Digital Music Forum East – Digital music and interactive entertainment
I attended the 2008 Digital Music Forum East for the first time this
year, with a press pass from GamersInfo. The conference was February
26th and 27th in Battery Park, New York City. My focus as a journalist
at this conference was on digital music and interactive entertainment
(read: games.) Additionally, I gained some valuable insight about
digital music trends.
The summit began with Ted
Cohen’s declaration that “Music Industry 1.0 is dead. Does anybody
disagree?” Nobody in the full auditorium did. The industry has lost a
lot of money because of disruption from digital music, and there are
different ideas about why this is. The record labels talk a lot about
music piracy, and the RIAA has sued people for stealing music. In
hindsight, the issue of piracy was more about convenience than cost,
because the industry was opposed to selling music as an mp3 format. As
eMusic founder David Pakman (no relation to Pac-Man) said, “If you
wanted to buy a song online, you HAD to steal it.” There was no easily
accessible way to purchase music digitally until iTunes. Much of the
conference was focused on exploring different business models for
digital distribution of music. Some of these are the $.99 cents model,
subscription models, and ad supported models.
The afternoon panel on Tuesday was called Social Networking & Music
Discovery. The recurring theme on this panel was the relationship
between cool and not cool, legal and illegal. The idea is that one of
the reasons why Napster was so effective in disrupting the music
industry is that it was illegal. “Everything that’s cool is forbidden,”
said Gerd Leonhard of Sonify. “ We’re all copyright infringers just by
being on the internet!” The claim was even introduced that “if you want
to be successful you have to be illegal or in the gray zone.”
Many companies are looking to take advantage of music as a universal
communication tool by building a fun online experience. A company
called OurStage billed its self as a “non-game game” platform with
creating an American Idol type experience in the online world. Artists
upload their original music and videos to find new fans and climb the
website charts. Fans discover the music and pick favorites. The artists
are eligible to win cash and prizes to launch their careers. Fifth
Generation Systems created a social networking platform called Zude
with an emphasis of artistic freedom and design customization through
drag-and-drop mechanics. “In the future, everyone will have their own
website,” said Steve Poppe from Zude.
A panel
entitled Top Digital Media Trends Impacting the Music Business posed an
excellent lesson on the impact of games on the music industry. Alan
Cohen from Guitar Center, a top music instrument retailer sold popular
guitar simulation video game Guitar Hero in its stores. While Cohen
stated “We’re not in the video game business,” the product was
tangentially related. The promotion came with a $50 dollar coupon to
buy a real guitar. Many of the customers who purchased the game came
back and bought guitars. “Video games are becoming a distribution
channel targeting the need of technology-empowered consumers.”
Before the conference, I also had the opportunity to meet with Paul
DeGooyer from MTV Games, creators of Rock Band. Paul believes that
right now we’ve “just scratched the surface of music and interactivity.
Technology has changed the way we experience music. Rock Band gives
players a deeper musical experience, and the opportunity to create
their own experience through the game.” Paul also believes that other
types of music driven games will emerge eventually. He cited Madden as
a good example of a game used to break new artists. Additionally, Paul
speculated that there will be “music created for the platform,” with
the idea of new types of music artists emerging because of games.
Interactivity (i.e. computer software) has significantly changed the
way people experience and monazite music and media. As Keynote speaker
Michael Robertson (founder of MP3.com) explained, “if something can be
digitized, it will be digitized.” While the days of the CD, radio and
television being the only way to promote and sell music are over, there
are more challenges in the music space. There are an overwhelming
amount of promotional outlets, from social networks, video games,
online stores, streaming content and satellite radio, and the
traditional media still exist as well. The difficulty is no longer in
lobbying to get a song on the radio, on TV and into record stores but
in picking the right media outlets for the right music at the right
time. There is no correct answer for all types of music all the time.
Another lesson I took away from that the conference is that there is a
digital divide between different types of music and geographic
locations. For example, Christian pop/rock music is still doing just
fine with CD’s, with mom and pop type stores in areas like Nashville
and the midwest being a good source of revenue for labels. Heavy metal
fans also still purchase CD’s, where as buyers of emo music will
purchase online. Additionally, outside the US and in areas like Japan,
there is much more focus placed on mobile in music and entertainment.
The American market is considered behind the curve in regards to mobile.
I came away from Digital Music Forum East feeling that this is a great
time to be involved with both music and games. For emerging artists,
there is more opportunity to discover and interact with fans using the
internet. Ten years ago, the only way for an artist to get noticed was
to keep touring. Now, if the music is great, then fans will find reach
out. For promoters and record labels, the opportunities lie in music
publishing and licensing. For game developers, there is an opportunity
to create new ways of music, and explore new types of music. More
people are listening to music now than any time before.
GDC Mobile and
‘Designing for the platform’
This year was my first year attending Game
Developer’s Conference and it was by all means a wonderful
trip. For the record, the week was definitely worthwhile in
terms of the education, networking, and overall change of
pace. San Francisco is a great city with a great climate, and
of course I’ll remember Shigeru Miyamoto’s keynote speech
for a very long time.
Mobile is emerging platform that many
analysts are predicting tremendous growth for within the next
few years, but for now largely remains off the radar. Right
now mobile has only 4% market share, and only 1 in 5 games is
profitable, though 80% of phone users try preloaded games from
portals.
I’ve also worked in the mobile industry
for the most of the last year as a music producer, as well as
on the business side of things at a studio in Boston. Since I’ve
experienced the opportunities and pitfalls of the mobile
platform firsthand, I was excited to see what new knowledge
and creative ideas I’d come away with from the summit and
panels.
Original Intellectual Property vs. Branded
Content
The debate about creativity will wage on
across all platforms and art forms, with the emerging mobile
space as a new battleground. Currently, the most popular
mobile games are ports of existing titles including Tetris,
Bejeweled, Pac Man and Diner Dash. This data suggests that
while consumers are sticking with the familiar, we haven’t
really seen the limit of what the platform can offer.
Naturally, most of the developers in the sessions were more
interested in creating original IP than doing what’s already
been done – "making another solitaire clone," as
someone put it. Also, in a world where content is king, owning
the rights to a property with a lot of cache is certainly an
advantage. Conversely, the publishers’ point of view as a
whole is that marketing a proven legacy title is more sound
than something untested.
This proves to be more difficult in the
mobile space because of the technological limits of the
platform. As opposed to PC and consoles, where familiar game
designs with better graphics and more bells and whistles are
the norm, mobile creates a different user experience. It’s
more difficult to sell a product on brand awareness alone, and
so far ports of existing titles haven’t brought the platform
to consumer mainstream. It was refreshing to hear one
publisher on a panel say that they’re "excited by a
brand, but sometimes the execution needs improvement"
among the usual marketing mantra of "branding is
good!"
Developing Across Multiple Platforms
One of the challenges in the mobile space is
that rather than merely developing for PC and Mac, PS3, Xbox
360 and Wii, there are a myriad of handsets from different
manufacturers. This means that each one of these handsets has
its own specific requirements, adding to the challenge of
developing and porting consistent content across all
platforms.
Etherplay’s Dan Scherlis led a roundtable
discussion throughout the week about developing across
multiple platforms, largely focused on mobile but has
ramifications within the PC, console and handheld world. What
if the next legacy title featured a simultaneous release
across each platform where the in-game universe was somehow
connected? Granted, a mobile experience for a PC or console
blockbuster would not have the same depth as its predecessor.
Hypothetically, maybe it shouldn’t and doesn’t have to.
What if you could take on the role of a monster in Worlds of
Warcraft while waiting at the bus stop? What if assets you
acquire on one platform could be used for another? Play
through expert mode on mobile Guitar Hero? Great, here’s a
track from that hot new band featured in the game!
Eric Goldberg led a panel offering some
insight into the future of advergaming. As Greystripe’s
Michael Chang said, "Marketers don’t buy technology.
They don’t buy content. Marketers buy audiences." Since
mobile gaming is poised to grow significantly within the next
few years, the panelists encouraged game developers to prepare
for the opportunity. "Bake advertising into the game
development thinking. Plan for advertising today."
Many Players, One Game
Another instance that the mobile space is
different is that there are more complex relationships between
the industry stakeholders. Among the different professional
groups are the developers, publishers, carriers, handset
makers, content aggregators, IP owners, billing providers, and
last but not least, the consumers. The way things are now,
because the carriers are the gatekeeper, they have the most
power over what’s available on deck. In many ways,
developers are forced to make games to please the carrier
rather than the consumer, because of their power status. Many
of the discussions over the week were about difficulty of
working with the carrier, or why the carriers are obstructing
creativity. I would have enjoyed the opportunity to hear a
representative from a carrier about their role in
understanding what the consumer wants.
The general feeling was that in order for
the mobile games industry to flourish, the different
organizations need to start communicating better, in addition
to protecting their own interests. "It has to be
done," said Peter Ahnegard from Sony Ericsson.
"Consumers need easy access to different types of
content." The industry as a whole needs to push
technology, to believe that mobile games are a significant
part of the entertainment offering to consumers.
How to ‘Design for the platform?’
Perhaps the answer to the mobile question is
that we still have yet to see the killer application that
revolutionizes the industry. "We need to find the Citizen
Kane of mobile games," as someone put it referring to the
notion of a breakout hit. In terms of the future of the
platform, this means that developers need to look at the
opportunities of the interface rather than seeing it as a
hindrance.
How do you take advantage of the mobile
phone as a viable game developing foundation? For starters, it’s
the only device that people keep with them at all times. This
is very important. It's a small screen, numerical buttons, and
an interface set up for socializing and connectivity. Gameplay
involves quick intervals rather than long hours, and must be
conducive to interruption. There is also a large difference in
capability between next generation "geek phones" and
the inexpensive, dated handsets that are the most popular
because of the low price point. Phones also offer cameras, GPS
tracking, text message and other unique features. GDC Mobile
offered some innovative suggestions into what may become the
killer application we’ve all been looking for.
One design that stands out is International
Mobile Gaming Award winning title Triangler, developed
by TNO. Triangler is a massive collaborative geometric
outdoor mobile game. Two teams play a match in a large arena,
where the object is to enclose enemy players in equilateral
triangles formed by positioning coordinates of teammates. The
game also exploits the connectivity of mobile through voice
chat, and provides an outlet for socialization and
competition.
Another noteworthy game is Telcogames’ SiL,
which won acclaim from both judges and audience members at GDC’s
Mobile Game Innovation Hunt. SiL is a puzzle game that
involves matching silhouettes of 3D shapes. The emphasis is on
simple design, original IP, addictive gameplay and casual
aesthetics.
What Next?
In a world where content is king, the crown
is up for grabs. Somebody, somewhere is going to create the
breakout hit that makes both the carriers and the consumer
take mobile games seriously. Right now the industry has a lot
of challenges, both in terms of technology and communication.
There needs to be a unified feedback loop between developers,
publishers, carriers and handset makers. The mobile game space
has potential to be a powerful global industry, especially in
some markets where the PC does not exist for every citizen.
-Matt 3/19/2007
Anime
Songwriting Workshop at Bakuretsu Con 2006
On the weekend of November 3rd through 5th 2006, I attended
Bakuretsu Con, www.bakuretsucon.org
in Colchester, Vermont as a special guest. This was an
extremely exciting opportunity for me, because Bakuretsu Con
marked the debut of my panel called Anime Songwriting
Workshop. I had put a lot of preparation into the project
over the last few months, and I was overjoyed to discover that
other people liked the idea. The premise is to get a group of
anime fans together and collaborate on music and lyrics to an
anime theme song, sharing credit with everyone involved in the
process.
Anime Songwriting Workshop began with a memorable
experience I had at Anime Boston this year. I discovered a
grand piano in a hotel alcove near the registration line.
Since nobody stopped me, I sat down and started playing my
repertoire of anime and videogame favorites. Continuing for
several hours each day, I enjoyed many fun interactive moments
with people passing by. Inspired by the support and creativity
I saw there, realized that wanted to find a way to share my
musical abilities at future cons. I formed the idea of
collaborating with a large group of con-goers to write
original music and lyrics to an anime theme song. I felt that
this would be a great way to do something unique, make some
friends, and give something to the anime community.
I continued fleshing out the idea of an anime theme
songwriting workshop, and getting the word out. Finally,
Bakuretsu Con offered me an opportunity to showcase the
workshop in Vermont. I gathered everything together, and woke
up at 5am Friday morning and hit the road. The drive up I91
through Vermont has got to be one of the most beautiful roads
in the country. Complete with rolling mountains, endless
forests, and small villages, it evokes a sense of fantasy. It
was easy to get into the mindset that I was traveling on some
sort of heroic quest.
I arrived around 10am, in time to plug my panel during the
opening ceremony. With a small keyboard and several boxes of
swag to give out, all I wanted was for people to show up and
have fun. I had a lot to do with the group very quickly, and
probably started things off a bit frantically. We began to
start improvising original characters and situations.
To me, writing songs is all about the message. Once you
truly understand what youíre writing about, the rest will
come naturally. The central idea becomes the memorable part of
the song. As the saying goes, "Donít bore us, get to
the chorus." The trick is that you donít start at the
beginning, you start at the middle. When I start working with
a student, I just try to get them to start talking about what
theyíre thinking.
This time, I had the pleasant challenge of generating
content with a group rather than an individual. I believe
strongly in the creative power of anime fans, and we began to
explore characters and situations through improvisation. Our
group created a comic scene with central characters of a
fangirl, and necromancer, and a scientist. After honing in on
some dominant themes of infatuation, insecurity, manipulation
and conflict (and some appropriately ridiculous lyrical
phrases in Japanese.) After an intense 2 hours, we had a
chorus that I believe is compelling. I was thrilled that
people stayed it out, and felt like I accomplished what I
wanted to.
After it was over, I could relax for the rest of the
weekend. What I really enjoyed about Bakuretsu Con as a whole
is how the relatively small size made it feel cozy rather than
hectic. As fun as it is to get lost in the Anime Boston crowd,
I felt that I was able to get to know people on a deeper level
compared to a much larger convention. So much of the fun just
stems from meeting people from totally different backgrounds
who share the same passions. For my money, gamers and anime
fans are the craziest fans there are, and itís such a
privilege to be able to connect with them.
So now Iím back in Boston building my team to produce the
first single from Anime Songwriting Workshop, as
developed by about 20 contributing writers. To me this project
represents a unique connection between the artist and
supporters, wherein they become intermingled and inseparable. Iím
really excited about this project, and I hope for the chance
to do more in the future. For more information on Anime
Songwriting Workshop, keep checking back here or email me
personally.
Thanks / Props toÖ
- Valerie Tatro and all the Bakuretsu Con staff members
for being wonderfully supportive.
- Spike Spencer, Steve Bennett, and Sarah Hodge-Wetherbe
for their hilarious dating panel.
- Christopher Payne-Taylor for the program layout and
Photoshop savvy.
- Michael McGarty for consulting on improv theatre.
- Phil Healy for helping edit and bounce ideas around.
- Everyone who came to my workshop and
became a contributing writer.
-Matt 11/16/2006
Sandbox
Symposium 2006 Review
On Sunday, July 30th, I attended the first ACM
SIGGRAPH Video Game Symposium in Boston, MA. The Sandbox
Symposium actually started on Saturday the 29th,
but I was unavailable because of a prior commitment. On Sunday
I had the privilege of being part of the press staff. The
Sandbox Symposium was hosted in the Copley Square Marriott in
the heart of Back Bay, which one of the most bustling and
modern areas of Boston.
ACM
SIGGRAPH is dedicated to the generation and dissemination of
information on computer graphics and interactive techniques. The
symposium consisted of keynote speakers, panels and papers, and drew
around 200 attendants. In addition, a "Hot Games" session featured
previews of unreleased titles from major game companies and indie
developers. The Symposium addressed some essential questions about
games as media, entertainment, and education: How can we advance the
state of technology while ensuring that the medium flourishes? What
role do indie developers play in maintaining diversity and creativity
in this medium? What are the impacts of the medium on society and on
individuals?
Sundayís session began with Ian Shaw of Electronic Arts
UK giving a lecture called "Players In The Development
Game." This talk was catered towards industry newcomers,
possibly with the college crowd in mind. Some of his key
points were that artists now outnumber programmers at a large
studio, 60% of gamers are male whereas 40% of gamers are
female, and that even at EA, huge groups of developers are
broken up into small teams. There is no "one brilliant
designer hiding in a closet," in the way that the public
perceives the process of game design.
In the next session, Craig Reynolds from Sony Computer
Entertainment spoke about "big fast crowds" and the
science behind developing artificial intelligence in gaming.
His talk introduced the relationship between what players are
aware of in the game, and what is outside the environment,
using images of fish swimming to visualize his points.
Elizabeth Losh from the University of California at Irvine
followed up his speech with a talk about virtual conflict
simulations related to the war in Iraq. With "Making
Things Public: Democracy and Government-Funded Video Games and
Virtual Reality Simulations" she articulated the social,
educational, and political impacts of Tactical Iraqi and
Virtual Iraq.
After lunch, the symposium continued with more panels and
papers. Steve DiPaola of Simon Fraser University presented
"Emotional Remapping of Music to Facial Animation. His
paper studied the way humans react to music, and utilized a
graphical human face to depict the subtleties.
The next panel was entitled "The Passion of the
Developer: ea_spouse in the h_ouse! a Panel on Labor Relations
and Quality of Life in the Industry," which opened a
passionate debate. Pannelists Thomas J Allen, Jason Della
Rocca, Erin Hoffman, Andy Luckey, Helen McWilliams, Matthew
Sakey and Naoko Takamoto explored issues of dealing with
current game developing industry issues like deadline crunch
and outsourcing. All panelists were of the understanding that
crunch is sometimes necessary, but the industry could create
better crunch management as a whole. Some points brought up
were lawsuits filed against the major publishers about quality
of life issues, innovative ways to keep developers healthy
and maintain creativity, improving game development managers,
and the financial aspects of crunch. One particular parable I
took away from this panel was the simple notion of "Donít
work blind."
"From Rock, Paper, Scissors to Street Fighter II:
Proof by Construction" by Yotam Gingold, New York
University conveyed the analogy that a well designed game is
like a complex variation of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Gingoldís
paper explained how a balance of power through multiple
variables creates strong gameplay, instead of the game feeling
random or lopsided. In the example of Street Fighter II, a
standing fighter beats a jumping fighter, and jumping fighter
is effective against a crouching fighter, and a crouching
fighter trumps the standing one. On another level of
variables, projectile attacks trump powerful body attacks, but
are also vulnerable to blocks and simple moves. Handicaps and
power meters represent other elements of Rock, Paper Scissors.
Gingoldís ability to reduce complex game design to simple
mathematics earned him the best paper award at the end of the
day.
Elina Koivisto, a Nokia researcher presented "Ancient
Runes - Using Text Input for Interaction in Mobile
Games," which examined focus groups in the growing world
of mobile gaming. Some of the issues Elina discussed were
gender preference between hardcore and causal gamers, playing
in the same room as opposed to virtually, and the importance
of network speed. The study suggested that text input and
memory are fun, females enjoy mobile games as much as males,
playing locally with friends is better than with anonymous
strangers, and short delay is suspenseful but significant lag
is negative.
After watching the awards, some previews and closing
comments, the first Sandbox Symposium came to an end. My sense
is that the organizers are happy with the way things went, and
hope to draw a larger crowd of professionals (as well as
academics) next year. I learned a lot about game design that I
would otherwise never explore, and enjoyed contemplating
different social issues of developing. All the speakers and
panelists were well prepared, and I feel more informed from
experiencing their presentations. Iím thrilled that there
was a con like this in Boston, and I intend to be back again
next year. Hopefully I can be a part of the Sandbox Symposiumís
future growth.
-Matt 8/14/06
The Black Mages
- Album Review
The first time I discovered that there was a rock band that
covered music from Final Fantasy, it was too good to be true.
The adrenaline started flowing, and it didnít stop until the
end of the album. Once the novelty wears off, there's still
very high level musicality to be absorbed. It all started in
February 2003. Uematsu produced The Black Mages, an album
composed of Final Fantasy music arranged in rock style. He
formed a group called The Black Mages and performed as the
keyboardist himself. The current members of the band are
Tsuyoshi Sekito ñ Guitar, Michio Okamiya ñ Guitar, Nobou
Uematsu ñ Organ, Kenichiro Fukui ñ Keyboards, Keiji
Kawamori ñBass and Arata Hanyuda ñ Drums. Additional
production credits include Kenchiro Fukai and Yasuji Yasman
Maeda.
The Black Mages and self-titled album brings the musical
universe of Final Fantasy to life with heavy intensity. This
album covers music from almost every game in the franchise,
from the original Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy X. With hard
hitting guitars and drums combined with organs, keyboards,
synthetic percussion and ambient noises, Nobuoís
arrangements explore elements from rock, metal and electronic
music influences, with a hint of jazz. What I appreciate about
the album is the focus on individual songwriting, blending the
old with the new, and building each piece separately from
beginning to end. It would have been much easier to be cute
and say "Look, a rock mix, look, an electronic mix,"
but it would also be much more bland. Nothing is predictable
or formulaic about the structure from one song to the next,
the listener is in continual suspense. Whether itís an
improvisational solo over a standard melody line, a surprise
cut-out, or a non-tonal explosion, the musicianship and
production is delightful to fans. Iím impressed with the way
each song creates novelties, but is faithful to the original
track and recognizable to fans.
Among my favorite tracks on The Black Mages album are
"J-E-N-O-V-A" and "Those Who Fight
Further." (And Iíll admit I may have a bias towards the
music from FFVII, but it arguably did the most to
revolutionize the franchise too.) The opening arpeggio is
consistent with the original "J-E-N-O-V-A" theme
music which plays at different points during the game when
your party battles Jenova. The Black Mages uses electronic
effects to make the piece more edgy, but still contains the
original excitement and cosmic feeling from the original. The
violin melody which comes in after the first repetition of the
melody is refreshingly new. "Those Who Fight
Further," the guitar driven boss music, is remarkable for
the opposite reason, because it follows the original
instrument arrangement very closely. This has much more of an
organic feel to it as opposed to being synthetic. The keyboard
playing triplets is quite impressive. (I wonder if itís
actually Nobuo himself performing the part live.)
Arguably the highlight of The Black Mages album is the
twelve minute arrangement of "Dancing Mad," the epic
final battle song from FFVI, which brings in all four themes.
With the power of a church organ and choir, this ballad
captures the awesome evil that is Kefka. One of the most
compelling reasons to purchase The Black Mages album is the
nostalgia factor. Final fantasy fans get to experience the
memories of games they probably havenít played in years.
Other strong sections of The Black Mages album include some
fond memories of the early Nintendo and Super Nintendo Final
Fantasy games. The opening track is the battle theme from the
original Final Fantasy game, with a nod bygone the days of 8
bit graphics and MIDI loops and beeps. I remember studying
Nobuoís earlier battle music when I first began composing
music for video games. I really enjoy the blaring distorted
guitars and slap bass in this arrangement in the theme from
FFI, and the guitar solo retains the excitement. Itís hard
to expand on a song that was originally written to satisfy
minimalist programming requirements, but the piece has some
variety of moods. Iím not sure I care for the FFII battle
theme rendition as much, because the intensity in the guitar
and drums just doesnít seem to be there. The laid back jazzy
feel just doesnít make me think of fighting.
All in all, The Black Mages is definitely an innovative and
groundbreaking album in the genre of video game related rock.
Nobuo proves to the world that video game music is to be taken
seriously, far beyond every bandís campy covers of Super
Mario Bros. or The Legend Of Zelda songs. Anyone who is
enthralled by the Final Fantasy series will probably be as
excited about The Black Mages as I was when I first heard it.
Additionally, this album may be a strong way to attract
non-gamers into the world of video game music in a way that
they would never know they were interested in.
-Matt 6/15/06
The Legend Of Zelda: The
Ocarina Of Time - Game and Music Review
As my close friend Colby once wrote in a
preview for this game, "When I was ten years old, I had
my first crush. She had blonde hair, pointy ears, and was
about eight pixels tall. Her name was ZeldaÖ" The
Legend Of Zelda: The Ocarina Of Time (OOT) marks the fifth
game in the Zelda franchise, and the first in the franchise on
the Nintendo 64. The saga of Link and Zelda returns with usual
elements of fantasy and adventure. This story follows along
the lines of A Link To The Past by exploring the idea
of two simultaneous coexisting worlds. In this case, the game
begins with Link as a preadolescent boy, and develops with
Link maturing into a young adult. We become involved in
character development over time, as well as puzzles that
involve actions in one setting effecting the other.
Link begins OOT in Kokiri Forest
living amongst a race of children who never grow up. When the
great Deku Tree is infected, Link takes up his sword and
enters the tree to vanquish the monster. As the Deuk Tree
dies, Link leaves the forest representing his loss of
innocence. He travels across Hyrule Field and sneaks into the
castle to meet princess Zelda, and the two uncover Ganonís
evil plot to rule the world. Link travels through two more
dungeons, and reaches the master sword before Ganon does.
However, as we discover the world of the future, Link has
fallen asleep for ten years and Ganon has attained power. The
formerly peaceful parts of Hyrule now suffer under his
cruelty. With help from a shadowy ally named Sheik, Link must
unlock the mysteries of five temples, and then challenge Ganon
to a final showdown to save Zelda and Hyrule.
The best quality of OOT is definitely
the graphics, which were state of the art at the time of
release. For the first time, we see the splendor of Hyrule in
3d, rather than from an overhead or side scrolling view. The
amount of detail put into each area is overwhelmingly
impressive. The characters are colorful, the bosses are
marvelously intimidating, and the combat action is very
smooth. Additionally, riding the horse was a fresh new idea. A
minor disappointment is that I was hoping that there would be
more to do in Hyrule field, which wasnít very diverse or
challenging. I enjoyed most of the dungeons and puzzles, and
completed just about every side quest.
Koji Kondoís music from OOT
introduces much greater complexity than earlier games in the
series. The overworld theme is just incredible, and worth
close studying on its own merits. With an upbeat arrangement,
we are taken on a quest of seemingly infinite and sudden
moments, sometimes inspiring energy, relaxation or
nervousness. Just when thereís no idea whatís happening
next, we are bolted with a hint of the memorable melody from
Kondoís original NES score. Other strong new track include
Gerudo Valley and Lost Woods. Franchise staples are brought
back from earlier games, like Kakariko Village, Zeldaís
theme and Ganonís theme.
The most important part about the music is
that the simple fact that the game is about an ocarina. Link
receives a magic ocarina, and learns to play songs that serve
different functions, from changing day to night, moving from
one world to the next, summoning characters, and entering
dungeons. The innovative part about this interface is that the
player must actually play the notes correctly with the
ocarina. We then enjoy a brief cut scene as Link performs with
an accompaniment, and enjoy a brief cut scene. My personal
favorite is the Nocturne Of Shadow. The nuance of integrating
live music with adventure and puzzle solving helped pave the
way for innovative and interactive music-based games of today
like Guitar Hero.
In all, The legend Of Zelda: The Ocarina
Of Time is a wonderful and pioneering game, and well worth
all the wait and hype. I would recommend it to anyone who
enjoys fantasy, adventure and puzzle solving. As a gamer and
fan, Iím still as enthralled with the Zelda universe as when
I was ten years old. As a composer, Iím still as awed by the
brilliance of Koji Kondoís legacy.
-Matt 5/19/06
Final
Fantasy VII: Advent Children Original
Soundtrack
The latest from Square-Enix video game music powerhouse Nobuo
Uematsu, this album integrates the mystical world of the game into
film. Synthesizing classic
melodies from the original Final Fantasy VII soundtrack, the
edgy metal feel of The Black Mages, and the purity of a
live orchestra, Advent Children is a diverse and compelling
album.
Among the strongest tracks on the first disc include
pristine piano versions of Tifa and Aerisís themes. Battle
In The Forgotten City and Violator bring about a new sound,
merging distortion guitar with orchestral strings, voices and
synthetic percussion. The second disc is highlighted by One Winged Angel, which probably marks the
climatic moment of the film and soundtrack. Beginning with the
traditional orchestra arrangement, we are then blasted by an
explosion of distorted guitar before the memorable choral harmony.
If I could add one thing to this album to make it more
complete, I would create an arrangement of the main theme
melody using distortion guitar and strings, as a way capturing
the adventurous feeling of this magical game/film world in one
moment. All in all, this album is a must-have for devoted Nobuo
Uematsu fans, integrating old favorites with modern production
values. Additionally, the album jacket, cover art and layout
are visually very well done.
-Matt 3/16/06
Looking for a review of your game or music samples? Contact matt@2eastmusic.com
and let 2EastMusic explore your work.
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