Digital Nightfall on 13/10/2007 at 04:45
I listened to your files all the way through several times Aja, though I did not always note which one I was listening to, as I simply set them to play in the background. Very nice work. I could argue that they're a bit on the long side, but since these are definitely more of the 'background ambiance" type that works for it. It's not really something you could sit down and just listen to, but it's a welcome addition to the TDS soundtrack when I am in the need to get in a Thiefy mood, for writing or dromedting.
I did not manage a Thief dream however, though these are far from uncommon. I dreamed, as I feared I would, of Portal, as I cannot seem to get that game out of my head these past two days. It has me addicted like few other games ever have.
Quote Posted by Beleg Cúthalion
PS: It appears that you don't have the sound files referring to "Accingite vos" by Subway to Sally, that appear in S&R and everything concerning Mechanists. Interested, anyone...?
I am very much interested, Beleg. In fact I have long wished that a german taffer would make a patch for the US version which included this content. Definitely not something many would consider a "must have" or a "definitive version" but still of great interest to completionists. Barring that, a soundtrack which included them is also very welcome.
Aja on 13/10/2007 at 06:44
Thank you everyone for the kind comments. I said earlier that I was doing this for myself, but it really does motivate me to continue when I see that others are getting some enjoyment out of it as well. :)
I would like any opinions on some of the sound effects though. In a few cases I was concerned that they might seem to intrusive, or too obvious, or even lacking in other places. When you work on something for so long you tend to lose your objectivity.
Quote Posted by Digital Nightfall
I could argue that they're a bit on the long side
This is completely intentional. There's nothing worse than when an ambient song really draws you in and then ends abruptly. Each sound is special, I wanted to make sure they all have time to sink in.
For the past few weeks I've been experimenting with music to sleep to, and I've found that once I fall asleep I can't remember a thing. I'm not sure if your brain recognizes the sound until you're almost awake again, but by then the music's long over.
And Beleg: very nice work on The Sword. Not exactly what I would've done, but excellent nonetheless. I appreciate your offer to collaborate, but this is something I really want to complete on my own. I hope you continue your project; it's never a bad thing to give choice to the community!
Beleg Cúthalion on 13/10/2007 at 07:31
Luckily I am not the one who has to do all the real work. :rolleyes: I'm just some kind of judge. We stopped at that time because we didn't know what would be the best way to arrange the single sound files.
The ambient loops, in fact, tend to become a little boring (at least in TDP) and although it might be closer to the real ingame "music", I would not want it to be that monotonous when hearing it as a soundtrack. That's why we (or rather the KdK) experimented with additional SFX - e.g. at the HC music - and also decided against making them much longer than three or four minutes (or only when there was enough material), what would otherwise result in the same thing coming over and over again. Plus, some missions (like Bafford and Ramirez, if I'm not mistaken...or even clearer with both HC levels) use nearly the same music, which would force us to combine them in order to avoid sheer duplications.
PS: I agree that there is still some work with the Sword soundtrack, it shows a lack of filing and the change-overs should be a little more pleasant. But we'll get that adjusted. I have also given the KdK order to build me a "German" S&R file. Let's see how long it takes him. The way I know him he'll start with pushing all T2 sound files into batch mode to raise the quality...
Aja on 13/10/2007 at 07:55
Quote Posted by Beleg Cúthalion
The ambient loops, in fact, tend to become a little boring (at least in TDP) and although it might be closer to the real ingame "music", I would not want it to be
that monotonous when hearing it as a soundtrack.
I haven't explored the T1 soundtrack in detail yet, so you might be right. However, there are definitely a few tracks that I can listen to for hours on end. Not that I would ever mix anything like that, but five or six minutes doesn't seem unreasonable if the track is good enough (the sounds from the hidden area of The Sword are one example of something I could listen to for a very long time). My mix for
Framed is quite long, but the hypnotic quality of the the looping part in the middle would be lost if I cut it short.
Beleg Cúthalion on 13/10/2007 at 17:02
De gustibus non disputandum est, as I recently learned. Did you leave the ending of your S&R track intentively the way it is? I think those three minutes with the same SFX loop are quite tough, even if you want them to be hypnotic.
I am, on the other hand, interested in those three or four files in the English version that substitute the German ones. So we could build a "complete" version of those particular tracks. The KdK just did a nice little (WIP) track of S&R and I hope I can present a good example for the German soundtrack soon. Maybe tomorrow.
addink on 13/10/2007 at 17:58
Excellent tracks, thanks!
Since you mentioned that these aren't the final mixes:
Could I request a small change in S&R?
Erie though the sound is: the left-right alternating noisy effect that plays for the first half really distracts from the more musical loops. It sounds much louder/closer/sharper than the rest of the loops and its rhythm doesn't match their rhythm, makes it sound very artificial.
So if you could apply it more sparingly and perhaps somewhat dampened, you make me very happy; S&R's orchestral loops are my favorite, after Trail of Blood's.
Other than that one thing: great stuff!
Aja on 13/10/2007 at 18:13
In-game, the left-right alternating noise is present at all times, and since the volume-levels of each wave file are already set at their in-game volume, I didn't change it. Personally I feel that it adds to the atmosphere.
That being said, I do plan on releasing stripped-down versions as well; ones without any sound effects.
addink on 13/10/2007 at 20:09
In-game volume settings? Really? Odd, when I play the mp3 the sound seems much sharper and closer (and crackly even), than when I hear them in-game on my system. Especially when compared to the other sounds.
Btw, I don't mind the sound effects at all. In fact I like them, it's only the S&R effect that sounds completely different than what I'm used too.
Abysmal on 14/10/2007 at 05:15
These are wonderful; I can't wait for the rest. Crossing my fingers for Thief Gold, too! (mmm Mage Towers & SotC)
Beleg Cúthalion on 14/10/2007 at 20:36
Ramirez? Did I...?! :confused: Anyway, could someone please drop me a PM if he/she could send me the following files (from miscVOs):
swells1.wav (the brass from S&R, by the way: Aja, is this file the long one you're using at the beginning or are there more?)
wingedm.wav
waxytune.wav ....? (edit) This thing's settled.
It's remarkable how different they are and influence the atmosphere.... OK, back to business. We could not find a good version of the first one, so you'll have to wait for the international S&R track until someone sent me that file.
(2nd edit) Finally, we found someone and here it is: (
http://jayb.ath.cx/Eidos/M02_Shipping_and_Receiving.mp3) S&R International The German "swell" is the one after the Davidson ship scene.
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