What's up, RMers?

[Kain Nobel]

I'm back from the trenches of the resource cold war with a brand new track!

"Surfside Groove (Draft)"

Written and Performed by Kain Nobel.
The guitar and bass are live recordings.
The drums were arranged in FL Studio.



I wouldn't consider this track finished but I'm very pleased thus far!

Notes on "Surfside Groove"

While this track was originally pre-written before I performed it, I still have 9 minutes of raw and uncut guitar and bass jam sessions recorded which all blends into this underlying theme.

It goes happy-cheery, it goes melodic, it goes low beat and super chill.

I have constructed early drumbeat scaffolding for some of these sessions and I've been chomping at the bit trying to transcribe some of the improv licks to tablature so I can replay and re-record it once they've been rearranged properly.

A couple bad slides, a couple bumbled notes and some very precious gold nuggets of licks in the raw recording session. And some crap. It's a mixed bag. I'm refining the gold and dumping the crap.

Could this split into 5 different tracks all following the same thematic pacing, chord phrasing and motifs? Quite possibly.

I've already done such a thing with another track where 1 split into 3; town -> dungeon -> boss all share a similar phrasing and patterns but are definitely not the same.

Other News

The soundtrack is coming along very nicely. Material is getting wrote, live recordings are building up, things are being transcribed proper.

...I'm holding back the urge to upload and share my battle theme... it's pretty FIRE!

None of the other stuff from the album is available online, but you can find some of my older tracks on my SoundCloud page.

Most of the old tracks on my page are eligible to be redone with live instruments (but I haven't decided if I'll be revisiting any of them.) I forgot how funky some of these turned out, some of these I haven't heard in years!

[Remi-chan]

Man between you and me, Kain, we're keeping this thread alive, yooo!

That song is a bop by the way! Though in some parts it does tend to have too much going on at once so the audio sounds messy and scrambled. All that aside, I could easily see it in a game.

Hell, I might consider hiring you for the Soundtrack of Seraphim if you're okay with having your name plastered on something a tad controversial.

I'll go into more info about it later, suffice to say its an R18 game.

But, I have more events
The Queen of Shadows

This could honestly be an entire optional event on its own.

And now! Remi-chan brings you, the closest thing to an anime I've yet created! Complete with barbarically trnaslated lines.
The Enma's Threat

The Enma is not someone you want to anger.

I also did a large amount of interface upgrades!

Upon finishing a characters trilogy of optional events, something like this appears!

There's one for each icon!

And speaking of them and many more, the Pamphlet's have all been updated in that new slick appearance! Behold!
Pamphlets in what I hope to God is their final form!

My, what a glow up!

And speaking of the note from earlier of those Icon-oriented event completion banners, you might notice they unlock the worlds they are personally attached to.

What that means is that those worlds will now have their own series of optional events unlocked! And boy, is there a lot!

Creating 50 Maps in a few days is child's play, just wait until you see me make all of these in about a week!

Maybe not, but these will all be ready by Demo 3's launch one way or another!

I've been chipping away at them slowly and surely, but the next week I intend to do a bit more as I'm feeling motivated!

But wait! We aren't done just yet. As final concepts are rolling in courtesy of RiseDemos, the first being...
The Almi, Youngsters and Ancients

He is presently working on the coloration for the faithful of Agrat Bat Mahlat and Lilith.

[Steel Beast 6Beets]

Man, and it takes me weeks to finish a single map before even thinking of all the eventing. I should really get my act together if I want to finish my game within the next decade.

[Kain Nobel]

Gee-golly willikers!

I accidentally wrote a doozy for a last boss theme and I've been practicing the hell out of the guitar passages.

I'm not a virtuoso, so 80% of it is wrote to match my physical abilities and the other 20% is hell mode challenge (for me, since I'm not Eddie Van Halen (RIP)...)

The practice sessions have been fire though, and the writing is extensive. The live sound is great, I'm hoping the recording turns out just as good.

The "Final Boss" theme was originally planned to be a heavily distorted, fast paced and thematic thrash metal track. But I got something different...

Instead I wrote something slow and foreboding played mostly on the clean channel of the electric and bass guitars, with a subtle but effective drum beat and the occasional distorted guitar cameos to highlight key notes and provide backup rhythm once in awhile. The chord progressions are clean and sparkly with strange but effective patterns, there is extensive legato verses, parts where things blend and sound beautifully strange.

The "clean, chill, foreboding" part of the track lasts approximately 8 minutes, and then I have about 4 minutes of the "loud, distorted, fast-paced" heavy metal parts wrote. There will be more heavy metal as the track matures as I already got a great foundation going for the madness. Once it's all done, I'd say there'll be about 16 minutes total.

Once I get the 3 guitar solos worked out, and fill in the next 4 minutes or so of the heavy metal part, then the track should be done.

[Remi-chan]

I got some crazy work done yesterday and a couple days before. All of the one shot events in the turquoise sector are done.

One event on Urania, three events on Gaseous and three events on the blue sun.

Here's just one of them
Fantasia - Diagnosis of the Frostqueen


And a preview of one I've since largely updated.
Esperia's Demonstration


And I did some major sprite updates in preparation of making the event above.



I also got a bunch more optional content done, mostly in regards to Zen Aneia. Cathy and Renae have a cute optional event for themselve,s and there's also one for both Nanianne and Remira in their rooms in the palace. I also patched up and properly implemented the hidden Lily quest

[Kain Nobel]

Are you possessed?

I still have a giant track-by-track checklist of things to do with extensive notes such as "change the drums in Verse 2 of..." or "alternate part C of the solo in..." which nobody is going to care to see, but this is a checklist I'm knocking out as fast as I can! In the spoiler below is an infographic of album progress with a legend of what each term means. And other ramblings...

Sorry for the info dump, this is getting exciting! I didn't know a month ago what the hell I would have; if it'd be a good album to continue or if I need to back out and move on. It looks pretty green lit to me so I'm pushing forward with it. Most of it is old game tracks but now they'll be played with live instruments and I believe it will turn out phenomenal. Let's hope...

Ramble On...

So there is lots of progress, lots of practice, some stuff has been recorded. The effects pedals have been dialed in so specific tracks will use specific tones, but this is not a heavy-on-the-effects album. Lead, Rhythm and Bass all have their own specified distortion/EQ settings which have been extensively tested, noted, dialed in, changed and re-dialed in successfully. Brand new 9V batteries are waiting to be opened on recording day (if needed), and I've taken great care to not drain the batteries I have now. Some tracks are played absolutely clean with no effects whatsoever.

I'm going to attempt one-shot recording all parts with as little editing as possible. Of course, there will be occasional copy/paste and comparison of "which verse played it better?" or "which iteration played it the cleanest?" So, in that sense, there will be editing, some parts might be "looped" if that's the best course of action, but very minimal editing. I already have a track where I left the mistake in because it enhanced the track in a good way, a sort of Dimebag Darrel / Bob Ross philosophy of keep your good mistakes and do your best with them.

On that note, I don't think I've wrote beyond my play level and if I did I'll revisit it to make it more me-friendly. I'll do my best on the challenge sections but if I can't hack it then it needs to be as real as it can get, I'll revise as needed. I'll properly mix/master it but I want to be minimalistic on the editing and recording re-takes.

Album Progress (INFOGRAPHIC)

Instruments

• RG: Rhythm Guitar
  
• LG: Lead Guitar
  
• BG: Bass Guitar
  
• DM: Drums
  
• KEYS: Keyboard
  

Progress

• (Gray) ?: Track may include this instrument (nothing yet written / recorded).
  
• (Pink) ?: Track probably won't include this instrument (nothing yet written / recorded). 
  
• W: Track has been partially / fully written.
  
• WR: Track has been partially written and recorded.
  
• R: Track has been fully recorded (Draft). Needs written.
  
• R*: Track has been fully written and recorded (Final).
  
• XX: Category does not apply.
  

The run times may change.

"Wicked Underground" is a Belly of the Beast track; I feel it can be replicated on instruments, and I've jammed along to it (kind of), but I've yet to write tab for it. This is a candidate to be on the album, and it feeds into "Hostile Environment". We'll see if I do this track or not.

(One day I'll release a modern version of that game. The old version may exist. I don't know how stable it is. The modern version is practically a different game now and has been through multiple development cycles.)

"Hostile Environment" is "finished" in a sense that rhythm, lead and bass guitars have all been recorded in their entirety and the drum fills are all done. However, after extensive practice / rehearsal sessions, I've come up with better lines and the tone for rhythm, lead and bass has been dialed in and perfected. The tone alone is enough to make me want to re-record this in its entirety; I think the 3 guitars will all layer together very nicely. Also, the whole guitar lead / solo relationship to the rest of the song has changed in the writing. In the current (old) version, the solo begins in verse 2, dances with the chorus, and finishes up in the 1st quarter section of verse 3. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with this track and I could leave it as is, but I think the new pacing might turn out better. The old version would sound cool the first couple of times but I think people would get tired of hearing a solo cut through a verse, a chorus and end in the next verse over and over. These changes would make the track longer (about 5 minutes + some seconds) but there'd be more of a buffer between the basic jam and the shred.

"Technocratic Nightmare" is a pretty dope track, but there will probably be a derivative track that comes before it (a "Town" theme). There is a drum + bass section that has so much swagger, when it is slowed down to 50% it sounds extremely expressive on its own.

"Shrouded in Darkness" is getting ready to split into possibly 3 tracks that all inter-relate; dungeon, boss phase 1, boss phase 2. This track suffers from "Dancing Mad" syndrome, but the 2nd (or 3rd) portion sounds like it belongs in Mega Man X9 (if such a wonderful game actually existed).

I have a surplus of other tracks that aren't even making it onto the list. I'm saving them for a different album and a different year. I don't really plan to have much more than what's listed and I think the track list is nearly finalized now.

Gear Notes

Equipment List

Instruments

• Gibson Maestro training guitar (one pickup, use occasionally for great rhythm tone, I don't use for solos.)
  
• Zakk Wylde Epiphone guitar (two ZW pickups, 3 way toggle, used in rhythm, lead and all solos.)
  
• Ibanez G 100 (bass guitar, purposely intonated with a slight buzz for funk).
  
• Custom drum samples made from scratch (the best damn non-drum sounds I could record.)
  
• A Casio keyboard (used sparingly, already used for recording "After Hours (Title)".)
  
• Shake egg (may be used in "Surf-Side Groove" (if I can find where I put it...))
  
• Digeridoo (may be used in last boss fight theme).
  

Effects Pedals

• Zakk Wylde Overdrive (used for rhythm/lead/solos (mainly in Boss tracks.))
  
• DOD Boneshaker (used to boost solos/leads.)
  
• Zakk Wylde Crybaby Wah (used for some rhythm/solos.)
  
• Zakk Wylde Rotovibe (used for "Cold, Dark Place" with clean tone.)
  
• EVH Chorus (used sparingly.)
  

Amplifier

• Marshal MG15FX
  
• Ibanez bass amp (not yet used / might not be)
  

Recording

• Direct line-in from Marshal to PC / laptop.
  
• Blue Snowball.
  
• Misc microphones (bought at Goodwill.)
  

Notes on the Drum Kit(s)

Granted, in a few select cases, I did use stock samples for the hi-hats.

The kick is a cardboard box package being tapped on.
The snare is mixed with the slapping of a step ladder.
There is an alternate snare which is a real snare and... [TOP SECRET] (I'd tell you but I'd have to kill you.)
The hi-hats are subtly mixed with miscellaneous metal foley.
The splash/crash is a mix of miscellaneous metal foley with subtle lightning strikes.
The toms are a pitch shifted variation of the same cardboard box package being tapped on, mixed with some kind of beverage container bottom being slapped.
The ride is the tapping of a metal ink pen against a battle axe bought at the Renaissance Fair.

Other details I probably forgot to mention.

Sometimes I use a stock drumkit. I'm not against any of the stock FL Studio drum kits, some of them sound quite nice. In the end, I'm not sure which track will use which drum kit, but that will be decided later.

As ghetto as it sounds in writing, these drumkits provide a good Mortal Kombat type of vibe. Somebody somewhere is getting bitch slapped into the air and falling into a pit of instant flesh melting acid. Pray their soul doesn't get captured by Shinnok or Tseng Tsung.

Notes on Track Length

At first I was carefully watching to keep it under an hour, but now I don't care.

Because guitar solos are involved, track lengths could be extended from what is posted. Guitar solos are great but I will try to buffer the length of the track so the player isn't confronted with a guitar solo over and over to the point that it's always "too soon" and "exhaustively repetitive". There has to be pacing and I'm taking great care to do good solos without it being jarring within a looped session (such as an extensive boss fight; try to have the solo come in within 3 minutes of a 5 minute song, so they only hear it 3 times in a 15 minute fight for instance.)

Most tracks have phases; an intro, verse, chorus, a new variation verse, possibly the same or altered chorus, a 3rd verse w/ solo, usually some kind of closing or a proper end-meets-beginning outro routine. Battle/Boss fights usually have some kind of bridge to give some breathing space, then goes back to rocking your face off again.

Notes on Samples

Vocals

In "Hellrazor" I yell "Fight" during the chorus. This is me.

In "Shrouded in Darkness" I use a RMXP programmed variation of my own wicked laughter/giggles. This is me.

There is no further "vocals" planned. There will probably never be "singing" (unless I do a cover track). I could possibly be the greatest singer in the world; I don't care to sing, quite frankly. Now if Ozzy Osbourne wants to hit me up (hahahaha...)

Samples

None of my original music samples other artists. However, I have some prototype cover tracks which DO use 3rd party samples.

A self-recorded "Passing Train", "Emergency Siren" and a "Helicopter" have all been personally recorded, as well as "Ocean" and "Rain". These are all for my game, but I do use these in "Surf-Side Groove" and [TOP SECRET COVER TRACK].

There are two possible cover tracks not related to the album. These are for fun and won't be monetized, ever. One track uses the following...

• "Welcome, we have been expecting you" is sampled from D.P.G. "Doggfood" album "Intro" track. Non-Music dialog/sound sample.
  
• "(Scary Dialog / Sounds)" is sampled from Simken Heights "Religion of the Beast" album "Kingdom of the Shellz" (intro). Non-Music dialog/sound sample.
  

Prototype Video format

I already have prototype album art I made last year and I'm experimenting with GLSL shaders (within the context of the REGAL engine). I've also got a ShaderToy prototype that I'll be messing with. I don't have super elaborate "music videos" planned, but I'll probably use shaders/REGAL engine to give people something to see.

In "Surfside Groove" youtube, I credited the shader creator in the description. I'll probably be remixing that shader for my personal needs later on.

Plus I'll be working the RGL Graphics module, but that's another topic...

[Steel Beast 6Beets]

@Remi-chan: I really like Svoli's rainbow wings, specially the dash effect.

@Kain Nobel: What you mention about guitar solos reminded me of the normal battle tune from Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne:

 
As the name of the video suggests, the theme has different solos (7 to be exact) that are randomized in each battle. Not that many people will notice as the battle system is designed to make fights don't overstay their welcome.

Also, seeing as you mentioned mostly battle themes, what about town and dungeon themes? Related to this, does the music in the game reset every time you finish a battle? If that's the case, long dungeon themes would be a bit of a waste since the player will most likely never hear the entire theme due to random fights. 

Contact DS is one of the worst examples I recall. Ponder this: the final dungeon theme is a 17:45 minutes piece that you will never hear more than 2 minutes of due to the sheer amount of enemies in the area.

[Kain Nobel]

According to the plans, the last dungeon will use random encounters sparingly and rely more on environmental traps and hazards. In some cases, there might not even be encounters because the player is busy climbing, shimmying ledges and leaping gaps while dodging swinging axes, stepping through oddly timed floor spikes, avoiding falling stalagmite, slipping on slick floors, getting through a freezer room without body temp dropping below 70F, running through a lava chamber without body temp climbing above 115F, going in and out of asphyxiating gas chambers, avoiding security cameras and goons, etc.

The run, walk, crawl, sneak, shimmy, leap, climb, push, pull, and view range mechanics are still early but functional developments and I believe I posted a video a couple pages back. We now have the player using and managing an inventory of breach charges alongside their keys/keycards. Red and blue flame mechanics have been introduced (similar to the red/blue blocks in Hera Tower in Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past, but these burn you.) The player can now push/pull blocks to hold down stubborn weight switches.

The design of the 4th Dungeon is a radically different departure from the last 3 and will probably influence how the rest of it goes. I'm not going to retroactively change the previous levels but the next dungeon will introduce a lot of new stuff. Heck, the 3rd introduced most of it, the 4th will put it all to extended use. I haven't done swimming nor stealth yet and it's almost time to introduce a submersible vehicle. I'll be swapping out trees and bushes for coral reefs and other stuff.

[Steel Beast 6Beets]

I see. If the dungeon has a greater focus on exploration and puzzle solving than fights, a lengthy theme would make more sense.

My project's using ParaDog's Battle BGM Anti-Reset script, so that one issue has been already taken care of. I'm actually working on the final dungeon of my game and things have been doing rather smoothly. Most of the mapping's done and now some of the eventing remains.

[Remi-chan]

107/180 Total Events done.

Fungaris is finished.
Urania is finished.
Gaseous is finished.
The Blue Sun is finished.
Desolation is finished. (Until Disk 3)
Lepusion Lunar Annex is finished.
Solaris Archivium is finished.

The only one shots (designation for celestial bodies with one beamable location) left are Esoteriquois (my next target), Jacahrandae (The Purple Sun), Xoraw and Xeraphar (both Moons). There are eight events between them, getting me to 115/160 when all done. leaving only 65 remaining.

Then I'll be onto the full-size five location planets. Earth is already done, Zen Nekoma and Zen Aneia are about half way.

No videos, I will spare us much in the way of visual previews until when Demo 3 drops sometime in December. I intend to have the vast majority of optional events done by October's end.

I'm doing anywhere from 3 to 9 a day. only the more complex ones will require an entire day's work, such as optional event battles or obstacle courses.

Here's some screenshots to whet your appetite.