if I recall correctly, this music plays at the end of the game as the aftermath of the final battle dawns on the heroes. Even if it doesn't quite match the criteria, it's still a very nice piece.

    This matches up somewhat closely to what I am looking for. The beginning definitely gives off a sense that an ordeal was just overcome. It really helps the song develop a more uplifting sound later on.

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Sure thing!

    To further complicate these themes, I want to throw in a feeling of redemption/healing/recovery from a trauma. Again the image in my head is similar to the ending scene in Advent Children. It's arguable that Cloud lives because of Aerith and he overcomes Bahamut because of his friends' support for him. I guess another way to put it is that he was "saved from himself." Cloud's trauma is very real, but he also ruminates on it for quite a long time. To overcome this, what he gets goes beyond just regular "support" and he is SAVED by the intervention of his loved ones.

    Again this is similar to the idea I have. My idea focuses more on the subject overcoming his own flaws but only through the realization that those flaws are a part of him or that they were not even flaws to begin with. Another way to put it is to regain hope (with some help from a close friend) after one has lost all faith and that they feel they can't go on anymore and have fallen into despair.

    I want to actively avoid the cliche "you can do it" feeling. It's here where I think the distinction could prove too difficult to define in music without lyrics. "Fear Not This Night" from Guild Wars 2 does a great job (with the help of lyrics) to get pretty close to the idea I have in my head. Although it is a tad bit too "epic", it handles the complexity of what I want really well when it moves back and forth from a tense feeling to a supportive feeling.

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hey guys, thanks for helping me out with finding stuff. I'm having trouble finding one particular "feels" song that may be a bit too specific.

    I'm looking for songs that convey the idea that emotional wounds are healing and that the hurt person is slowly moving on. Alternatively, I'm looking for songs that sound "supportive." To put a picture to these feelings, I would say the scene from FF7's Advent Children where Cloud has the vision of Aerith and she says "it's okay" and walks away is spot on for what I'm looking for.

    I'm not sure if this is too specific but I'd like to find an example of music that might be able to convey this on its own or with minimal background story.

    Any help is appreciated!

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Common! Really? Nothing from RE2? okay well here I go...

    I feel like the RE series, up until recently (looking at you Revelations) avoiding a fight or running away was your best option

    This one is good, though I'd need to hear it without the alarm klaxon.

    Hurry! (Final Fantasy VII) was the first song that came to my mind. This song gives me the sense of danger, and also the sensation that I should think and act faster.

    Hope it's useful :<

    I saw this in my library and I gave it a listen. It definitely conveys a sense of urgency, but for some reason I never associated it with danger. There's something about it that has the opposite effect on me. Or maybe it's my memory of the game and never actually feeling rushed when this music played. :P

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Lesse... the angry category is gonna be tough to hit, so I'll just throw in examples that I think fit; perhaps you can use those to narrow the search?

    • (A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda) - This may match the tense and danger aspects, but might also be a bit too aggressive in that second half.
    • ,
      (The Banner Saga) - Not really matching the more precise tension of the Deus Ex linked above; despite that, these tracks from the Banner Saga build tension excellently.
    • , Burning Orphanage (Chrono Cross) - Isle of the Dead is a bit mechanically tense, while Burning Orphanage might fit within your danger specs quite nicely.
    • (Crimsonshroud) - Classic Hitoshi Sakimoto; a lot of his slower tracks have latent tension strung throughout, and this is a prime example.
    • ,
      ,
      ,
      ,
      ,
      (Dark Void) - Okay, this whole soundtrack is 100% fantastic, but these tracks are likely the most relevant. All lean on the danger side; 'The Collector' miiiight fit with the angry motif, though I can't really say it's not malicious; while 'The Watcher Airship' definitely leans towards tense. But seriously, check out the whole soundtrack; there's several other that probably fit here, too.
    • (Final Fantasy Tactics) - I think this may fit the danger without combat theme.
    • ,
      (Final Fantasy XIII) - 'The Hanging Edge' is masterful tension-wise. 'No Way to Live' might actually be the first one here that really fits 'lashing out without malice'.
    • ,
      ,
      (Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn) - 'One Blood' and 'Thunderer' can probably channel danger quite well. 'From Fear to Fortitude' might fit for anger.
    • (Gods Will be Watching) - An interesting tension piece. Like much of the soundtrack, it's got HEAVY bitcrushing and compression, so may not suit everyone's tastes.
    • ,
      ,
      (HydoraH) - 'Warcore' has some degree of tension; 'Red Eden' is mildly dangerous; and 'No Mercy' likely fits the anger category.
    • Lycanthropy (Killer Instinct 2014) - This fits beautifully into the 'gotta run away' category.
    • ,
      ,
      ,
      (The Last Remnant) - 'Flamedrop' and 'Turn the Tide' could be in your 'lashing out' category; 'Unrelenting Advance' is quite dangerous (except for that last bit), and 'Everflow' is high-tension. Tsuyoshi Sekito is really, REALLY good at writing combat tracks (most of which are pretty aggressive), but he also does quite well with technical-sounding dungeon themes. The Last Remnant is chock-full of 'em, so may be worth looking at for more examples.
    • ,
      ,
      (Magnetic by Nature) - This soundtrack ooozes tension and anxiety.
    • ,
      (The Spirit Engine 2) - Two more high-anxiety tracks.
    • Anxiety, Panic, Escape (Xenosaga Episode I) - These track names speak for themselves, haha.

    Thanks so much (AGAIN!) Nathan! Several of these work with what I need. Thanks for putting so much effort into your posts! :mrgreen:

    And I'm only 1/4 of the way done listening.

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Both are pretty much exactly what I'm looking for!

    Skies of Arcadia might have a few the 2nd characteristic:

    Nervous Crisis 1

    Nervous Crisis 2

    Tales of Symphonia:

    - Perhaps the 2nd bullet.

    - Does this fit your 3rd request?

    They aren't exactly epic in the same way as Metal Gear or Deus Ex so I wouldn't be surprised if they're off-base from what you're looking for.

    No need to be epic! The songs (for bullet 2) I'm looking for just need to be able to convey that anxious, almost panicked feeling of having to run away.

    Nervous #2 matches that pretty well.

    Standing in the Pain is close, but not exact. It needs a build up in the dynamics and a more aggressive instrumentation for me to get that "lashing out" feeling. The melancholy sound of it though works as a good starting point for that, though.

    For your third, is something like
    what you're looking for?

    The

    might have some stuff for the others. Good reason to listen through it anyways, if I notice anything noteworthy will append this post.

    I can see "Tooth Paste" working really well in an ragey remix. The melody would need to be played a bit more aggressively. Aside from that, I probably wouldn't even change the notes at all. This is probably the best fit for what I'm looking for that feeling that I've heard so far! Thanks!

    I'd like to hear more examples, if you guys don't mind helping me out still! I really appreciate it. :)!!

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by kitty

    Thanks for the continued responses guys!

    I'm now specifically looking for the following:

    • tense/anxious songs similar in feeling to this song but doesn't have to have the same "sound."
    • danger/"gotta run away" songs that do NOT give off a feeling of battle (example:
      )
    • angry/lashing out songs that aren't malicious (no example for this womp womp)

    edit: VGM still of course :)

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    'Dream of the Shore Near Another World' (Chrono Cross) by Yasunori Mitsuda. Even to this day, this track knocks me senseless -- it brings me back to a simpler day, when videogames were my life. This transports me to another world. Still one of the most beautiful things I know of.

    Didn't mean to skip this one. I love this track so much too as I get lost in its beauty.

    What do the rest of you think/feel when you listen to this track?

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by kitty

    This song makes me feel like a lot has been accomplished (first half of the song) but i need to forget about all of that right now because what is coming next will be serious, epic and awesome (second half).
    Hmm this one makes me feel like something big is coming, probably because of the bell tolling.
    This one simply makes me feel good. The worst is behind me and i am looking at exciting and cheerful days tomorrow and every other day. Back in the days i used to play this game on my SNES and leave the game running after i beat it for 10-15 minutes maybe more i don`t remember. All i remember is that i loved this song and still do today.
    This is definitely a positive uplifting song. I immediately got the sense of looking forward to adventure.
    This one is a classic. This one is just a big bag of emotions from good and happy to sad. Reliving the story of the hero Ark and all he has been through. This song eases my mind because i stop thinking about the world and simply focus on the beauty of the melodies, composition etc. It relaxes me.
    This gives me a happily ever after feel to it, but specifically like a few years down the line. The image I'm getting is a man raising children, but thinking back to his time as an adventurer.
    This one again feels so calming and relaxing but i can`t really describe it...
    This makes me think of everyday life in a small town. I imagine a man coming home after a day's work and relaxing but still thinking about the future and how to reach his goals.

    In response to Melbu Frahma:

    Aeris dying surprisingly didn't upset me too much. If I used her more, I think I would have been a bit more pissed. Also I don't think it helped that I saw her die before I even started playing because I watched my older sister play through that. Regardless, her theme is very pretty and the cinematic that plays at the same time has a powerful yet simple symbol. I would say that the music really elevated the emotional impact for me. Which is kind of exactly the type of music I'm trying to explore here. Is it the story that enhances the music, the music enhancing the story, or both?

    Red XIII's moment when he sees his father had much bigger impact on me. The story and the music work really well together, though each stands on its own.

    "You're Not Alone" is such a great song but I failed to empathize with Zidane. This was also probably because I watched my sister play the game so I never really got the full background of why he felt the way he did. I felt that the whole sequence of despair to recovery happened WAY too fast for me to have an appropriate emotional response.

    "Antipyretic" sounds like a call to arms to me, at least in the beginning. The song does convey many different feelings in it. Actually what I'm seeing in my head is the entire sequence of a battle. The call to arms and then the calm before the storm. Then the mad rush at the start of a battle and the victorious and triumphant end.

    In response to Koriantor:

    Mass Effect was such a fun game. Too bad my Xbox pooped out on me before I could play ME2. Ended up not playing 2 or 3 since I wanted my renegade femshep. Both the Main Theme (around 1:00) and Noveria give off feeling that something is "out there" / unknown. The Main Theme foreshadows that realization at the end that there really IS something out there. Noveria makes me feel like something is hiding or that there is something suspicious happening, but I just can't place my finger on what that suspicious activity is. Ilos too manages that feeling, though more tense, than curious. Listening to these again and thinking about the story let me appreciate how well the soundtrack goes with the story.

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    For some reason, the songs that tend to stick with me most are ones that combine different, seemingly opposed emotions. The Boss Battle music from Final Fantasy IX is a good example of that -- it combines a sense of dread and fear with a feeling of excitement and anticipation. It's like, yeah, something bad is here and it's trying to kill you, but you're ready to fight back and do what you need to kill it instead.

    Another example one that I ran into recently was Living With Determination ~Iwatodai Dormitory Arrange~ from Persona 3. It takes the generic "sad music" that plays earlier in the game (Living with Determination) and remixes it over a hip-hop percussion beat, which gives it a feeling of... well, determination. It has a sense of experiencing loss, but working through it to keep moving toward your goals, rather than giving up and wallowing in self-pity over the things that have happened.

    This is what OCR is all about maaaan. Though I do personally prefer remixes to share the same general feeling as the original, some of my favorite ReMixes are vastly different from their originals.

    FFIX's boss theme took a while to grow on me. But I would say that it fits the dire situations of the game very well if you're not overleveled. That's one of those things about video games: if they're too easy it can also ruin the mood being set by the music.

    I think that video games or movies facilitate the kind of "emotional progression" that happens in your Persona 3 example.

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    from X3.

    One of the few sectors of the game I'll just hang around in for the calming music.

    from LISA: The Painful RPG (Warning video contains a spoiler image, but it's the only one out there that has the in game version of it)

    This is a very recent one for me. The line spoken before the tune starts sums it up well. "Today is the day I live."

    from FFIX.

    This track is really nostalgic for me, and I love the whole thing. This is possibly my favorite track from FFIX, even over the popular Protecting my Devotion and You Are Not Alone!

    "Kingdom End" is between calming and "looking ahead" to me. I imagine the pilot arriving here needing a badly needed reprieve but at the same time wanting to get back to traveling.

    I could see how "Goodbye Baby" is a go-get-em song. I think there's probably a lot I'm missing to fully appreciate this track though.

    Ahh yes...Dali. This is also a favorite of mine. So peaceful. Very good song that doesn't need any background to it to be fully enjoyed.

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Wow. Amazing. The strings in this song are really powerful. And the growth of the song just adds on top of that grieving feeling. This conveys a very specific type of loss to me. One that isn't understood all that well, if at all. When the dynamics get louder and the tempo increases, all that questioning swells up. Really thinking I've done myself a disservice when I was younger by passing up on KH now.

    Like you, this song makes me feel loss. It's a very general feeling of loss and one not as powerful as "The Other Promise" to me. Still, I enjoyed the track very much.
    It's hard for me to know exactly where one tracks ends and the other begins here. But I have a pretty good idea. It's interesting I couldn't find a separate game version of the track on Youtube. I also enjoyed this track. I liked the multitude of emotions it was conveying. However, because it's a medley those emotions just seemed to come one by one rather than add to a singular cohesive meaning.
    I'm actually having a hard time focusing on this song and honing in on the emotion. Basically I understand that the song is conveying a sadness of some sort but I'm just not "connecting" with it. I'd probably have to play the game to get the full effect here.
    Again, I can see the emotions trying to be conveyed in this song, but I'm not quite connecting.
    and
    (Etrian Odyssey IV)
    "The Land Beyond the Clouds" is quite epic. It gave me chills at parts. So I feel more like I'm departing on an epic quest/journey rather something that's more humble (IMO) like exploring. I can see the exploration aspect of the song though. "The Red Stone Forest" conveys tension to me, like you don't know what to expect. But then the image changes to something spectacular as it's slowly revealed.
    ,
    and
    (Fez)
    These are all quite atmospheric. I think I'd need to play the game to get a better idea of what's going on.
    FFVIII is my favorite Final Fantasy as well. Out of the FF series, it's the one that truly focuses on love, even beating out FFX. "Eyes On Me" is such a powerful song for me. The ending cinematic is just so good. Unfortunately, I never finished FFVI because I accidentally lost Shadow (wasn't using a guide) and he was a main party member in my playthrough. Pretty much never went back.
    ,
    , and
    (Frozen Synapse)
    FS has got such a great soundtrack, too bad I couldn't get into the game. "Schism" makes me think a lot of spies sneaking into places. Like Solid Snake or something. "My Beautiful Escape" almost has a smug feel to it. The way the bass pulses in the beginning. The beat makes me think of the "cool guy pose" where a guy is leaning back against a wall with his arms crossed though throw in a bobbing head or a tapping foot to go along with it.
    Hmm I don't follow this one like you do. I think I lost you around the anger -> despair/terror transition.
    and
    (World of Goo)
    I'm not sure what I feel from "Burning Man". It's got that creepy vibe from it but I'm not sure what it leads to. "Are You Coming Home, Love MOM" gives me a sense of dread and tension. The title is particularly interesting to me. I feel like if I played the game I would understand the track more.

    Your "feels" VGM

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    When I hear this I picture the desperate struggle of a person trying to breathe.

    I can see that. The track definitely conveys tension.

    For me this creates a sense of horror and unease, and an anticipation of something wicked to come. Later on it feels like that evil thing is in essence rampaging (this should be pretty clear to identify; it's the part that acts as the looped portion).

    It's not exactly nostalgic per se since I've never played the game, but this resonates in the sense that I get that clear view of what it portrays.

    The instrumentation reminds me of Bowser's Theme from Mario 64. I like the growth in the track. I definitely felt the same emotions as you here.

    Ya know....I DO miss writing assignments from school!!!...hmm I guess my choice would have to be "Frog's Theme" from Chrono Trigger. I clearly remember this being one of the first VGM pieces that made the breakthrough from background music to independently listenable track. Something about the marching structure to beat, the climbing horns that seem to rise and fall but eventually reach their apex only to start over at the top as if to say "Onward! Upwards!" the flute that seems to guide you nearer and nearer to the top, a small thin instrument yet it keeps you on pace towards your goal! If the song were one sentence..." Like an arrow, time moves forward to its mark, so must you!"

    For me, there's a definite positive vibe from this track. Very energetic and slightly inspiring to me. Despite having played Chrono Cross and loving it, I haven't played through Trigger yet (let the stoning commence). That said, I think I would need to play Trigger to get a fuller emotional impact from this track. It seems to be a fan favorite and the story probably makes it so.

    People Seized with Life from Chrono Cross, a hundred times over. I even did a remix of it here for the sake of feels!

    I even reviewed that mix! Not an in-depth review but still one nonetheless!

    I remember playing CC as a kid and getting to the part with Miguel. I didn't understand why we had to fight him, but I knew from the music that it was something that the party had to do but they didn't want to. This track is way up on my list for having that expressive quality to it.

    To Zanarkand from FFX is it for me. I never actually played the game, however I learned how to play it in Winter term of my Freshman year of college. I was going through a lot of drama stuff and that song was always around me because I was playing it so often, so listening to it or playing it will bring back sort of the vivid emotions of my mentally turbulent recent past.

    This is a personal favorite of mine. The song is so bittersweet, because of FFX's story. But it's such a beautiful song nonetheless.

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