Much belated thanks -- Enjoyed KQ2VGA soundtrack

[gortmertl0]

Tom --

Sorry this is so late, but I only began playing the early KQ games a few weeks ago (and their 'unofficial' VGA upgrades)...

I played KQ5 back in college well over 15 years ago ("borrowed" from a friend), had the KQ 15th anniversary CDs for almost as long, but only recently got the urge to try the entire series.

I thoroughly enjoyed your music for the game, especially the "Enchanted Realm" stuff -- very new-agey / ethereal 'mood' music (I know I use that phrase a lot; I'm gonna have to a 'Roget the Saurus').  Those tracks reminded me of some of Jay Chattaway's and Dennis McCarthy's scores for Star Trek: The Next Generation.  The entire score fit the mood perfectly, matching the terrifically-enhanced storyline.

I was even able to pick out bits of the KQ8 theme during Test #3 in the game, based on the few KQ8 tracks from here!

Anyways, I've had the KQ2VGA soundtrack downloaded for a while, but after having finished playing the game late last week, the tracks mean a lot more to me now.

Thanks again.

Gary

[Tom]

Hey, THANKS Gary!  I appeciate the comments a lot.  Dennis McCarthy, eh?  Wow ... I'm honored.  I've always loved his music in ST:TNG.  (I still listen to my TNG soundtrack CD quite a bit.)

[gortmertl0]

Hey, THANKS Gary!  I appeciate the comments a lot.  Dennis McCarthy, eh?  Wow ... I'm honored.  I've always loved his music in ST:TNG.  (I still listen to my TNG soundtrack CD quite a bit.)

Yeah, me too!  His "ST:Generations" score is one of my favorites.

I'm sorry Ron Jones never got much respect there, his scores being considered too "action-orientated/bombastic" -- and that went against the new-age feel that Rick Berman wanted.  That being said, he certainly went out at the top of his game with the classic "Best of Both Worlds, Parts 1 & 2".

- - - - -

I am using the Jukebox 2 to listen to the VOX music track, but have you considered making all of the tracks available for download?  I know some have mentioned that they would like "beginnings" and "endings" to the tracks (as opposed to accommodating the necessities that game music often requires), but for me, I'd be happy with the complete soundtrack as is.  Perhaps it would be too big, as far as filespace goes -- and you have more deserving files that could be put in its place...  Or is there not much call for the entire soundtrack?...

(Along with the Tower Realm tracks and "The Mermaid", my new favorite is "Connor Is Not Knighted" -- such terrific build-up, leading into melancholy...  Perfectly fits Connor having to hold his head up high in the face of such a crushing disappointment!)

Gary

[Tom]

I would really love to take a fresh look at the KQ2 soundtrack, and update it as has been suggested ... honest!  It's just a "time" issue.  Every time I sit down to start on a fresh project, something else ... real world ... comes up.  I've aborted so many things lately because other things require my attention.  But hell ("heck" for you youngsters), the KQ2 Update project seems like it should be a project at the top of my list.  I already have ALL of the QFG2 VGA music posted (not yet accessible to the public, though), in complete-song-format (not loops), so why not the KQ2 soundtrack!?!  That does it -- I'll start the KQ2VGA Update Project, next!  And, I'll post ALL of the songs as I do the update.  I'll make it my summer-fall 2007 project.

Hey...maybe it'll be something like what the Fatman just did with his Wing Commander project ... oh wait ... he didn't do anything.  Never mind. 

[Ari]

Touche'! 

[gortmertl0]

That does it -- I'll start the KQ2VGA Update Project, next!  And, I'll post ALL of the songs as I do the update.  I'll make it my summer-fall 2007 project.

That sounds great, Tom!

I hope this didn't side-track something else that was equally deserving of your attention!   

Gary

[Tom]

I actually got started with the KQ2VGA project ... today.  I was curious to see if all my old MIDI files were still intact.  The only other project I have going is putting together a couple of sound effects for QFG2VGA.  I got to playing around with a few things in the KQ2 Intro and decided, why not get things going right now.  I'm replacing the Ogg files with high quality (Lame) MP3 files as I update the soundtrack. 

The first song that I added (which wasn't posted earlier) is the Batman Easter Egg Theme (http://66.49.226.244/digital/kq2rts/Music935.mp3).  It seems like eons ago that I did this!

Anyway, as I update the soundtrack, the Ogg files will be replaced by MP3's; songs that used to loop will have endings, or fade out -- depending on which I feel is more appropriate.  Many (most) of the songs already have endings.  (You'll be able to tell when a song has been updated if a MP3 has replaced the Ogg.)

[Alistair]

Hey Tom,

Good to see you're working on this. Let's face it, KQ2VGA's music deserves to be more than looping Ogg's with no ending. I'm really glad you're working on this (although I wish things I request would inspire you as much as others'), since you were the composer and did a stand-out job on it (the music is my favourite part of the KQ2 remake, and I loved the plot/graphics/etc as well).

I've been posting and looking at older projects of mine of late, as well. What is this, nostalgia month or something? Reminds me, SMC turns 5, end of this month also.

- Alistair

[Tom]

You know how it goes, Alistair -- enough people start to question something, or the right moment just hits.  I haven't been ignoring your requests by any means, but no one else had been really commenting at all on the KQ2 soundtrack -- I just figured it wasn't of much interest to anyone.  Plus, it's a HUGE project which requires digging up some old music files.  Ever since you originally did mention fixing the loops so that the songs are complete, it really has been gnawing away at me as something I should do.  And even now, thinking of this project as a whole, it seems overwhelming.  If I take it one song at a time, maybe this will encourage me to actually do it.  So in fact, your request has been one that's been haunting me for quite some time.   

[Alistair]

I know, I know. And in all fairness, I'm being a major hypocrite.
My major failing is never sticking at and completing projects, and I simply don't create WAV's as fast as you (when editing MIDI scores). It takes me a lot longer.

Plus, I have a wife, and a brother (who both live in the same house)- who both want to spend time with me, as well as using this computer.

Anyway. I'm just saying, I know about requests. I have requests for a bunch of scores right now. And I want to do all of them. But I'm at the stage these days where almost every day I feel like working on something new. Do you ever get like that?

I was watching Miami Vice last week, and wanted to do PQ3. I have like 5 projects already

So yeah, I understand. I just always felt that KQ2VGA was a very good effort by you, and deserved better than something I feel is unfit to burn to CD, looping, abruptly ending files (as a 'soundtrack CD' people listen to outside computers, which is my intention when making CD's, not just for PC listening).

I will say this though- if it's been gnawing away at you as a project you feel you should/want to work on, why all the 'Man, don't ask me that! It's way too big a project' comments?

I'll make you feel better with this, in closing- I'm currently remastering the Torin's Passgae soundtrack, from mono, 8-bit, to stereo that resembles normal good stereo. Plus, I have to fade out tracks or fix endings, remove hiss, the works. Yeah, there's about half the tracks/music, but there's just as much work involved, I guarantee you. Plus, making mono tracks stereo is tough.

- Alistair

[gortmertl0]

I'm really glad you're working on this (although I wish things I request would inspire you as much as others')

Hey, I might be on a roll or something...

All right, let's see if my vast powers of persuasion can work on other people as well:

[But I hereby promise to use my powers only for good, not evil.]


"Alistair, how is Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist coming along?"      


Gary

[gortmertl0]

And even now, thinking of this project as a whole, it seems overwhelming.  If I take it one song at a time, maybe this will encourage me to actually do it.

Is that like the old saying:

"How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time..."   

Gary

[Alistair]

Hey, I might be on a roll or something...

All right, let's see if my vast powers of persuasion can work on other people as well:

[But I hereby promise to use my powers only for good, not evil.]


"Alistair, how is Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist coming along?"       

Nice..

Actually, in my defense, I was working on it yesterday. I haven't posted this on SMC yet, but I was working on FPFP music (still chapter 1) on my laptop, just editing GM files to save time later, and my laptop crashed.

In fact, the hard drive has failed So all that work from yesterday has been lost unfortunately.


So. After TP, FPFP will probably be what I work on, and probably out within a month or two. A couple of probably's there, but I'm confident.

Other things I've done with FPFP involve lengthy discussions with Josh Mandel about it, plus some with Al Lowe, and I've even managed to get in contact with the elusive Aubrey Hodges himself- awesome guy too.

So yeah, I'm a hypocrite, but I admit it, and I'm still trying.

- Alistair

[Tom]

I actually am making some progress on updating the KQ2VGA soundtrack.  Very slow going because on time constraints, but it's coming.  In most cases, I've had to revert to the original MIDI file and do some editing, even if there already was a proper ending.  I'm also recording everything over again because it was originally recorded at a lower-than-optimal level.  Back in those days, the AGS game making software didn't handle volume adjustments well so we had to record everything at a level that would work properly while playing the game.  I've also been creating new MP3's (instead of Oggs) for each song, and have to update the web page.  Since I'm also adding all the music that wasn't previously posted, this makes for quite a project.  By the way, I finally did post the "Batman Easter Egg" theme (http://66.49.226.244/digital/kq2rts/Music935.mp3).  I'll never forget how afraid I was to do that one because of possible copyright infringement issues.


http://queststudios.com/quest/kq2rts/kq2music/kq2music.html

To save me a lot of headaches, I'm thinking of either adding all of the 'never posted' song files grouped together, in a new section, or    just dispensing with the "Track Number" bit.  Then I could slip the new songs in better with the existing songs.  Anyone have an objection to losing the Track Numbering scheme -- it really isn't necessary, I wouldn't think.

[gortmertl0]

Tom --

Just finished AGDI's KQ3-Redux and IA's KQ3-VGA over the last few weeks and thoroughly enjoyed the soundtracks from both.  It got me thinking about the progress of the updated KQ2-VGA soundtrack mentioned above.

Has it been abandoned for the time being?

Or are you waiting until next year to release the 10th Anniversary Edition of the soundtrack?   

Thanks.

Gary