Arcen Games: Music/Sound

[eRe4s3r]

Wow - that is indeed an extreme improvement!

[PVega8]

Thank you! Yeah, it's a big difference. Not only in the quality of the instrumentation, but the general mix, and the overall file quality.

[eRe4s3r]

Also, since its really bad style to complain about lack of ambience without giving examples i will provide some examples   - i imagine an ambient track like this (Also, is it my spell checker or is ambience not a word?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fl3Bq6zyqo

Just long stretched string and bass elements (although maybe a bit less high pitched ;p)

or this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5GxpFlWtLU&feature=related

Something eerie, lonely, dark and cold without any "happy" elements - just ambience of the endless void of space.

Urgh, i admit i am spoiled by Homeworld's superb audio and musical direction (Paul Ruskay) to the core. Though i think a less "choir" and more "long-stretched strings (kinda like that Invasion track ,p) would fit AI War.

Theres 2 particular tracks in Homeworld 1 OST called "Bridge of Sighs" and "Hyperspace Inhibitors", thats nearly perfect for Ambience as i imagine it (they are ambience tracks in my playlist ,p)

--

Anyhow i have no doubt that the upcoming expansion will include great music tracks ^^

(Edit: And because i posted this i was just browsing through ost of homeworld 1 and found "Final Throes" never heard that track before, but those alien whales sure are eerie!) 

[PVega8]

Haha, the word exists, but it's spelled "Ambiance". Where as "ambient" has an "E", yeah... I know. Weird.

I do like those home world ambient tracks a whole bunch. And yeah, Paul Ruskay pretty much kicks ass. And there will be some more ambient tracks, however with a bit of melody attached in there in parts as well. While I feel like more ambient tracks would add a lot to the soundtrack as a whole, I think having a good mix is good (within the tracks themselves). So, some melody, and some ambiance. I think you will like the newer tracks!

[RCIX]

*jawdrop*
Wow... Very, Very good!  

I was wondering what the significance of that verse (Revelation 9:6) was in making that track, mind sharing?

Hmm... Listening to the remastered "Metal" now, and while it has a very nice, almost sonic-like charm to it, i think you lost what made the original so very nice to listen to. The original had an arcade style to it which made it fit well with AI war, and while this one is nice, it sounds more like some guitar wailing then a piece fit for an epic space fight. Don't get me wrong, it's a good piece, but i just don't feel that it works as well for AI war as your remastered Revelation track.

[Mánagarmr]

MY GOD! I don't have Facebook, but borrowed my girlfriends just to listen to your music and OMG! The remastered tunes are AWESOME! The new theme was....*melts in epic bliss*

[PVega8]

I'm glad you got to listen to the tracks!

In response to the new electric guitar in the tracks, I will say to wait and see how it sounds in the actual game. The problem with the arcade guitar sound that was there before was that it was somewhat grating on the ear, and almost too fake to pass. I think these new tracks are a lot more expressive and will be able to instill just as much of that battle *umph* needed in the game.

If you don't like it, then I apologize. I'm trying my best to bring the life out of these tracks that I envisioned originally. Now that we have the means of doing it, it's very exciting for me

[Spikey00]

Hey!  Just wanted to drop by again to HOLY GOODNESS, I like that new menu soundtrack!

[PVega8]

Awesome! Glad you like it

[RCIX]

I'm glad you got to listen to the tracks!

In response to the new electric guitar in the tracks, I will say to wait and see how it sounds in the actual game. The problem with the arcade guitar sound that was there before was that it was somewhat grating on the ear, and almost too fake to pass. I think these new tracks are a lot more expressive and will be able to instill just as much of that battle *umph* needed in the game.

If you don't like it, then I apologize. I'm trying my best to bring the life out of these tracks that I envisioned originally. Now that we have the means of doing it, it's very exciting for me

No problem. The more i listen to it, the more it grows on me. *makes fake guitar playing motions in tune to the track*

[PVega8]

Air guitar is one of my favorite instruments

[Vinraith]

It's sounding great so far, Pablo. Keep up the good work, and do me a favor and post the "Marisa" remaster when you get around to that one. 

[Magos Mechanicus]

Just wanted to say the reason I finally joined this forum was buying Tidalis on a whim, starting the Adventure mode and being afraid to click anything lest the music stop. It's a quite rare thing for me; really only happened before with Civilization IV's Baba Yetu.
I've since spent some time hunting around the Tidalis files and a few tracks have made their way onto my iPod too. Curiously it seems to be the piano solo tracks that most captivate me. Partly I think that's because I play myself and you do always respond better to an instrument you know, but I gotta say, you have a real knack for these. Beautiful melodies at the core, with nicely balanced arrangements that complement without overcomplicating.

Keep up the good work!

[PVega8]

I'm uploading the new "Marisa" track on the facebook page as we speak.

Thank you so much for the note about the piano work. I started tinkering around with the piano when I was around 12 years old. My older sister used to take piano lessons, and after she would finish, I would walk in there and see if I could play what I was listening to from the other room. I was at how much fun it was, so I started listening to the radio a lot more and playing what I would hear. I got really good at playing by ear, so I decided to take piano lessons myself. After about a year from piano lessons with John Herrmann (one of the most amazing musicians I have ever met) I got distracted and stupidly quit because "I didn't want to play boring stuff anymore, I wanted to to play the music I liked".

That was my biggest mistake. Having already had a decent ear for it, I should've kept up. Needless to say, I kept playing by ear and by the time I reached high school, I was able to "fake" my way through the piano. I did, however, practice a lot. I would say around 2-3 hours a day.

Now, I'm dying to take piano lessons again so that I can get my chops up. But, I appreciate the comments on the piano work. That's what I'm most comfortable at, and was the basis for 90% of my compositions. I love the piano, it's an amazing instrument.

[Spikey00]

Can Pablo play some classical songs?  Heh, all the best on your lessons!

All these remastered version are awesome, I love the extra 'feel' to them, as the individual sounds are well defined and mix together very well. 

I don't think many people can wait for a month until AI War 4.0 arrives for this--I can't!  *Rips music and converts to .ogg*