ASK A JUDGE: While we're busy NOT voting - your questions, we want 'em

[Melodious Punk]

I submitted one remix four months ago, and another a bit later. I didn't receive formal denials for either(I submitted the second one assuming the first one had been lost)and I never saw them anywhere in the judges' forum. The guidelines say I can check in the judges forum to inquire, but this seemed the place to be.

My first submission was Snakemetal from MM2/3(9/17), and my second was Curious from Secret of Mana(10/17). They were submitted as Melodious Punk.

Thank you!

[Anorax]

I submitted one remix four months ago, and another a bit later. I didn't receive formal denials for either(I submitted the second one assuming the first one had been lost)and I never saw them anywhere in the judges' forum. The guidelines say I can check in the judges forum to inquire, but this seemed the place to be.

My first submission was Snakemetal from MM2/3(9/17), and my second was Curious from Secret of Mana(10/17). They were submitted as Melodious Punk.

Thank you!

while I'm not a judge so I can't really answer for the judges, I will say this: The OCR submissions queue length is legendary, and by legendary I mean several months long. You might have to wait another two months before they get to your submissions.

[Fishy]

while I'm not a judge so I can't really answer for the judges, I will say this: The OCR submissions queue length is legendary, and by legendary I mean several months long. You might have to wait another two months before they get to your submissions.

The guys who do the inbox are quite far behind as the staff in general have had a lot to deal with lately. I don't see anything from September onwards in the queue so they probably just haven't got to it yet. I imagine sometime in the next two weeks we will have an inbox binge and the hilariously small queue will become hilariously large.

[Argle]

Do you get more submissions these days than years ago?

[Brandon Strader]

Happy Christmas to the judges, I can't say I'd take Christmas off if I were you, since I have to work 3pm to 11pm today and tomorrow anyway (and hey, it'd be good to get paid to judge songs, know what I mean?) but take a load off and have a good time with your families if you can. That's more important than anything imo. And thanks for your service this last year.

/end sappy merry christmas post

[Palpable]

Do you get more submissions these days than years ago?

I don't have the exact numbers for the past year or so, but the numbers have pretty much only gone up over time, yes.

[OceansAndrew]

When I checked earlier this year, it was around 100 a month, and I think the second half of the year has been a little less than that, but still 80+.

[CC Ricers]

Teaganbear once said about his posted remix, "I thought it would be okay to use a drum machine similarly [to a rock drum kit], with crap drum samples. I also had no patience or appreciation for production techniques." So did just I stumble upon the secret for having a mix the judging process altogether and get directly posted by DJP?

[Anorax]

Teaganbear once said about his posted remix, "I thought it would be okay to use a drum machine similarly [to a rock drum kit], with crap drum samples. I also had no patience or appreciation for production techniques." So did just I stumble upon the secret for having a mix the judging process altogether and get directly posted by DJP?

oH GOD THIS POST

Someone needs to frame this somewhere

[Anorax]

Kind of a double post?

I don't know if this has been asked yet, but out of curiosity, how were the very first judges picked? Were they hand-chosen by DJP, or was there a "community pick"? and was there a certain criteria used then to decide on the final first judges?

[Mirby]

Here's a question. What is the policy on mixes comprised of unused songs?

Like, the song was made for the game but wasn't included in the final version.

[Ivan Hakštok]

Here's a question. What is the policy on mixes comprised of unused songs?

Like, the song was made for the game but wasn't included in the final version.

I guess it's okay: http://ocremix.org/song/63

[Mirby]

that is a horrible typo

i mean, mountian? really?

[Ethan Rex]

Here's a question. What is the policy on mixes comprised of unused songs?

Like, the song was made for the game but wasn't included in the final version.

Also interested in this - I'm planning on submitting a track that uses an unused song (that was still written for the game and included on the OST iirc) as the main source.

[Mirby]

Why do you think I asked?

[KyleJCrb]

Along with the example hakstock posted, there's also this: http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01763/

[DragonAvenger]

Larry has the official answer on this, but as long as the song is in the actual game data it's OK.

[Mirby]

Well... I'm not sure if it's in the game's data. It looks like it was made for the game but removed from it... Hmm...

[DarkeSword]

Singing Mountain specifically is allowed because it is present in the game's data. It's in the ROM of Chrono Trigger.

Hidden Palace Zone is also accessible in the sound test for Sonic 2 with out any kind of hacking or digging necessary. It's in game.

For other tracks, such as something "written for the game and included on the OST," if it isn't in the game data anywhere, it's not fair game for remixing, and you should not try to submit a remix using that as source music.

Also, just as a note, when asking these kinds of questions, don't just ask in the general sense. If you have a specific example of a song you want to remix, you need to be explicit about it and tell us exactly what you're planning to do. Asking about hypothetical situations will only get you generalized answers. If we know the specific track in question, we can investigate its specific eligibility.

Also remember; this is Ask a Judge. If you're not a Judge (or a staff member with an official answer), don't answer the questions. OCR doesn't always necessarily do things based on precedent; standards and rules have evolved and changed. What was permissible years ago (in the context of submissions) is not necessarily permissible today, and vice versa. You can't always just look at remixes posted years ago and say "YUP IT'S OKAY!"

We make an effort to be consistent and up front about things like standards and source eligibility, but OCR is 10+ years old and is a living and growing website. Things can change, so be careful about assumptions and presumptions.

[Mirby]

Well in this case it's the

.

And that's why I was waiting for a judge's response before saying anything!

[Brandon Strader]

Singing Mountain specifically is allowed because it is present in the game's data. It's in the ROM of Chrono Trigger.

you need to be explicit about it and tell us exactly what you're planning to do. Asking about hypothetical situations will only get you generalized answers. If we know the specific track in question, we can investigate its specific eligibility.

Fear the Dark from Aquaria

Edited January 14, 2013 by Brandon Strader

[Ethan Rex]

I've tried looking for some info on the FF2 track (that's the source I was talking about), and all I could get was that it was composed by Nobuo Uematsu for the game and was "removed." I have no idea if it's still on the ROM or not, is there a way I can check?

[Mirby]

It's not on NSF files, I know that much. :\

[Brandon Strader]

Sorry, my last post wasn't very well expressed as I was on a phone at the time.. The song "Fear the Dark" is on the Aquaria OST but I'm not sure if it is in the game or was added to the game later (it's an indie game)... wondering if it is applicable for remixing.

[Mirby]

Still wondering if

at all.