'Official' Inca CD

[Alistair]

Hey folks,

As well as a request for the Inca 1/2 CD made by Tom ( ), this topic is really made with regards to the soundtrack CD released by Sierra in the Inca 1/2 collection pack. Such a CD *does* exist, and here's the information about it:
http://www.pcgamescore.de/cds.php?cdid=103

It might be only Inca 1's music (seems to be Inca 1 with one more track than the QuestStudios Inca 1 part of the Inca 1/2 'Private Collection' CD, the last one being the extra track), never played the games, only ever started Inca 1 (enough to hear 'Katchampa' in Adlib MIDI, which I even loved). But it's a very cool thing to exist with noone knowing.

On that note, does anyone have this CD? Or heard of it?

- Alistair

[gortmertl0]

Alistair --

I have this CD, although the cover doesn't look like this.   I have the US version.   My apologies if you are only looking for the non-US version.

I bought it directly from Sierra back in 1992 as a stand-alone CD, around the same time Mark Seibert's Sierra Soundtrack Collection came out.   It's titled "The Music of Inca", # 055024900.   (The Sierra Soundtrack Collection is # 058654900.)

I've never played the INCA games, so I don't know a lot about them, but the music is certainly interesting, to say the least.

I can try to post / email PDFs of the labels, CD covers and such for archiving, but it will take me a few days to get the old scanner working.

If you are interested, let me know.

          Gary

[Kaminari]

I didn't realized that Cocktel Vision had been bought out by Sierra way back in 1993 -- God knows why, since their games definitely didn't look like typical Sierra games (Emmanuelle, Geisha, Goblins, Ween...). The 'adventure' games of this French company were extremely popular here back then, along with those from other crazy developers like Infomédia, Lankhor, Infogrames or Ubi Soft [sic].

The composer of Inca 1&2 was a guy named Gilles Douïeb, who was a professional jazz-funk musician (bassist). In 1992, Inca was nominated by the great but now defunct magazine Tilt for Best Soundtrack and Best Graphics (it won the latter, but lost the former against Dune and Kyrandia). A funny anecdote: the song 'Inca People' turned into a minor hit in France!

[Alistair]

I did some extensive research into this game series in the last couple of weeks. Some very interesting conflicting points.

Worst one is the composer dilemma. Did Callet compose for Inca, or did Douieb?

I'd rate Inca's music of a higher quality than that of Kyrandia, well Kyrandia 1 anyway (haven't heard 2 or 3's music).
Inca was done with a SC-55, more or less, from what I know. But they did awesome digital editing! Especially if you heard the original Adlib soundtracks of the disk versions. Yuck.

What else you know about Inca music, Kaminari?

Sent you a PM, Gary, thanks for replying.

Regards,
- Alistair

[WildmanCAL]

I had the "Music of Inca" CD at one time (may still have it) but didn't care all that much for the music.  If I still have it, I can dig it up and get you the information you are looking for.

[Kaminari]

As far as I can remember, Charles Callet was a sound programmer for Cocktel Vision and Infogrames (he was usually credited for sound effects). But he occasionally composed chiptunes for various games like Drakkhen, Bob Morane, Goblins...

I believe Douïeb was the composer of Inca, but he may just have been the CD arranger. It was standard practice to rely on professional arrangers to enhance 'cheap' AdLib or Mod game soundtracks in Redbook. I remember that the Amiga music of Delphine games (Future Wars, Operation Stealth) was composed by Jean Baudlot, but the CD albums were arranged by a (back then) famous pop keyboardist called Bruno Ribera.

[Alistair]

Appreciated, WildmanCAL..

Kaminari:

As far as I can remember, Charles Callet was a sound programmer for Cocktel Vision and Infogrames (he was usually credited for sound effects). But he occasionally composed chiptunes for various games like Drakkhen, Bob Morane, Goblins...

Right.

I believe Douïeb was the composer of Inca, but he may just have been the CD arranger. It was standard practice to rely on professional arrangers to enhance 'cheap' AdLib or Mod game soundtracks in Redbook. I remember that the Amiga music of Delphine games (Future Wars, Operation Stealth) was composed by Jean Baudlot, but the CD albums were arranged by a (back then) famous pop keyboardist called Bruno Ribera.

My understanding of what is likely, is that Callet composed the original Adlib Inca music, and then made the CD digital music, and Douieb was the 'Mark Seibert' of Coktel (CD arranging), if you know what I mean. Though it could be the other way around.
Alternatively as you say he might have done the Redbook audio CD versions and Callet composed the Adlib stuff. Weird one. Lot of contradicting sources I've read about this. I seriously doubt Douieb was the Inca composer, though.

- Alistair

[Kaminari]

Ah, just found again the personal website of Yannick Chosse, one of the original game designers. In the section Jeux (games), he praises Gilles for his superb soundtrack; I take it he's talking about the game itself.

[Alistair]

Thankyou very much for the link, Kaminari! Seems he does say that. I don't take it as conclusive proof of anything, however, rather it just muddies the water if you know what I mean; I'm now torn in two directions. Normally I'd contact people (past employees), but I wouldn't be much good at contacting past-Coktel ones.

- Alistair

[Kaminari]

I did it for you ;-)

Just received a mail this morning from Yannick, I'll roughly translate it in English:

What a happy surprise, to hear again about that good old El Dorado!

[snip]

Gilles Douïeb was indeed the original music composer. At the time, he was working with an Atari; the soundtrack was recorded in a small studio for the CD version, then we transfered the MIDI from the Atari to the PC for the floppy version [I believe he must be talking about the AdLib transcription]. Charles was responsible for the sound effects.

If you want to know more about this, you can get in touch with Gilles at <gilles.douieb@free.fr>. Nowadays he's the bassist of one of the best French R&B bands, Captain Mercier. Pure delight, especially when they do live performance (in Paris more than often). A DVD of their last concert should be out this Spring.

The rest of his mail is a grumpy rant against the current video game industry ;-)

[Alistair]

Again, thanks incredibly much Kaminari!

Do me a favour and post his rant here too, if you can be bothered translating

You've been amazingly helpful. Excellent work.

- Alistair

[Marten]

Well, Tom, looks like you'll need to update the CD artwork and credits

[Alistair]

I was thinking that.

But I'd much rather someone uploaded the QuestStudios CD!

I am wondering, now, if Callet really composed *anything* for Sierra/Coktel.

- Alistair

[Kaminari]

Callet most probably composed everything else at Coktel; he was the in-house composer, and Inca was the only video game music that Douïeb ever did :-)

Here's the rest of the mail Yannick Chosse sent me:

I agree with what you say about the beginnings of the video game industry. As for me, my involvement ended right after Coktel was bought out by Sierra. The company changed hands a few times before becoming Family Kids, and like with many other entertainment businesses, all that remains of it is now probably managed by a financial director from VU. Creativity is dead.

Back in the days, I was struggling hard to persuade the upper executives that a game could be designed without constantly focusing on the income. I was convinced that if the game was genuinely good, if it had some originality and personality of its own, it would sell by itself. I fondly remember this era, and I think without nostalgia that those times of 'sticks and knives' were truly formidable for everyone involved.

Nowadays, it has become a dull production-line business -- sure it's a good thing for the marketing, communication or financial departments. But if those guys don't have anything new to sell or manage anymore because of an increasing lack of creativity, sooner or later they'll all end at the unemployment agency.

Can't agree more!

[Alistair]

That's fantastic! I should send this guy an email, assuming he actually speaks English.

The best analysis of the current game industry possible!

Callet most probably composed everything else at Coktel; he was the in-house composer, and Inca was the only video game music that Douïeb ever did :-)

Right- I've never played ANY Coktel games. Quite disgraceful on my part really Saw someone playing Inca as a kid, but don't remember much of it.
Guess none of their games ever appealed to me. And the Inca demo made me lose interest a couple years ago when I saw it. However, I've purchased the games this weekend on Ebay. Can't wait to check it out..

Thanks very much for the translations, Kaminari. If I can do anything for you..

- Alistair