Bit Blot Forum
Aquaria => General => Topic started by: !nfecti0n_dr()n3 on May 16, 2007, 04:57:29 am
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Okay, so im working on this project wiyh FOOL STUDIOS. I happen to be in creative control of the music and audio design. I use Cakewalk's SONAR 5, Producer Suite. And, being a highschool student, it cost me a pretty penny. So, I have mastered all aspects of recording/mixing/dubbing and mastering. Now, i was wondering about the creative atmosphere that should be set for a 2D/top-down RPG style game. As you would see on retro RPGs of the same feel and genre (say, 1986-1999), you would notice 80% of the music being MIDI/Sythesized. I can handle this, but the option of audio/wav created sound has hept bugging me all along. Would this be a good option? Yes, the programming/compiling software does support this, but its never been done before. I was considering using several songs from bands on my label, with the obvious mix of game enviroment/atmospheric music to set the tone. And, for character themes, i considered using real audio, to get the true tone i imagine.
So, to wrap this into a question with less words, "Would wav. audio be very good alternative to in-game MIDI?"
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pleze excoose me bayd typong
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One way would be to search the internets for information about audio compression and game audio formats. There's a great site called Google (http://www.google.com/)that lets you search for just about anything you want information on!
If you're asking what we use to compress audio, we use OGG Vorbis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogg_vorbis). Its great, and free.
Maybe you guys should run your posts through a spell check before uploading them. (the new version of firefox has one built in!)
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I think we we're just asking a simple question.
And I can't depend on google for crap, also: Sorry for the trouble.
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The simple answer is "No". Wav files would be huge.
The longer answer involves pointing out that Ogg Vorbis is a great way to compress audio so that it sounds good and its not so huge. :)
If you guys are releasing your game for free, then you could get by with MP3 as well!
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Ok thanks :)
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Hang on - are you saying you spent
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[...] So, I have mastered all aspects of recording/mixing/dubbing and mastering. [...]
Oh hey, !nfecti0n_dr()n3, I'm really glad you're here. I've got some mixing questions -- it'd be cool if you could help me out.
See, I'm trying to carve EQ for this vocal track, but now the guitars sound dull (and everything else generally muddy). What frequencies should I be boosting/cutting for which instruments, again? I always forget. Oh, and should I de-ess the vocals? Furthermore, what kind of attack should I be using for the vocal compression?
Should I be mixing with headphones or something else?
And recording... do you prefer solid state or vacuum tubes, and why? What pattern should I use for recording a tambourine with a condenser? Cardioid? Omni? Super-cardioid? Should I be using a condenser at all? Where should I put bass traps?
Ah! And you're a mastering engineer, too -- great! I was wondering... should I apply global compression to the tracks before sending them to be mastered? And what about the levels? They should be as high as possible, right?
Thanks in advance. :)
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Valve amps make my pants sweat.
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I think you should mix with the headphones
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Just crank the bass and overdrive right up and send whatever mess you end up with to Southern Lord. You'll be rolling in Bentleys before sundown.
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My friend bought them in U.S dollers and he records music for his band. So I don't think any compression was needed for a cd with just 4-12 songs on it.
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Haha, I love you, Toom. ;D
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So, I have mastered all aspects of recording/mixing/dubbing and mastering.
No kidding, and then you don't know everything about the different sound formats on the PC? Lol ... ^-^
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Okay, dum dums. Idk why u guys are attacking me about the file formats stuff. I KNOW my formats, thank you. All of you misinterpreted my question, jesus christ. Im not even talking about file compression. Im talking about a morale affect. Would it be moral to use audio sound in an RPG? I've seen it done in KH, which is beautiful. But, in a 2-d top-down RPG? Im not sure. It would seem to upset the atmosphere. That is what Im asking. So, please, stop treating me like a music/sound noob. I've dealt with this stuff for a good 7 years now. thank you.
BMcC
X: With your EQ problems, I would suggest your med/hi frequencies be upped. Not really to swallow those of the vox track. (DONT DE-ESS!!)
X: With your compression track, I have always been taught to use low attack generally. 20-30? Thats my area.
X: Yes, headphones are very good for mixing. Preferably hi-fi studio phones. $50-70 range is good.
X: With your condenser crap, use cardoid. It picks up really good percussion sound. Its picks up med frequences very well. Best cardiod you can get is a SM-57. I love mine, and you can genrally get one for about $100.
X: bass traps, if u use the lingo im firmiliar with, is like a simple cushioned thing around the room to trap the sound waves, right? Get back to me on that. If I am right, then I would suggest not worrying about it. I usually go straight into the board. U lose some luster and warmth, but I just get muddy and sloppy sound when I record bass through mic.
X: When u feel it is neccesery, global compression is a verygood thing, but not in really generous amounts. But, sometimes, too much compression can damage your signal. Keep that in mind.
QUESTION FOR YOU: Are you testing me or something? Sigh...hope you guys are happy. Jerks.
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Lol, sorry, but then again my post was meant purely sarcastic and positive actually. ^-^
Anyways, yeah, now I do understand your question indeed. Mmmm, I think recorded audio is the way to go, sound quality is much much better than the 'ol skool MIDI music. Compression isn't the problem anymore nowadays, so...
2D-topdown-RPGs need good quality sounds and music, so I'd personally prefer audio over MIDI.
MIDI may sound more old skool and might fit better to an old skool 2D RPG game, but at some point the quality increase you get out of using true audio makes it worth it. Off course, you could also go for MOD formats or Fasttracker formats and music, it's better than MIDI, but much much smaller than usual compressed audio like .ogg.
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The appropriate implementation of sound has bugger all to do with "morals," and even less to do with genre; it's all about what works in the setting, and it's got nothing to do with the format you use either. I suggest you make your game, try putting some music to it, and see what works; it's a peculiar approach, I know, but you'll learn more and get better results from it than you will by posing poorly-worded questions (yeah, you probably should use audio sound, it's preferable to the inaudible type, y'know?) to an internet forum without showing the people you're asking for advice any context. The sound, ideally, should complement the graphical style, the setting and storyline, and the nature of the action; all you've told us is that the project is 2D, top-down, and of a "similar" feel to some older RPGs (but you've not said how, which is vital) - none of which has any bearing whatsoever on the music.
Just make a whole bunch of stuff and see what works, and try to phrase your queries better if you want better results.
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Well, Toom and PHeMoX , it's like trying to throw in heavy metal with Secret of Mana. Thats about the equivalent of what im wanting to do. We'll have a vertical slice demo in July, so, when we get it uploaded and shit check it out, if the music fits the atmosphere.
-Thanks for the input guys, btw.
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it's like trying to throw in heavy metal with Secret of Mana
Honestly I don't see any problems with that as long as it's the right type of heavy metal. I don't think Opeth would fit, but perhaps an Iron Maiden like thing without vocals would ... it's basically a bit trial and error that comes into play when you're trying out those kind of things. ^-^
Whether or not a certain type of music fits totally depends on the music, not the format, nor sound quality actually. Some super cheap sounding MIDI sounds probably suit online flash-games better than a Oblivion 2, but that's pretty obvious don't you think? ::)
(I'd love to see some real Heavy Metal in Oblivion 2 though ^-^ )
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QUESTION FOR YOU: Are you testing me or something?
Yeah, pretty much. :P
Sorry, I was feeling sarcastic that day. :)
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ass. :D