[music] Main Menu

[timong]

Hello!

Here's what I've just started today. I'm, as you might suppose, working iteratively, and want to get feedback early.
So here is something I would call 'mood taste' and early draft version, so I can get your feedback before going on further:

There's no melodic line yet, just a dramatic start before a melody would be starting.

http://www.box.com/s/t4feluc4osau2sgdg7hk

Check it, and tell me what do you think.

[svenskmand]

Pretty good but the phasing like voice sounds like it says "main theme", of course it should not say that, but having a voice is a good idea I do not know what it should say though :S, maybe OpenDungeons? But it is probably not too melodic. Maybe we can translate "OpenDungeons" into some language that sounds cool, like Celtic or something?

If I google a bit I find these words in Celtic Irish for "open":

oscailte(adj)
fairsing(view)
poiblí(meeting)
gan cheilt(admiration)
oscail(vi)
cuir tús le(debate etc : commence)
bris(letter)
oscail

and this word for "dungeon": doinsiún(n m1)

Maybe they can make for a cool effect.

Also maybe you could add some more bass to the drums, so they sound more intimidating.

Over all pretty nice

[timong]

It actually says, crawl demon :P and it's not me but a sample

well, I think if it's unintelligible then ill just remove it maybe

glad that you like it. I'll work on it more and get back

[svenskmand]

It actually says, crawl demon :P and it's not me but a sample

Ahhh, yes I hear it.

well, I think if it's unintelligible then ill just remove it maybe

glad that you like it. I'll work on it more and get back

Well having a voice could be nice, so do not dump the idea, lets keep it around for some time and see if it grows into something

Always nice to give feedback in a creative process

[timong]

Ok, we're getting to the next etap. Bets please.

Well, here it is what it sounds like so far...

http://www.box.com/s/xgrgg255zk6hit7iq31a

There are rough edges at places (mostly harmonically), but first I wanted to ask what you think before I will smooth it further.
Most probably I will give it a last round tomorrow, based on your feedback, and I think we might have a main theme for your next release

[oln]

Sounds great!
I don't really have any further feedback, I'll leave that to svenskmand, so you are free to smooth it however you want.

[StefanP.MUC]

Great!
One thing maybe: The "interesting" parts start a bit late (~0:25), IMHO. I mean, it's "only" the main menu theme: who has the main menu opened all the time? If I play a computer game, I'll click as fast as I can on "Start" or "Load".
But maybe that's only me, and other people sit and enjoy the main menus of games, I don't know.

[timong]

Glad you folks like it!
If you'll have a "loading", and "logos" part when starting it can play while that is going on...like in Oblivion... first game that comes to my mind. Well maybe Morrowind is a better example, or the latest Skyrim (all respect to Jeremy Soule, he's the best in the business in my book)

Anyway, it's your choice, let you folks make up your mind, and i will do so... I can do both, there are examples in AAA titles for both, slowly and quickly starting menu music.

[oln]

I think the slow start is okay. As timong said, loading screens, and also if you are starting a game there might be some setup before you start in the future.

[svenskmand]

Nicely done Good work

I agree that the slow start is fine. Just one thing could you split it into 3 parts a intro (the first approximately 25 seconds, then the main part which is loop able and then the last part (approximately 5-10 seconds)? And maybe also make the middle/main part a bit longer so that it can loop without one notices too much that it is running in repeat?

[timong]

Hmm, just read your comment svenskmand while knee deep in the "polishing" of the track...actually now it has a quite powerful ending as well... check out:

http://www.box.com/s/fer6ylmfe2kqbfafgabb

I'll think about loopability tomorrow someway... Till then have fun, and tell me what you think of the new version!

[oln]

Ending sounds great!

Keep up the good progress!

[Impulze]

Hey Timong

Please take note that I don't mean to come here and steal your work or "do it better" or anything, for one thing I'm really not sure I'm capable of doing so, and for another I was sent here by someone else to talk to you. Check out my post "Music, foley and ambience".

I was wondering if you could tell me the bpm, maybe I can come up with a melody, something that goes with the style of the track.
I'd appreciate it if you told me the scale too, but I can work it out myself if you don't remember or don't follow any certain scales.

Best regards, Impulze.

[timong]

Hello Impulze, glad to see you around!

This track is mostly complete, I've given the final touch this night.
It was written in G# minor and some chromatic additions and some hints to the G# major.
At 0:57 is the main melody played by the trumpet.

Folks, check it here:
http://www.box.com/s/o22vbdxqs9sgem0o63fy

[Impulze]

Sounds neat!
Can I still have the bpm and try something out? (:
If there are any other tracks for stuff that happens ingame, like when something is attacked or anything, I would really like to help.

[timong]

Sounds neat!
Can I still have the bpm and try something out? (:
If there are any other tracks for stuff that happens ingame, like when something is attacked or anything, I would really like to help.

Ah, its 120bmp if i remember correctly, ive my DAW shutdown right now...

Well theres plenty of stuff to do, check the other thread, ive replied there as well!

[oln]

Sounds good timong, I don't really have any more input to give, so you just let us know when you feel it's finished.

Impulze:
The more tracks, the better! Since we have a menu theme now, you could look at making something that will play when in the actual game.

[svenskmand]

It sounds really nice I have not had a chance to hear it with my denons yet, currently I am listening with my sennheiser cx 300 so will wait with comments or suggestions for changes until I get home.

But overall it sounds really good

[timong]

Great to hear the positive feedback, ive put much passion into this piece!
Ill render the OGG soon for you so you can add it to the game.

[svenskmand]

I have now listened to it with my denon and it sounds awesome Very nice work

Regarding the fileformat then a 44100 Hz 16 bit FLAC file would be the best as we can then always make OGG's ourself depending on what bit rate/quantifier we would like to have in the game.

Have you considred my suggestion of splitting the track into a intro and a loop part, so that the intro plays when the intro credits of the game shows and then the loop runs in the menu until a game is started, then the ending could be played when at the last bottom press when starting a new game, maybe also played during the loading screen?

Again good work, you can pat yourself on the back many times from me

[timong]

Ok, i will finalize the track and gonna part it into three in a second type rendering for you.
And you can decide whether to use it as a whole for some reason... like a trailer...
if you want I can try to create a trailer of OD if you have some gameplay video and images and the main theme..

FLAC format is cool by me. Soon I'll update you with those!

[svenskmand]

Here is a gameplay video of the latest version and you can find the logo here and here is a list of features that will be in the final game. A trailer would be nice, I do not have the software or the experience to make one though.

[timong]

Here is a gameplay video of the latest version and you can find the logo here and here is a list of features that will be in the final game. A trailer would be nice, I do not have the software or the experience to make one though.

Well, Im not the best at such thing, I have done very few videos so far, but I think I can try to come up with something...

[timong]

Ok, I have it all rendered now to FLAC, Soon im gonna upload it.
Till then I've put it up on soundcloud so I can share it here and there, getting the word out for OpenDungeons... I'll look at the video and images that are around, and you linked...
Soundcloud link: http://soundcloud.com/pal_zoltan_illes/ ... main-theme

[svenskmand]

Nice work